Split-Window & Oval Beetle Parts
Hard-to-find body panels, chassis hardware, trim, and mechanical components for the earliest air-cooled Beetles.
Parts and fitment questions: (657) 438-7002 · Mon–Fri 8am–5pm Pacific
What changed on a 1946–1957 Beetle
The running changes that matter
Volkswagen rebuilt this car underneath you almost every year. Our chassis decoder records hydraulic brakes replacing the mechanical system in 1950, glass vent windows and synchromesh on 2nd, 3rd and 4th in 1952, the one-piece oval rear window replacing the split window in 1953, the jump from 30 to 36 horsepower (1131cc to 1192cc) in 1954, semaphore turn signals dropped for low-mounted front indicators in 1955, dual chrome tailpipes in 1956, and tubeless tires in 1957. Order by year, not by eye.
What holds steady across the range
Every car here left the factory 6 volt — our 6V ignition coil listing covers Beetles from 1949 to 1966 — and every one runs a link-and-king-pin front end, which our rebuild kit covers from 1946 to 1965. That makes front-end and ignition parts straightforward. The parking brake is where it gets sharp: our ratchet gear splits at pre-1956 and 1956–1964, and both of those breaks are corroborated outside our own catalog.
Before you order
- Decode your chassis number before you buy sheet metal. Pre-1965 VW numbers are sequential with no year digit, so the year is an estimate matched to a production range.
- Split-window and oval-window rear glass are not the same opening. The one-piece oval arrived in 1953.
- If the car has been converted to 12 volt, order electrical parts for what is in it now, not for the model year.
- Our Power Pedal accelerator assembly is cataloged as a 1958-and-later part. It does not fit anything on this page.
Shop your exact year
Later cars: 1958–1967 Beetle parts and 1968–1979 Beetle parts. Same era, other marque: Porsche 356 parts.
Common questions
Will 1958-and-later Beetle parts fit my oval-window car?
Not reliably. Our Power Pedal accelerator assembly is cataloged as a 1958-and-later part, and our parking brake ratchet gear splits at 1956, so parts described as fitting a late Beetle often stop short of these cars. Read the fitment list on the listing before you order.
Is a 1946 to 1957 Beetle 6 volt or 12 volt?
From the factory, 6 volt. Our 6V ignition coil listing covers Beetles from 1949 to 1966, and the switch to 12 volts did not arrive until 1967. Plenty of these cars have since been converted, so order for what is in the car now.
What front end does an early Beetle use?
Link and king pin. Our link and king pin rebuild kit covers the Beetle from 1946 to 1965, so every car on this page uses it. Ball-joint front ends came later.
How do I work out the year if the paperwork is gone?
Use our VW chassis number decoder. Pre-1965 Volkswagen numbers are sequential with no year digit built in, so the decoder matches your number against production ranges and gives you an estimate rather than a certainty.
Still not sure? Call the parts line at (657) 438-7002, Mon–Fri 8am–5pm Pacific. We'd rather talk you out of the wrong part than process the return.