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A Brief History Of VW Transporters

First Generation Transporters (1950-1967)
Known affectionately as Splitties.

After the War in 1944, the Wolfsburg factory where the VW Beetle's were being
made had no means of internal transport.
So thepeople who worked in the experimental department came up with
the idea of a flat bed truck utilizing
parts from another vehicle the Kubelwagon
Ben Pon came up with the idea of moving the cab forward and covering the flatbed over.
The first prototype for the now world famous VW camper was born.

First Camper


The Transporters went into production in November 1949. Below is a picture of a 1949 Prototype basically a box on wheels

During a press conference on November 12 1949, Heinz Nordoff chief executive of Volkswagen presented the world with the first Volkswagen Transporter.
With it's engine in the rear and passengers placed up front over the axle, the Transporter, with the payload carried between the axles was perfectly balanced. The Transporter was a masterpiece of automotive design work.


Prototype


Initial tests on the new vehicle came to a halt. As the floorpan could not with stand the stress of the new bodywork. A new prototype was hastily built but with unitary construction. The body and chassis were welded together and strengthened with an additional subframe. Better brakes were added and the rounded shape of the front panel reduced fuel consumption.

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