1954 Volkswagen Barndoor Single Cab Truck

History

As Europe came back to life post-WWII, Volkswagen was producing the Type 1 Beetle full tilt to meet demand. To keep up, factory workers crafted a basic van, based on the Beetle, to move parts around the plant. An importer from the Netherlands, Ben Pon, noticed these unique machines and had the bright idea to bring them to the masses. And so, the VW Type 2 was born.

Initial innovations included V-shaped front glass to improve the brick-on-wheels aerodynamics of the factory creation. The chassis was strengthened with a ladder frame as it was far larger than the Beetle and the forward-control cab setup was finalized. Thanks to the rear-mounted, air-cooled four à la Beetle, the new Type 2 had a long flat cargo area ready for all manner of configurations.

Along with the famous bus setup, VW offered the Type 2 as a panel van, camper, ambulance, and pickup in both single and double cab layout. Every variant was touted for its remarkable utility and ease of use, but the pickups had some especially cool features.

Notably, both sides of the bed fold down, like the tailgate on a traditional pickup truck, for access to the entire rear bed from all three sides. There is also a lockable “treasure chest” compartment underneath with 23 cubic feet of space. It’s easy to see why These Type 2’s were an instant hit when new and highly sought-after classics some 70 years later.