Volkswagen Type 2 T1
Hi guys nice to see you at my Volkswagen Type 2 T1 page! As you probably all know, I am a huge fan of the Transporter,
introduced by German automaker Volkswagen. And I hope that in the near future I can own a VW Van. So if you know someone,
who want to sell his own T1 Van. Think about me and do not hesitate to contact me.
Volkswagen Type 2 T1
My obsession with this forerunner of modern cargo and passenger vans, did not come completely by accident. I started to
develop this fascination a few decades ago, when my friends and I where traveling across Europe. We where enjoying the good
life, and we were living day by day. After a while we where in need for reliable transportation. We were having trouble getting
a lift each day, and that was putting some pressure on the group. Those days we looked like a group of hippies, and almost
nobody wanted to offer us a lift. That's why we decided to rent a minivan, the good and reliable Volkswagen Transporter.
It was hard to tell if the look on the woman's face was disdain or pity. But either way she did not understand that we
just wanted to rent such a small van, and not a big one. 'Are you sure you don't want an upgrade, honey?' she said, eying
me suspiciously 'The van you've booked is really small.' She offered a bigger car at the same price, perhaps thinking I was
angling for a deal. No, I told her, I genuinely don't like driving big buses. I can't see the point and they are hell to park.
Give me something small and boxy, please. In the end she let me have my way but I think she was genuinely offended. But when
I finally drove this amazing vehicle for the first time, it was love at first sight.
The Volkswagen Bus - also called Type 2 - is the second model which was produced by postwar Volkswagen. After the Second World
War there was a large demand for commercial vehicles, Volkswagen soon developed itself as the leader in this segment. Under
the name, Type 2 they brought 5 variations on the market, from the T1 to T5. The name Type 2 is, in contrary to what sometimes
is thought, not synonymous for a T2 bus. During the fifties the Type 2 had no competition. Of course many car manufactures
around the world constructed a commercial vehicle, because many retailers were simply dependent on their van, with the introduction
of the Volkswagen Bus it was the start of a new era. »
Leaving the Heimath Wolfsburg
The Volkswagen Type 2 T1 was the first generation of the split window bus. It is commonly known as the Splittie, Barndoor,
Kombi, Bus, and the Microbus. The T1 was built in Wolfsburg, but from 1956 it was built at the completely new Transporter
factory in Hanover. And like the Beetle, the first Transporters also used the Volkswagen air cooled engine, a 1.2 L, 25 hp
(19 kW), air-cooled four-cylinder boxer engine mounted in the rear. In 1955 the 36 hp (22 kW) version became standard while
an unusual early version of the 40 hp (25 kW) engine debuted exclusively on the Type 2 in 1959. This engine proved to be so
unreliable and troublesome that Volkswagen recalled all 1959 Transporters and replaced the engines with an updated version
of the 40 hp (25 kW) engine. Any 1959 models that retain that early engine today are true survivors. Since the engine was
totally discontinued at the outset, no parts were ever made available.
The T1 Barndoor
The T1 Barndoor
The early versions of the T1 van until 1955 were often called the T1a or "Barndoor", because of the enormous rear engine
cover, while the later versions with a slightly modified body (the roofline above the windshield is extended), smaller engine
bay, and 15 in (381 mm) wheels instead of the original 16 in (406 mm) ones were called the T1b. From the 1963 model year,
when the rear door was made wider (same as on the T2), the vehicle was referred to as the T1c. 1963 also saw the introduction
of an optional sliding door for the passenger/cargo area instead of the outwardly hinged doors typical of cargo vans. This
change arguably makes the 1963 VW the first true minivan, although the term wouldn't be coined for another three decades.
In 1962, a heavy-duty Transporter was introduced as a factory option. It featured a cargo capacity of one metric ton (1,000
kg) instead of the previous 750 kg, smaller but wider 14 in (356 mm) wheels, and a 1.5 L, 42 DIN hp (31 kW) engine. This was
so successful that only a year later, the 750 kg, 1.2 L Transporter was discontinued. When the Beetle received the 1.5 L engine
for the 1967 model year, its power was increased to 44 hp DIN (32 kW).
From Germany to Brazil
Volkswagen Type 2 T1
The T1 was produced in Germany until 1967, however, the T1 still was made in Brazil until 1975, when it was modified with
a 1968-79 T2-style front end and big 1972-vintage taillights into the so-called "T1.5" and produced until 1996. The Brazilian
T1s were not identical to the last German models (the T1.5 was locally produced in Brazil using the 1950s and 1960s-era stamping
dies to cut down on retooling, alongside the Beetle/Fusca where the pre-1965 body style was retained), though they sported
some characteristic features of the T1a, such as the cargo doors and 5-stud (205 mm bolt circle) rims. Brazil production air-cooled
vehicles (including the VW Brasilia) are a rare find in the USA and usually sought after by collectors.
A lot of diversity
Among American enthusiasts, it is common to refer to the different models by the number of their windows. The basic Kombi
or Bus had 11-windows. Deluxe models had 15-windows, but was not available in Europe. The sunroof deluxe versions had eight
skylight windows and is known as the 23-window. A 13-window and 21-window version were produced starting in 1963.
