1971 Volkswagen T2 Westfalia – Exterior and Interior – Retro Classics Stuttgart 2022

Inhalte Verbergen

1 Technical Details:

2 Design:

3 Historical Significance:

4 Quirks and Pop Culture:

5 Display and preservation:

6 Conclusion:

Technical Details:

The Volkswagen T2 Westfalia is based on the second generation of the VW Bus, internally designated Type 2, which entered production after the 1967 factory shutdown for the 1968 model year. Technically, the T2a represented a comprehensive evolution of the earlier T1 platform while retaining the fundamental rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. Power came from air-cooled, horizontally opposed four-cylinder boxer engines mounted at the rear. Over its production life, engine displacements ranged from 1.6 to 2.0 liters, with outputs starting at 47 PS at 4,000 rpm and rising to as much as 70 PS at 4,200 rpm in later versions. All variants used gasoline engines and a 12-volt electrical system.

Chassis development was a key improvement over the T1. The wheelbase remained at 2,400 mm, but the T2 body grew longer to 4,420 mm, with increased front and rear overhangs. Track width was widened by 15 mm, contributing to a more stable stance. A major engineering step was the replacement of the old portal rear axle with reduction gears by a double-jointed semi-trailing arm rear axle. This allowed ground clearance to be reduced from 240 mm to 185 mm, lowering the load floor and increasing usable interior space—an important benefit for camper conversions. The front axle concept remained largely unchanged, though with reduced maintenance requirements. A dual-circuit braking system was fitted as standard, improving safety.

For Westfalia camper versions, these mechanical foundations were combined with additional electrical and interior equipment, while retaining the standard steel body structure. Performance figures reflected the vehicle’s role: depending on engine specification, top speeds ranged between 100 and 130 km/h. Across all body styles—Kleinbus, Kastenwagen, Pritsche, and Camper—the T2 achieved a total production volume of around three million units.

Manufacturer: Volkswagen
Model name: Volkswagen T2a Westfalia Camper (Bay Window)
Year of manufacturing: 1967–1979

Design:

The Volkswagen T2 Westfalia is immediately recognizable by its “Bay Window” front design, featuring a single, strongly curved panoramic windshield instead of the split screen of the T1. The rounded nose gave the vehicle a more modern appearance while improving forward visibility. Air intake slots were integrated into the rear roof pillars, and the overall body appeared more solid and mature, a result of a stiffer and more spacious steel shell.

Westfalia conversions added a distinct layer of design focused on living and travel. Early T2 camper interiors were deliberately minimal, reflecting a functional approach to mobile leisure. Typical equipment included a rear-facing seat, a folding table, and a compact kitchen block with a small sink, stove, and cooler. From 1971 onward, the cooler was replaced by a small refrigerator. To improve standing room and sleeping capacity, Westfalia experimented with various roof solutions. These ranged from temporary fabric roof hatches to side-opening bellows systems, before settling on the now-iconic pop-top roof in a triangular form. Depending on specification, the roof could hinge forward or rearward and often incorporated an upper-level sleeping berth.

Ventilation was carefully considered. Adjustable aluminum jalousie windows in the kitchen area allowed airflow even in poor weather, reinforcing the camper’s usability across climates. The large central sliding side door, a defining feature of the T2, provided easy access to the living space and distinguished the model clearly from its predecessor.

Historical Significance:

The Volkswagen T2 Westfalia sits at the intersection of industrial utility and leisure culture. After 17 years and around 1.8 million units of the T1, Volkswagen needed a successor that preserved the Bus’s core virtues while responding to higher expectations for comfort, safety, and space. Introduced in August 1967, the T2 fulfilled that role and quickly became the backbone of Volkswagen’s commercial vehicle lineup.

Westfalia’s role was crucial. Since 1951, the German coachbuilder had partnered with Volkswagen to transform standard buses into high-quality camper vans. With the T2, this collaboration matured further. From January 1968 onward, the T2 was offered as a camper in multiple Westfalia configurations. Early conversions even reused interior elements from late T1 campers, highlighting continuity between generations. Over time, the T2 Westfalia evolved into a more refined recreational vehicle, increasingly popular not only as a workhorse but also as a comfortable large-capacity touring vehicle.

Quirks and Pop Culture:

While technically conceived as a practical transporter, the VW T2—and especially the Westfalia camper—developed an unexpected cultural career. In the United States in particular, the T2 became closely associated with the counterculture movement, earning a reputation as a “Hippiemobil.” This image contrasted sharply with its original purpose but proved enduring. The camper’s self-contained living concept, modest performance, and approachable design made it a symbol of independent travel and alternative lifestyles, even though these associations were never part of Volkswagen’s original design brief.

Display and preservation:

The vehicle was exhibited at the Retro Classics Stuttgart in 2022. This car show is one of the major events on the classic car calendar in Germany. In 2022, it took place across five exhibition halls. Visitors can enjoy special showcases, hunt for rare parts and books, and buy cars—both private sellers and dealers offer a wide range of classic and youngtimer vehicles. In 2022, there was a noticeable increase in low-mileage youngtimers and classic cars.

Conclusion:

The Volkswagen T2 Westfalia represents a decisive step in the evolution of the VW Bus. Technically more advanced than the T1, with improved suspension, braking, and interior space, it provided a solid foundation for Westfalia’s camper conversions. Its Bay Window design, flexible interior layouts, and pop-top roof solutions defined the modern camper van concept. Produced in large numbers between 1967 and 1979, the T2 Westfalia combined engineering pragmatism with cultural resonance, securing its place as one of the most recognizable camper vans of its era.