Hard to believe that between 1938 and 1961 there were essentially only three VW models the Type 1 'Beetle' that became the most popular car of it's time, the Type 2 VW Bus / Van / Pickup and this fabulous Type 3 Volkswagen 1500 / 1600 joined in 1962 by an estate / station wagon known as the Variant / Square back.
My Uncle had a petrol blue one of these Variants that he used as a milk float in Germany, until he got a VW Bus. I remember him coming home from his milk round at lunch time with the roof rack full crates with empty bottles rattling merrily away as he eased down the severely rutted track back to the small holding farm where he lived.
The Type 3 vehicles were essentially bigger version of the Type 1 with exactly the same engineering principles, torsion bar suspension front and rear air cooled engine in the back. between 1961 and 1973 2,542,382 Type 3's were built mostly in Wolfsburg with some produced in Emden and Sao Bernado do Campo, Brazil.
At the end of 1967 the Type 3 was fitted with electronic fuel injection as standard equipment to become the first German production vehicle so equipped . This '72 / '73 model if it is still on its original licence plates was first registered in Greater London.
Hope you have enjoyed this orange edition of Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres, tomorrow I'll be upping the tempo to conclude my foray into vehicles with engines in the back, hope you'll join me, don't forget to come back now.
26/07/11 Post Script, My thanks to Ben the owner of Kubrik seen in these photo's who has kindly e-mailed me to say that he rescued Kubrik from 'rotting away in the big smoke (London)' and that Kubrik is his daily driver with over 200,000 miles on the clock.
You can find out more about Kubrik from this 375 post thread on the Old Volks Club website.
This is cool, Art! I hope Racer weighs in today as I believe his family owned this "big orange pumpkin" when he was a little tyke!
ReplyDeleteI hear they are remodeling the VW Bug for 2012. I wonder what they think they can improve?
Thanks Chief ! :-)
ReplyDeleteIf it ain't broke, don't fix it! I grew up in a car JUST LIKE THAT ONE!
ReplyDeleteAs Chief mentioned, my family had one. Dad bought the orange squareback in 1971 when we were stationed in Rhoda, ESP. We brought the car back to the States with us in 74 and kept it until we sold it in 77.
Here is a picture of me and Dad washing it in the carport, in 1971. I was two:
Racer and Dad Washing the Pumpkin
Ha! I thought I was right!! I love that picture, Racer!
ReplyDeleteNeat how this worked out. Thanks for another interesting blog, Art! This one brought back good memories :-)
Racer 187 ! That's priceless thanks for sharing the picture of you a the Pumpkin :-)
ReplyDeleteNot long after my dad bought a brand new blue VW Squareback, in October 1968, my dad, my dad's friend, Jim Hook, my brother and I piled into the Squareback and drove from Marion, Indiana to the inaugural race at Michigan International Speedway.
ReplyDeleteNever imagined so many of us would have Square back stories to tell, any pics of your Dad's '68 blue Square back Steve ?
ReplyDeleteDad probably has pics of the Squareback on slides. I expect to visit my parents during the weekend of Dec 11-12, and will probably explore slides while I am there.
ReplyDeleteCool Steve, big Howdy to your Dad from me :-)
ReplyDelete