1937 Prototype W30 Chassis 26

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1937 Prototype W30 chassis 26

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Undis

Samba Member

Joined: October 24, 2006Posts: 908

Location: Riga, Latvia &

Sydney, Australia

Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 4:12 am Post subject: 1937 Prototype W30 chassis 26

In The VW38 topic a few people mentioned a very early prototype chassis which has survived to this day. In the

meantime I received information and pictures of it, so I thought I may as well start a topic on this particular item.

Seems this is the oldest surviving major part of a pre-production VW and would be interesting to share.

The chassis was found in a junkyard in Austria. It was built in 1937 and used for one of the batch of 30 W30

prototypes. These cars were intended for testing of the Volkswagen technical concept and never were intended forthe public. This particular chassis is number 26 and was used for the car with registration number IIIA 37026. The

number plates were matched to the chassis number in case of the prototypes. In 1942 all the prototypes were

ordered to be destroyed.

So what happened to chassis number 26 and how come it survived the destruction? According to Chris Barber and

his book Birth of the Beetle, car number 26 lost its body during testing, presumably crashed. Briefly it received

body from car number 8. After that it seems the chassis was used as a test bed for something most probably for

the development of the Kbelwagen body. Because it was no longer a complete car and still used for a purpose,

somehow it survived.

Here is car number 26 during wind tunnel testing.

Plans for the W30 chassis

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Period pictures of the bare W30 chassis

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This is the way the surviving chassis looks like now.

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The location of the chassis number. It is a very simple punched number unlike on later production cars.

That indent between the handbrake and the shift lever is for the front seat mounting tube which runs right across

the chassis tunnel

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The rear torsion housing and mounting for the shock absorbers

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Frame head detail. Note the exits for the brake cables. On the right is the fuel line and on the left is the hole for the

wire harness which runs through the central tunnel instead of the body as on production cars.

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The frame head has lost its distinctive beak which was used to mount the spare wheel. That area is cut down and

roughly hammered in new shape. The reason for doing this is probably to do with it being used for a Kbelwagen

body.

Note how narrow the frame head is. This must have caused some flexing of the front beam.

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Here is photo of a W30 chassis in the day (could be this one?) modified for some other purpose. Note the cut-down

spare wheel mount.

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Simon uk

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Joined: November 13, 2003

Posts: 550

Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 5:28 am Post subject:

wow great pics, so do you think this chassis could be used for the body found, are the dimensions the same as the

chassis on the vw38? And if so, would the owner be prepared to sell it on???? I am guessing certain items like

pedals could be modified from a later unit (kubel or split?) but would a normal split front axle fit that frame head?

Si.

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johnshenry

Samba Member

Joined: September 21, 2001

Posts: 8188

Location: Dunstable, MA USA


Cool pictures, thanks for posting.

I wonder what the exposed wire/cable is that you see just to the left/above the starter in this pic? Could that be

the clutch cable? It goes to a lever up near the transmission. Don't know what else it could be...

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John Henry

'57 Deluxe

'51 11E Standard Sunroof(PhotoBucket resto pics)

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Undis

Samba Member

Joined: October 24, 2006

Posts: 908


Sydney, Australia


johnshenry wrote:

Cool pictures, thanks for posting.

I wonder what the exposed wire/cable is that you see just to the left/above the starter in this pic? Could thatbe the clutch cable? It goes to a lever up near the transmission. Don't know what else it could be...

Interesting! Seems too thin to be a clutch cable. In the detail pic of the engine I can see the clutch and accelerator

cables in the normal positions. Could be a choke cable coupled to a lever somehow. Or is it something else? There

was no heater at that time.

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peter schepens

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Joined: April 17, 2003

Posts: 499

Location: belgium Caesars

camp


Hello, I think that thin cable is the starting cable. I seen on solenoid on the starter so it is a starter that uses a

cable on wich you pull....like in the old fiat 500. The lever operate a heavy duty switch to start the electro motor.

Nice picts. I have seen it in real that frame and was thrilled to know it was that old...

Greetings.

_________________

Zelensis, a true coachbuilt body made in Belgium , disigned and built on a VW platform by THIEBAUT Raoul

between '58 and '62.

About 25 body's built.

