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mastino

OMG, real Sand Scorcher on sale in Italy!

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Five bolt wheels and all! I would guess 1967-68… Perhaps...

 

Badboy

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The text says it's a 1963, and that seems reasonable:

1. No external fuel filler flap => pre 1968

2. Wipers in resting position on the right side = > Pre 1965

3. Vertical separation between quarter window and side window => Pre 1964

4. Separate fuel meter => 1962-1967 (none before 1962, integrated in speedometer 1968 onwards)

5. "Bundbolzen"- instead of balljoint-front suspension = > Pre 1966

6. Not "Safety"-type door handles, window cranks and switch knobs => Pre 1968

7. "Dickholmer" instead of "Dünnholmer" body because of the smaller windows => Pre 1964

8. Square rear window instead of oval=> 1958 onwards

9. Square knob on door handles => 1960-1966

10. Narrow front blinkers => 1961-1963

11. Five-Bolt hubs => Pre 1967 all models except 1200 (Pre 1968: 1200)

and surely more...

Some of these details are easily changed between model years, but some of them are not, like 1. 4. 7. 8. and this quite clearly identifies the car as a 1962 or 1963.

 

As for Tamiya's Sand Scorcher, it's quite clearly a 1969 or 1970, indicated by two details that are rather hard to modify between model years.

1. External fuel filler flap without "thumb dimple" for opening => 1969-1972

2. No "Zwangsentlüftung" (forced air extraction) behind the rear side windows => Pre 1971 (The 1200 didn't have this feature at all, but still had the visible change to the steel body panel for it)

These two alone are very strong indications that the Sand Scorcher is a 1969 or 1970 model, and can't possibly be older or newer, but there are of course more indications:

3. Door handles with trigger on the inside of the handle => 1968 onwards

4. "Dünnholmer" body => 1965 onwards

5. Narrow trim strips => 1967 onwards

6. Steel and not fabric factory sunroof => 1968 onwards

7. Slanted separation between quarter window and side window => 1964 onwards

8. Door panel- (not door hinge-)mounted mirrors => 1968 onwards

9. "Interim" size rear window => 1965-1971 (on Mexico-production Beetles until 1985 though)

10. Large diecast license plate light housing => 1968-1973 (earlier had different types of smaller and rounder diecast housings, later had same design plastic housing, but with "decoration" ribs, the easy solution for hiding sink marks)

....and more, though because of the baja bug conversion with fibre glass hood, bugnose and fenders, many of the other details aren't clear indications of a certain model year or model year range.

As for five-bolt hubs and wheels, it was (and is) a popular and sensible conversion for later than 1967 models when converting to a baja bug, as the later four-bolt is much less robust. Even late model (1980's/1990's) Mexico built Beetles converted to baja bugs mostly got this modification, so the five-bolt on the Sand Scorcher is no indication of model year.

As for the headlights, the "bugnose" is suitable for the 1968-1973 vertical lense headlight with metal trim ring only. Pre 1967 slanted headlights and 1974 onwards headlights with separate chromed plastic trim ring don't fit, which explains the use of 1968-1973 headlights on the "Italian" Scorcher in the pictures. Similarly, the Tamiya Sand Scorcher also has the 1968-1973 headlights.

 

 

 

 

 

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On 23-12-2016 at 10:38 PM, Mokei Kagaku said:

[big huge epic VW Beetle info-dump]

I humbly bow before your VeeDub knowledge. 

You don't happen to be related to Jason Torchinsky, by any chance?

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