"You Volkswagens are all the same!"

Thats how they said in an old VW promotion. Just to proove the opposite right away.
In fact there is nearly no range of time when nothing was changed on them for months and none of years.
Sometimes very visible parts and sometimes just little technical items. Even the Hebmüller saw a kind
of "evolution". There was a lot changed during the small range these cars where builded. Usually caused by
sense making refinements as results from building and using the cars.

I will try to list and picture some of these changes here. Possible that mistakes will appear, so who
may wants to help me with any information or pictures, you are welcome.
Allready I can thank Peter Schepens and Jan Peter Henkels for good infos and support.

(Scroll to the right to see all pictures.)

The engine lid is a remarkable part of the Hebmüller. It is a big part of the design and very recognizable.
It saw some development.

1948 prototype no 1 with four louvers, "popes nose" and license plate pressing

1948 prototype no 2 with five louvers, "popes nose" and license plate pressing

1948 prototype no 3 with five louvers, chromed "popes nose" and license plate pressing

spring 1949, first time of the elongated center just two corners are left from the plate pressing no trim on it, not more than two or three where made

up from summer 1949 with trim stripe, no more number plate pressing but still the hoods are welded from several pieces

up from summer 1949 with trim stripe, no more number plate pressing but still the hoods are welded from several pieces

they had problems to press the hoods at once, so they welded them together from some pieces

here the welding seams are visible

here the welding seams are visible

here the welding seams are visible

to solve the pressing problems they added two dimples as "material eaters"

around november 1949 they produced these long dimples for a while

from switzerland came complaints, they had small licence plates and the dimples where visible

so the dimples where shortened and moved closer together

that way they stayed till the end

From the engine lid it is a short way to the air louvers.
Here also was a change.

here the trim between the louvers

the bar between the louvers on wich the trim is fixed, was a separate part in the beginning

fixed with two screws

leaded all around to fill the gaps

in late 1949 there was a change in that area

from then the whole panel was pressed as one piece

view from below

At the edge of the air intake panel sits a rain draining rail.
And guess, yes there are two versions..

in the beginning the rail was a saparate part wich was welded on

here you see the ridge where the rail is fixed

here you see the ridge where the rail is fixed

up from late december 1949 the rail was pressed as one part along with the louvers panel

that way it stayed till the end

Below the louvers there is the "rain catcher" box.
If you open the rear hood you see the upper edge of that box. There where two kinds.

circa the first 100 cars had that edge slightly rounded

then it was changed into a staight style

Here is one more interesting detail.
The lower fixing point of the hood support.

at early cars the screw nut is found at the upper edge

circa up to car 400 in december 1949

then it was turned and the nut was at the bottom

Inside the body there where added some stiffening panels.
Also there where differences.

on early cars this panel was flat closed

roughly up to car 400 in december 1949

the cars after got it perforated with five holes

so it stayed till the end

Also for stiffening there came up embossed
grooves in the inner side walls of the footwell area.

circa up to car 50 the walls where flat

then the grooves where positioned

they roughly started in august 1949

At the semaphore boxes also two styles exist.
The difference is visible from the inner side.

the semaphore opening in the front quarter panel

from the start the semaphore was fixed by the same kind of bracket as it is found in the sedan b-pillar

with big gaps all along the opening

because that was a open door for water this part was changed

it was replaced by a closed box that was welded all around

those where used in the Hebmüller up from spring 1950

Two styles of air cleaners where in use.
Both specially designed for the Hebmüller due to the less space under the hood.

here the first Version, the "mushroom" style

in the Heb with an off center hole

here compared with the one used in the sedan

followed 1950 by the "T-shape" air cleaner

for the Hebmüller it got and extra tube to extend it to be placed behind the fan shroud

As in the sedan there where two kinds of fuel tanks in 1949,
but the change came much later in the Heb.

up to summer 1949 the Volkswagens had this small fuel tank

due to the time that was needed for the transformation into a convertible and also delayed, caused by the fire, there are small tanks in oktober and even november Hebs

up from fall 1949 finally also in the Hebmüller, the new styled tank

easy to recognize by the step in the wall behind the spare wheel

Looking behind the spare wheel we see something very interesting.
The badges and numbers that give the car its identity.

the early version with the two badges and the number between them, all together on the vertical wall

at the later version the Hebmüller badge lays horizontally on the lower plain

on top the VW factory badge in the middle the body number below the Hebmüller badge

the VW badge gives the usual datas, like the VW ID number, but also the type 14

here the body number type 14 - 00XXX every car got its "personal" number

the Hebmüller "Aufbau"(assembly) badge gives a company inside running number but also year, month and day of finishing the car

While we talk about badges.
There is one more that was found on all Hebmüller creations.

the coachbuilder body badge, fixed at the right front quarter panel

with that badge all bodies where proudly marked as Hebmüller productions

this logo went along with the Hebmüller company for almost all the time

1949 they introduced a new style more flat and with horizontal lines

it was seen along with VW Hebmüllers but I do not think it was already used on them it was in use later on DKW bodies and others in 1951

Another detail is the dome light.

it has to be flat at the ends

no matter if it is made from bakelit or metal

note where it is placed, centered under the roof on the middle woodbow

here to compare the light in an Karmann split vert, rounded ends and fixed right above the window

the bakelit version existed in light and dark

at the middle woodbow is a broadened area to fix the light

the chromed version seems to be the latest

The interior is also worth to be checked closer.

here is an example for the as "official" known version of the Hebmüller interior

this kind was seen in the prototype nr. 2

mainly it is known from the early plant-pictures of a car that was more a pre series version

it seems lots of restorers where ispired by these pics

in the original Hebmüller promotion brochure it looks all differend

ordinary cloth seats, stitched as in the sedan

contemporary pictures of serial cars show the seats as known from the sedan

cloth and "normal" stitching

also the very complex stitched door panels of the early "showcar" are not found in later serial cars

also here is seen cloth and stitching as in the sedan

so these seats indeed still may be the original ones

Will be continued...........