Where The “Infestation” Began

Most people don't know this, (or care, really-----just a matter of trivia), but the first little air-cooled "slug-bugs" hit the streets of Germany in 1938 as prototypes, before going on to flood the world in great numbers until 1980.

The "people's car", designed by Ferdinand Porsche was something Hitler wanted.   He had seen what Henry Ford had done with the Model "T", and he too wanted a car that the average German citizen could afford.

These early black & white photos I've posted here are a bit blurry, because The original History Channel film is old, but this was the grand announcement to "der peeples" of the Volkswagen, with Hitler HIMSELF riding in the front passenger seat, with his NAZI SS all around him, mixed in the crowds and running alongside the car.

It's a pretty rare piece of film footage.

Hitler never drove a car and was always chauffered everywhere he went.  From the outset, the Beetle was powered by an air-cooled engine because the average German family could not afford a house with a garage, and of course, an engine with no water in it, wasn't too likely to freeze up in those cold German winters.

And in the photo immediately below THIS one, we might look closely at this early German commuter train, and see where the design of the first VW bus might have come from.

With most makes of automobiles, the EARLIER ones seem to be the most "collectable", and the VW Beetle is no exception.  The first sedans were easily distinguished by that little "divided rear window (2 small panes of glass about 2" apart from each other.   It didn't really provide a whole lot of visibility behind you, although with only a 36-horsepower engine, everything was pretty much IN FRONT of you most of the time!

BUT......to show they were capable of "progress and improvement", about midway through the 1953 production year, they re-stamped the rear portion of the body WITHOUT that center divider,  making a one-piece OVAL shaped rear window (for "greater visibility" out the back!)-----------(not really an improvement).  They kept THIS rear window until 1958, when they finally made the window we're all familiar with..........................

Although the original "split-windows" (as they are called in our hobby), are the oldest ones and the most collectable.....and I'm sorry I don't currently have a photo of one at the moment..........the OVAL windows are probably FEWER in number, because they only made THEM for 3 & a half years.

I'm fortunate to have this nice little 1954 "Oval" in my collection.

I bought this car about 4 years ago in Portland, Oregon and as far as I know, it's the oldest Bug in Mountain Home.  Maybe in Elmore County.  It's certainly the oldest running & driving one, anyway!

Interior is pretty primitive, doesn't even have a gas gauge.  You have to actually open the cap in LOOK in the tank!.  That porcelain flower vase was very common in both the "Splits" & Ovals", and I happened to find one, on one of the "Bug" websites.  Donna did the little "arrangement" for it.

It's a neat little car.  We've "updated" the motor from its original 36 horses to somewhere around 55.  You still won't get out there and "cruise" with the big rigs at 75 or 80, but it's still a nice little "around the county" car...................and at 4 bucks a gallon right now............an old "slug bug" still makes a lot of sense.