zelensis61
8 years ago
Here is a story that is remarkeble.

Since long time, a worn out Hebmuller, known as heb 401 . The car sat for a long time under a tree in a garden in the USA. After some investigation, I noticed something strange on the car.... The Hebmuller aufbau plate was read as built at 0401 in 1950... The body nr was not readeble due to rust. After I got in contact with the owners son, he send me some picts of the car as it sat in the barn in his dad's house. That man is Ken SWAN . he owned the heb since long time and want to keep it that way as it stay's in the family. Last year in September, the body nr was cleared and at first sight it was not 401 but 423 or 428. Ken took the effort to clean it more, add some light to it and now it is clear that this one is now 428 for sure. No doubt about it.

In the investigation, the magazine feature was also found where the car was shown. With the fire going on in Ken and Steve's hart, due to the input from me and other Heb hunters, They intend to restore the car soon. Picts are from Steve Swan. Enjoy. :thumbup:  heb 401 open.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.  ^63A042E35CCA30DEF666ED6763258CA4DBABD2FCA9CF9432BC^pimgpsh_fullsize_distr (2).jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.  12814583_552711358243914_3432876574178545019_n.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.  1368287.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.  image.png You have insufficient rights to see the content.
ZELENSIS, coachbuilt body from the 50's on a vw platform made in Belgium. Peter the heb detective
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zelensis61
7 years ago
Well, there is news on this heb.

It finaly arrived at METALKRAFT in Cincinnati to join heb 309 and 418 that are there to restore. Now 428.
Ken Swan, the owner and his son, dragged the heb on a trailer for 9 hr drive from Pensylvania to Cincinnati. There the work started directly to see what the car is, what colors are found and what secrets it holds.
First: Car needs a fix,....lots of rust due to bad storage in the 80s.... outside.
secondly.... Ken owns the heb for 55 years... he bought it in the states. No German papers came with the car. No history known before that. Who brought it to the us, who owned it in Germany.
Good news is that it wears a body tag outside from a bodyshop in Munich, It still is in Business. Request send out 🙂
Next: Body seems to have original IVORY color all over except the rear part inside around the back seat.
On the left side window pilar, ,a search light or sort of device was mounted. Now we need to find a period pict of a heb with a search light. I have one but it is clear the the mounting spot is different.

So , if anyone have period picts of a heb with a search light on it... please share it.
I'll keep you updated.

I am looking forward to see what Ken has kept in his blue file ordner... He proudly wear his cap...  13022301_1609900472669251_2086437518_n.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.  ^10F78D9830D2616379600C29429EB33D932F13CA010F3B582F^pimgpsh_fullsize_distr (2).jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.  13023465_1609900742669224_450266729_n.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.  ^6AF61CE92673203060F639FF4168EBF417E1DBF9AA566284FC^pimgpsh_fullsize_distr (2).jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.  ^348372AB2629A4698E13396316999D749CE58EBDD11B1E7E3D^pimgpsh_fullsize_distr (2).jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.  ^438B22D5204AA6CA8751292EF97ECBC73D3E213C0181976E1D^pimgpsh_fullsize_distr (2).jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.
ZELENSIS, coachbuilt body from the 50's on a vw platform made in Belgium. Peter the heb detective
ste VW agen
7 years ago
Peter,

Thanks for the excellent write up here! It was truly an honor & a pleasure to meet Ken Swan, Wife Helen & son Steve & "Cyggie" Heb - 428! Your signals brought them together with Mark Schlachter at Metalkraft, and they gladly joined the group Heb_Resto effort there!

Although the car suffered rust damage due to long outside storage, it is still mostly OG & Unwelded. They are thinking now to do a light mechanical Resto for now so that it can hit the roads again soon 🙂 But for now 418 & 309 take precedence .

Big effort now needed to learn more of early history of 428 . The car was apparently Ivory & then overpainted by a firm in Munich . The spotlight was removed at that time (late '50's) and the car emerged with Light yellow exterior & with interior re - painted all - Black. It's notable that a body & paint shop would screw a metal plate to the car ? We theorise therefore that the car was owned somehow by that shop & prepared as a show car ? Then probably sold to a US serviceman who brought it back to Pennsylvania.

All Heb fans are welcome to the METALKRAFT Open House this coming September 24 & 25, 2016 when all cars will be on display plus quite a few amazing early Porsches ! Your airfare Peter is pre - paid 🙂 !

HEBBY Days are here again 🙂
I Ha VW e a Dream!! (Well ...... err, Many!)
1) '49 Hebmueller (project)
2) '51 Split Sunroof (project)
3) '56 Oval Ste VW agen (project)
4 & 5) '67 Kabriolett x 2 (projects)
6) '18 K Gold Split Pendant around my neck since 1976 (complete & original)