'68 Beetle

Michael Kohl
Interesting that they call it California wheels but present it with german fenders. Or was a batch of Beetles without the export fenders shipped to the states? Does anybody know?

Christian W
I had a lot of Beetles but I never saw one with those fenders in the US. It is "easyly" the German "Standard" Beetle ot 1968 in the better US-Modelkitbox. I don't know, what the printig "Califormia Wheels" has to do with the kit. Nothing at all. There are neither special parts includes nor custom wheels.

Michael Kohl
Thanks Christian for your input.

Christian W
No problem 🙂

Bozzer
Lads, forgive my ignorance, but I always thought that a beetle was a beetle?
Am I correct in saying, that from your experience, American beetles were different in design, from the rest of the world?
(For interest, the one pictured looks very similar to what we had here, in the UK)

Michael Kohl
I am no expert on that matter, but I am quite sure that at least the majority of the beetles exported to the US had the export fenders which have a more elaborate design compared to the simple bar with two 'horns' the ones sold in Germany had (same for the Bully). The rest was the same - as far as I know.
Here you find pics of the different fenders: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Beetle

Bozzer
Gentlemen, I'm pleased to have the answer, thanks to another Scalemate. May I direct those curious, to the below link?

Christian W
The US spec beetle - I would say - is the typical Beetle, which Tamiya has as a kit. 1966 Model Volkswagen 1300 Beetle (Tamiya 24136, 1:24)

The differences were at the engines too but this is only a side note. From 1957 to 1960 the US spec had turn signals nearby the headlights instead the semaphores like the German had. Therefore the rear lights were bigger (with turn signals) than in Germany. With the Change in 1961 all Beetles got turn signals on the top of the front fenders and integrated into the rear lights. With new laws in the US the bumpers changes to this solid square style in summer 1967. This is, when the kit by Revell steps in. But in Germany this Beetle was the one with the lowest in options (like Revell put it into the box).
You could peek into my album of my 1968 Beetle, when I converted mine to the correct 1500 Beetle of 1968. In my wip you can see the differences between the Standard and 1500 Beetle (1968 VW Beetle - The build up | Album by christian-w (1:24))

The square bumper was the more selling Beetle and when the 1302 in 1971 came on the market (see the boxart on Revells convertible VW Beetle Cabriolet 1970 (Revell 07078, 1:24) - which is not in the box too! Note the big front lid), the Standard was nearly gone and 1973 it wasn't available anymore. Then the 1968 with square styled bumpers became the lowest option nearby the "Big Bug" (1303).

The Standard was always less equiped in comparison with the 1500 or 1600 ccm engine. Doesn't matter, which "generation" you look at. When I talk about generations I'm talking about the *modelyears* of "KDF" (1935-1945) still with "split window" but after the WWII (1949-1952) "oval window" (1953-1957) "big windowpost Beetle" (1958-1960) "Herby" 😉 (1961-1967) "square styled bumper" (1968-1971) "1302" (1971-1972) "1303" (1973-1979) "Mexican Beetle" (1979-1985) then the regualr Import of the Beetle was stopped in Germany. It started again in (I think) around 1996 with the "Mexican Beetle" with catalytic converter until the production ran out in 2003 with the "Ultima Edition"

Thank you to my brain and my Beetle-History. I owned Beetles of all Generation except the KDF or after 1985. (1950 / 1951 / 1952 / 1955 / 1957 / 1965 / 1967 / 1968 / 1972 / 1973 / 1979 / 1982 / 1985)

Treehugger
Nice headlights, how did you glue on the clear parts? How much glue?

Nick J
Interesting background on the differences with US market cars. Thanks.

Nick J
Thanks Treehugger, I've tried a few glues for clear parts and Mod Podge has worked best. I use a toothpick as an applicator and apply glue to the car where the outer edge of the light/window sits.

Ben M
Before the square bumper, weren't the us and eu bumpers different? The us ones had the bars on the top?

Christian W
Thats right. On the box of the Revell kit, there is the regular bumper. The more luxury models of the Beetle had smaller "bars" in them mounted. The US-spec bumpers can you see on the boxart of the Tamiya 1966 Beetle. The German ones were not that tall like the US. They ended below the cross tube.
A picture tells more than a hundred words: MyAlbum - errors | Album by christian-w (No) On the top the Geman, the bumper on the bottom is the US.