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The Volkswagen Type 2 is undoubtedly the most iconic campervan ever, recognised the world over and loved by young and old, regardless of whether you’re a car fan or not. But what’s it like to drive an aircooled commerical vehicle in the 2020s, and why are they SO incredibly popualr and valuable these days? Jack took a T2 Devon conversion for a test drive…
Thanks to Peterborough Classic Cars for loan of this car: https://www.peterboroughclassiccars.com/
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Chapters
0:00 The VW Camper – Why So Popular?
0:49 The Type 2
1:40 A Universal Icon
2:26 VW Type 2 History
3:21 T2 Campervans
4:10 Driving Impressions
6:03 Unique Charms
7:19 Appeals To Everyone
20 Comments
Love the bay window vw even same year as i was born
I suspect the initial popularity was due to rear engine and rear wheel drive giving it great traction on a muddy camping field or beach . It then developed a cult following.
Have never been able to work it out over and above the cult status !! it has to be one of the worst camping experiences in the world . everyone Ive ever seen in one over the age of 25 looks bloody miserable camping in them . style over substance defined !! Charming in the south of france with sun , not so charming in southend in the pissing rain with a leaking roof !! add to that that most VW nerds are the most boring people you're ever likely to meet ( they think the van makes up for their mediocrity . it doesn't !!) and you have a bit of a standing joke . suckers buying into a cult. nothing more
I still own my parents 1972 camper purchased by them in 1981 and then by me in 1989. It was my first project car and as such I lowered it and installed a Porsche 914 engine so hills and corners are no problem. Having said that, now I am in my mid fifties and I have lost both my parents, I am seriously considering returning it back to how it was when they had it i.e stock. One thing is for sure I will never part with it.
ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE camper to camp in !! We had one and I couldn’t wait for the husband to sell it , even in the 80’s it was terrible
Popular until you try and live with one. Slow and very thirsty.
My 1957 Type 2 was brilliant on the dirt roads of Central Australia in the early 1970s.
Obviously, it needed a load to handle the corrugations and bumps. That's where a football team of indigenous students came in handy!
Utterly hideous.
From a safety perspective, you may as well drive a paper bag.
I love mine! It will sit on the motorway between 55 and 60 all day until you get to some hills… But the journey is part of the adventure.
The Type 2 was exported all over the world where the Type 1 (Beetle/Käfer) was sold – this made it the ultimate hippymobile in the US because it was relatively cheap, more compact and far more reliable than anything the US market could offer. The Dormobile was a product sold essentially on the UK market.
Bought one as my first car in 1984. It was a 1978 in the same colour as this one it was advertised for £500 took my dad with me and we paid the man we shook hands and he gave me a fiver back. In the two years of ownership it had replaced the engine, exhaust, heat exchangers, headlights, front and rear brakes, alternator, two clutch cables, accelerator cable and decided it was time to say goodbye because the front beam was rotten and the door steps were showing signs of rot as were the doors. I advertised it for £100 and a neighbour bought it to fix up unfortunately after he finished sorting it out it caught fire whilst out for a run and my dad told me to give him the £100 back and told me never to by a bloody VW again and since that day I've always bought Japanese or Korean with the exception of one Rover 600 and that that was the second and last mistake I made with a motor vehicle. To sum up I'd never own another and finally it wouldn't wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding and very rarely managed 20 MPG .
We have a 72 called Hugh. We’ve travelled all over France in it and absolutely love it. I’ve owned many modern and classic sports cars but Hugh will always stay in the family. You either get them or you don’t. I find it a great way to relax and slow down. You get loads of waves and smiles when driving in a way that’s so different to every other classic I’ve owned. Wonderful things but very flawed at the same time but that’s what gives them personality.
Driving one of these just puts you in a relaxing mood and they can be very reliable as long as you do basic regular maintenance.
These look great but are over rated and over priced for what you get. There are better campervans available for a lot less.
My 2110c. Air cooled engine with my freeway flyer gear box in my 1971 bay is certainly not slow..72mph at 3 000 rpm
Fantastic vehicles – you have captured the reasons for popularity EXACTLY, here. Just such a pity they are so expensive nowadays!
Must admit, I don’t get the VW camper thing, or the VW van thing for that matter. I like estate cars! An uncle had one in the mid 80s, and I found it slow, noisy and cramped. My wife’s family had one when she was a child, and she said it would regularly overheat, and they’d have to keep stopping when climbing hills to let it cool down. Obviously the T2 is associated with the surfer movement – they were cheap, easily repaired, and durable. But as a camper van, there are much better alternatives out there. I get the love for them – they’re a cute, retro and iconic van, but I’d rather have something more capable, or even better, book a B&B and sleep in a bed!
As expensive to keep on the road as a Ferrari but at least you can stand up and piss in it !
Great camper vans, I had one in the 80's and on the look out for one in 2024.