Re: [T3] Rear Panels

[Simon Glen <simonglen@bigpond.com>]

Ross,

VW Type 3s were fully manufactured in Australia from early in 1963 to
September1968.  Engines were made in VW's non-ferrous foundry in
Melbourne and body panels were stamped out at the VW factory at Clayton.
 Because of the costs involved in up-dating and modifying panels and
other components each year, the small scale of the Australian Volkswagen
manufacturing operation did not permit the annual model changes that
occured on the high volume German production lines at Wolfsburg.  Thus,
Australian-made Type 3s tended not to follow the developmental changes
that took place with each model year in Germany.  Basically, they were
supeseded models which continued in production, retaining earlier model
trim, brakes, panels, suspension, electrics, etc.  Manufacture of
Beetles, Type2s and Type 3s was phased out during 1968.

>From October 1968 until February 1974 VW Type 3s were assembled from CKD
kits (CKD=completely knocked down) supplied from Wolfsburg.  Even so,
many components were still Australian sourced such as some of the glass,
electrical equipment, paint, tyres, etc.  Thus, while 1969 to 1973
models were assembled in Australia and contained a percentage of
Australian components, they were basically similar to the German-made
models of the period, although the specification for the Australian
market may have been slightly different from specifications for other
markets.  Nevertheless, even CKD-assembled Australian Type 3s sometimes
still had
little quirks like the use of a unique "Type 3" script at the front of
each fender or wing.

Regards,

Simon Glen
Toowoomba, Australia.

Ross O'Shea wrote:

>
> Are all T3's after 1968 built outside Australia then? In Germany? My 70
> notch has the  VW A ARMOURFLOAT windows in the vents and rear quarters,
> and VW SECURIT-1 windows elsewhere.
>

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