End of the Road for VW's Iconic Camper Van

[G. David Felt]

G. David Felt

Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer

www.CheersandGears.com

According to the Frankfurt AFP, ten years after the end of the iconic original beetle, Volkswagen is ending their Type 2 Van on December 20, 2013. This will close a 63 year run for a Van that has seen world history through the eyes of many.

To many, the camper van star shines as bright as the original Beetle star shined when production came to a close.

The Type 2 -- which shares the Beetle's rear engine and its axles -- started life as a doodle by Dutch car salesman Ben Pon, VW's first car dealer outside Germany, on a visit to the carmaker's plant in Wolfsburg in 1947.

VW finally agreed to put it into series production in March 1950. Originally conceived as a cargo transport, it was given the ability to haul people in 1951. The hippie generation of the 60's and 70's gave it cult status with world wide building of the van up to 1979 when Germany stopped production. Production ended in South Africa and mexico over the 80's and 90's leaving sole production to the Brazil plant which produced and shipped the van's world wide.

Following the announcement earlier this year to finally halt production, VW launched a special edition, costing 85,000 reais or around 27,000 euros ($37,500). Available to those that could import the van that no longer meets most strict emissions.

Despite its demise, the camper van's legend will live on, and it is etched into the collective memory by its appearances in the Scooby-Doo TV series and more recently in the film "Little Miss Sunshine".

[SAmadei]

I'm assuming your reference to appearances in the Scooby Doo show to mean the Mystery Machine. I don't recall any other vehicle ever being prominent in the show.

While some VW Type 2s have been painted to look like Mystery Machines, the Mystery Machine is really an mixture of '60s vans. IMHO, its much closer to a '65 Chevy van than a VW Type 2.

[G. David Felt]

I'm assuming your reference to appearances in the Scooby Doo show to mean the Mystery Machine. I don't recall any other vehicle ever being prominent in the show.

While some VW Type 2s have been painted to look like Mystery Machines, the Mystery Machine is really an mixture of '60s vans. IMHO, its much closer to a '65 Chevy van than a VW Type 2.

I find many references to the Mystery Machine being a VW Van, but then there are just as many postings about the Mystery Machine being at Comic Con and they have had it in the form of GM Van's, Ford Vans and VW Van's.

Due to the popularity of the VW vans especially in the 60's to 70's and that many people feel that Shaggy is a user of Weed and Velma is a lesbian, I think many people tend to drift towards the idea that the van was a VW.

With that said, I cannot find any clear facts from the creators of the comic series other than when I look at it, it looks like a VW van to me.

[Drew Dowdell]

I only ever really liked the early versions...

[Robert Hall]

A buddy of mine in Denver has a neat late '60s window van..he's been restoring/upgrading it for several years..has an '80s vintage 911 flat 6 mounted in it...

[SAmadei]

To me, its too square to be a VW, Similarity ends at door shape, round headlights and taillights... all features the Chevy van had... but the Chevy vans were more squared off, had a one piece windshield and where available with a 3 window configuration.

Look at this profile of a 1966 Chevy G10...



Compare to a the only VW Bus profile I could find...



...and then the cartoon. Note the angles on the front and rear...


Anyway, I rest my case.

Note: I almost bought a '65 Chevy van painted like the Mystery Machine a few years back. Still regretting it. Also, my father owned a '66 G10 like the one pictured back in the '70s.

[Robert Hall]

I've seen a Dodge Caravan Mystery Machine and an '80s Ford van Mystery Machine..not very convincing 'replicas'...

[A Horse With No Name]

I have always thought these were cool, but zero crash safety ad near zero acceleration are deal breakers to me.