This page is exclusively for the transporter.  It will go in depth on how the transporter was started, and how Dr. Ferdinand Porshe has designed this lightweight delivery vehicle, also known as the "transporter."

This transporter, <---left is known as the barndoor deluxe microbus, having 23 windows, and the huge sunroof, and a 25hp motor.  Barndoors are pre-'55 buses.                                         This page will be updated monthly, I am recieving more and more volkswagen literature.  So please stop by again soon.

THE TRANSPORTER-HISTORY

The history of the transporter started with a importer needing a vehicle that was bigger than a sedan, this importers name was Ben Pon.  Ben Pon made regular visits to the wolfsburg factory, and suggested the idea for the transporter.  Pon layed out the groundwork, which Dr. Ferdinand Porshe helped complete.  The first transporter was completed in mid-1948, it had side doors, a loading capacity of 141 cubic feet.  Great consideration was given to the priority of maintinance on these vehicles, that's why they have the huge engine door lid.  The transporter has a wheelbase of 94.5 inches long, allowing for a very nice turning radius.  The power was stirred up by a 25 horsepower, and geared through a nonsynchronized crash-box transmission.  The cooling was supplied by the slices above the rear quarter panel.  These featured 16'' wheels, the top speed for these early transporters was 50mph.  Here are a few pictures of the original mockups before these transorters were going in the wind tunnel testing---->below

As you would imagine, wolfsburg began testing the transporter through all kinds of conditions, grueling road tests, and terrain, and under horrible weather conditions.  The transporter had great stability because of the design.  Below is a picture of one of the first eight prototype transporters, then called the type29 prototypes.  They only built a total of 30 transporters before 1950.  The following year the transporter was out into production, by the end of 1950, only 8059 transporters were built, accounting for about 10 percent of volkswagen's overall production.

As you can see from this picture, the transporter looks similar, but there are a few differences, the gas cap shown is later tucked into the body, windows are added, and the bumpers are added by 1950.  In 1951, the microbus was produced.

Please stop by soon again, while this page will be updated.  Thanks

Brock Eastman sambavwman@aol.com   HOME- last updated-11/16/97

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