Factory Pictures
The Birthplace of Cool: VW Factory Views
The
'home made' last ever Beetle to be made at Volkswagen Brussels in 1975,
a 1303 model. The following pictures are of this very special Super Beetle
View
of the front apron of the last ever Beetle built by Volkswagen Brussels,
a 1303 created out of spare parts in 1975. The car has a unique production
plate. Normally the plate shows the week and day, but on this special car
the number is the total Beetles built at the Brussels plant +1 (1143665)
The
'home made' last ever Beetle built by Volkswagen Brussels in 1975, a 1303
model. View of the central tunnel under the back seat revealing the car
has no chassis number
Speedometer
of the 'home made' last ever Beetle to be made at Volkswagen Brussels in
1975, a 1303 model. Just 22 kilometres on the clock
Interior
of the 'home made' last ever Beetle to be built at Volkswagen Brussels in
1975, a 1303 model
The
'home made' last ever Beetle to be made at Volkswagen Brussels in 1975,
a 1303 model. View of the 1200 engine
The 'home made' last ever Beetle to be made at Volkswagen
Brussels in 1975, a 1303 model. Note the car has no reversing lights or
VW 1303 badge on the deck lid
A
1302 Super Beetle is being set up for crash testing
As
well as the Mk.1 Passats, there are at least two special edition 1303 Beetles
- either the Big Beetle or City Beetle. You can see their distinctive side
stripes on the lower body and sports steel wheels
A
Super and a Standard Beetle pass just metres away from where they were born
at the VW plant in Wolfsburg. The huge factory Heizkraftwerk power station
makes an imposing sight in this photo from 1976
These
Wolfsburg employees are assembling bonnet (front hood) hinges with springs,
in 1972. Half a 1302 Beetle body is passing in the background
A
worker at the Karmann factory is using his skills to perfectly install a
1302 convertible top
Laughter
and tears: "Many turned away to hide their tears," recalls assembly
manager Johann Kamp when the last Beetle rolled off the assembly line in
Emden in 1978
A
USA specification 1971 1302 Super Beetle in Clementine Orange getting an
alignment near the end of the assembly line at Wolfsburg. The larger front
turn signals and slotted front apron along with high back front seats gives
away its final destination
1303
Cabriolets and Sciroccos are loaded on the train from Osnabrück to
Emden, where they will be shipped out to the world
The
Norwegian ship Dyvi Pacific with a large batch of Volkswagens. The Beetles
are 1302s and the photo was taken May 10th 1971 in Toronto, Canada
1972
Volkswagens in bright colours are neatly lined up at the port of Vancouver,
Washington. It's hard to see any details, but it is clear that red and yellow
were popular colours for 1972
Bodies
are mounted transversely on the transfer belt for operators to carry out
welding operations to the front and rear. The operators are sitting either
side of the belt on seats that are mounted on tracks so they can slide left
and right
1971
1302 models lined up at the storage yard in Emden, waiting to be shipped
overseas
A
train car with 1303 Beetles and 1600 Variants at the train station in Heidelberg,
Germany. This photography is dated 1972, which means that it was taken during
the last few months of the year
Images courtesy of Volkswagen Factory Pictures
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