The Synchro Transporter
There
are times when 2 wheel drive just doesn't cut it, even on the rear
wheel drive type 2. Since the fifties plenty of VWs hardy transporters
have pushed into every corner of the globe, and in all sorts of
conditions. While the Beetle was given 4 wheel drive in its earliest
years (the military Schwimmwagens and Kommanduerwagens), the Type 2 had
to wait over 30 years.
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The original 4WD Type 2
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The
4 wheel drive story for the transporter began in 1977 when VW Research
Centre employee, Henning Duckstein, began converting his 2 litre
Westfalia to become a true off roader. His aim was to make a transporter
ideal for desert conditions. Drive was given to all four wheels through
a torque converter (usually found in automatic gearboxes), but Henning
retained the manual gearbox to better control gear changes. The twin
carbs were given tilt proof float chambers to get the van up the
steepest slopes. 16" wheels were fitted with Michelin off road tyres,
found on Land Rovers.
Additional
chassis strengthening was given to the van, as were underneath
protection plates to protect the more vulnerable mechanical parts.
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The Type 2 Synchro
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Hennings
van soon attracted the interest of VW management, more prototypes were
built and eventually the Austrian off road specialist firm, Steyr-Puch
were given the task of developing a 4 wheel drive study based on the 3rd
generation transporter (the Brick). By 1983 the press were hearing
rumours of an imminent off road transporter with full time 4 wheel
drive. By 1985 the Synchro was available, built by VW and Steyr-Puch ;
which continued in production until 1992, when the 4th generation
transporter began production. The Synchro 4 wheel drive version of the
T4 transporter was never as good an off roader as previous models and VW
pulled out of the 4 wheel drive market. VW of South Africa also began
using the Steyr-Puch 4 wheel drive system on some of its Caravelles.
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Member Lee blackmore's T25 Synchro
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Some
Synchro T3 Transporters were given the larger 16" wheels, reinforces
chassis and protection much like Henning Duckstein's original project.
Synchros saw some rally success, the 1985 Hannibal rally (see below
left) and a 129 day world trip undertaken by 2 Austrians, Gerthard
Platter and Rudi Lins, again in 1985, (above).
Raupen Fuchs Half Track
Not
some mad enthusiast's idea of a VW off roader, but a genuine conversion
offered to transporter owners in the 1960's by German firm Raupen Fuchs.
Promoted as ideal off road conversion for snow and sand use, only one
is believed to still exist out of an unknown number of conversions.
Karmann Bus
Apart from a few example of this picture on the Internet, little is known about this design project
undertaken
by Karmann for a Ghia version of the type 2. The idea was abandoned
probably in the late fifties, judging by the styling of this intriguing
vehicle.
