66 Euro

[Bandet]

Hi I live in Pingree Idaho. I have a one owner L 456 Ruby Red 66 Euro bug that the first owner got in Darmstadt Germany when he was working over there in 66. I got it out out a field outside Blackfoot Idaho where it sat for the last 34 years. It has some thing different then the US bug. Door handles look like 65's, no flasher switch, shoulder strap seat belts only (no lap belt), locking streering wheel, has M 107 code that's bumper with guards & a Kph speedo. Build date 10 November 1965. I'll try getting photos of it up later.
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[jmartini]

Very cool! Welcome to the forum.

[Bug-Eyed]

Isn't that a coincidence? I was stationed in Darmstadt Germany from 1964 thru 1967. My wife and I bought a new Blue '66 Beetle.

[h~moto]

Hi I live in Pingree Idaho. I have a one owner L 456 Ruby Red 66 Euro bug that the first owner got in Darmstadt Germany when he was working over there in 66. I got it out out a field outside Blackfoot Idaho where it sat for the last 34 years. It has some thing different then the US bug. Door handles look like 65's, no flasher switch, shoulder strap seat belts only (no lap belt), locking streering wheel, has M 107 code that's bumper with guards & a Kph speedo. Build date 10 November 1965. I'll try getting photos of it up later.

`66 Beetles did not get the round press button on the door handles until sometime after the start of the 1966 model year. Your Beetle has the square pushbuttons not because it is a European model but because it is an early model `66. The one different thing about Euro door handles is that the passenger side should be lacking a key slot. Passenger side doors were only lockable from the inside on the European models (unless it is a convertible).

[Bug-Eyed]

I promise you that the Union 76 ball on the tip of the antenna will eventually cause it to break.

[Bandet]

Got this form the first owner the other day it a copy but works for me. & thank for all the info.

[SeeBlauKafer]

Sorry to reply to this a year later but you said something that struck me as interesting. My '66 was also purchased new in Germany (Walldorf) in 1966 by a USAF captain who I in turn bought the car from.

Mine also has the shoulder harness front seat belts with no lap restraints. I have the belts put away now but I think the name on the belts was one of a Swedish company. Mine has no rear seat belts.

Mine did however have the emergency flasher system though it's possible this could have been retrofitted, prior to his having shipped the car home, as part of an export prep procedure where he got US spec bumpers, a MPH speedometer, and a flasher system. I'll have to comb his original paperwork for anything on that.

Mine also has a steering wheel lock ignition and two holes in the rear decklid made especially for a european sized license plate. I don't quite know if I should fill these or not.

Finally my rear bumper has two large washers welded to the lower rim out of sight. The original owner told me they were part of a ski rack he once had mounted to the car. Wish I still had that accessory.

[Bandet]

Sound like you have a cool euro bug. What color is it? Mine doesn't have
E-flashers because it was made in August of 65 early 66 model. So it has some 65 thing on it. Like the door handles and I have a 65 horn bar not the half moon for a 66.