VW Camper Type 2 History

Like the much loved and iconic Beetle, the Volkswagen Transporter – or officially the VW Type 2 - shares a similar history and can once again be described as an international icon. The original MPV can trace its roots back to the immediate post-war period, much like the Beetle with which it shared its underpinnings and rear wheel drive/rear engine layout. However, the Type 2 was the result of Ben Pon, a Dutch VW importer, sketching a design for a mini van in 1946 after having seen the Beetle platforms being used to transport parts around the VW factory in Wolfsburg. The Type 2’s birth was also difficult. The standard Beetle platform proved too weak for the van’s 1.5 tonne weight, so whilst the wheelbase remained the same the chassis used a ladder format to compensate for the extra weight. Aerodynamics were also – in modern terminology – ‘awful’ with the car having a drag co-efficient of 0.75. Pon however remained undeterred by these difficulties, and with the help of Braunschweig Technical University improved its aero-efficiency to 0.44 by splitting the windscreen and roofline into a ‘v’ shape. The Type 2 for all spite of its slab-sided physique had become the most aerodynamically efficient model in VW’s two-car range. By 1949 the post-war German economy and VW were making great strides, and the first Type 2 rolled off the production in 1950.From March 8 1957 to 1967, the Type 2 was produced in Wolfsburg and the Sao Bernado do Campo factories, with the first cars being powered by the same rear mounted air-cooled 1100cc engine found in the Beetle, which produced 24 bhp. The lack of power saw the engine upgraded to a 1,192cc unit which increased power output by 6bhp in 1953, and eventually to 40bhp in 1959. Despite VW’s bulletproof reliability and much unlike the Beetle, the 1959 Type-2 proved troublesome and VW recalled all early models to replace the engine with an updated version of the 30Kw motor. In spite of this minor setback, the Type 2, much like the Beetle, appealed to the hearts and minds of many across the world due to its rugged nature and much like its elder and equally simplistic brother… … So much so, Type 2s became known amongst aficionados as the ‘splittie’ due to its split windscreen and ‘v’ shaped roofline, and the early version of the car, the T1a* was dubbed the ‘barndoor’ due to the enormous rear engine cover. Other nicknames for the Type 2 include thein Portugal and Brazil(bread loaf), the Hippie-Van, the Kombi, the Transporter, and the Bully. In the United States, drivers refer to the car by its amount of windows, so models colloquially range from the 11-window, the 15-window DeLuxe model and DeLuxe sunroof 23-window.As the Type 2 grew in popularity, the body and engine sizes naturally progressed to larger proportions. The early 1960s saw larger 16-inch wheels fitted to improve stability and these cars became the T1b. 1962 saw Volkswagen capitalize on the Type 2’s sturdy nature to create a heavy duty version, which had an increased cargo capacity to 1,000kg from 750kg and under the hood was a 1.5 42bhp engine to cope with the reinforced chassis and extra weight. The extra power and increased weight capacity proved such a success, that in 1963 VW stopped production of the 1.2 model and replaced it with the 1.5l (1,493cc) engine as standard to the US market. Other modifications during the 1960s saw moved from being a van essentially the first MPV due to VW fitting a wider rear door in 1964, making it the T1c. The same year also saw the option of a sliding door for the passenger/cargo area, which increased safety for exiting passengers as well as making loading and unloading cargo – should the car be used for commercial use - easier. By 1967 however, production of the T1 models had ceased in Wolfsburg to make way for the T2 which featured increased power, safety and technical innovations. Despite the T1 being phased out in Europe, production continued in Brazil until 1975, and the T1.5 continued until 1996. Visually, these cars differed greatly from the German models from the early 1950s to 1967 as they carried a T2 front end and tail-lights which lead to the .5 designation.Whilst the original ‘Hippie Van’ remained in production until 17 years ago, other models – whilst keeping true to original ethos of a mini van – emerged right up to today’s T5, which can trace its lineage back to the original T2 despite having ABS, traction control, airbags and other such trappings which at the time of Ben Pon’s original sketches, seemed the stuff of dreams. Despite the Type 2 being out-dated and extremely rust prone by today’s standards, they still remain highly sought after by collectors with prices ranging from £1200 for an un-loved in need of an overhaul, or £15,000 for a restored vehicle. If restoration isn’t your thing though, you can always buy one of these… http://blog.caranddriver.com/europeans-can-again-buy-new-type-2-volkswagen-microbuses-were-jealous/ The fact that they’ve reintroduced it is a testament to how loved the Type 2 is, isn’t it?Tags: VW