Date:         Sun, 2 Jun 1996 12:30:05 -0300
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Roy Nicholl <rnicholl@asg.unb.ca>
Subject:      Re: VIN/Chassie No. Questions

The following message is a courtesy copy of an article
that has been posted as well.

Veedubbers:

	I have discovered more info that may help solve the origins of
my my '67 Westy.  I had posted to the group my chassie number
(247016777) as taken from the engine compartment.  This lead to much
more confusion for I as this number indicated a Deluxe MicroBus and my
bus appears to be a standard MicroBus (three windows/side aft of the
doors).  This morning, new discoveries were made which appear to
re-inforce that my bus is indeed a standard (or at least part of it
is) and perhaps a troll :-( [I am starting to believe that the metal
in the engine compartment may have been added as a replacement..though
it looks original.  My other theory is that the body may have been
dropped onto a frame/pans from a Deluxe....I need help here].

This morning Liz was removing some of the ugly decore that had been
added by the PO, when a small, well-painted plate was discovered.  It
is riveted to the passenger's side of the vent assembly just above the
windscreens.  My attempt at reproducing the layout of the plate follows:

  -----------------------------------------------
  |      V O L S K W A G E N W E R K  A G       |
  |              MADE IN GERMANY                |
  | Typ 23-42                                   |
  |      * Heizg Typ 2/255A Prutz....545 *      |
  |      fahrgest-Nr 236143257                  |
  | Zul Gesamigew.Kg  2070      Baujahr         |
  | Zul AchslastwornKg 950      [b]intenKg 1150 |
  ----------------------------------------------

Note: The '*' indicate the rivets.

My interpretation of this suggests that 236143257 is a Chassie/Vehicle
number.  Though this disagrees with the number found on the engine
compartment floor, it does indicate a standard MicroBus which better
fits the rest of the characteristics of Ras Bulli.

Liz also discovered grey cardboard headliners in the cab and that the
metal (eg dash and vent assembly) appear to have been orignally
painted some shade of green, while the parcel shelf, and most other
body panels appear to have always been red; I also cannot find any
indication that the roof was ever anything but white.  I was always
under the impression that the dash and interior trim was always the
same color as the lower half of the exterior.  Is it possible that my
bus was originally three toned?  Or, does this just re-inforce my
suspicions that there are really two buses involved here?

Help.....please....

Bugs & Things & Bricks....Oh my,

Roy