Off topic - Early VW horn push/button ...

[Lightweight_911]

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Seeking advice from any of the (numerous) early VW enthusiasts on here :

The VW horn push shown below came with a steering wheel that I recently purchased & am looking for information.

Preliminary research seems to suggest that it's an original horn push as fitted to early Beetles (& Split screen buses ?), so my questions are:

Do people agree that it looks like an original (as opposed to the currently available repros) ?

What are your thoughts on its potential value ?

The best place to advertise it - Samba ? Ebay ? Somewhere else ?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

[Nine One One]

Think that is a reproduction..................Originals never had those cutouts on the back and it was flatter, also the crest on the front is the later type with less castellations on the turrets.

Here is a repro in white...........Plus a black one from Heritage Parts.
https://www2.cip1.com/vwc-211-415-669-iv/

https://www.heritagepartscentre.com/uk/ ... crest.html


And here is a genuine New Old Stock item
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewt ... p?t=671364

[Lightweight_911]

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Thanks but it's nothing like those repros - & the NOS one you linked to is a different model ...

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[Lightweight_911]

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Here's an example of another like mine (but vastly inferior condition) on ebay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/194222499580


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[Nine One One]

Is it plastic or Bakerlite?

[Lightweight_911]

Bakelite ...

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[jwhillracer]

Here's one that I know is original, it was on our 1956 Beetle in the 60's!




JW

[Lightweight_911]

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Thanks Jonathan - the essential details on mine seem to match yours, which re-enforces my thinking that it's an original.

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[Spit Nolan]

That’s definitely an original, black bakerlite so it’s from either a standard model or a later 1200 car into the 70’s.

I have the differences in the crest down somewhere but will take me a while to find.

They aren’t worth a lot to be brutally honest although as yours appears to be in good condition with no cracks on the surround and relatively unscathed button it will sell for sure. I’ll check the differences so can give you a better idea of value

[Lightweight_911]

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Thanks - that's very helpful ...

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[Spit Nolan]

I believe it is correct for 56-59 beetle or and post 55 Splitscreen bus. But black surround is unusual for beetle in that era except for on standard models.
Busses had black in Kombi’s, panel vans, single cabs and crew cabs. However most of those tended to be a plain button without the crest. I think but not 100% sure that 63 to 67 Kombi’s only came with the button you have with the crest instead of a plain back button.

[misteralz]

My '66 kombi has a plain black button.

[Lightweight_911]

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Thanks for the extra info - it looks as though it has been painted 'cream' at some stage in the past as the inside of the housing still retains much of that colour (presumably to match the steering wheel - as seen in this photo) :



I'll probably stick it on ebay & see what happens ...

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[jwhillracer]

Yes, the cream painted ones were on the flat Beetle steering wheels pre-1957 or so like the photo above. We had a 60’s splittie camper when I was a teenager, and it had a plain black one. I removed the paint on the ‘56 one when I bought an early Mota-Lita (not the one in the photo) and bought that hub from Paddy Hopkirk and his brother in their shop in Belfast in’68 or 69.
I had to find a later steering column from a damaged mid-60’s car to be able to fit it, as they didn’t make a boss with the 1950’s spline.
JW

[Spit Nolan]

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Thanks for the extra info - it looks as though it has been painted 'cream' at some stage in the past as the inside of the housing still retains much of that colour (presumably to match the steering wheel - as seen in this photo) :



I'll probably stick it on ebay & see what happens ...

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Yeh that is a 56-59 type 1 (beetle) wheel for deluxe model. I am sure standard models in those years still used the 3 spoke steering wheel but I’ve only ever had oval window standard model, so not sure on this age. So if yours is an ivory one that has been stripped then that makes more sense than anything, that it is correct for that wheel and is 56 -59 semi batwing push.