| The VW Type II Split-Screen Camper - from Utility | | | | The later 'fifties models had a slightly extended roofline |
| Van to Design Icon | | | | above the windscreen, the engine bay became smaller |
| How Did it all Start? | | | | and 15 inch wheels were introduced. |
| When the British found themselves running the VW | | | | In 1967 the electrical system changed to 12 volts just |
| factory in Wolfsburg, Germany after the Second | | | | before the new type (bay window) was introduced. |
| World War, there was a shortage of equipment and | | | | The Birth of the VW Camper |
| resources. The engineers had made up flatbed trolleys | | | | Volkswagen subcontracted the VW camper to |
| using the VW Beetle chassis and running gear to | | | | Westfalia, a coach building company located in the |
| transport parts round the huge factory. | | | | German region of Westphalia. From 1951 onwards the |
| On a visit to the factory, Ben Pon, a Dutch VW | | | | company fitted the buses with a variety of internal |
| importer, saw the little trucks. He sketched a design for | | | | layouts. An innovative 'Tourist Delivery Scheme' |
| a beetle-based van, which was basically a simple box | | | | encouraging people to collect their campers from |
| on wheels, after he was inspired by the basic but | | | | Germany, helped spread VW campers, and many |
| effective plattenwagens. A year later, Heinz Nordhoff | | | | were bought by US servicemen stationed in Germany, |
| took on this idea when he became chief executive of | | | | who shipped them back to the US. VW campers |
| Volkswagen and the first VW van was launched at | | | | were also soon available from VW dealers round the |
| the Geneva Motor Show in November 1949. | | | | world. |
| Europe was restructuring and there was a lack of | | | | The VW camper took off due to its tiny fittings and |
| simple but sturdy transport vehicles that were flexible | | | | furnishings that epitomised the 50's home from home. |
| and low cost. The Type VW II met this need. | | | | Before the era of cheap charter flights and package |
| On the 8th March 1950 production of ten vehicles a | | | | holidays, the VW camper enabled families to take |
| day began. The basic rear engine design remained the | | | | economical camping and touring holidays in relative |
| same for four decades and over five million buses | | | | comfort. |
| were produced. | | | | The side opening barn doors [ enabled the van to be |
| The Successful 'Splittie' | | | | opened up to the outdoors and ingenious fittings made |
| The type 2 vans had a split windscreen with a | | | | maximum use of what was rather limited space. The |
| sweeping v-line front and a large VW emblem. These | | | | pop-top package was introduced later and then |
| buses were 170 cubic feet (about 4.8 cubic meters) in | | | | became really popular on the later bay window |
| volume and were spacious enough to hold a 15-hand | | | | campers introduced in 1968. |
| horse. | | | | Approximately 1000 VW campers were produced |
| The bus had the engine and axles of the Beetle but | | | | between 1951 and 1958, followed by the SO models |
| had a unitary construction supported by a ladder | | | | which had a range of special equipment. |
| frame instead of the central frame platform. The | | | | VW Camper Equipment |
| original plan was to use the Beetle chassis, but this | | | | The standard VW campers included different fold out |
| was not adequate to carry the proposed payload of | | | | seat arrangements for sleeping, including the famous |
| 750kg so there was a rapid redesign in 1949 before | | | | rock 'n roll bed. The interior was lined with plywood |
| the launch. | | | | panels and there were plywood storage cabinets in a |
| The ladder frame is two longitudinal parallel girders or | | | | variety of layouts. |
| beams on which the suspension, engine, transmission | | | | Some models had a sink and there was water |
| etc are mounted. It is good for carrying direct loads but | | | | storage with a pump plus an electrical hook-up. |
| the handling is poor, partly due to a lack of stiffness so | | | | Curtains were standard as were screened windows |
| it performs badly when cornering. | | | | and a folding table. |
| The air-cooled engine was just over 1131cc with an | | | | Optional equipment for type 2 VW campers included |
| output of 25hp but later (in 1954) the engine size was | | | | pop up tops and attachable or stand-alone tents and |
| increased to 1192cc and 30hp. The VW van was | | | | side awnings. Mod cons available included a portable |
| designed as a utility vehicle, not for speed - or handling. | | | | chemical toilet, a camping stove and other camping |
| An important contribution to the design was the result | | | | equipment. |
| of testing at the wind tunnel of the Technical University | | | | There were also ingenious options such as a child's |
| of Braunschweig. The flat angular front end of the | | | | sleeping cot slung in the driver's cab, storage boxes |
| prototype performed poorly, but the resulting redesign | | | | and a swing table. |
| paid off, as the Type 2 was aerodynamically superior | | | | Even with all these options, the split screen VW |
| to the Type 1 Beetle despite its slab-sided shape. This | | | | campers were still basic, slow and small by modern |
| design also resulted in the iconic and much-loved | | | | standards. |
| rounded front with the styling of the sweeping V and | | | | VW Camper Culture |
| oversize VW badge. | | | | This did not affect their popularity and the VW bus |
| As the design was so adaptable, VW turned out | | | | was adopted by the 1960s counter-culture as by then |
| many different body variations over the first five | | | | older campers were available cheaply, and both the |
| years. These included buses, pick-ups, fire engines, | | | | VW camper and the samba bus suited the carefree |
| rear-door ambulances, beer wagons, refrigerated | | | | outdoor hippy lifestyle. |
| ice-cream vans, milk floats, mobile butchers shops, | | | | Since then split screen camper and buses have |
| bread vans, mobile grocers, ordinary delivery vans and | | | | became classics and design icons, and are now |
| of course the VW camper - over 90 variants in all. | | | | collectors' items with many examples preserved and |
| Evolution of the Type 2 VW | | | | beautifully restored. |
| The split screen type 2 was produced from 1950 to | | | | Large numbers of VW camper fans gather at events |
| 1967 and went through a number of developments, | | | | all over the world; you can hire a restored splittie for |
| which were obviously reflected in the type 2 VW | | | | your holiday or special event, and imagery of the early |
| campers as well. The engine size was gradually | | | | models can be found on a huge range of items: |
| increased from 1100 to 1500cc and in 1963 the sliding | | | | clothing, mugs, toys, pictures and even usb sticks. |
| side door became available as an option to the barn | | | | It's all a long way from Ben Pon's little sketch 60 years |
| doors. | | | | ago. |