Date:         Wed, 16 Nov 94 09:29:01 CST
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         rmk@snowhit.kc63.att.com
Subject:      Re: Those of us in the Midlands

Steven Johnson (sjohnson@pcocd2.intel.com) asked...

>> Hey, I don't remember seeing the 'Samba' name for a T2 VW.  Can you educate
>> me on what it is and why it's called a Samba?
>> 
>> > 
>> > Richard Kurtz
>> > 67 Samba, 64 Deluxe Microbus (under construction)...
>> > 

I don't remember exactly where I first saw/heard the reference.  I have
seen it in a couple of books I have bought recently;

	VW BUS Custom Handbook		VW TRANSPORTER/BUS 1949-67
	Laurence Meredith		Walter Zeichner
	Bay View Books			Schiffer Publishing Ltd
	ISBN 1-870979-47-8		ISBN 0-88740-196-1

The Samba is the Deluxe Microbus with Sunroof and Roof-line windows.
It was the very top of the line model, with the Deluxe trim, two-toned
paint, luggage bars (jail bars) in the back.  It was introduced in 1951
at the International Automobile Exhibition, April 19-29, 1951, and went
into production in June 1951, and continued through the 1967 model
year.  Up to 1963 it had 23 windows, but from 1964-1967 two back corner
windows were eliminated, hence the 21-window Deluxe Microbus.

As to the name, Samba, I can only guess.  The advertising I've seen in
Walter Zeichner's book calls it the "Sonder-Modell", or Special-Model.
My guess is that Samba is a shortened Sonder-Modell.

Richard Kurtz
67 Samba, 64 Deluxe Microbus, 71 Bug, 71 Super Beetle, 82 Sentra