JNF was founded in 1920 by Joseph Neuhierl in Fürth, Germany. The company name, JNF, is formed out of the first letters of his name and the town of Fürth. In WWII, the company had to produce for warfare, like many other toy companies. In 1945, the US Army therefore confiscated all production facilities. Post War toy production at the JNF facility started again in 1947.
Elongated shape tin plate body with cut out windows and a detailed lithograph interior depicting the Split Window Volkswagen of the KdF era. The remote control cable version turned the front wheels and came in a box with road signs to set up a driving course. The remote control cable was sometimes located in the left and sometimes in the right rear decklid. The remote control version usually came in different boxes than the standard version, although also standard version boxes are seen with a sticker "Telesteering". The standard version had manual steering. The tin plate chassis included a clockwerk motor that had a lever to control a couple of speed settings and bumpers with registration number of “IN-35.” Chassis was stamped “MADE IN US ZONE GERMANY.” Variations included different types of metal wheels and rubber wheels.
The NEUHIERL company bought clockwerk motors, wheels, etc. for their toys from the company Paul Weiss Laufwerk Fabrik, also located in Nürnberg, Germany. Paul Weiss Laufwerk Fabrik existed from 1919 until 1969 and produced parts for tin toys as well as clockwork motors for many manufacturers. The Paul Weiss company logo was a multi-pointed star with P.W. in the star center.
There is one version (probably only a prototype made for a toy show) with battery operated head lights and steering by using cable remote control.
Also seen is a 1956 exhibition model in a modified original telesteering box with 12 traffic signs and an OVAL Window VW Sedan. It is bi-colored brown/ivory and the license plate number is IN-56.
There is also a very crude red JNF prototype (?) version with a brake lever in the front window, a keyhole for the wind-up motor in the chassis near the rear axle with steerable front wheels (to the right). It has no bumpers and a strange box mounted on the rear decklid to accomodate for the motor (?). The wheels are made of metal and larger than the regular wheels.
