So after seeing a couple of ovals I am confused. Did European market ovals at some point had no cut outs in the rear apron and already had snowflakes? Or even better, did they ever had heart tail lights with the dual cutouts?
I know it was common practice to install dual tip exhausts late in the fifty's and accordingly adjust the apron.:oops:  54 sneeuw.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.  54 haan.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.

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Hi there the photo shows one of the first ovals in the U/K with no cut outs. The shell is the first or second that Gilders the VW dealers in Sheffield had in the beginning of VW in the U/K. Dont know about the tail lamps.


Andy W   ov.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.

My 1953, UK supplied RHD sun roof beetle (OGX 777) had a rear apron with cut outs for twin tail pipes, there was no evidence of it having been changed but I'm reasonably confident that it must have been.

I would guess that there was a cottage industry, if not a VW approved update to replace the rear apron for the later type to accomodate the new exhaust, just as there was a VW approved kit to convert a split into an oval!

I think OGX 777 is in Italy now having a top notch restoration, if anybody knows anything about it, I'd love to hear...

Mike :thumbup:

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That could be a reason Mike! It must have happened a lot because there seem to be a lot of ovals updated this way. Did the single tip exhaust became obsolete that fast or was it just a cosmetic update?

Progressive refinements states August 4 1955: stop and tail lights moved 60mm higher, brake light lens no longer provided and at the same time new dual tip exhaust. Changes typical for new 56 model.

So the photo's I showed above are updated aprons then..still weird. That's a lot of work involved.

Anyone else has a theory?

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Was it early May 55 that the American Bugs went to twin tail pipes?



Andy W

I don't know Andy, the American market is a different story.
They already had the heart lights dissapear in late 54 but still in the same location came a bulbous light without hearts.
So if you think they went to a dual pipe in May, they maybe used these aprons for the domestic market also from May on sometimes. (guess)
I wonder if it was an option or something over here.

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All heart and US bubble light models had single exhaust.

All snowflake light models had dual exhaust.

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OK thanks Rich, I take that as facts.

So, in early May 55, all American ovals came with the cut outs (acc.samba also).
They must have been assembling European ovals in a number of cases with dual tip mufflers/aprons before august 55. No doubt.
Eventually, the 56 model worldwide had twins as a standard.
Then those photo's are original 55ers. Plausibel!!

Thanks, got that off my mind!:smile:

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Piet,you need an avatar.

I'm working on it, Thanks!

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