Oh I love a love story 😃

Actually I sleep with a tattoo of a red dragon :wink:

(Although it is asleep far more often than breathing fire :lol: )



Dont knock hoarding, it keeps the mileage down nicely and they always fly though their MOTs faultlessly the same as last year :wink: :lol:

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That wouldn't be the time Ivan Hirst gave that informal chat in a pub in Yorkshire and you had a spare ticket would it ? :cry: I haven't mentioned that for about a month now... :evil:



No there aren't, they hide them in horse boxes parked on the side of the road :twisted:

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That's the one.
I knew this bloke i really hated that wanted to go.
You stood no chance really. :twisted:

George/Chris

Are you two going to Lavenham ? Where are you staying ?

Ben and I (Martin!) were thinking of going down, and it looks like the accomodation is either the camp site (miles away, so no booze) or a Travel Lodge (even further away)

I'd love to take the Oval down, but if it looks like we'd have to 'tent' it, I'd rather take the T25 Westy! What a lightweight eh!

:shock: As long as it doesn't look like this....

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No, more of a kitten wearing a Welsh red dragon playsuit :wink:

I have just realised Caledfryn, that it was you who had that beautiful '55 Devon bus for sale!

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I was just about to ask what you'd done with the splitty you had. I know you were on about selling it to finance a porsche if I remember rightly.

Anyway all the holidays you teachers get you'll soon have that '54 finished..... :wink:

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What do you mean 'soon have the '54 finished' ? It IS finished! 😃

Finally got around to selling the van (it's sold and will be going shortly) but I've grown out of the Porsche fantasy thing! :wink:

So are you doing Lavenham Chris? Ben and I have discussed it, but it's a long way to go if we've not got anywhere to stay that's close. At the moment, Ipswich Travel Lodge is looking the best option!

Might be up for a cruise down if you're going.

Dear Caledfyn,
It is with great interest that I read about your purchase of the Australian assembled Type 1 Volkswagen. These beetles were made in Melbourne in the early 1950's where I live and grew up. My father bought a brand new 1956 Oval when I was a small boy, I own a simlar 1956 Sedan but is under restoration. I am also a member of the Volkswagen Club of Victoria in Melbourne and currently the Club Historian.

https://www.vwclub.com.au/contacts.php 

My '56 has the same interior as your '54 and other trim items look similar. Just a note about the headlight picture. Often Aussies lost the original screws out of many different parts of cars. The screw looks like a flat head wood screw has replaced the original. This is a very Aussie thing to do!:beer:

I hope to keep in contact and will post some photos of my 56 as soon as I can. Have fun in the '54 and I love the U Tube journey.:d
All the best from Downunder,
Aussie Chris,
soon to be back in his '56.8)

Good to hear from you Chris!

I didn't go to Stanford Hall with the intention of buying an Oval (or anything else for that matter except a cuppa and a scone from the tearoom!)However, my '55 Split was up for sale on the Samba/SSVC and when I saw the Oval, things sort of clicked into place.





The chassis number is -1-0628095

I sent off for the birth certificate, but got this back instead!

Dear Mr Edwards,

i am sorry to say that we have only a few information about your vehicle.

it is a typ 114, that says, it is a VW Sedan Deluxe right hand drive

it was built at 23 April 1954

and left factory at 26 April 1954 to "Regent Motors", Melbourne-Australia.

That is the only one we found.

I belive it is to less for a birth-certificate, so i send it by mail and we will send you your money back.

We hope for your understanding.

Yours faithfully
Roswitha Hendel
Stiftung AutoMuseum Volkswagen


Ah well, saved me 35 Euros!

As you can see under the vin plate, the Martin and King number is 1468, which I think means it was one of the first 500 Beetles built in Australia out of a total of 1,385 in 1954. (Numbering started from 1000)

It would seem that the colour is Gypsy Grey or Glenburnie Grey as they were the only '54 Aussie colours that mine could be close to and the red oxide primer is till visible where the paint has been worn away on the bonnet, so it is original.

I've found a sticker in the engine bay for a company called 'Gawler Auto Electrics' north of Adelaide. (https://www.gawlerautoelectrics.websyte.com.au/) Interestingly, there is a Shane Diener who is a motorbike trails rider from the town of Gawler! I wonder .......!!! (https://www.sadirtbikes.com/rider_profiles/shane_diener.html)

Seriously though Chris, I would appreciate any help you could give me from your side of the world.

Best regards,

Martin