Volkswagen Van T2 (1979)
Author:Gough
The German automaker Volkswagen continued its success story of producing combination vehicles after their widely acclaimed Type 1 with Type 2 Transporter Vans. In US they were simply called the Bus while in UK they were known as Campers and Kombi in Germany (abbreviated for Kombinations-kraftwagen), meaning a passenger vehicle that can double up as a cargo vehicle, with side windows and removable rear seats.
(From a press release from 1978.)
As one of the precursors in this segment of vans, the Volkswagen Van (VW) T2 set off many similar models in production from its competitors such as the Corvair 95 Corvan cargo van, the Dodge A100, Ford Econoline and Greenbrier passenger van that emulated VW van T2\'s rear engine layout in the US markets and the Renault Estafette and the Ford Transit in the European market. The presence of rear engine, however posed some discomfort for loading into the early 'barn-door' Panel Vans. Even today the improvised versions of VW van such as cargo and passenger vans and pick-up truck are being produced across the globe. This VW van T2 has been given many nicknames such as ‘microbus\', ‘minibus\' and the ‘hippie van\' during the counterculture era of the sixties.
Ben Pon, a Dutch Volkswagen importer first conceptualized the Type2 VW van and suggested a payload of 690 kg (1,500 lb). He prepared a sketch wherein he placed the driver right in the front of the vehicle above the road-wheels. This made Type2 VW van one of the first \'forward control\' vans apart from Citroën H Van of 1947. At the production stage, the engineers reused T1\'s wheelbase and Type 81\'s reduction gear and built a new ladder chassis. Thus a 1.5 ton van could now use a 25 hp (19 kW) flat four engine. The prototype\'s design was further optimized by splitting of the roofline and windshield into a ‘v\' shape. This change brought down the drag coefficient of the Type2 VW van to 0.44 from 0.48 of T1. The first model rolled out on 12 November 1949 under the watchful eyes of chief executive officer Heinz Nordhoff. Then, the Volkswagen Van offered only the Kombi and the Commercial. The Kombi had two windows on the sides and easily removable middle and rear seats. A total number of 9,541 Type 2s were manufactured in the first year and they were later joined by the Microbus and the Deluxe Microbus in June 1951. The Type2 VW van has continuously evolved with changing times incorporating new features and giving rise to newer models up to T5. For example the features of an ambulance model of 1951 such as placement of fuel tank in front of trans-axle, a spare tire behind the front seat as well as ‘tail-gate\' style rear door, all became intrinsic to Type 2 from 1955 to 1967.
Passenger travel in the Volkswagen Van had acquired new dimension with the 1-ton payload class having larger space than the rest in the category. One version engine is a 1.6-liter engine with 37 kW (50 hp) and the other is 2 liters capacity with 51 kW (70 hp). Both the versions ran on gasoline giving top speeds of 110 or 127 km / hr. respectively. A sufficient endurance reserve was a characteristic of both the versions. The crank-arm suspension and the independent front
suspension along with trailing arm rear axle and independently suspended wheels on both axles made for a smother riding experience, comfort and safety. Add to this reliability and low maintenance costs and host of uses that made the Volkswagen Van T2 entire family\'s favorite passenger and cargo car.
Article by: Volkswagen van blog
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/classics-articles/volkswagen-van-t2-1979-5208525.html
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