Myth Buster
VW ‘Fridolin’
IT WAS VW’S FIRST 1 SMALL VAN
The VW Type 147 Kleinlieferwagen – nicknamed the Fridolin (‘little toddler’) – was a car-based van intended for the West German post office from 1964 to 1974. It’s generally regarded as VW’s first small commercial load-lugger – except it wasn’t. There was a wartime prototype van, using a Beetle with a boxy rear end. Then, when the British Army took over running the Wolfsburg factory when hostilities ended, it was commissioned to build 500 vans for the successors to the Reichspost. The Army’s solution was to cut a chunk out of the rear of Kübelwagens and Beetles and plonk a big box in place of the missing bodywork instead. Yes, really.
2 IT WASN’T SOLD TO THE PUBLIC
The reason why the Fridolin isn’t better-known is that it was almost exclusively used by the West German, Swiss and Liechtenstein post offices. However, contrary to popular belief, it was available for the public to buy. Because it was put together by Franz Knöbel und Sohn (which also converted Westfalia campers for VW) and the firm could only build up to five per day, it wasn’t generally publicised. There was also a concern that it might harm sales of the larger Transporter. Ultimately, 6139 Fridolins were built over a ten-year period.
3 IT’S A BEETLE UNDERNEATH
Well, sort of. The engine, gearbox and axles came courtesy of the Beetle, but the chassis was actually borrowed from the sporty Karmann Ghia, chosen because it was wider and thus allowed more interior space. The first prototypes did use Beetle chassis, though. The nose was modelled on the Type 3 (and used its headlamps) while the tailgate was a trimmed Transporter panel.
Richard Gunn