Happy 60th VW Camper Van....

60 years for the VW Camper van – Happy Birthday….

When you think about hippies you inevitably identify them with images of the 1960’s, flower power, John Lennon, free love and the redoubtable Volkswagen Camper van. Since its inception the VW Camper has always been a strong hit with those wishing to live an alternative lifestyle, away from the stark monotony of real life. Of course I generalize and exaggerate to an extent, but hey I’m a writer and a bit of creative license never really hurt anyone…

Last week saw the iconic VW Camper hit the grand old age of 60. Wooo Hippy Birthday VW! It’s quite unsettling to think that one of the most beloved car companies in the world was created and formed within the horrors of Hitler’s Nazi regime, but it’s true and in 1933 the ‘Volkswagen’ program, otherwise known as the ‘people car’ program, was commissioned. The already famous and well respected Dr Ferdinand Porsche was given control of the operation and in 1936 the prototype KdF-Wagen rolled of the production line.

In the 1950’s VW began to produce a series of vans based upon the Type 1 beetle chassis. The large majority of VW’s modern day vans, including the Camper, are still based upon this simple and elegant design. In 1946 a Dutch importer called Ben Pon visited the VW factory at Wolfsburg and came up with the idea of modifying the Type 1 into a simple panel van. After a few sketches and some serious negotiations the Type 2, otherwise known as the VW camper, was born. After some initial doubts about the concept and even the financial viability of VW itself, the Type 2 was officially signed off and rolled out of the factory in 1949.

After its initial production VW camper sales went from strength to strength, soon becoming one of the popular vehicles in automotive history. The great hippy-van achieved cult status throughout the 1960’s and the 1970’s due to its uniqueness and a number of celebrity endorsements from well known figures such as Roger Daltry from The Who. The vehicle became known as the hippy-van or hippy-wagon due its laid back go-slow attitude which suitable connected with the zeitgeist of the times. One enthusiast explained that the VW campers“force you to take it easy, force you to slow down, if you're in a hurry then forget it." 

VW Camper vans still retain their iconic and cult status in today’s more modern and faster paced world.  Due to large amount of VW enthusiasts old and used VW vans can often command a very heavy sales price, especially for some of the older, rarer models.  Some particular models including the 23-window Samba from 1962 can cost up to £30,000 and beyond. One very rare model which includes a Porsche 911 engine retails at a staggering £150,000, certainly one for only the richest and most obsessive of VW nuts.

But when it comes to the celebration of art, culture and the history of automotives there really is no other vehicle like the VW camper van. No other car or van can quite capture the essence of an era like VW did, and so we must rejoice and declare:  Hippy-van we salute you, happy 60th!