I was thrilled to catch this early Type 3 in Jakarta, Indonesia – almost half a world away from Wolfsburg. Why? Three reasons (of course): 1. It’s mathematically two whole Types better than the Type 1 and numbers never lie; 2. It belonged to a friend of mine so I could really photograph it – not to mention ride in it – to my heart’s content; and 3. it would be an occasion to delve into VW’s flat-4 era. What’s not to like?
This car belongs to my buddy Luwi, whom I have mentioned more in a couple of previous posts. I met him when we moved to Myanmar five years ago. Last year, he went back to his native Jakarta and we returned to Bangkok. (Though neither of us is Thai, Mrs T87 and I met there seven years ago). Visiting Luwi’s hometown and exploring a few corners of the vast archipelago a few months ago, he showed me his pet project, this slightly modified 1964 Volkswagen Type 3.
I’ve said it before: 99.9% of cars look better when they are original. But there are degrees in customization, and there are many cars that do benefit from a little tinkering or modern technology. This Notchback Type 3 is (in my personal and most humble opinion, of course) just about as much custom I can take in one sitting. But it still looks like a mid-‘60s VW 1500. it’s not dragging its knuckles on the floor with silly-sized wheels, nor is it painted some improbable colour and / or otherwise deformed, chopped or fuzzy-diced to a pulp.
Above: a few of the many VW prototypes; below: one-offs by Vignale (1953) and Frua / Italsuisse (1960)
I’m sure most of you know more about the Type 3 than I do, but just in case, here’s a quickie historical recap. A number of stabs at a slightly bigger and more modern VW were made throughout the ‘50s. Porsche collaborated with Volkswagen on several of these, but there were also a number of independent attempts from various corners – including the likes of Karmann or Wendler, but also the prolific Italian carrozzerie, as seen above (and in more depth in this excellent post).
The Karmann-Ghia (Type 14) brought a touch of ‘50s glamour to the range, but the 1200cc flat-4 was just too weak to power a larger, more family-sized saloon that VW needed to broaden their range. The flat-4 also wasn’t using its layout’s full potential. The solution: the “pancake” 1500cc flat-4, producing 44 HP (DIN). A larger, yet flatter and very compact (18 inches tall!) engine, it provided a lot more torque and a little more HP. It also enabled VW to develop a wagon variant – inherently uncommon in rear-engined vehicles. A spiced-up 53 HP “S” version of the pancake appeared in 1963.
Volkswagen’s 1967 domestic range, the year after reaching “Peak Type 3” (over 311,000 units in 1966).
A smoother 1600cc (65 HP gross / 52 HP DIN) engine, 12-volt electrics and front disc brakes arrived in late 1965, just after the introduction of the Fastback (auf Deutsch: Fließheck, but better known as the TL or Traurige Lösung, for some reason). Also for some reason, the 1.5 litre base model, known thus far as “1500 N,” was renamed “1600 A” while keeping the 1500cc engine. At this point, VW felt they enough production capacity to officially start shipping Type 3s to the States. In 1968, the already ageing Type 3 got the new “independent” suspension and two novel optional extras: automatic transmission and Bosch electronic fuel injection. The Type 4 also appeared, knocking the Type 3 off its pedestal as the newest and biggest VW. It was downhill from there.
In middle-age, the Type 3s got a front end restyle, ugly (but not 5mph) bumpers and less chrome.
It was a rather pathetic twilight, as befell so many other models in their time. And especially around this time. With the tawdry ‘70s came a few obligatory (but self-inflicted) enhancements and various unsolicited touches here and there. Emissions were progressively stifled, which affected performance. And she said she’d much rather you take her in the Type 2, if you catch her drift.
But back to the subject at hand. In the early years, when Notchbacks ruled the Earth, the Type 3’s up-to-date styling was perhaps as important as its technical specs and much improved interior space. It looked like a completely new car – something that had already faded away, as these things tend to do, by the time our feature car was made. The Beetle platform was modified slightly, including a new front suspension and a wider rear track, but the old Type 1’s swing axle and wheelbase we kept as-were, at least initially.
