Volkswagen Type 2 (T3)

The Volkswagen Type 2 (T3) is the third generation of the Volkswagen Transporter. It was marketed under various nameplates worldwide – including the Transporter or Caravelle in Europe and Australia, Type 25 (T25) in the UK, Microbus and Kombi in South Africa, Kampeerauto in Netherlands, Combi in France and Vanagon in North and South America.

It was larger, heavier, and more angular in its styling than its T2 predecessor, but shared the same rear-engine, cab-over design. It was produced in a rear wheel drive version as well as a 4WD version marketed as "Syncro."

The T3 was manufactured in Hannover, Germany from 1978 until 1991. Production of the Syncro continued until 1992 at Puch in Graz, Austria, where all 4WDs were built. A limited number of 2WD models were also produced at the Graz factory after German production had ended. South African production of the T3 continued, for that market only, until 2002.

The T3 was the final generation of rear-engined Volkswagens.

History

While the T3 initially featured air-cooled engines, later years had water-cooled engines in both boxer and inline configurations.

Volkswagen marketed the Westfalia camper variant throughout the T3 production, with features including a raised roof (either pop-up or fixed), refrigerator, sink, and stove.

Examples built between 1979 and 1985 featured round headlights and

basic steel or chrome-plated steel bumpers with plastic end-caps. Air-cooled models (1979 to mid-1983) lack the lower grill above the radiator of the water-cooled models, except on models with factory air conditioning. Production of the Syncro four-wheel drive model began in late 1984, with its official debut taking place at the Brussels Commercial Vehicle Show in January 1985. The original Syncros came with the 1.9 L petrol Wasserboxer and a "4+G" gearbox, with G being a low gear for offroad use (Gelände in German). An overhead-cam design was mooted but rejected as a willingness to rev was considered to be of less importance than low-end flexibility and low cost.

The U.S version 1.9-litre and up water-cooled petrol engines experienced significant and repeated problems with cylinder head surface erosion and coolant leaks. 2.1 L engines suffered the same, mostly due to not having the antifreeze changed often enough, and the use of phosphated coolant, which caused corrosion in the cooling system.

right|thumb|[[Volkswagen Wasserboxer engine]]

Petrol engines

There were four general petrol engine variants between 1979 and 1991, with several sub-models. All were flat-four boxer engines with overhead valves, push-rods, and rocker arms. Available engine options differed between regions.

Air-cooled (1979–1983)

Type 1 engine:

(Serial # CT) air-cooled, single Solex 34 PICT-4 carburettor (not available in the United States)

Type 4 engine

(Serial # CU or CV) air-cooled, twin Solex 34 PDSIT-2/3 carburettor or fuel injected (Bosch L-Jetronic) flat-four in the 1980 to 1983 models

The Wasserboxer features an aluminium case, cylinder heads, and pistons, and a forged steel crankshaft. As with earlier VW boxer engines, it has a gear-driven camshaft. It also features Heron, or "bowl-in-piston" combustion chambers, where combustion takes place within the piston bowl area rather than in the cylinder head as would be the case with flat top pistons. The switch to water-cooled boxer engines was made mid-year in 1983. T2 transporters or 'bay window' vans, produced in Brazil until 2013, were switched to inline-four-cylinder water-cooled engines and a front-mounted radiator in 2005. Over 3 million vans were produced in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Water-cooled (1983 onwards)
1.9 Litre engines:
(Serial # DH) "Wasserboxer" engine used for the 1983 to 1985 models, has a fuel injection system known as "Digijet" (Digital Jet-tronic)
(Serial # DF) 8.6:1 compression ratio, 34-PICT carburettor
(Serial # DG) 8.6:1 compression ratio, 2E3 or 2E4 carburettor
(Serial # EY) 7.5:1 compression ratio, 34-PICT carburettor
(Serial # GW) 8.6:1 compression ratio, Bosch Digijet electronic fuel injection
2.1 Litre engines:
(Serial # MV) Wasserboxer, used until the end of Vanagon importation to the US in 1991. Uses an engine management system known as Bosch "Digifant" which digitally manages both ignition timing and fuel delivery.
(Serial # SS) 9:1 compression ratio Wasserboxer
(torque 128) (Serial # DJ) 10.3:1 compression ratio, Digijet injection, only sold in European countries not requiring catalytic converter.

Diesel engines

In contrast to the petrol engines' flat-four layout, the diesel engine options were all of an inline-four configuration. A turbodiesel arrived in January 1985. while a VW 1.8-litre inline-four cylinder engine was used in the "Kombi" and "Van" models. A 2.1-litre Wasserboxer Syncro Big Window model was also added, in Microbus or Caravelle trim. 89 Big Window Syncros were sold in 1992; the big-window body was used in the Syncro from 1990 and in 1991, mixed in the "German" small-window body, so exact numbers of Big Window Syncros are unknown, although 89 were sold in 1992. The Syncro model was discontinued in 1992. There were also 4 or 5 factory-built 5 cylinder 2.5i Syncros, with K-Jetronic fuel injection, 16" rear trailing arms and brakes and 15" wheels. One was in a small window body, 3 are known to survive (1 small window, and 2 Big Window Syncros). The five-cylinder T3s came out initially with a 2.5-litre K-Jetronic fuel-injected engine in 1991, but this was replaced in March 1995 with a 2.6-litre with an improved fuel injection system and two styles of 15" alloy wheels as standard (Rhein or Starburst) along with larger ventilated front disc brakes. The automatic option for the 2.5-litre was dropped, leaving only the five-speed manual. A slightly lower spec 2.3-litre five-cylinder fuel-injected model was introduced four months after the 2.6-litre, but was equipped with a 4-speed transmission and modified wraparound steel bumpers. There was also a basic bus, with an inline-4 inclined 1.8-litre carburettor engine. The 1.8-litre carb motor was a Golf-derived motor, fitted into the bus like an inline-4 diesel in a T3. Called the "Volksie bus", it was a basic bus, with steel 15" rims, single round headlights, steel wraparound bumpers, and with no aircon or PAS.

