04
October
2011

40 Years VW strollers: up by Karmann GF to buggy!

Posted in: Ford 2

The VW featured a few weeks ago at the IAA in Frankfurt up buggy! is more than a fascinating study. He builds on a tradition which began four decades ago, when the American mid of 60s discovered the car as fun. It was the indispensable “Accessories” for a carefree lifestyle. And “where the Sun can be directly enjoy the wind fresh through the hair blow, as in a buggy?”, VW asks, especially as cheap to have had the pleasure. Thought, done. On the basis of the VW Beetle was Beach cars due to its platform frame perfectly suited for alternative concepts of the body. At the time it was a recipe for success: you take a used VW Beetle, deprive him of a construction and replace it with a light as possible, open body, laminated glass fibre reinforced plastic (GRP). Many strollers were built on a shortened chassis, beetles, by herausschneidet 30 cm to 40 cm depending on the building from the floor pan, and again zusammenschweißt the severed parts. For optimum traction on loose surfaces are welded together for the powered rear wheels with maximum width, with similarly oversized tires. The top is not an issue, the most strollers have at best a makeshift cloth coating to the Anknöpfen.

The idea of “free time”strollers is based on the “dune buggy” and the “Baja bugs”, which were actually used for Beach sport competitions in the United States. Then however only the fun factor is based on the further development of the buggy; the “trip” the flower power movement wanted to have fun and not rush. The engine power of a serial beetle (34 HP, later up to 44 HP) was sufficient for most completely.The trend left in Germany not long to wait for. Buggy, inspired by the successful American dune the editorial was the prototype of a German buggy on a shortened beetle chassis in order the journal “Good journey” 1969 at Karmann in Osnabrück, Germany. In 1971, you could buy the buggy as Karmann GF (for “good journey”). Until 1974 Karmann delivered kits as well as complete new vehicles; motorized with 1300 – and 1500s engines from the beetles with 44 HP.At the same time the Göttinger VW dealership South Hanover wholesaler, succeeded the imported from the United States “IMP dune buggy” to make eligible for admission. Both models were later at Karmann order himself, he to craft skill in different decoration and price categories: from the pure Kit that requires abundant production, to a “turnkey” new vehicle. Of course were also buggy of third-party such as the Belgian plastic specialist APAL on the German market. The Spartan open Streaker not were a mass success. But it immediately developed a solid fan base around the first real fun car, which is produced in significant quantities. Many owners modified their cars over the years to some adventurous acting creations, so original strollers have today great rarity and are looking for.The 40-year buggy idea experienced now being continued with the at the IAA of viewers offering heavily buggy up!-Variant. Built from the secure tech-light-weight steel. Still, this Court is a trial. Since skipped driving pleasure in the future will be in demand, which must be not so… (Auto-Reporter.Net/Arie)      


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