Vehicle Description
1961 Volkswagen Microbus 23 Window
The origins of the Type 2 are credited to Ben Pon, the Dutch VW
importer, who in 1946 had visited the Wolfsburg factory with a view
to importing Beetles (or KDF Wagens as they were then) to the
Netherlands. However, on his trip he saw something that interested
him more. What he had seen was a homemade parts mover based on a
Beetle chassis, but with the driver and controls sat atop the
engine, with a large flat load bed in front of them, this little
vehicle was called the Plattenwagen. Pon made a quick sketch and
returned to Holland. Ben Pon returned to Wolfsburg in 1947 with
some more detailed sketches of his new concept, and a few criteria
it had to meet. Namely; it had to be able to carry a load of
1500kg, and that the driver and controls should be mounted at the
front of the vehicle. Development began on the project in 1948, and
3 short months later the first prototype had been made. After
initial testing it became apparent that the modified T1 chassis
wasn't going to be sufficient for the job, so a ladder chassis with
a separate body was employed.
VW Importer, dealer and designer Ben Pon's vision was for a version
of the Microbus which was adorned all around with windows and
skylights. These, along with a large folding sunroof if you will,
was to be used mainly for tourists wanting to trek into the Alps
and do some sightseeing. With its rear engine it could literally go
through anything, and it took on many uses. For consignment a
"splitty" if you will with 23, yes count 'em 23 windows in the form
of a sightseer complete with Safari fold out front windows for good
air circulation, and in immaculate condition, we give you the Samba
Microbus.
Exterior
Donning its original deluxe belt line trim running from its front V
to the rear, and skirting Sealing Wax Red with Beige accenting,
this fully resorted Microbus is as good as it gets on the
restoration rebuild. With Safari correct period style windows that
fold out and look downward on the slightly curved but steep front
end that sports the large VW badge and simple single headlights,
it's all very shiny and dimple free. The 23 windows are all sealed
tightly and are in very nice condition. Original date coded 15 inch
wheels with original and very hard to find Lemmerz trim rings and
the iconic VW dog dish style wheel covers we are touring in
style..Cha Cha Cha..
Interior
Much of the original equipment has been retained such as the
correct and rare 6V ambulance fans, interior grab handles and jail
bars. This is all wrapped in showroom white inserts with white
piping and gray bolsters. A "humpback" front seat and 2 additional
bench rows are on the back, as well as the second row looking upon
the spare tire case wrapped in door panel matching gray uppers and
striped lower broadcloth. Floors have rubber mats over them, and if
you want a detail treat, lift them up and you will be met with
Sealing Wax Red metal, which is immaculate. The dash, also in
Sealing Wax Red has the original gauges, clean white Wolfsburg
castle badged steering wheel no cracks or even marks on it, and a
passenger side clock. A full cloth interior and canvas exterior
retractable sunroof is fully operational and floats forward and
rearward to let the sun shine in. This is the dawning of the age of
Aquarius! Perhaps a Tango my dear?
Drivetrain
A 1200 CC 4-cylinder engine fully rebuilt but not original to this
bus (Original engine was replaced early on by the first owner) has
a 1-barrel carburetor on top and a 4-speed manual transmission. A
4.125 rear is noted. Do the hustle!
Undercarriage
A quality restoration as such which consigner states he was adamant
about not making it too perfect, but much like original theme
carries through to the undercarriage, where we see beautiful black
panels, a sturdy frame, clean bolts, and all fully functional.
Noted are the hard to find black steel inserts that protect the
corners of the rear bumpers from too much splash back from the rear
wheels. 4-wheel drum brakes, Transverse torsion bars up front and
rear swing arm suspensions can be seen in clean form. Pasodoble
possibly?
Drive-Ability
My master decoder and myself were treated to a consigner drive that
gave a little history of ownership, worked all the functions, and
drove smoothly along not missing one drop of the sunshine and
fluffy cumulonimbus clouds which floated by through our 23 windows.
As we listened to the tinny whirr of the motor in the rear, and
smooth shifting through the gears, all was right with the world on
this day with this beautiful meticulously restored to original
Microbus. Shall we dip now?
Back in the early 1960's these buses were everywhere, shuttling
tourists into the Alps, and to and from airports. Now they have
become extremely collectible, and very good investments. This
little nest egg is really nicely done, runs perfectly, and has been
well cared for. It has many rare original parts still working, and
a wonderful history. A fine ballet of delicate parts and
mechanicals dancing together to push you down the highway, flower
power man.
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special
interest automobile showroom, featuring over 450 vehicles for sale
with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle
barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia
on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is
www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914.
Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the
vehicle in person.
