There are some concepts made into reality by vintage vehicles that really should have made the leap into mass production. When it comes to pickup trucks, Volkswagen’s original Type 2 pickup displayed not only the novelty of a rear-engined, air-cooled truck design but also one with an incredibly versatile bed featuring flip-down bed sides for easier loading and additional storage under the bed (eat your heart out, Rivian). This particular pickup is a 1956 model that’s listed here on eBay with a Buy-It-Now of $28,500.
While the actual load capacity may not have been impressive by today’s standards, I’ve yet to a see a pickup truck comes out that offers this same about of flexibility when it comes to physically loading items into the truck. The Rivian R1T really is one of the more impressive new vehicle offerings in some times, and I’m far less impressed with its charging capacity than I am with the way they made a pickup truck body so incredibly efficient. In the same vein, these early Transporter pickups took the light-duty pickup and made it into something incredibly novel.
The seller is asking what seems like a fair price for one of these, especially considering it is said to run well and be super solid. Indeed, I don’t see any of the typical signs of copious amounts of rust lurking underneath, and the interior suggests this is a Type 2 that has been looked after unlike so many others that were seemingly ridden hard and put away wet. The bench seat shows no major signs of wear and the dashboard and door panels both sports a lovely shade of patina that’s impossible to fake.
It also has a desirable 1600cc dual port engine, which should make for a truck with respectable acceleration (at least compared to other vintage air-cooled VW models). The seller highlights that it comes with the “big nut” reduction box transmission, a front beam from a ’67 model, pressed bumpers, and many new brake and suspension components. Overall, this Type 2 pickup looks like a healthy specimen with loads of original details and a body in surprisingly sound condition for under $30,000.
You know what we need here, is a real psychiatrist, retired preferably, who can tell us the mysteries of the present car hobby. Why are all cars black( or silver), why do we need 700 hp motors and over the top puffy interiors, and of course, what in ‘tarnation is the monetary attraction to vintage VW buses? I realize, some folks can sell air conditioners to the Eskimoes, and a VW bus may be fun for a couple grand, but where is there any value for your $25,000 dollars in a VW bus, or ANY vintage VW, for that matter?. What? Do people really pay 5 figures for this stuff? And why? Any shrinks out there? Old farts want to know,,,
I’m certified ‘Old Guy’ with an Experimental Psychology/Clinical Psychology background vis-a-vis Psychiatric Disorder via American Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and to top it all off I majored in Personality Theory & Historiography from a perspective of Psychopathology.
From a Finance perspective we have the Fear of Missing Out which is called FOMO in Day Trading parlance. In brief, couple FOMO with inflation vis-a-vis assets worthy of collecting whereby one’s investment does not disappear into the safe asset ether of Finance and you’ll have a logical conclusion why millennials erroneously conclude that they will be making a safe investment with classic old VW manufactured buses, beatles, or trucks.
Most Psychiatrists invest in Real Estate as they are advised by money managers in investment houses on Wall Street.
If you’re a packrat hoarder and you accumulate rusty old cars, trucks, & motorcycles just for FUN you probably could use a good chat with a Shrink only if it bothers you and takes up too much of your time or thought processes.
Investment wise it ain’t wise at all I agree.
Bob
Thank you, Robert, I’m sure Barn Finds will pick up the bill, if any. You probably have a field day listening to all this. Me, being the most vocal on the subject(s), probably should see a shrink. At 67, I’m not sure what they could tell me at this point in my life. What you describe, the FOMO, makes sense, greed, which I have no other explanation for, has been around since money began. It’s the colors, or lack of them, is what’s disturbing to me. . ’50s-’70s were, for the most part, happy times. Colors were what told others, “look, I have an imagination”. Different was okay. We sat on green toilets for heavens sake. Drab colors in our vehicles only proves what depressing times we live in. History has shown, this foolishness too shall pass, and on to the next flash in the pan.
Do all of your titles fit on the front of one business card? ;)
“Why are all cars black( or silver), why do we need 700 hp motors and over the top puffy interiors, and of course, what in ‘tarnation is the monetary attraction to vintage VW buses?”
In part, the answer is within your question regarding the appeal of the VW’s.
One word, Howard- nostalgia. That is why I love VWs. Owned them for going on fifty years. That, and the fact that I can lift virtually any component, save the body itself, by myself. I can’t explain the batsh#t prices any other way. A VW does make for an easy first restoration project as they are easy to work on and parts are plentiful.
I’m surprised that the asking price is as low as it is. Considering this is a ‘56 and it is fairly rare, and in great condition for its age, if I had the coin I’d own it.
I’m a long time VW enthusiast. I agree some prices for the 21and 23 window buses are ridiculous. But this is fair price. The 1600 dual port engine and the beam front end make more disirable as this is a good upgrade.
