VW type 181
| VW | |
|---|---|
 VW Type 181, formerly Bundeswehr
|
|
| Type 181 / Type 182 / Camat / Trekker / Safari | |
| Production period: | 1969-1980 |
| Class : | Lower middle class |
| Body versions : | Kübelwagen |
| Engines: |
Petrol engines : 1.5–1.6 liters (32–35 kW) |
| Length: | 3780 mm |
| Width: | 1640 mm |
| Height: | 1620 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 2400 mm |
| Empty weight : | 995 kg |
| Previous model | VW Kübelwagen |
| successor | VW polecat |
The VW Type 181 courier car is a military off-road vehicle that was initially produced exclusively for the German armed forces from 1968. The vehicle was manufactured until 1980 and, in addition to the Bundeswehr, was also sold to other authorities and private individuals. The Type 181 was built in Mexico from 1970 to 1980 as a VW Safari . In the USA, however, the model has become better known under its nickname The Thing than under its actual name, so that, over time, Volkswagen of America also used it as a parallel designation in its advertising materials such as television advertising, posters and even in print catalogs, without the actual model designation from Mexico to remove from their program. In Indonesia it was assembled as a VW Camat from 1973 to 1980 . In the export version for other right-hand drive countries, however, it rolled off the assembly line there as a VW Trekker .
Model history
General
The courier car's career began as a "stopgap". The Bundeswehr faced the problem that production of the DKW Munga ran out at the end of 1968. A joint development by France, Italy and Germany, the Europa-Jeep , was planned as a replacement , but this international project did not get beyond the planning phase.
When looking for an alternative, the choice fell on Volkswagen . Based on the VW Beetle, VW was supposed to construct the required multi-purpose vehicle that was partially suitable for off-road use. For the construction, VW was able to rely on the Country Buggy developed in Australia and presented in 1967 , which had been developed by Volkswagen technicians in the Australian assembly plant in Clayton Victoria. The engineers also orientated themselves on the VW Type 82 (Kübelwagen) of the Second World War.
In September 1969 at the presentation at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt am Main, the VW 181 proved to be a military vehicle in the style of the Kübelwagen, only slightly more modern, but larger and heavier. The box-shaped body with four half-doors was adapted to the purpose and style of the time. With the sales name Kurierwagen , a name connection to the Wehrmacht Kübelwagen was to be avoided. Nonetheless, he quickly received the nickname "Bucket" among soldiers .
The body was bolted to a central tube platform frame (a platform of the Karmann Ghia Type 14 that was modified in various points ). The side rails ( sill ) of the shear lag body provided the required torsional stiffness . For other components, existing and robustly manageable technology was used. The air-cooled 1.5-liter boxer engine with 44 hp (32 kW), clutch, instruments, steering and the 40-liter tank were taken over from the VW Beetle 1500 . Slightly modified, the gearbox and the rear axle with the reduction gear came from the first VW transporter discontinued in 1967 .
The use of countershaft gears on the rear wheels increased the ground clearance. Four drum brakes ensured sufficient deceleration. The occupants were protected from the weather by an unlined all-weather hood with a water-repellent polyvinyl chloride cover and so-called insert panes made of polyglass. The front ones could be folded forward and locked with two push buttons.
The interior was heated exclusively by a gasoline-powered oscillating fire heater ( auxiliary heating ), which had its place with the spare wheel at the front under the hood. The two-stage adjustable front seats were covered with hard-wearing synthetic leather. The rear bench seat could be fully or partially folded down, which created additional loading space. A 1.6-liter engine was available just one year after the vehicle was presented. By reducing the compression from 1: 7.5 to 1: 6.6, the output of 44 hp remained unchanged, but enabled the use of inferior fuels in worldwide use. The transmission got a longer translation at the front; the maximum speed increased to 115 km / h (previously 110 km / h).
VW Type 182 Camat / Safari
Bundeswehr designation according to TDv 2310 / 001-12, passenger car 0.4 tmil 4x2
TDv 2310 / 001-12, part 1-2, car 0.4t with special structure (type VW 181).
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Facelift
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Major changes were made in 1973: The engine was compressed more and now developed 48 hp (35 kW) with the same displacement. The pendulum axle was replaced by a trailing arm axle with double cardan shafts as in the VW 1302/1303 . A construction connection of the Beetle with a bus transmission that was current at the time replaced the outdated countershaft construction. The tire size was changed from 165 R 15 to 185 R 14. A fresh air heater replaced the obligatory auxiliary heater in conjunction with large air intake boxes above the rear fenders so that no exhaust gases could be sucked in by the engine and could get into the interior (based on the same principle as with the Beetle). Bundeswehr vehicles were excluded from this, on the one hand because of the additional costs, on the other hand because of the retained auxiliary heating and the military exhaust system. The civil version had a cross pot similar to Type 1.
The price of the third open Volkswagen with the VW Beetle Cabrio and the Karmann Ghia was at a high level. Private customers had to pay DM 8,500 for a spartan vehicle. A limited slip differential cost 435 DM extra.
The Bundeswehr ordered 15,275 vehicles of the “car 0.4 t tmil 4 × 2” (car, 0.4 t payload, partially militarized, four wheels, two of which are powered). These vehicles were delivered between 1969 and the end of 1979. The vehicle was also used by the Federal Border Police in the 1970s, primarily as a patrol vehicle on the inner-German border . 200 vehicles were ordered for disaster control, most of which were used as ABC-ErkKW (ABC exploration vehicles) in the ABC trains.
The production of the "courier car" began in 1968 with 16 copies at the main plant in Wolfsburg . Series production was continued from October 1969. By March 1974, 57,574 units were produced there. Then production was relocated to the Volkswagen factory in Hanover . A total of 10,629 vehicles left the production line in Hanover between April 1974 and July 1975. The last domestic production facility with 2,323 units was the VW plant in Emden (end of production January 1978). In America the "courier car" was sold with considerable success. In 1970 and 1971, so-called CKD kits were exported from Wolfsburg and assembled in the recipient country. From 1972 the VW Safari was completely built in Mexico. The vehicles from this production can be recognized by the large "elephant-foot taillights" like on the VW Beetle 1303. From the beginning of 1978, VW 181 for the German Armed Forces with the original T1 taillights were also built in Mexico and exported to Germany (on the frame tunnel you can find an eagle coat of arms with the note "Hecho en Mexico" below the FIN). The end of the VW Safari in the USA came at the beginning of 1975. The safari was unable to meet the newly issued safety regulations for new vehicles. However, despite the US ban, which led to a drop in sales, it continued to be produced in Mexico. In 1980, only 695 vehicles rolled off the production line in Puebla. Thereafter, in July 1980, the last production facility for the VW 181 stopped production after 64,254 units. In the period from 1968 to 1980, 140,768 vehicles rolled off the production line, which exceeded expectations at Volkswagen.
After the end of production for the VW Iltis , VW took over some parts of the VW Type 181 , such as the window frames with modified hinges, hood bows, sun visors, windscreen wiper motors and the window glass.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f Official Volkswagen profile for 181 Link dead, archived version
- ↑ TDV2310 001-12 ( Memento of the original dated December 14, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
