1949 Volkswagen Beetle

Introduced in 1938 as 'the People's Car,' over 21 million were built before production ended in 2003. The Volkswagen Beetle (officially the Volkswagen Type 1) evolved from the pre-war KdF-Wagen, whose name is derived from the phrase 'Kraft durch Freude,' which means 'Strength through Joy.' It was conceived from the ongoing experiments of Project 12 at the Porsche facility, and a rear-mounted motor was selected for the simple yet effective platform chassis with a central backbone and integral floorpan. Air cooling was selected for its simplicity and low operating cost. With the rear-engine placement, the need for a long driveshaft was eliminated, air cooling meant no radiator, and aluminum and magnesium castings were used for the engine to reduce weight. The front suspension employed torsion bars while the rear received swing axles.

Countless revisions and no fewer than 30 prototypes were built by 1935, with the Series 38 design embodying the Beetle. The Volkswagen Beetle would become so successful that it was built on several continents and is the only car ever built to exceed the production of the famous Model T. Built from 1938 through 2003, over 21,500,000 examples were constructed. Throughout its existence, the Beetle remained true to its roots, with simple and uncomplicated mechanicals in a rear engine platform that's easy to drive and simple to maintain.

In the United States, popularity grew quickly, resulting in a number of Beetle-based derivatives, including the Transporter, the Karmann-Ghia, the Cabriolet and the Type 181 'Thing.'

Volkswagen produced its 15,007,034 Beelte on February 17th, 1972, surpassing the Ford Model T total production record. By June 1992, over 21 million examples had been built.

The 1949 Volkswagen Beetle
In the United States, the Volkswagen Beetle was offered in both Standard and Deluxe trim. The 1100 Standard two-door sedan with seating for four was priced at $1,280; the 1100 Deluxe sedan listed at $1,475 and the convertible sedan at $2,000. The Deluxe sedan could be optioned with a sunroof for an additional $70.

The horizontally opposed, overhead-valve, air-cooled four-cylinder engine had cast-iron cylinder liners and a light alloy block, finned cylinders and heads. It displaced 1,131 cc (69 cubic inches) and had solid valve lifters, a Solex carburetor, 5.8:1 compression, and delivered 30 (SAE) horsepower at 3,300 RPM. The four-speed manual transmission had a 4.43:1 drive ratio, and the steering was by a worm and cap nut system.

Updates for 1949 were minimal and included a redesigned instrument panel with a single gauge. The former locking-handle hood release was replaced by an under-dashboard pull cable, and the former license-plate identification on the rear deck was removed.

Heinz Nordhoff was appointed director of the Volkswagen factory in 1949.

The Hebmüller-built Cabriolets were constructed from 1949 through 1953, with a total of 696 examples built.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2023