Volkswagen Beetle (Type 11 A) (1950): Epie Kooistra's brown glasses.

Auto Motor Klassiek » Casual meetings » Volkswagen Beetle (Type 11 A) (1950): Epie Kooistra's brown glasses.
Purchasing classics there

How can an international businessman who has been buying (and selling) wholesale lots for more than 40 years escape the bustle of business? If business is a lifestyle and business acumen is active 24 hours a day, is there still free time? Yes, because Epie still has a love for motorized treats from his childhood, such as the Volkswagen Beetle (Type 11 A) (1950) from this article, and that influence is still felt. People who are attracted to the same (car) passion will understand.

By: Dirk de Jong

Epie: “For me it's just like in my business, buying and selling wholesale lots gives me passion. And that passion is the motivation that gives me energy. And I feel that energy, but also that passion when I look at my VW glasses.”

Sober transport?

The Beetle was an ordinary utility car in bygone times and these 'glasses' that have fortunately survived can now bear the title 'masterpiece'. The Volkswagen Beetle with the rear window is now a very rare appearance. You hardly see it on the road, but luckily you still see it at classic car events. But every time the over-70s do appear on the road, the heart of the true classic enthusiast will enthusiastically beat a few beats faster.

Immortal Automobile

Epie likes to drive on narrow roads with his wife Sjoukje. He enjoys the surroundings and ... the Volkswagen Beetle at a leisurely pace. Ride quality and technology play no role, nostalgia is the only motive to go out with the Volkswagen. The immortal automobile therefore attracts a lot of admiring glances and that means for Epie a deliberately calmer driver, so that everyone can enjoy this rare version of the 50s from the last century.

History

Understandably, not everything is known about history. The linen registration number that accompanies the car does give the data of admission on the road in 1950, while the first issue in the Netherlands is on the date of January 25, 1956. It goes without saying that the restoration took some time. It was not only an investment of energy and time, but also the search for original parts from various countries was not an easy task.

Quiryn Restorations

To get everything perfectly executed, Epie outsourced the job to this well-known company in the Westereen, also because he previously restored a Lambretta scooter for Epie and turned it into a masterpiece. Quiryn also advised him to hire a good appraiser.

Wilbers Appraisals

A perfect restoration naturally also required an appraisal that did justice to the special – now exclusive – Volkswagen Beetle. The car was Wilbers Appraisals accurately described with photos of the work performed in order to arrive at the correct pricing. The appraised value that was attached to it now makes it clear that it has become a special Beetle due to its exclusivity and beauty. Admiration for the restorer and the owner for preserving history in this way (and passing it on to the next generation in the future).

Also read:
- VW 1302. The first Super Beetle
- The Gelb Schwarzer Renner: a beloved and rare super beetle
- Walking spaghetti (on Beetles)
- The VW Beetle from 1957-1964. The Dickholmer
- The story behind the Volkswagen Beetle in the photo

REGISTER FOR FREE AND WE'LL SEND YOU OUR NEWSLETTER EVERY DAY WITH THE LATEST STORIES ABOUT CLASSIC CARS AND MOTORCYCLES

Select other newsletters if necessary

We won't send you spam! Read our privacy policy for more information.

If you like the article, please share it...

17 comments

  1. Beautiful spectacle beetle! Have you ever owned an Oval? With 'arrows' from the B style. Because this system is still a bit left in modern traffic, I then mounted indicators at the front and rear. Unfortunately, you often see with veteran beetles that larger rear lights and indicators are mounted on the front screens. That really detracts from the original look. I get the problem: the original small taillights only have two functions, lighting and brake light. So you are missing a function, the flashing lights. And there is nothing at all at the front. At the time I found a solution without compromising the original appearance. The Ugly Duckling from the 2s also had only two fittings, but still three functions. How? Because of the six-way turn signal lever. This ensures that when you brake and switch on the turn signal at the same time, a brake light will flash. Just like many American cars, by the way. There are two grilles in the front screens. Behind one is the horn, the other is a 'blind' grille. I moved the horn to the back and replaced the blind grille with an open one. Then I placed universal (red) indicators on the inside behind the grilles. Not visible when not in use, perfectly visible when the turn signal is switched on! In this way you have a safe addition to the arrows without affecting the appearance. The raw lever from the duck looks almost the same as that of the beetle and will hardly fall out of the bridle as an extra lever on the steering column. This raw lever should still be available from many XNUMXCV specialists.

