The Type 3 also featured wall-to-wall carpeting, and was available with air conditioning in the US. However, in other markets, including the German domestic market, the number of customers preferring the older Notchback shaped car was higher than foreseen, and in the end both Notchback and Fastback body shapes remained in production until July 1973. Volkswagen's intention was that this model should replace the Notchback, which is what happened in the UK market. The Fastback, or TL version, a fastback coupé, arrived in August 1965, at the same time the 1600 engine was introduced. Two convertibles based on the 1500 Notchback were also announced with the original models, but did not enter production. The station wagon/estate-bodied Variant (marketed as the Squareback in the US) followed, with the first cars produced in February 1962.
Production of the Karmann Ghia 1500 (also known as the Type 34 Karmann Ghia) with a coupé body commenced in November 1961 and deliveries started in January 1962. Production began in August 1961, a month before launch, of the Volkswagen 1500 Notchback, encompassing three-box styling in a notchback saloon body. In 1961 VW announced the new line as the "VW 1500". Secrecy was such that even at the 1960 Geneva Auto Show, VW denied they were readying a new design.
VW finalized the design by 1959 with prototypes ready for testing by 1960. The removed factory air-cleaner assembly and a single carburetor will accompany the car.The Type 3 followed the Type 1 Beetle, utilizing a low-profile version of Volkswagen's rear-engined, 4-cylinder air-cooled engine, as well as body-on-chassis construction (the body bolts to a frame that includes the floor pan), retaining the same wheelbase – but featuring ponton (slab sided) styling, in contrast to the Type 1's articulated fenders and running boards. Additional photos of the underside are presented in the gallery below. The gearbox has been rebuilt, and its clutch assembly has been replaced.
Power is delivered to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission. Translated receipts in the gallery indicate other components that have been replaced. Dual carburetors were installed in 2017, and additional features reportedly include aftermarket camshafts, a forged chromoly crankshaft, and a stainless-steel Python exhaust. Receipts show that the rear-mounted flat-four has been rebuilt, and the seller states that it now displaces 1,776 cubic centimeters. The five-digit odometer shows 70k kilometers (~44k miles). VDO gauges consist of a 150-km/h speedometer, a fuel gauge, and an inoperable analog clock. The seller notes that the keyed ignition turns on power to the car, but a push-button has been added to start the engine.Ī two-spoke steering wheel with the Wolfsburg crest sits ahead of a tan dashboard with a black top. A short-shift kit has also been installed. The cabin features Light Cream (74) upholstery that has been redone in Peruvian leather over brown carpeting. The car features front disc brakes, and in December 2017 the front calipers, brake hoses, wheel bearings and seals, rear wheel cylinders, and rear shoes were replaced along with the tires. The paintwork and exterior trim are shown in the photo gallery below, as are paint-meter readings.ġ5″ 8-spoke alloy wheels wear colored Wolfsburg center caps as well as Continental ContiProContact tires. This Type 3 notchback was acquired by the selling dealer in early 2020 and is now offered in New Jersey with Peruvian refurbishment records and other paperwork, recent service records, an owner’s manual, removed factory parts, importation paperwork, and a clean New Jersey title.Ī 1976 Peruvian vehicle ownership card lists the color as Arena de Playa (Sea Sand, 37), and the seller states that the car was stripped to bare metal and refinished in its factory-delivered hue in 2010. In late 2017 the car was imported to the United States, reportedly by its fourth Peruvian owner, and service since that time has included brake work, replacement tires, and the installation of dual carburetors. The car is said to have been imported to Peru from Germany by its original owner and was refurbished approximately 10 years ago.
This 1966 Volkswagen Type 3 notchback has been refinished in its factory-delivered Sea Sand over a refreshed Light Cream leather interior, while its flat-four has been rebuilt to displace 1.8 liters and is paired with a rebuilt four-speed manual gearbox.