1. Type 2 VW 'splittie' tour buses.
Beloved of surf dudes everywhere, but instead of the ubiquitous splittie camper vans, here are some photos showing split-screen VW buses earning their keep in the mountainous regions of Liechtenstein, I guess some time in the 1950s. Although the photos aren't the clearest ever, I thought they were still worth showing here. First up, a line of VW tour buses leaving their parking area outside a hotel in Liechtenstein. The sign on the front advertises the fact that the tours were organised by "Quick Tours" - the registration numbers begin with FL, perhaps this will help in dating the two-tone splitties shown here? I'd also be interested to find out the make and model of car parked to the right.
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The second and third photos are a bit grainy, but interesting all the same. They both show a VW bus out on the road, and in one instance catching up a wooden cart. Photo two has a note on the back saying that the photographer was staying at the hotel in the background, and that it was located 4500ft above sea level.
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These early Volkswagens, known as the Type 2, were built between 1949 and 1967, utilising much of the running gear found underneath the
Beetle saloons. Power came from an air-cooled engine of around 1100cc, which wasn't much when propelling these little
vans around the roads of post-war Europe, especially when fully laden. Many variations of splitscreen VW were available, perhaps best known and most numerous today being the Westfalia camper vans.
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A splitscreen VW in Belgium.
Next, a period photo of a splitscreen VW following a variety of cars along a newly-opened stretch of road leading to Louveigne, a small village in Liege, Belgium. A scribbled note on the rear of the photo, and the two small signposts just visible to the left of shot, confirm the location. Leading the VW is an early DAF saloon, then a Phase 3 Standard Vanguard by the looks of it, an Opel, and various other oldies stretching into the distance.
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VW screensaver
VW parts noticeboard
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Return to the old transport photos - Page 5.
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