The Type 3 was a rousing success – on average, a quarter million units of these were made every year from 1964 to 1971. But it was also a technological cul-de-sac that VW only managed to overcome via the takeovers of DKW and NSU later in the decade. The huge export-driven success the Type 1 and its direct descendants in the ‘50s and ‘60s blinded Wolfsburg to the 30-year-old VW design’s limits. The resultant Type 4 was a Type too far and bombed; two years later the hastily rebadged K70 propelled VW, kicking and screaming, into FWD / water-cooled / straight-4 orthodoxy. They couldn’t make the leap in-house, but had more than enough clout and cash to buy out more technologically-advanced competitors to get there in the end.
The Notchback was never officially exported to the US, but it certainly made it to Java and many Asia-Pacific countries in the ‘60s. It remains the least-common (yet longest-lived) of the three variants. The more modern-looking and spacious Fastback was preferred on global markets as well, as the above powder blue 1966 car Luwi photographed in Jakarta can attest. I’ve seen a couple in Bangkok as well.
There was one Type 3 that beat the Notchback in terms of scarcity: the Karmann-Ghia Type 34 coupé. In my view, it’s probably the best-looking production Beetle derivative of them all, except if we include the Porsche 356 in that category. Just under 43,000 were made from 1962 to 1969, which is about one-tenth of the Type 14 – and around 2000 survive. Rare, but not impossible to find. Just like the model-specific parts, one hopes.
These stillborn Type 3 drop-tops almost made it to the streets, but the bean-counters countered it.
True unicorns include the dozen or so Type 3 convertibles (also made by Karmann) for a mooted production run that was aborted just as it was getting launched. The same fate befell the Type 34 convertible, which was nixed after 16 units had been made, but briefly graced the VW stand at the 1961 Frankfurt and Paris Motor Shows nonetheless.
But I digress. Let’s ease back into our black Notchback, among Jakarta’s dozens of diseased rivers, lakes, canals and open sewers, oozing everywhere in the permanent equatorial heat, coupled with nigh-permanent and copious exhaust fumes and dengue-carrying mosquitoes. Our feature car’s custom-made sunroof, coupled with the addition of an under-dash A/C unit, are a valiant attempt at making this ‘60s European compact more livable in the a place like the Big Durian, as some call the Indonesian capital. This car also has a bored-out 1.7 litre flat-4, which I forgot to take a picture of. It’s still a work in progress, as these things tend to be – not to mention the car’s owner having been away in Myanmar for six years, which kind of slowed down the whole affair. And no, that just looks like an automatic transmission – it is, as it always was, a 4-speed manual.
Type 3s are always going to be bit harder to care for than Types 1 and 2, which went on forever, though they’re not exactly rare, either. Type 3 production stopped after 1973; over 2.5 million were made, of which roughly half were Squarebacks. Not counted are the thousands that were made in Australia from 1963 to 1973, though I’m guessing most of those would have had domestic (and perhaps Kiwi) owners, not Indonesians. Also not counted are the fairly similar (but not really related) “Brazilian Type 3” derivatives, which continued through to 1982. Still, the Type 3 was a one-decade wonder. Compare that to the careers of the Beetle and the Transporter! This relatively ephemeral nature also means anything like badges, chromes, model-specific interior features and bodywork is necessarily a bit harder to come by, especially so far from the factory.
But no problems in terms of running gear; Indonesia has plenty of air-cooled enthusiasts and specialists. The Beetle is just as iconic and easy to run there as it is anywhere else. On the larger islands such as Java, Sumatra or Bali, one is just as likely to see a flat-4 VW as any other crowded spot on Earth, I suppose. There was a throng of Things full of sunburnt tourists going around Bali, for instance, which was unexpected.
Owning and/or restoring a classic car in Indonesia is no picnic. As previously stated, Jakarta is a tough place to drive in, as it the rest of the densely populated Island of Java. With 140 million people squeezed into an area the size of North Carolina or Greece, the road network is completely and constantly saturated. Like Bangkok, it sprawls over a huge flat area of wetlands slowly sinking below sea level, so flooding is a recurrent issue. Add the climate, pests and molds that attack your car from all sides, as well as the unavailability of insurance for cars over ten years old, and you get an idea of the difficulties classic car owners face there.
