In these times, when giant pickupasaurs roam the land, it’s easy to forget that the once upon a time, folks’ had rather more modest expectations of the genre. They even built their own, out of an old VW Beetle. Although VWs made great donors for almost every other type of vehicle, a pickup was not one of them, as the Type 1’s tall engine fan intrudes considerably. But who cared at the time?
Butchering up VWs was once a national sport. The sheer numbers of older VWs readily available made it irresistible to make them look different than the millions of other ones out there. Whatever it takes. And in this case, it doesn’t take much.
The bed is obviously pretty primitive.
Lumber; and the cab partition looks to be plywood too. The loss of bed space to the engine is in display here. But there’s still room to haul a few things, so not all is lost.
The engine looks to be pretty stock. It sure makes it easy to work on. Valve adjustments are a breeze here.
The interior has been stripped down some too, with racing-type buckets, and a mini-steering wheel.
The front end sports a Baja kit. The question is: was this a Baja Bug later converted into a pickup, or did someone have just half a Baja Kit laying around?
We have one locally that’s quite a bit better done. Unfortunately the only snapshot I was able to get has the passenger side occupied, and I’m not sure that passes muster round here without their consent.
Blur it or put a smiley face over it in photoshop maybe?
Saw this several years ago, appears to still have the engine in the rear.
That engine compartment looks bigger than it needs to be. I put several miles on one of these and memory tells me that the bed was a little higher and no separate dog house. Probably did something different with the air filter. Handy as a small flatbed and quick with just so horses. Btw there was a back window kit available and iirc a couple “bolt on” beds.
I’m usually not much of a VW fan, but something about the rough hewn appearance of this ‘truck’ is just so right!
I love it.
If you wanted to make a more practical version, perhaps stick the pick-up bed on the front and keep four seats? Might need power steering if well laden though.
Like this:
Wow, that’s wild! Obviously (now that I’ve seen it) the only way to do a rear-engined pickup. Brilliant Photoshop.
Now the trash in the bed can fly out and hit _your_ windshield instead of the guy behind you!
Yes, they would need a tonneau cover as standard! (or very tough wipers…)
Wouldn’t it have been a lot easier and more effective to just pull a small trailer? Mankind’s desire for a successful rear-engined pickup truck seems to be with us always, but never fulfilled.
The Subaru Sambar was rear engined and the later ones managed to have a low deck.
Type 3 with it’s low “suitcase” engine made a better platform for a pickup.
http://www.oldbug.com/dabney03.jpg
Or without the extended cab.
http://cookdrivesmash.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/IMG_1387.jpg
That’s a great find, the one with quarter window actually looks better, the lines suit a “Coupe Utility” style cab, like the Volvo 240 conversions that use the rear window and quarter windows from a 4 door.
The execution may appear crude, but the ‘designer’ of this Bug pickup has a good eye for proportion and style. The wide track, oversized wheels/tires and flared fenders give it a very marketable hybrid look… if refined. Like a Gator morphed with a Bug. Larger flared pipes pointing upward would be a nice touch.
GatorBug
I have seen 2 or 3 of these done as flat bed trucks, with a fairly large (for a beetle) rear “tray”.
I’ve also seen a kit that turns a beetle into a panel van, which would seem to be a slightly better solution than this “cluttered” box.
Here’s how they did it at the VW factory
And another:
I can’t recall when or where I’ve seen them, but weren’t there aftermarket kits designed to do that to a VW?
I always liked this one for classy but not a pickup.
http://www.stevproj.com/VWWdyPg1.html
Domus was the company I remember.
https://books.google.com/books?id=RwEAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA84&lpg=PA84&dq=domus+vw+pickup+kit&source=bl&ots=aJQ459Cq91&sig=pCVZaJEafcednIE4oXNirRTSh1M&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjiwOrViLbUAhUE5GMKHSp6CZQQ6AEIQDAG#v=onepage&q=domus%20vw%20pickup%20kit&f=true