Near the end of production, a top of the range Caravelle 2.6i known as the "Exclusiv" incorporated two rear-facing seats in place of the centre bench seat, a fridge and a folding table in the back of the vehicle and Carat 2 alloy wheels. A Microbus 2.6i with similar features, but with Rhein alloy wheels were known as the "Activ". The last T3 off the production line in Uitenhage on Friday 16 June 2002 was a gold-coloured Microbus 2.6i which Volkswagen SA retained for their AutoPavilion, Place of Cars and Legends, which first opened its doors in 2004. The vehicle was later written off in a transporter roll-over accident in November 2006, after returning from a display in Cape Town.

;Five-cylinder Audi engines used:

1.8 I4 (AAX) at 5200 rpm
2.3i I5 (AFU)
2.5i I5 (AAY)
2.6i I5 (ADV) at 5200 rpm

Safety and Crash Tests

In 1994, the Swedish insurance company, Folksam tested a Vanagon T3 in a head-on collision with a Volvo 700 series wagon (estate). The crash test was full-frontal (50/50) at . The result was that the driver of the Volvo would have received a head injury criterion (HIC) of 3868. An HIC of 1000 is considered deadly. The Vanagon driver would receive a HIC of only 155. Furthermore, the "chest impact" for the Volvo driver was 65. A chest impact of 60 is considered deadly. The Vanagon driver's impact was only 30.

Furthermore, the German engineering testing laboratory for the insurance industry Allianz Zentrum für Technik (AZT) performed tests on 4 June 1984 in Japan. The results were published in the September 1984 ADAC Motorwelt journal. The Vanagon/Caravelle with subjected to crash tests into a fixed 40% barrier at 35 km/h, which corresponds to a head-on collision at 50–55 km/h. According to AZT, this test is said to be representative of 90% of all accidents. A series of these crash tests were performed, which compared the T3 to similar vans manufactured by Nissan, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, and two vans from Toyota. The written results stated, "The Volkswagen Transporter type 2 affords excellent passenger safety". "The legs were not endangered. And the legroom was only slightly restricted." All doors opened easily. With regard to repair of the vehicles after the crash tests, the five Japanese vehicles were declared a "total loss" or "write-offs". Regarding the Vanagon, the report states "It would be possible to fully repair the VW type 2 at reasonable cost".

In a crash between the front of a Volkswagen LT31 (structurally the same as a T3) and rear of a stationary full-size Chevrolet Impala, the rear of the Impala was completely destroyed, with the rear trunk being pushed up to just behind the driver's seat while the VW remained "operational" (drivable), "the doors could be opened relatively easily", and "the deformation of the interior was negligible", as declared by the testing agency. Porsche themselves also used B32 buses to quickly transport staff. Top speed was around , although Porsche only claimed to ensure that the numbers could be replicated with nine people in the car and with the air conditioning on full. The WBX6 was originally only available with a three-speed automatic transmission incorporating many Audi 100 parts to accommodate the higher power and torque.

Approximately 45 WBX6 3.2i Oettinger engines were imported to South Africa.

right|thumb|Oettinger WBX6, aftermarket six-cylinder engine

Oettinger WBX6 (aftermarket)
VW-Oettinger Wasserboxer, fuel injected.
VW-Oettinger Wasserboxer, fuel injected.

Today

The T3 has a large cult following, especially the Westfalia camper version. Many owners have had the VW engines replaced in pursuit of improved power and reliability, particularly the Wasserboxer due to phosphated coolant.

Apart from the Porsche and Oettinger engines already mentioned, swaps have used VW Rabbit diesel engines, the 2.0 L Tico Engine, Golf/Jetta petrol engines and Ford Zetec engines.

Subaru EJ engines are among the most popular engines to install for increased power, as the EJs flat-4 design is similar in size and configuration to the original VW engines.

Gallery

1980 Vanagon Westfalia.jpg|1980 Type 2 T3 Air-cooled Westfalia Camper

Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia -- 03-30-2012.JPG|Vanagon Westfalia, water cooled (US)

VW T3 Westfalia 1X7A7975.jpg|Vanagon interior

Volkswagen_Westfalia_(Typ_2_-_T3)_(4650818851).jpg|Vanagon interior

VW_Vangon_1982_Westfalia_stove_and_sink.jpg|Vanagon Westfalia stove and sink

VW Vangon 82.jpg|Vangon Westfalia name plate, used on all Westfalia products

</gallery>

References

External links