Volkswagen Transporter: Our 1970 VW single-cab pickup

            I love driving this series off Transporters, 1968-1979, so this was always a treat for me to drive, for any reason, to any place. We made a point of taking it to the Rolling Concours in Pacific Grove, with Abby in a baby seat in the front with us. Crowded but friendly. 

People just naturally smiled and waved when they saw us in this truck. As you see it, with fuel and oil, it weighed about 2600 lb, which was within the capability of the fully developed Type 1 motor. 31 PICT carb, 1600cc pistons and cylinders. All dead stock, straight out of the VW parts book EXCEPT the (re)builder machined the case halves and installed GM hydraulic lifters... so NO valve adjustment every 1500 or 3000 miles. Valves were always just right, once they pumped up. What a luxury! I checked it a couple times, but it was always good, worked just like they said it would.

 I had the former engine in a series of greasy boxes (a "friend" of the previous owner had blown it up...) and I did re-use the exhaust, heater boxes, blah blah blah. But I bought the new engine complete - carb, generator, distributor, fuel pump, all bolted on and all run together at the shop. Then they drained the oil, banded it onto a pallet and called the trucking company. All I had to do was add oil, bolt-on the exhaust, get my beloved brother to help me pull the axles off the tranny so we could remove it, and then we mated engine and transmission in a clean, well lit garage, with a brand new clutch, throw out etc, on the zero-time flywheel. No fishing around blindly to get the two top-of-engine bolts behind the fan shroud... we could just sit there and SEE them :^) With engine and transmission mated, and new mounts all around, we offered it up to the unibody and it went together VERY easily. 

I could never convince Jean she could drive it, but I did let Abby steer once when we were helping a friend move. This jewel could carry a LOT of volume or a lot of weight- your call. I once loaded it down to the bump-stops. It felt 3 inches lower and it probably was! Started easy, enough brakes if you thought about what you were doing, enough heat for California winters, enough class and style you were near "cat" status :^)

The Bay Window aka T2/68 came in single and double-cab versions, just like the original split-window, the later T3 "Wedge" or the T4 "Eurovan". This particular truck is a 1970, the last year with drum brakes all around. It was delivered in this oyster light gray/white, which is a VERY attractive color for this vehicle. 

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Taken in: United States / California / San Jose / Westmont (show map)

Taken on: January 28, 2010

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