Friday, December 25, 2009

Have a great holiday and new year!



[from the February 1968 issue of Gute Fahrt magazine]

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

VW+VW1500 gift guide

Though it's not very widely known, the small appliance manufacturer Braun offered a few auto accessories in the 1960s. Their T 510/580 portable radios, introduced in 1962, were available with an under-dash slide-in mount that allowed you to use your radio in the car and also take it with you, like the Blaupunkt Derby and similar radios from other manufacturers. What Braun offered that the others didn't was the international-style aesthetic of industrial designer Dieter Rams. Rams has a cult following among design fans and his work for Braun in the '60s is thought to be the inspiration for much of Apple's award-winning product design of the last few years. He's currently the subject of a retrospective exhibition at the Design Museum in London. These radios come up for sale occasionally but the under-dash mounts would have to be among the rarest of the rare of auto accessories.



Braun also offered an automotive version of the famous Reinhold Weiss desk fan. The design was also licensed to VDO, so there are both Braun and VDO branded versions out there. One of these would be right at home in an early VW 1500.

Friday, December 18, 2009

VW+VW1500 gift guide



In addition to VDO and Gossen, Weigand also made 85mm tachs that fit in the VW 1500 dash. The 7000 rpm Weigand tach pictured in this 1969 ad is similar to one that's advertised for sale on The Samba right now.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

VW+VW1500 gift guide

Kamei offered lots of practical and functional kitsch for the VW 1500 including accelerator pedal covers and parcel trays.



According to the ad, the pedal cover keeps the accelerator mechanism clean, protects the floor mat and tunnel from wear, relaxes the foot muscles and promotes good circulation. It also makes your accelerator pedal look like it's melting!

Saturday, December 12, 2009

VW+VW1500 gift guide

The Petri/VDM model 355 steering wheel, aka the "coach" or "carriage" wheel, was available for the VW 1500 beginning in 1965 and was a popular upgrade. Here's an early ad:



This ad from 1969 lists a different version for Karmann-Ghias after 1967:

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

VW+VW1500 gift guide



A Hirschmann auto antenna to go along with your new radio.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

VW+VW1500 gift guide



Jokon accessory reverse lights, including the VW 1500 version.