Volkswagen Type 3 1600 Fastback Tested - Just a Bigger Beetle?

Comments · 693

• HE

  @heikkiremes5661 · 6 years ago

  In my opinion one of the most beautiful cars ever. The proportions are just perfect.

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• JF

  @jfv65 · 6 years ago

  Out neighbors used to have one of those. They managed to go on holiday with it from the Netherlands to lake Balaton in Hungary pulling a Alpenkreuzer trailertent, roofrack on  top, packed boots  and a family of 6. They always made it back without problems. Great cars!

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• GR

  @graemew7001 · 6 years ago

  I love all of the air cooled VW's, they're vehicles to relax and enjoy the view in, not to be rushed as there's no point, 55-60mph is more than enough. This unmolested Fastback is a stunning car, way better than the lowered stuff IMO.

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• RI

  @rimmersbryggeri · 6 years ago

  "The unmistakable clatter of an aircooled engine".

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• MR

  @MrButtonpresser · 6 years ago (edited)

  Proper trendy. A type 3 in Williamstown! Nice. Old VW factory was in Clayton, my Granddad worked at Bosch next door.

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• AR

  @arnonmus1 · 6 years ago

  Hubnut just when I thought you had raised the bar on fascinating road tests to an impossibly high level, you have managed to surpass yourself with this test. As subscribers I believe we would be prepared to crowdfund a follow-up trip to either South Africa or Australia for more undiscovered locally adapted European workhorses. Thanks for the most interesting  24 mins of my day!

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• RI

  @richardhowlett9424 · 6 years ago

  I remember when my dad had the front and back open , some kids saw it and said “ there’s a boot at back and a boot at front, aye but where’s t’ bloody engine “ all said in the broadest Yorkshire accent ! I think they thought it was Candid Camera.

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• HE

  @Henni63 · 6 years ago

  These were known in Germany as the 'Neckermann Ferrari'. Neckermann used to be a middle of the road catalogue firm back in the days.

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• GR

  @grayfool · 6 years ago

  Cool. &nbsp;I had a fastback auto, facelifted version. &nbsp;It worked really well with the auto box. &nbsp;You could quite happily trundle along at 65 all day. &nbsp;As usual the rot got the better of it. &nbsp;Shame, I really liked that old thing. &nbsp;<br>A very good friend had a square back too. &nbsp;We parked it in town one day and walked away. &nbsp;A guy stopped us to let my friend know that he had forgetton to lock the doors. &nbsp;&quot;Oh, thanks&quot; said my friend &quot;but it&apos;s OK. &nbsp;Go and put your hand on the door handle&quot;. &nbsp;Man dutifully followed this instruction. &nbsp;As he touched the car my friend&apos;s very large and hairy German Sheppard raised its head from the back seat and growled. &nbsp;The man turned very white and agreed that door locks were a little superfluous.

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• JI

  @jimsimpson1006 · 1 year ago (edited)

  I remember those VWs. A friend had one and you had to slightly open a window to close the door. I remember a newspaper advert for them had the caption &quot;To close the door, open the window&quot;.

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• HA

  @happyjud · 1 year ago (edited)

  This model came out first in 1961, then again in 1969.<br>I had one, light blue in colour. &nbsp;It looked good (1969) but initially a disaster for me. It wouldn&apos;t start &nbsp;in the &nbsp;morning if there was a heavy dew. Had to wait hours for it to dry out. Spark plugs were very difficult to get at, told to me by a mechanic. Also the front hood flew up on me &nbsp;twice driving on a city street. &nbsp;Then one day, out of the blue, after just exiting a major highway, about 10 miles down the road with traffic lights, the brakes failed! &nbsp;Luckily &nbsp;the lights changed to green as I geared down the engine, made a left hand turn at the light and coasted slowly through town, directly to Volkswagen. &nbsp;Walked across the road to a used car lot and bought a huge Oldsmobile lol<br>This car was very dangerous for me since I had my first child with me and my mother. I just got lucky &nbsp;NOT to be in an accident thank G_d.

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• GR

  @gryfandjane · 6 years ago (edited)

  Memories are kindled of the summer I turned 16, when I joined a couple of cousins and a friend (later my wife, though neither of us suspected at the time) for a drive in a Squareback from St. Louis to Denver... 800 miles with that little engine mumbling away in the back. That was 1970, and I still recall what a delight the Squareback was on the road. A few years later when I needed a car for college, I picked a used ‘71 Super Beetle. I still have a soft spot for the old VWs. Thanks, this was a good one!

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