Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The original VW camper van was created by adapting the first-generation Type 2 VW bus. Highly sought after as collectors items, these buses had a split windshield and picked up the name "Splitty." The first Type 2 rolled off the assembly line in 1950 and the first VW van conversion, done by Westfalia, a long time associate of VW, was created in 1951.
The first van was sold to a US officer stationed in Germany and by today's standards was little more than a camping box with a folding bed, ice box and storage spaces. Over time the conversions got more elaborate and started to include kitchen sinks with onboard water supply, portable stoves and better insulated interiors.
The next generation of VW camper vans, first produced in 1968, was called the Type 2 Bay Window. The familiar split windshield was gone, the camper was taller, and it had a sliding side door and a larger engine, still in the back. The larger size, plus the addition of a 12-volt electrical system allowed for more creative floor plans. Deluxe models even had showers and portable toilets. The pop-top was introduced, which added an additional sleeping area at roof line level. By this time the VW camper was a hot commodity and many companies were getting into the conversion business. Do-it-yourself conversions were becoming more common.
In 1980, the VW camper van grew larger still and was christened the Vanagon for the U.S. market. In Europe it was called the "Wedge." The Vanagon was also the last of the rear-engine models, which gave the van conversion companies more space to play with. Though some VW camper fans thought the demise of the rear engine was a betrayal to the original design, putting the power plant in the front opened the door to even more floor configurations and amenities being added to the campers. Lightweight foams, wood veneers, plastics and wallpapers were making the campers not only look more luxurious, but they were getting better gas mileage.
The first front-engine VW camper van was produced in 1990. This next-generation VW camper van saw the addition of microwaves, convection ovens, satellite and cable TV, CD/DVD players and many more comforts of home. This one-time hippie van now was capable of providing a safe, secure, comfortable, self-contained home away from home. VW also teamed up with Winnebago, shipping bare-on-the-inside camper vans to the United States. Winnebago would install all the RV components such as the sink, stove, furnace, refrigerator, storage cabinets, side windows and the pop top. The imported Winnebago-Euro vans all had grey color-coordinated interiors
Westfalia VW Camper vans are still available in the United States and throughout Europe. They are popular rental vehicles. A typical camper carries and sleeps four people in two full-sized double beds, has a kitchenette with a dual-burner gas stove (using onboard propane in a sealed tank), and has an onboard 10½-gallon water tank. The refrigerator can be operated on propane gas, by a 12V battery or by 120V shore power. Pop-top roofs create head room; some even have skylights. Campers also include rotating front seats and a removable dining table. Portable toilets are options. You can choose to dry camp or plug into electric and water hook-ups at an RV campsite.