25b Volkswagen Beetle

[Idris]

I'm wondering whether that "strengthened front bumper" might not simply be the result of tooling misalignment. It is difficult to see what purpose it serves.

[Diecast]

I'm wondering whether that "strengthened front bumper" might not simply be the result of tooling misalignment. It is difficult to see what purpose it serves.

I agree with you Hugh, I think that the separating plane of the casting mould has been destroyed and there was a necessity to adjusted the separation plane by milling out the lower part of the die.
Antonin

[Diecast]

Thank you Bert, hello Antonin my strengthened front bumper is on the model with Silver Wheels I wonder if this shows on any other colour Wheels?



George T.

Thanks George for checking it. I have the strengthened front bumper on the model with GPW ø9,5x20, SPW ø9,5x20, SPW ø9,5x24, GPW ø9x24, GPW ø10x36 and I suppose it should be on the model with BPW ø10x36
Antonin

[yellowfoden]

Thank you Bert, hello Antonin my strengthened front bumper is on the model with Silver Wheels I wonder if this shows on any other colour Wheels?
George T.

Thanks George for checking it. I have the strengthened front bumper on the model with GPW ø9,5x20, SPW ø9,5x20, SPW ø9,5x24, GPW ø9x24, GPW ø10x36 and I suppose it should be on the model with BPW ø10x36
Antonin

Hi Antonin, Hugh, Gavin, Kevin, George and all,
Here is another Antonin and looks like the difference is only about 1 tenth of a millimetre milled section.

Bert

[johnboy]

This is another unlisted one. All the clear window versions are listed without the braces on the baseplate but this one has the braces (clear windows, braces on base, 9.5x20 gpw, silver trim, no tail light trim and Volkswagen.

[kwakers]

Thanks Idris and ALL for this latest VW Bug detailed discussion we are having here! As usual, your new casting details will make me dig out all my favorite dusty VWs again and be happy that I have never sold or traded away any of them Antonin. Thanks also for the rivet post details, those pictures must have been near impossible to take in such close quarters. Maybe this year we can get together and update Nick's listings by checking all these mixed details we have/had found, while comparing them to all our Forum member's VWs in their collections.
Those Lefora discussions between Mick and myself with Tinman Joe's input are still a pleasure to read even so many years later. Thanks for the links and smiles Ghosty and Bert......kwakers

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Can I take this opportunity to mention that I still have easy access to the old 'Lefora' forum and if any members here want to read something from there and can remember under what section, thread or heading it was, just say so and I'll go looking for it and try and bring forward to this forum.

Ghosthunter.

[Idris]

Thanks to Jason (Nearlymint), I have now had to chance to inspect a black-engined 25b first hand. My observations are as follows:
- Perhaps it's faulty memory, perhaps it was the reflection of the flash in the photographs, but the impression I had been left with from previous discussions was that the engine was more a charcoal colour, almost as it it has suffered from heavy overspray during the painting of the baseplate. However, contrary to what I though was the case, the engine is actually every bit as black as the bottom face of the baseplate.
- The inner face of the baseplate which is visible through the windows is unpainted, clearly indicating that the baseplate has not been painted both sides (probably) by accident, as is the case with some 61a baseplates.
My conclusion is therefore that the engine section of the upper face of the baseplate has deliberately been painted black, with steps being take to avoid wasting paint on the rest of the baseplate's inner face. As such, I think we have to acknowledge this as a deliberate factory variation.

[Taniwha]

Hi Hugh,

Thanks for this update. I dug my one out again after reading your post and agree with all your points, in particular:

- the engine is clearly painted rather than oversprayed

- the paint is thick glossy black similar to what is on the base

- the inside/upper base is not painted when seen through the windows

I'd also add that mine appears to have been mask sprayed, as the black paint is only to the vertical face of the engine - the "upper base" area to the rear of the engine is also unpainted on mine.

I'm also intrigued by the timeline - mine is clearly an early issue, as it also has the mis-spelled base. Do others exist with black engine and corrected base? Do all mis-spelled base examples have black engines?

Cheers,
Gavin

[kerbside]

No Gavin my misspelt one has the normal engine which is a pity
George T.