Exactly. There can’t be too many clean survivors like it around.
These are not that ”rare”.A few recently on BAT.All overpriced though.Just like Porsche’s.And why do a lot of people put chevy mtrs.in Fords??
Because they can.
Nice T1 – nice condition!
These Single Cabs and the Crew Cabs are absolutely not rare over in europe,
they are all over the place.
And flip-down bed sides are the standart on european “pickups”, in fact, you won’t find any with fixed sides.
Aircooled VW’s – just the best automobiles ever invented, IMHO
Second to the Citroen H type van that predated the Type 2 by 4 years. Now, that is a van with character, engine in the right place and front wheel drive.
The VW cultists and the European market are driving the prices on these. If you look on you-tube there are folks who will drag a rusty bus out of the weeds and spend 100k at a restoration shop just to get their hands on an early VW bus.
“The cult of VW”. That’s a new one!
Not that rare.Seen some for sale lately.They do seem to bring big money.
Load capacity is… (checks notes)… 1764 lbs. Not too bad really.
I can C 1 w/a ‘slide in’. Not sure they were ever made tho.
Remove flip dwn sides (forever?) & build one anyway? Pull off and place on those stands (carried on board) as free-standing. Use vee dub w/o as a ‘drive around’ to explore locale or supply vehicle for the ‘camper’?
Needa WXR boxer (ol porcsche motor?) for the drivetain tho.
In South Africa we used to stuff the 3.0 L Ford Essex engine into it.
This was such a popular conversion that firms sprung up everywhere to cater for the demand. Went like stink.
I well remember these as a child of the 60s. Since this VW model was essentially known as a minibus, i always thought when seeing one that VW was trying to pass it off looking like a real truck ! I couldn’t take the effort seriously…
I have the 66 version of this VW…its probably the most useful vehicle I have ever owned and gets more thumbs ups and remarks than my 56 Porsche and 68 912 ( I know you haters out there despise both brands..obviously you have never driven or used any of them). My truck cruises at 65, will carry over 500 lbs of ” stuff” and,as said, is so easy to load/unloaded compared to its US equivalent ( was there ever one? Corvair maybe and I’m sure the haters feel the same way about them too). I am not stuck on VW/Porsches and have had several great US cars, vintage Caddies, Fords and Chevys ….so take off your tunnel vision glasses” and enjoy the hobby and ALL its members.Respect.
Indeed.
One love.
Respect indeed.
Taste and opinion will never be reconciled.
Back to Howards question. There are times as you get older numbers in the bank dont mean as much as LOOK WHAT I GOT. It doesnt have to make sense if you have enough. I dont have enough sense or money so I have to look for value.
I knew some guys back in the late 60’s that had one of these made into a ramp truck for their oval window bug drag car. There were no real body modifications, the ramps went up to the roof level. Looked really cool loaded up. It always looked unstable, they said it drove better than it looked!
Old VWs are just a blast to drive and for some of us a blast from the past.
I bought a 66 Bug when I was 17 back in 1973. I’ve had Bugs, Buses, and a squareback. I currently have a 67 Bug. I bought it in 1982 and it was my daily driver for fifteen years. Now it’s my hobby car. They also provided a second source of income by working on other people’s cars (that got old) and parting out ones that weren’t worth fixing at the time. Prices today do seem high for cars that were made in such hugh numbers. Luckily I got in when they were just old cars and I’m still selling parts from my old parting out days. Some stuff brings a lot of money.
I am among those who wonder what price list these guy’s use to price these vehicles out of the market for most people like me. It is till a 56 VW and $28,500. for is beyond a reasonable price. Considering the amount of rust on the bed the seller should have invested in a cheap paint job for this one before listing it.
He could have rebuilt the engine, transaxle, painted it, had it looking really good for under 5k, so obviously not a cultist like myself…
I wonder what price list he consulted before listing it.
Something is worth what someone will pay for it. It may not be worth that to you but that is of no consequence to the seller. I know the televised auto auctions show cars being sold for ridiculous prices, by our standards, but they sell. Those 21 window VW vans selling over $100,000 seems unbelievable to me but they sell.
NOT RARE ! never was .
NOT light delivery these were rated at 3/4 ton .
It’d be nice to find writers who knew about the subject .
Yes, it’s a nice old pickup truck .
-Nate
Interesting character in our nearby city of Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand (the one that had over 12000 earthquakes 10 years back!) ran a fleet of VW vans in the 1960s / early 70s. His business was cleaning and repairing house blinds – venetian blinds, roller blinds, etc The vans all had signwritten under the back window – Caution! blind man driving!
I saw one parked today here in Vermont, same color, not sure of the year.