Why the fuss? It's "only" a Beetle convertible!
It has been making the rounds on social media and has even had its own video dedicated to it on YouTube. We're talking about a red VW Beetle that turned up in a hayloft in a barn in Austria and has since moved to Holland to new, careful care. There were many Beetle convertibles, the Type 15, for example, the "cut-up" from Karmann in Osnabrück, made no less than 330,281 units, built between 1949 and 1980 and always based on the latest, best Beetle version. This means that the Karmann Cabriolet - unless it was ordered for official use - was based on the export version of the Beetle, later on the modernized 1302 Super Beetle and finally on the 1303.
Well, the keyword "official version" also brings us a little closer to the core of the media presence of the rather worn-out red Volkswagen, which was recently brought to light by its new owner Patrick Baptist. The car with chassis number1-0196550 has an Austro-Tatra body instead of a Karmann one. This example was originally delivered to the gendarmerie in Graz and then used by the volunteer fire department in Purgstall/Erlauf. It was also painted red. The original grey paint can still be seen underneath.
The previous owner had owned it since 1952 and was also part of the volunteer fire department.
The Volkswagen Type 18 police convertible was first built by Hebmüller in 275 units and then by Austro Tatra in 203 units. The original idea from 1948 was that 4 police officers could get in and out of the car quickly. The cars built by Hebmüller therefore also had fabric doors. But the police officers did not find the car comfortable, so that only 275 of the 800 cars originally ordered from Hebmüller were ultimately built. The "second" series of 203 units, which were produced by Austro Tatra for Austria, then had real doors and offered more comfort. Of these 203 cars built by Austro Tatra, there were nine 2-door models. In addition to Hebmüller and Austro Tatra, 4-door police convertibles were also built by Papler, but these did not have an order from Volkswagen and were therefore not allowed to use the Type 18 numbering, even if this is the case today.
The car with the body number 18-00400 was built in Vienna-Semmering as the first of the series for use by the Vienna police and the Austrian gendarmerie. The 1951 car in question is based on the standard Bretzel Beetle from 1950 and has simple door panels, a single-ply hood and presumably also received the cable brakes of the single-ply VW.
According to the new owner, the 25 hp engine is original, and thanks to its early use by the fire department, the car has presumably survived, because unlike patrol cars, fire engines are rarely used to cover long distances.
A round dent in the engine cover is conspicuous; this once created space for a second alternator, the mounting of which can still be seen on the engine. We were unable to find out whether this was used to operate a radio system, but the second alternator probably simply ensured that the Beetle did not run out of power when the signaling system was in full operation.
Over 40 years ago, the penultimate owners put the car away, so now it has reappeared, increasing the number of known Austro-Tatra Beetles with two doors to - two! This not only explains the increased attention for this car, but also justifies it.
In any case, it is exciting to observe how the magic word "barn find" has lost none of its fascination, on the contrary. And not only that. Knowing that discoveries like this are still possible, you can't help but think that one day you could become the finder of a cobwebbed and dust-covered treasure yourself. A barn find of this size is still missing from my collection, but I make "finds" on a small scale all the time - in my own barn. For example, the thirteen-key already mentioned in this container is one of them, but my labeling device has not reappeared since I bought it and put it away in some corner. So there is certainly hope of a surprise find within our own walls!
The pictures of the Heubühnen-Polizeikäfer come from the finder and owner and can be viewed at www.karmann52.de, where an excellent register of many rare VW derivatives can be found. and the following film from Youtube was also made about the recovery of the rare piece:
