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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ I spotted a bunch of VW T1's today
Posted by: thieuster Mar 21 2018, 07:24 AM
Just after lunch, I went to a local upholsterer for advice. I want to change the interior of my Porsche (retro-fitting a plaid-motive on the seats). This local upholsterer is known for his love for old VW's. I didn't expect to see 3 (THREE) T1's, including one with 'Porsche' on the doors.
I think it's not only the looks of the car but the total ambience of the cars, the fabrics, the sewing machines and -not pictured- the young & enthusiast couple (man and woman) that run the place! They didn't have the fabric I am after, but man, despite that, I left that place in a good mood! Great cars, great young & very friendly people with love for classics!
Menno
https://postimg.org/image/vmigdkuth/
https://postimg.org/image/kzon8gzmd/
https://postimg.org/image/nh0efj96d/
Posted by: theer Mar 21 2018, 07:29 AM
Sweet! love to see that.
I think T1 is the Beetle, the bus is T2.
Posted by: thieuster Mar 21 2018, 07:41 AM
True! But... Dutch VW enthusiasts call it the T1 because it was originally designed by Ben Pon, a Dutch entrepreneur. For us, Dutch, this is the first Transporter, hence the T1. Even the Dutch website for the VW commercial vans calls it the T1.
Posted by: My 914 Mar 21 2018, 08:03 AM
I totally agree. The vehicles are beautiful and the ambiance is great. it's fun to read about these places on the forum and be aware that they exist.
Posted by: Mueller Mar 21 2018, 10:34 AM
Nice looking shop.
I dropped my girls off at a classmates of theirs over the weekend and the guy across the street had his garage door open and I spotted his T1 bus. I commented on it and told him about a local car show that a few air-cooled Bugs and Buses show up to and he said he also has an early ragtop bus. Neat to see them around still.
Posted by: 914Sixer Mar 21 2018, 10:35 AM
Ben Pond is known for his racing exploits too. Raced a lot of different Porsche's.
Posted by: Mueller Mar 21 2018, 10:48 AM
Ended up spending my break time reading the VW Bus wiki page.
Found this part interesting:
Main article: Chicken tax
U.S. sales of Volkswagen vans in pickup and commercial configurations were curtailed by the Chicken tax
Certain models of the Volkswagen Type 2 played a role in a historic episode during the early 1960s, known as the Chicken War. France and West Germany had placed tariffs on imports of U.S. chicken.[13] Diplomacy failed, and in January 1964, two months after taking office, President Johnson imposed a 25% tax (almost ten times the average U.S. tariff) on potato starch, dextrin, brandy, and light trucks. Officially, the tax targeted items imported from Europe as approximating the value of lost American chicken sales to Europe.[14]
In retrospect, audio tapes from the Johnson White House, revealed a quid pro quo unrelated to chicken. In January 1964, President Johnson attempted to convince United Auto Workers' president Walter Reuther not to initiate a strike just before the 1964 election, and to support the president's civil rights platform. Reuther, in turn, wanted Johnson to respond to Volkswagen's increased shipments to the United States.[14]
The Chicken Tax directly curtailed importation of German-built Type 2s in configurations that qualified them as light trucks – that is, commercial vans (panel vans) and pickups.[14] In 1964, U.S. imports of automobile trucks from West Germany declined to a value of $5.7 million – about one-third the value imported in the previous year. After 1971, Volkswagen cargo vans and pickup trucks, the intended targets, "practically disappeared from the U.S. market". While post-1971 Type 2 commercial vans and single-cab and double-cab pickups can be found in the United States today, they are exceedingly rare. Any post-1971 specimen found ostensibly has had its import tariff paid. As of 2017, the "chicken tax" remains in effect.
Posted by: krazykonrad Mar 21 2018, 01:41 PM
Thanks for posting! Great pictures. 
Konrad
Posted by: Tom_T Mar 21 2018, 04:01 PM
Sweet! love to see that.
I think T1 is the Beetle, the bus is T2.
Nope - T1, T2, etc. is the version designation that VW uses for all models .... at least at this late date (they may have started with the moniker you said).
Even the VW Classic Parts website calls the Splitty's T1, Bay Windows T2, Vanagons T3 (T3a aircooled, T3B WBX - except that the Brits call it a T25 - WTF 8-/ ), Eurovans T4, then T5> we never got here in the USA.
https://www.volkswagen-classic-parts.de/en/spare-parts/bus-transporter.html
> check the top drop down menu
See T25 Vanagon on left bank - & these guys had some hard to get parts for my 88 Westy resto too -
https://www.vwheritage.com/
BUT - the best place to get VW parts is Gunzl/VW Bus Shop linked below; & it's where GoWesty, Bus Depot, Van Cafe, etc. get theirs & then upcharge you for them! Only takes PayPal, but delivery is 1-2 weeks max.!
https://www.vwbusshop.de/epages/GuenzlClassicParts.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/GuenzlClassicParts/Categories
Bus Depot held up my 88 Westy T3b's resto for 9+ months while they waited to have Gunzl fill a container & send it by Paddlewheeler to the US, on parts that they said were in stock with them! A-holes!!!!
PS - Some of all of the above's VW parts from the 1969-76+ era also fit the 914, & were the original parts used by VW-Porsche, but consult a parts interchange catalog &/or the free PDF download of the Porsche 914 PET parts catalog available at the Porsche website's Classics section under documents. VW parts are most of the ones not starting with 914- or other Porsche model part numbers (910, etc.).
Tom
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Posted by: branston Mar 21 2018, 04:13 PM
Of course 914rubber has the paid inlays you're searching for and I'm sure he'd happily ship to you.
https://shop.914rubber.com/searchquick-submit.sc?keywords=plaid
Posted by: Chip Mar 22 2018, 08:24 AM
Will this upholstery shop take my 914 seat cushions and recover them?
I cannot locate any shop around here. They are 1973, vinyl basketweave.
Posted by: Mueller Mar 22 2018, 08:31 AM
Will this upholstery shop take my 914 seat cushions and recover them?
I cannot locate any shop around here. They are 1973, vinyl basketweave.
I think it would be pretty expensive to send your seats to Germany to get them redone.
Posted by: thieuster Mar 23 2018, 05:15 AM
Will this upholstery shop take my 914 seat cushions and recover them?
I cannot locate any shop around here. They are 1973, vinyl basketweave.
I am sure they will! If you put down what you want, I will ask!
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