Steering column without ignition switch

 Any VW column before 1960 should do.  Some of those can be found at the VW parts houses.   Directional lever from a bus (same year range) would look cool, too.

I have also seen them for sale on Samba.

Thanks Gordon and Art, I will look both places.

Guys, I thought '68 was the first year of the locking steering column? There were locking columns before '68, but I thought they weren't standard. I had both a '66 (my first car) and a '67 (2nd) and I'm reasonably sure the key went in the dash. Al

You are right, ALB. '67 or earlier should serve the purpose. But a really early column might look more "period correct." I don't know what the other differences might be on these....

Al, I had a 69 with locking column and I think your right the 68 also had it but I am pretty sure my friends 67 was on the dash.  I really liked the 67 overider bumpers they were real cool if I remember right the rear nose was the first BIG nose too. 

The locking steering column and the ugly "safety" added dash was introduced in 1968 in US.

I have a locking steering column but the start key switch is in the dash (like a lot of replicas).  Since the column is black, it doesn't look too out of place AND the nice thing is, the locking column is a cheap theft deterrent for novice thieves.   

Bugs with dash mounted ignition switches "may"  easily be hot wired and driven away in 30 seconds or less, after the " 2nd borrowing" from the Teacher's lot, my HS Principal was less than fond of me so, minutes before graduation began I did it ...... again :~)

Open deck lid, pull tail light spade wire from connector and slip it on to the + side of the coil,  put the park lights on ( you have now powered the ignition coil with 12 volts via the light switch) roll the car, 2nd gear and pop the clutch ~

You will probably find that the bus switch is made to fit a smaller diameter column.

I used a bus switch and on one side I used the bus housing opened up with a drum sander. On the other side I used an early VW housing.

wrt hotwiring,and the larger issue of securty in general, regardless of switches, etc. try installing a kill switch. turns everything off, and you can take that key with you.  chnaces of a would-be thief having a kill sw key with him seem rather low.  And the thing could be hidden,,, like under the seat, perhaps.

Battery cutoff switches are under $8 at Harbor Freight - they add a cool racy look too plus added safety in that they would cut electricity to an electric fuel pump.  A toggle switch on electric feed to fuel pump is easy too.