Date:         Sat, 1 Mar 2014 00:13:36 -0500
Reply-To:     The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Subject:      Re: Frydae - For VW Oldtimers
In-Reply-To:  <531164AC.9070502@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

> It is still Frydae here on the east coast of the USA, and I am curious
about the
> old VW that was called the square back.  It was sort of a VW station
wagon.
> What did VW call the engine in those cars? What was the configuration
> of the engine, and what sort of fuel economy did it achieve?
> It seems to me that if one of these in decent shape could be had today, it
might
> be a good, economical, easy to work on "around town" car for running
errands and
> carrying various household goods.


That was one body style of the Type 3, and was sold as the Variant elsewhere
in the world. (The other body styles were the Fastback and the Notchback;
the latter wasn't sold in the U.S.) They all used a Bug engine with some
modifications to make it fit under the low rear deck.  Although less common,
the Type 4 Variant (a/k/a Volkswagen 412) came out a few years later and
introduced the aptly-named Type 4 engine (which was also used in '72-83
Buses and Vanagons). This was an upscale model; it was the largest of the
air cooled VW cars and came factory equipped with a gas heater and other
goodies.  

Parts that are unique to the Type 3 and Type 4 can be difficult if not
impossible to find (especially for the Type 4 since it was a commercial
flop).  This includes virtually all body parts, many interior parts, and
some mechanical parts. Of course mechanical parts that are common to Bugs
and Buses are more easily found.  We sell many of the parts that are still
available.

They are very cool cars, but alas there are not many left. I'd love to find
a nice one myself, but here on the East Coast rust and road salt ravaged
most of them long ago. 

- Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  www.busdepot.com
  (215)  234-VWVW

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