And yet some folks remain passionate enough to look past these challenges and inject some variety into the (otherwise rather dull) Javanese automotive scene. Thanks to Luwi, this fine Notchback is back on the prowl. That gorgeous blue Fastback, though – doesn’t it need a home too?
Related posts:
Curbside Classic: 1969 Volkswagen 1600 Type 3 Fastback – Fast In Name Only, by PN
Curbside Classic: 1969 VW Type 3 Fastback – In Good Company, By Actually Mike
CC Capsule: VW 1500 Type 3 Notchback – A Few Notches Short, by PN
Great article, Tatra and thank you for it. The Frua prototype has strong Convair themes, and I note on the fixed rear side windows in the B & W pic of the fastback.
Which never gets a mention here, unlike fixed side glass on certain GM sedans.
End of rant, and while I’m not a VW fan, I enjoyed it.
let’s keep things in perspective.
Fixed side glass on ’80s GM 4-door sedan = epic fail.
Fixed side glass on ’60s European 2-door subcompact = normal order of things.
I really like the styling of these, even the 2-dr wagons which I’m not generally a fan of. But I remember these as a kid and how buzzy and noisy they were. Friends of the family had one in the early ’70s and you could hear it coming blocks away!
Discretion is no air-cooled car’s forte. But they always sound so good… Just don’t bother with a radio unless you have 6 or 8 cylinders.
Personally, I found this Type 3 to be on the quiet side. Perhaps the added displacement, or the muffler or the restoration? It’s hard to say, as I have no other recent Type 3 experience.
In the summer of 1967 at the age of 17 I had the chance to drive a friend’s brand new 67 Fastback on a 90-mile road trip to Chicago. At that point I’d owned 60 and 63 Beetle sedans. By comparison, the Type 3 Fastback seemed luxuriously quiet, inside and out.
I absolutely love these cars in all three model variations. There is something so pure and simple about the original design. The changes made in later iterations, dictated in part by new safety requirements, did not seem as attractive to me.
What a great story – I have such admiration for the owner for the work he’s done on this beautiful little car.
Very nice indeed. I agree that is an appropriate level of VW customization.
Also I’ll bring up Bob Dorough reference. He wrote the “Three is a Magic Number” song and all the Schoolhouse rock songs heard on American Saturday morning TV. He just passed away this year, definately a cool cat.
He would have looked right at home driving this type 3. Magic indeed.
Cool! As a kid I was always fascinated by these. I remember seeing them (rarely) in magazines or as toy cars and knew that I had never seen one in person. I still prefer the squareback, but would put this one above the fastback in that hierarchy.
And goodness, that Type 34 – was there some kind of conspiracy or joint-design agreement between VW and Plymouth in the years leading up to 1961?
The VW 1500 Karmann Ghia at least has a face. I’ve always liked it. I’ve always liked the ’61 Plymouth too.
I still wonder why VW never saw fit to import the notchback into the USA. Here’s a late one with bigger taillights.
I’ve always assumed that VWoA wanted to keep the Beetle image with a car that was faster, roomier (note the high take rate on the wagon), and more comfortable, and that they thought that the notch muddied the message.
The wagon looks like an especially good design in retrospect. It didn’t look like a school bus, and pre child seat you just shooed the toddlers behind the front seat and let them romp. I can see a lot of appeal in it for young families who wanted something practical, fun, and stylish.
Note that Porsche has never cracked the job of making a Porsche sedan that expresses the style of the 356 and 911 and also doesn’t look awful. But Porsche SUVs are very well accepted, and the new Panamera wagonlet isn’t as hideous as the slope back Panameras.
Ironically, I think the Type 3 notch is a good looking car, and better looking than the fastback. But it doesn’t say Volkswagen.
Very interesting post of an interesting survivor. Looks like Fuchs 914 type 15′ alloy wheels, if original, the forged Fuchs wheels, are being used on this Notchback Type 3 example. Air cooled cars aren’t happy with the mix of “equatorial heat” and the addition of A/C heat loads, so cooling issues might abound with “this work in progress”. Hopefully the engine has a life extending supplementary oil cooler to lessen the effect of equatorial heat. Thanks for a thought provoking article.
`Nice find and a rare car even square backs are thin on the ground in NZ and those few could have been Aussie CKD cars, A friend is restoring a 63 Beetle that was NZ assembled from an Aussie CKD kit every part of it has a kangaroo stamped on it!
