VW Beetle Type 14A (Hebmüller Cabriolet)
The Volkswagen Type 14A (commonly known as the Hebmüller Cabriolet or simply Heb) is a German car produced after the Second World War.
At the request of Volkswagen managing director Heinz Nordhoff, Hebmüller and Karmann would build cabriolets for Volkswagen, with as many Type 1 parts, such as chassis, engines, and body panels, as possible. Hebmüller was to build the 2+2 cabriolet, and Karmann the four-seat cabriolet. By contrast with the Karmann, the Heb was intended as a sporting model.
Hebmüller started production in June 1949, mechanically the Type 14A was the same as the Beetle saloon with mechanical brakes, and the Type 1's' 19-kilowatt (26 PS; 25 bhp) petrol engine. It also shared the Type 1's crank starting, and the cabriolet's icowl-mounted semaphore turn signals and its pushbutton Telefunken radio. The Heb differed in having the decklid and trunk lid being of a similar size and shape.
Retailing for 7.500 Deutsch Marks, the Hebmüller Cabriolet was available in a variety of colours, options were black, red and white in single tone, in two-tone combinations black and red, black and ivory, black and yellow and red and ivory was available, for extra charge buyers could choose their own combination.
A fire broke out on 23 July 1949 in the factory's paint department, and made its way to the production line. After the fire, Hebmüller did manage to produce later, but later became financially ruined in the early 1950s.
Production ended in 1953 with a total of 696 units produced, including 3 prototypes and 1 pre-production model. Around 100 are thought to survive.
Today a replica of the Type 14A is produced by the Brazilian convertible company Trocar.
VW Beetle Type 14A (Hebmüller Cabriolet)
The Volkswagen Type 14A (commonly known as the Hebmüller Cabriolet or simply Heb) is a German car produced after the Second World War.
At the request of Volkswagen managing director Heinz Nordhoff, Hebmüller and Karmann would build cabriolets for Volkswagen, with as many Type 1 parts, such as chassis, engines, and body panels, as possible. Hebmüller was to build the 2+2 cabriolet, and Karmann the four-seat cabriolet. By contrast with the Karmann, the Heb was intended as a sporting model.
Hebmüller started production in June 1949, mechanically the Type 14A was the same as the Beetle saloon with mechanical brakes, and the Type 1's' 19-kilowatt (26 PS; 25 bhp) petrol engine. It also shared the Type 1's crank starting, and the cabriolet's icowl-mounted semaphore turn signals and its pushbutton Telefunken radio. The Heb differed in having the decklid and trunk lid being of a similar size and shape.
Retailing for 7.500 Deutsch Marks, the Hebmüller Cabriolet was available in a variety of colours, options were black, red and white in single tone, in two-tone combinations black and red, black and ivory, black and yellow and red and ivory was available, for extra charge buyers could choose their own combination.
A fire broke out on 23 July 1949 in the factory's paint department, and made its way to the production line. After the fire, Hebmüller did manage to produce later, but later became financially ruined in the early 1950s.
Production ended in 1953 with a total of 696 units produced, including 3 prototypes and 1 pre-production model. Around 100 are thought to survive.
Today a replica of the Type 14A is produced by the Brazilian convertible company Trocar.