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Undis

Samba MemberPosted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 6:20 am Post subject:

OK, that makes sense. A starter pull knob or something similar instead of a starter button. Thanks!

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Sydney, Australia

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splitjunkie

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Posts: 1648


Simon uk wrote:

wow great pics, so do you th ink this chassis could be used for the body found, are the dimensions the same asthe chassis on the vw38? And if so, would the owner be prepared to sell it on???? I am guessing certain itemslike pedals could be modified from a later unit (kubel or split?) but would a normal split front axle fit that framehead?

Si.

Nope. Totally different animals.

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Chris

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splitjunkie

Samba Member


Posts: 1648


You said that it was found in a junkyard. Do you know when it was found. Was it shortly after the war or many

years later?

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Chris

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splitjunkie

Samba Member


Posts: 1648


I wonder what the two brackets with oval shaped holes on either side of the frame head are for? Must have

something to do with what it was used for after the body was removed. They clearly weren't on the chassis

originally.

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Chris

Last edited by splitjunkie on Thu Feb 19, 2009 7:52 am; edited 1 time in total

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johnshenry

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Posts: 8188



You mean those two that are on the lower front cross member, on either side of the tunnel? I can see them on the

top pic, but not in the lower.

Framehorn ordinarily refers the back end "horns" that the tranny sits between.

Maybe it was for a Manx body or something......

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John Henry

'57 Deluxe


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Undis

Samba Member


Posts: 908


Sydney, Australia


splitjunkie wrote:

You said that it was found in a junkyard. Do you know when it was found. Was it shortly after the war or many

years later?

That's all I was told. I'm sure someone will ellaborate on this.

splitjunkie wrote:

I wonder what the two brackets with oval shaped holes on either side of the frame horn are for? Must havesomething to do with what it was used for after the body was removed. They clearly weren't on the chassisoriginally.

You are probably right. I see several other spots where stuff has been welded etc. Also the crossmember over the

rear framehorns is missing alltogether.

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splitjunkie

Samba MemberPosted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 7:52 am Post subject:

johnshenry wrote:

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Posts: 1648

You mean those two that are on the lower front cross member, on either side of the tunnel? I can see them onthe top pic, but not in the lower.

Framehorn ordinarily refers the back end "horns" that the tranny sits between.

Maybe it was for a Manx body or something......

Yea, I meant frame head.

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Chris

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splitjunkie

Samba Member


Posts: 1648


You can sort of see some sort of bracket for supporting the steering column in the closeup. It looks like it might be

attached in front of the front cross member where those brackets are.

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Chris

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splitjunkie

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Posts: 1648


In this picture you can see two pull knobs next to the shifter. Based on the observation earlier, one must be the

choke and the other must be the starter.

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These are clearly present on chassis 28.

kind of a cool detail.

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Chris

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maesdieter

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Joined: December 29, 2008

Posts: 115


amazing pics, nice topic !

I recognize the cablebrakes on my standard oval 1953...

Dieter

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Location: Belgium / Europ

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splitjunkie

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Posts: 1648


At some point they relocated the outlets for the front brake cables. They moved them forward and used these

plates to patch it together.

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Chris

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Redbarnresto

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Joined: May 29, 2007

Posts: 147

Location: Girard, OH


Very cool. Despite the differences, it's amazing how similar it is to the later production chassis. Any photos of it

how it was found (or is this how it was found)?

Dan

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1964 Sunroof Beetle

1965 Microbus

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johnshenry

Samba Member


Posts: 8188



splitjunkie wrote:

You can sort of see some sort of bracket for supporting the steering column in the closeup. It looks like it mightbe attached in front of the front cross member where those brackets are.

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Oh yeah, I used one of those on my '57 chassis when I took it for a spin around the block....!

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John Henry

'57 Deluxe


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splitjunkie

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Yea but I don't think they bought theirs at Home Depot.

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Chris

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kdf-service

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Joined: November 17, 2005

Posts: 103

Location: POZNAN POLAND

Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 10:25 am Post subject: :)

This is really super first time I saw this type chassis.

But one time I sam some parts for this type chassis, I dont have the camera so I dont have any pictures, but I

remember that it was gearbox and some parts fro the engine and front axel. And this parts was at one gut in

Austria.

meaby it was from that same chassis?

I need to chack this.

tom

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1937 Prototype W30 Chassis 26

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