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Standard split
15 years ago
An interesting detail (well for me anyway) I have just noted on the Samba is the '46 Beetle with KdF door hinges on the passenger door and regular VW hinges on the drivers.:?

It is considered '46 to be late to sport this feature which apparently means the passenger door can be opened right back to 'allow a stretcher to be slid in' – hospital car:?:

My early '47 has this different hinge set-up too, exactly like the '46 in question. I've often wondered why my car has these very early type hinges on the passenger side:roll:

Has anybody else seen this or know why:?:  VW HingeLR.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.  Kdf HingeLR.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.
Rattletrap – the Volkswagen Beetle that has covered an incredible mileage equivalent to over 35 times around the planet :omg:
Running nifty since 1950… the King of Volkswagens:beer: Why not make friends with this famous little VW – he's on facebook! :d
http://forums.pre67vw.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=16378 
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Rich Oakley
15 years ago
I've noticed this before. Those '5-knuckle' hinges seemed to have been used on all cars up until mid-46 (?), but I have seen a number of later cars with them fitted. Maybe earlier doors were fitted to late 46s and 47s when cars from the US/GB forces cars returned to the factory for repair. I don't reckon it's anything to do with them being ambulance type cars.
47 Beetle, 56 UK Karmann Cabriolet, 56 UK Beetle, 57 UK Type 2, 59 UK Beetle, 66 UK Fastback.
Rich Oakley
15 years ago
This '45 has them on both sides...
UserPostedImage

I believe this '46 has them on both sides also...
UserPostedImage
47 Beetle, 56 UK Karmann Cabriolet, 56 UK Beetle, 57 UK Type 2, 59 UK Beetle, 66 UK Fastback.
usariemen
15 years ago
Yes, these doors open pretty wide.

UserPostedImage
Master of my domaine.
Bjoern
15 years ago
I am sorry to tll you. that your minds are on the wrong way. Until today, I have found 6 untouched Kdf-beetles and in the late 1990s, I have visited most of all known Kdf-beetles in Europe to check the details before we started the testauration of my old type 82e which is now a part of the Grundmann collection. All original existing Kdf had the same hinges like we know from the regular splits. In summer of 1998 I found a 1945 post-war-beetle which is also now a part of the Grundmann-collection. This car had its both original doors - one was a kdf-door - trimmed for the post-wear-rubberseals, the other side had the 5-kmuckle-door you are talking about. What I learnd during my studies of the pre.47-beetles is, that the 5-knuckle hinges were only used from 1945 to early 1947. And for the pre-war-prototypes. If you compare the pre-war-doors the the later ones you find differences in all details - different handles, different winders, differemt design... The cars were completly handmade. UserPostedImage
Standard split
15 years ago
I'm pretty sure that my '47 left the factory with KdF hinges on the passenger side only, it is an unrestored car which does not seem to have had a door repair.

And yes, this door does open right back:!:

I now know of 3 early VWs with KdF hinges on the passenger side only – seems to much of a coincidence that these cars have them on the same side:?

Anyone got some good pictures of early Beetles being used as ambulances, as some were:?:
Rattletrap – the Volkswagen Beetle that has covered an incredible mileage equivalent to over 35 times around the planet :omg:
Running nifty since 1950… the King of Volkswagens:beer: Why not make friends with this famous little VW – he's on facebook! :d
http://forums.pre67vw.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=16378 
bruce
15 years ago
These hinges are on both sides of this early 47.

UserPostedImage
kdf38
15 years ago
I would have sworn my Nov 47 had the early hinges on one side. I checked, it has the later type on both doors.

I'm pretty sure that my '47 left the factory with KdF hinges on the passenger side only, it is an unrestored car which does not seem to have had a door repair.

And yes, this door does open right back:!:

I now know of 3 early VWs with KdF hinges on the passenger side only – seems to much of a coincidence that these cars have them on the same side:?

Anyone got some good pictures of early Beetles being used as ambulances, as some were:?:

Standard split wrote:

Mike
Texas
Nov. 1947 +
Febr 1949 shell
Standard split
15 years ago

I would have sworn my Nov 47 had the early hinges on one side. I checked, it has the later type on both doors.

kdf38 wrote:



Probably as your car is late 1947, and it seems that whatever was at hand in those difficult times was used, so by then the early hinges were all exhausted.

My '47 has a KdF Pope's nose :?

Rattletrap – the Volkswagen Beetle that has covered an incredible mileage equivalent to over 35 times around the planet :omg:
Running nifty since 1950… the King of Volkswagens:beer: Why not make friends with this famous little VW – he's on facebook! :d
http://forums.pre67vw.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=16378 
48REME
15 years ago



it seems that whatever was at hand in those difficult times was used.

Standard split wrote:



Exactly. Even my late 48 had a cog wheel stamp on the handbrake and the carburettor. And that car was actually already of the post-REME/Hirst era
when you'd think everything was slowly being standardised.
Standard split
15 years ago

Exactly. Even my late 48 had a cog wheel stamp on the handbrake and the carburettor. And that car was actually already of the post-REME/Hirst era
when you'd think everything was slowly being standardised.



Yes, this is what makes the '40s Beetles so interesting, and less sterile than the later cars:!:

All these odd bits from the KdF era turning-up here and there on some but not all cars :wink:

Even my '49 DeLuxe has a cog-wheel logo on each door handle.

Rattletrap – the Volkswagen Beetle that has covered an incredible mileage equivalent to over 35 times around the planet :omg:
Running nifty since 1950… the King of Volkswagens:beer: Why not make friends with this famous little VW – he's on facebook! :d
http://forums.pre67vw.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=16378 
KdF1
15 years ago
I agree. Like with all cars, the parts supplies get used up faster on the side that gets the most wear. I'm sure those early, less perfected, Drivers side hinges wore faster and the parts supplies dried up quicker for that side, hence more passenger side hinges left over in stock. After the War I'm sure they were happy to have anything that would work.
Restoring a Feb. 1944 KdF 82e
SplitPersonality
15 years ago

I am sorry to tll you. that your minds are on the wrong way. Until today, I have found 6 untouched Kdf-beetles and in the late 1990s, I have visited most of all known Kdf-beetles in Europe to check the details before we started the testauration of my old type 82e which is now a part of the Grundmann collection. All original existing Kdf had the same hinges like we know from the regular splits. In summer of 1998 I found a 1945 post-war-beetle which is also now a part of the Grundmann-collection. This car had its both original doors - one was a kdf-door - trimmed for the post-wear-rubberseals, the other side had the 5-kmuckle-door you are talking about. What I learnd during my studies of the pre.47-beetles is, that the 5-knuckle hinges were only used from 1945 to early 1947. And for the pre-war-prototypes. If you compare the pre-war-doors the the later ones you find differences in all details - different handles, different winders, differemt design... The cars were completly handmade.

Bjoern wrote:



What? So any 1940-45 original KDF Beetle should have the exact same hinges as a 1952 Pastel Green Beetle? Really??
Bjoern
15 years ago



What? So any 1940-45 original KDF Beetle should have the exact same hinges as a 1952 Pastel Green Beetle? Really??

SplitPersonality wrote:



Here are some pics of an original, untouched pair from a 1943 door. It has the regular hinges like we know from the post 1947 doors. I have found 8 KDF-beetles in my life as a barnfind - and I have visited round about 30 cars during the years. All doors looked like the same.



UserPostedImage
SplitPersonality
15 years ago
Wow - thanks for educating me/us Bjoern!

I just love the statement/fact: "I have found 8 KDF-Beetles in my life as a barnfind" .... you are unique Bjoern, no doubt!
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