r/beetle • u/TrickEffort2819 • 3d ago
Authentic?
Spotted this split window driving around in my hometown and from my limited knowledge of Beetles split windows have become very rare and to be driven around is almost unheard of. This was the only picture my passenger was able to snag, but from what’s seen in the picture can it be the real deal?
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u/CameronsTheName PD100 3d ago
She's a miss match of different years. From this angle it's virtually impossible to tell what year model it started out as.
It was fairly common to for people to upgrade their beetles with later rear windows, newer tail lights, newer doors handles, so the car looked like the new model.
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u/382Whistles 3d ago
I've never heard of someone trying to make an split or oval look like a later model. The people mostly tried to make the new ones look older since the late 70s at least, except maybe to fake a Sun-Bug. I think custom chamge was usually done for the more practical reasons for the changes, the exact reasons VW usually changed things at all.
I spotted a rotted panned black split in a junkyard around 77 and seeing it hadn't moved by 80 and I was more ready and I began asking about it and they already wanted the price of a decent daily beater based on the rear window, bumpers, and trim on the car. It sat on the pile for another decade and when the owner died everthing was immediately shredded to clean up the property... only for it to become a junkyard again, but without any classic parts.
If he would have been half resonable on price I could've saved the body at the least. That new yard is gone now and I'm still disappointed, lol.
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u/CameronsTheName PD100 3d ago
It was a thing and many of them were converted from split window to big window, many were changed from the older all red tail lights to ones with indicators and even the later ones with reverse lights.
I can't post my own personal photos in this reply for some reason. But heres an old body shop that was doing split to big window conversions I found on google.
https://au.pinterest.com/pin/248964685622279737/
There's heaps of these been done. Although it appeared not many survived or they have been put back to the old smaller split/oval windows because it's been a LOOONG time since I've seen a early beetle with the wrong year rear window.
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u/HenryW1863 3d ago edited 2d ago
There was a fiberglass kit to achieve the split-window look on later models.
See old HotVWs magazines.
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u/Murrtallica '69 Beetle, '72 Squareback 2d ago
There's a guy in my town with one of these on his late standard and it just looks all kinds of wrong.
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u/ResponsibleBank1387 2d ago
Authentic?? It’s a bug. 100 % original? No. It’s had more than a little added enhancements.
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u/Remarkable_Market_71 1d ago
I would venture to say it’s real, has w decklid, which is often found. No trim, just has newer lights can’t really see the correct ice pick handles
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u/Altruistic-Cut9795 3d ago
Splits didn't have towel bars bumpers. The tail lights are 67 and under. The vent wing window looks like something 67 and under.
The best pic would be the dashboard, front trunk and engine compartment, obviously it's a no go for a car riding down the road.
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u/Routine-Amphibian450 3d ago
Can't really see door handle, but pull handles die for '60, if it's a conversion.
Lots of those kits sold.
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u/Virtual_Ad_2880 2d ago
it’s a 65-67 that they grafted a split oval window into along with the decklid. either an old build or some ding dong trying to stay relevant
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u/Gar_Doggie 2d ago
It’s hard to tell if it has the original mechanical turn signals. Original have swing arms between the rear side windows and front doors.
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u/Remarkable_Market_71 1d ago
I’ve seen this on Fredericksburg rd too. Trying to see it better ! I like in SA too and wanted to check it out more , I do have an oval
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u/dick_ddastardly 1d ago
Don't think its an OG split. Doors have vent wings. Rear popouts are big like ~65 era size. I believe they didn't have a lip seal on the popout frame either.
Still a fun little ride regardless
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u/FleetwootMacNCheese 19h ago
It’s the wrong taillights, but I’d believe it if you told me someone opted to “upgrade” to the newer ones for safety.
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u/PD-Jetta 2d ago edited 2d ago
It could be authentic, but it has several newer parts on it, namely tail lights, bumpers, and possibly the decklid and license plate light housing and fenders. Not sure if pop out rear side windows were available before 1953 (which is when VW went to the oval window in Beetles). The other possibility is this is a newer Beetle and someone skillfully welded in a genuine or aftermarket split window.
This is probably not genuine on 2nd look. The rear apron is from late 1955 or later (when the twin tailpipes were adopted). Also, I don't think front vent windows were used by VW until about 1953, so only a few split window cars came with them.
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u/bandi53 ‘60 Bug, ‘64 Bug, ‘65 Bug, ‘66 Bug, 4 Supers and 2 Mexi Beetles 3d ago
I would say no, or if it is, it’s a mess. Rear apron is wrong, door handles have a pushbutton (split window bug would have “ice pick” handles. Mirror is wrong, bumper is wrong, decklid is wrong.
It almost looks like some bodywork is visible around the rear window.