Volkswagen Type 2 T1

Hi guys nice to see you at my Volkswagen Type 2 T1 page! As you all probably know, I am a huge fan of those funny looking vehicles made by the Germans. And I hope that in the near future I can own my own Splittie. So if you know anyone, who try to sell one of his own T1 vans. remember me and do not hesitate to contact me.

A little history of the T1

The original idea for the T1 van or Volkswagen Type 2 came from the Dutch Volkswagen importer Ben Pon, who drew the first sketches of the van in 1947. At first the aerodynamics of the prototypes were not good but heavy optimization took place at the wind tunnel of the Technical University of Braunschweig. The wind tunnel work paid off, as the Type 2 was aerodynamically superior to the Beetle despite its slab-sided shape. Three years later, under the direction of Volkswagen's new CEO Heinz Nordhoff, the first production model left the factory at Wolfsburg.

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 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).

Volkswagen Type 2 T1

From Germany to Brazil

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.

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