| On August 1, 1957 Volkswagen enlarged the rear window on the Beetle and, according to one of Volkswagen's popular advertisements from 1960, at the suggestion of a very famous Italian body designer, making the 1958 model year the beginning of the square window Beetle. |
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The 1958 model year Volkswagen Beetle encompases Beetles built from August 1, 1957 until July 31, 1958 having chassis number 1 600 440 ranging to chassis number 2 007 615.
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These Beetles show major obvious changes from the previous 1957 "oval window" model. The rear window was made much larger and also the front windshield was larger. The sunvisor changed shape to be rounded on the outside upper edge to fit with the new windshield. The dashboard was redesigned with a larger glovebox, ash tray moved to bottom center of dash, radio moved to center of dash with wiper and headlight buttons above, the speaker now located to the left of the speedometer, and the ignition is now to the left of the ash tray. |
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| The 1958 sunvisor also appeared in 1959 Beetles for part of the model year before changing to a padded vinyl sunvisor. |
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| Other changes are the front turn signals moved to top of fenders in U.S. specification models but European models retained the semaphores. The "W" decklid is dropped for a less shapely one, and a flat type accelerator replaces roller type. The convertible Beetle received horizontal air inlets replacing the previous vertical inlets. All Beetles received wider brake drums and shoes. The frame head was reinforced. A new clutch release assembly with stronger clutch springs was added and the third and fourth gear ratio changed in the transmission. |
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| One of the most elusive parts in my restoration was the gray hand brake boot with pebble texture. The boot is impossible to find and was not reproduced anywhere Finally I contacted a company in Belgium and had the boot reproduced, the company is selling them on eBay currently if you need one for your restoration as well you can find it on easily! |
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| This 1958 Steering wheel paint color is L471 Stone Beige. This is the same color used on the steering column, seat frames, shifter, and hand brake. |
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| Not everything changed of course, some features on the 1958 Beetle were carried over from the oval years making these parts somewhat pricey and hard to find. The speedometer is the same as previous years, the tail lights are the same as 1956 and 1957, the steering wheel also carries over from these years, as well as the pull style door handles. Since the door handles are the same as late oval window Beetles this means so are the doors.
Like the late oval window Beetles, the engine is still 30hp (36hp SAE), and the transmission is a split case with a non-synchronized first gear and the gas tank is the same shape with a hump and 80mm cap.
Of course, there are many other parts shared with the oval window Beetles, such as switches, knobs and inside door handles but those aren't as hard to come by as the steering wheels, door handles, engine, transmission and gas tank parts.
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Counter added
August 3, 2004
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