I received an email today of a German called Stephan, from Münster who has restored a VW Beetle he found in a wood in East Germany..... well I'll let him explain....

Quote:

hello my name ist stephan from münster , germany i dont know i am here on the right way. i have found for 15 years in east germany in the forest a beetle volkswagen. the volkswagen museum write me that the beetle runs in the british armee up 1952 in lippstadt churchhill barraks 151 vehicle coy ?? what ever this is ? i have restored the car over 10 years. i look for old pictures from this modell by armee old dresses and hats, badges and spezial papers. my be you can help me or know some soldiers he have al pictures i restored the car afther some pictures from old books and web site over british arme her some pics from the car thanks for help and infos sorry for my bad english, but i sleep so mutch in school time :-) stephan münster 0171273375

The photos he attached showing the car in it's current restored condition are impressive (will get round to posting them) and he is after any info on 151 Veh Coy or pictures of British Army VW Beetles, Circa 1952.

Anyone have any information for him?

Here are the pictures he sent with the email....













As you'll agree, the restoration job is a cracker.

I totally agree - that is a cracking restoration. One thing would be to identify the markings on the "Bug".

I have had a quick look around for 151 Vehicle Company, but nothing turned up. I am more inclined to think that it was issued to the Vehicle Company as a unit car.

There are a couple of photographs on the main site (somewhere - I will search the Gallery). If I find them I will post them on this thread, and you can send them on, or send him a link to them.

I wonder if he is in Munster Westfalen?

Paul.

Certainly looks like Munster.

Will try my local contact

The No plate may be a Trade Plate as you would see in UK.

OR


The Reg No is a special one issued, due to the date of the car, by the authorities in Muenster, so it can be driven legally on the roads. Much the same as a Q plate in uk. He will even pay Road Tax or equivalent and possibly need a 2 yearly special MOT?

I would guess its a trade plate.We used to have these VWs in the vehicle pool in BAOR,you could hire them out,with driver,for 6p(yes SIXPENCE)a day.Some of the kids in my Regt were born in the back of these on their long trips to BMH Hannover!
And I was the proud owner of one of these VWs with the split rear window,I bought it with 171,000KMs on the clock,when I traded it in in UK for a new VW it had done a total of just under 300,000kms,and in the time I had it the only repair was one spark plug went kaputt.Wish I had kept the old one in preservation,would be worth a bit today!
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Don

In the sixties I had an old VW, but with big rear window. However,what made this VW different was it had cable brakes, a nightmare to drive on a wet freezing night if water got on the cables.

Sadly it went the way of many a Beetle in that it dropped a valve onto the piston. Apparently it is a known fault that has bedeviled Beetles for years. It has something to do with the way the air cooling circulated.

How many can remember the cabin heater warming up instanteniously on starting the engine. Low betide anyone driving with a leaking heater/exhaust exchanger, as it meant exhaust fumes up the heating system.

In 1955 I was at school in Detmold [ primary school], I broke my ankle during 'play' time, an ambulance was called for, a green VW showed up and took me to Rinteln hospital. No big deal, but I have had a soft spot for VW's ever since! Ian.

All those in the know, acknowledge it was a REME Major, Ivan Hirst who was the guy behind getting the post war factory going again. Initially, production vehicles were to be for British Forces use.

The rest of the VW story everyone knows!

http://www.pre67vw.com/history/history2.aspx


http://www.rememuseum.org.uk/recent/vw.htm

Fantastic restoration, especially considering he found the VW abandoned in the woods in terrible condition, according to the photocopied photo he supplied.

The shade of green he used seems about right, as well. I don't imagine that would have been all that easy to get his hands on!

I was daft enough to buy a new 1302S Beetle. The most useless car ever. Heavy to drive, on motorways with a cross wind it rocked,lousy boot, and on and on.

Sold it for a MkI Polo. Great little 2 person car ,with good acceleration but it rusted away.

Sold it to a Ruperts wife for 400Dm and bought a Golf. Another great car.

Where are they all now-heaps of rust!

I know quite a few old friends who motored their Beetles over a half a million KMs.After I sold my old split window VW I bought another 1200 beetle,did 250,000KMs without a hitch.After that it was the new 1500S with the twin carbs for me,went like a bomb in those days,and was much admired with its two colour finish.After that I upgraded to a Merc 200,good car but gave trouble with the automatic timing chain adjuster wjhich was never properly sorted.After a fall out with an arrogant Merc salesman I changed to Audi,am now on my 6th Audi,for finish and reliability tops,but over priced I fear.Now downsizing on cars next year,going for the A3 sportback,hope I'm doing my bit for the planet?
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Don

Forgot to ask,why does this topic spread right across the monitor and you can't read part of it?
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Don