Would You Drive A Type 3 Notchback, the First “Normal” Volkswagen?
The Type 3 Notchback sedan was the first model from Wolfsburg whose lines followed convention, although its mechanical layout was typical Volkswagen through and through. This body style, introduced in 1961 and marketed in Europe and Canada into the 1970s, but never officially available in the U.S., is rarely seen on these shores and is… The post Would You Drive A Type 3 Notchback, the First “Normal” Volkswagen? appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.
The Type 3 Notchback sedan was the first model from Wolfsburg whose lines followed convention, although its mechanical layout was typical Volkswagen through and through. This body style, introduced in 1961 and marketed in Europe and Canada into the 1970s, but never officially available in the U.S., is rarely seen on these shores and is a favorite of air-cooled-VW enthusiasts. Does the charming, stock-looking Ruby Red 1963 1500 Notchback currently on the Hemmings Auctions site pluck at your heartstrings? How about the customized Gulf Blue 1963 1500 Notchback that is available on Hemmings.com as a Make Offer listing?
The Family Sedan
It was the car for VW buyers who found the Type 1 Bug too cramped and the Type 2 Microbus too unwieldy: the Type 3 was a proper four-seater that was handsomely trimmed inside. The Notchback shared its sporty three-dial dashboard design with the Variant/Squareback wagon and TL/Fastback, and the front bucket seats tilted forward to allow access to the armrest-equipped rear seat.
The factory-original style of this model (with the back seat needing a bit of repair) is visible in the Ruby example, while the Gulf car shows how modern a Notch can look with a different upholstery treatment.
With Room To Spare
The Type 3’s party trick was its pair of luggage compartments, front and rear; the latter was made possible by the “pancake” design of the 1,500-cc engine. The space in the nose could accept 6.5 cubic feet of luggage in 1963, while the area under the rear deck could hold another 7.1 cubic feet.
With Pep And Thrift
The lightweight, air-cooled flat-four powering the 1963 1500 sedan used a single Solex carburetor and made 53 horsepower and 83 lb-ft of torque when new. It sent power to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual in both of these Type 3s, and offered a maximum/cruising speed of 78 mph- more than enough to achieve any U.S. speed limit.
So Are You In?
Type 3s are very collectible -some achieving impressive sums via public sales around the world- and these cosmetically refreshed 61-year-old VWs have the potential to be very good buys. So would you like to be “normal” behind the wheel of a funky, practical, air-cooled Volkswagen?
The post Would You Drive A Type 3 Notchback, the First “Normal” Volkswagen? appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.