  2. This is a very nice Glasses. I myself have had Glasses since 1975, also from 1950 with a number plate from 1952. These and my car first had a provincial number. I have been involved in Glasses and Split Buses for more than 45 years. A few things stand out to me about these glasses. Don't see it as criticism but as additional information. The bumper rosettes are missing, but they are almost impossible to get or very expensive.
    The front bumper has a groove along the entire length. I've never seen that. The center piece should be smooth. Probably wrongly made reproduction. The “closed “VW” logo on the boot lid is missing.
    The engine cover handle should be up when closed, so in front of the number plate. A periodically correct antenna is installed but I don't see a radio. I still have an original Brilradio for sale. (Is not much to receive without adjustments….)
    But all in all a very nice car, unfortunately not yet a member of the LVWCN.
    zie http://www.lvwcn.nl

  3. Here is a photo of my father in 1958 with his beetle.
    Washing the car in front of the house has become a prohibited activity in my municipality 63 years later.

    1958

    • The following photo from Kaisersworth from 50 proves that in the 1958s (certainly in Germany) there wasn't much driving around other than beetle.
      The unity sausage beetle of the past has become the drowsy of today.

      1958 kaiserworth

  4. My father bought his first beetle at the Rotterdam VW dealer at the end of 1955, but this one had a previously issued license plate, ie TK-03-75 and an oval rear window, how can the older beetle depicted (so-called glasses) have a later license plate?
    Today I drive a 1972 Beetle. Hard to believe that you used to go on holiday to Italy with it with a roof rack with half a cubic meter of luggage and two adults and two children inside. Driving such an oldtimer remains an adventure.

  5. What do you think of the early years of Japanese cars, because the Japanese already have a preference for fishy smells in principle! At that time, a lot of complaints were received by the importers, in the meantime this is also history.

  6. I'm very curious how this model with the turn signal is solved.
    It was sometime in the '90s that I last saw a Beetle with a pop-out arrow from the center post.

    • The typical smell, also called aniline smell of a 60s beetle and older, came from the fishmeal that was used as ersatz shortly after WW2 to manufacture the plastic car upholstery.
      I also remember the (little fishy) smell very well when I stepped into a beetle as a child.
      At the end of the 60s, the composition of these plastics changed and the typical 60s odor also disappeared from the cars.
      I have a 1961 Volvo, it also had that typical smell when I bought it, until I replaced the inner lining (with factory gill original). With that, the smell was also gone = different plastic.
      Volkswagen beetle I will always associate with this typical smell, also a bit nostalgia.

        • My father's 1964 Opel Record also had this smell, right from the showroom, but less explicit than a 50s-60s Beetle.
          In 2021 you will probably no longer encounter a 55+ oldtimer with the original seat and door panel trim and the associated typical smell. A long time ago I once read an article about this that the Germans used this fishmeal after the war as an ersatz agent for the production of car upholstery because there was no alternative available at the time and this fishmeal brought the typical plastic smell.
          After the restoration of the upholstery of my Volvo PV, this smell has also disappeared, unfortunately. It is a memory that belongs to these old cars and makes the experience complete.

        • and the transition from carbochemistry (coal) to petrochemistry (oil) for the manufacture of plastics, will also have had an influence on the smell

  7. Seen from the side, the window frames seem to be from after 1964 (smallholmer instead of dickholmer),
    but i could also be wrong.
    Otherwise a nice original model.
    It's almost unimaginable that there are so few survivors left in the world's best-selling model.

    • That in itself is not so strange since it was a commodity back then, no one ever thought that this would one day become worth money, and that most Beetles were built in the 60s and 70s.

Give a reaction

The email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

Maximum file size of upload: 8 MB. You can upload: afbeelding. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. Drop files here