That picture with all the prototypes lined up is scary. Like a family without faces.
another great article. thanks tatra. i agree with your friend’s customization. although those types of sunroofs have fallen out of favor, i really like them. the orange interior pops nicely and the hurst style shifter is my favorite. i’ve been trying to find a long version from my van.
Nice. These are popping up again here in Melbs – not that they ever really went away. I’ve managed to catch at least four with EMPI wheels, including a black notchback with comprehensive EMPI treatment. It’s a point of contention between myself and Cognoscento jim; he is smitten with the Type 34 and I think the original KG is hard to beat. That type 3 cabrio is very appealing.
I might have to side with Jim on this one. The Type 14 remains a beautiful shape, but I’ve just seen too many. So on exotic appeal more than pure esthetics, I’d be happier to see a Type 34 than a 14.
The black and white photo of the big-bumpered fastback — titled “In middle-age, the Type 3s got a front end restyle, ugly (but not 5mph) bumpers and less chrome” — is actually a special model that was marketed — for one year only — in 1973 as the Type 3 Basic Compact. Regular Type 3’s had all the chrome they’d always had.
The Type 3 Basic Compact came without belt line chrome, clock or rear window defogger, with painted frames around the vent windows and a black cardboard front trunk liner over the gas tank, without a liner on the sides of the trunk or over the firewall, with plain vinyl door panels without door pockets, with rubber mats in lieu of interior carpet — in only three colors: Marina Blue, Bright Orange and Texas Yellow.
This was a period when quite a few cars offered super stripped down models. VW also marketed the 1973 Type 1 Basic… which iterated into the LOVE BUG of 1974 and then into a super stripper, the1975 model 110, easily spotted as missing its front hood air inlet and both cresent vents behind the rear window — but fuel injection!
I had fun a few years tracking down all the differences in these models in several threads over on thesamba.com
Type 3 Basic: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4940224
Model 110: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=433042
Thanks a lot for this, PC Mast!
Will amend the text to include the term “stripper model”, which should fit in nicely in that paragraph.
I’m wondering if a similar Plain Jane 1600 EFI Type 3 was available in other markets. That seems unlikely, as the budget Type 3 was the 1600A (with the carbureted 1.5 litre engine), but I’m a little fuzzy on that model’s lifespan.
Had a ’66 Fastback I rebuilt the engine and after a couple of years sold to parents who got four more years out of it, between the 2 of us got 100k miles added to it was still running well when sold. I liked the Fastback’s styling, much quieter inside then the ’64 1500s Squareback I owned for a couple of years.
They were a nice upgrade over a Beetle, a real dashboard and large curved windshield, more room inside, 2 trunks, wider for more elbow room, better ventilation system, smoother ride, more power, disc brakes.
In ’68 (in US), only automatics had IRS, in ’69 all had IRS. ’66 was first year for disc brakes, ’67 was first year for 12 volt electrical. The Notchback looks nice, tasteful modifications.
Black is a great color for this car.
I recall these being not uncommon in California in the ’60’s and ’70’s; I knew even then they weren’t officially imported but I think these were the most commonly seen “gray market” (before that term was really used) or personally imported cars on the road. More so than Canadian-branded American cars which were rare sights down here. But the Fastback, and particularly the Squareback, the latter often with a surfboard inside or on the roof, became very popular, and I still see a couple of Squarebacks a month on the road. One of the many interesting CC’s that I carpooled in as a kid was a green Squareback, really the only air-cooled VW I spent much time in.
As in this case, successful customizing usually involves reducing compromises that were made to the original car for practicality or cost. The original car wouldn’t stand so far off the ground if it weren’t a practical necessity, there wouldn’t be so much empty space around the tires for clearance, panel gaps would be smaller, bumpers would be smaller or absent, wheels would be jewelry, the roof might be lower, etc.
Excellent piece on a car I know too little about. Thank you T87!
To echo Roger’s point above, I knew nothing about these cars before, but I’d consider your piece definitive. I always love your work when I have the chance to duck back into the CC pool.
I photographed one here in Berkeley CA, oddly enough ten years minus one day of this piece:
Rear view:
Just saw and took several pictures. My aunt lives across his place