Historic Vehicles story By Victor Ma T-L

1943 WWII VW82e KdF-Wagen Special cross country staff car/Kommandeurwagen

Model: VW82e KdF type 60 on KubelWagen off road chassis. (Porsche Type 92 )

Body Style: KdF 60 steel enclosed body 1941 ~~~~ 1945 ( 546 Made by VOLKSWAGENS )

Construction: Type 82 Kubelwagen Steel central tubular frame with steel body. (Porsche took this from Hans Ledwinka s Tatra Vehicle.)

Engine: Horizontally opposed HO-4 cylinder  air cool 985cc 23.5hp, as of March 1943 new 1131cc 25hp.rear mounted

Transmission: 4 Speed manual rear wheel drive with ZF LSD & plus hub reduction.

Suspension: 4 wheel independent suspension. Front two transverse swing arms, single shock absorbers. Rear trailing arm, single cam type hydraulic damper, torsion bar all around.

Max speed: 80 Km/h on land.

Weight: 790 kg ( 40 kg more than Type 60 because of rear hub reduction gear and over side 16 inch off road tire and 40L fuel tank )

Brake system: 4 wheel Drum brake, mechanical cable control type

History: Hitler conceived the idea of the Volkswagen in 1934,after he got the power, he design to make a incredible 'modern' peoples auto mobile KdF (strength through joy) wagen for every body in his Country. the car cost no more than 1000 Reichsmarks ( about 85 sterling ) But no car maker like to build a such cheap but reliable and modern car, Nazi build a new Nazi industrial factory at Wolfsburg to build Kdf vehicle. The first model have been sold to Nazi party members, New KdF sedan speed not less than 100 km/h, 7 liters fuel can drive 100km.His party comrade Werlin believed that Dr.Ferdinand Porsche can designthis small modern car, as Porsche had already enlisted to design a small racing car for their Country. Porsche made few prototypes between 1935-37,such as V1,V2,V3 and a 170H made by Mercedes, all use Porsche-designed, rear mount 4 cylinder engine, tubular chassis. Although the had been unequivocally successful,1937 he build a W30 series and tested successfully by the VW Motor Pool ( 120 SS men under leadership of Hauptsturmfuhrer.) Base on the type W30, another new type 60 with three versions, one pieces steel hard top with rear split window Sedan, opening roof (rag top) sedan and convertible Sedan at 1937.At the same time, Porsche build few off road Vehicle Type 62 ( this was the prototype of VW82 cross country vehicle ).Unfortunately, the cross-country performance was not good enough. Prof. Porsche subsequently increased the vehicles ground clearance by the special front stub axle and rear reduction gear for both wheel and a ZF self locking diff with modified gear ratio. this was the type 82 and entered mass production at the Volkswagen factory in Wolfsbury in 1939. the new VW factory was laid on 26 May 1938 near town of Fallersleben The first 500 Type 60 will give the citizen at end of 1938 and many people paying 5 Reichs marks per week, However this was not a payment plan, but a layway plan, Stamps were purchased, and placed in a book. When the book was full, a new "modern" reliable best car could be bought with it. Deposite $67 million dollars in payments from 337,000 people. However, the war broke out in 1939,VW Type 60 turned to the military utility at once. As the VW82 cross country Kubelwagen is very success in army at end of 1939,Porsche make another type 92/82e for test, They believe the KdF type 60 steel hard top body put on the VW82 Kubelwagen off road chassis will give the staff /command car more good protection. The only problem is 2 door, the people at rear is not easy to leave the vehicle quickly. and the weight is 148 kg more than the open Kubel body because of its hard top KdF body. KdF - Wagen was a peoples cars project, from 1938 to 1940,54 sedans and six convertibles will built, from 1942-1944,another 650 sedans and 13 convertible were build, because of fuel and metal shortage. However, the peoples car never made it to the hands of the Germany people, most of them went to agencies of the party or state or to factory staff or display in German. Hitler also got one VW convertible, after the war, it passed to private hands, until 1956 it was bought back by the Volkswagen Works. now it is in the auto museum in wolfsburg. Some KdF test by army weapons office. On the other hand, Dr. Ferdinand Porsche to develop special versions of the KdF car were developed, namely an off road sedan based on the Kubelwagen ( type 82 ) and another four wheel drive model with the technology of the vw 128 schwimmwagen ( type 87 ) The KdF is a very modern all steel body at that time, without traditional wooden body put on the central tube frames, a 4 cylinder air cooled opposed 1L engine at rear with a 4 speed gear box,4 wheel independent suspension, a new 40 liters fuel tank and a 20L fuel can fitted in all KdF off road sedan. for 92 SS model, it have one more 20L fuel can put at front passengers foot space. All off road sedan have covered head lights for war service, and a camouflage light on the left fender. The both 82e and 87 have a very good off road performance, because the light weight, rear mount engine, weight on the top of rear axle, the best off roader use at Desert. The fuel consumption is only 40% of the US jeep. The new 82e and 87 was given special front stubaxles and transmission, a reduction gears on both rear 2 wheel, this increase ground clearance at 80mm than type 60, a self locking differential to help off road performance, both rear wheel got same power. On type 87, a double low gear with 4 wheel drive fitted, and both 2 differential with ZF self locking system., an off road 16 inch wheel fitted on both 82e and 87, 5.25-16 off road tire,6.90-200 desert tire for tropics and 2.00-12 off road tire for VW87. In the summer of 1941, two VW 82e off road sedans KdF have a long trip for test, it start from Berline to Afghanistan through Balkans to Black sea, Istanbul to Trabzon, Iran to Teheran then Afghanistan, after four weeks though the trip was not easy, many small problem, such as dust in engine, high ground temperature make the tire always over pressure at middle East. The 2 VW82e must have arrived in Kabul somewhat the worse for water. Their return trip to Germany was made impossible when Persia, friendly to Germany was occupied by British and Russian trops on August 25,1941.Both 2 off road sedan were apparently destroyed on the spot by their drivers. Most of KdF 82e and 87 off road Sedan were supplied to Rommel's Afrika-korps and special Waffen SS units (92SS model designated for SS Waffen unit with more equipment and a hand operated MP 38-40 gun ) as a 2-3 seat staff car or Commanders car, to give the Commanders and staff have more good protection from cold, sun, rain, wind and dust.also some use as a radio jeep. Most of VW87 got a big folding top. since 1941 until end of the war,546 unit of 82e been made and 562 unit of 87 been made, The VW KdF off road sedan was accorded only a subsidiary role in wartime action, too few of them had been made. On the other hand, The Kubel saw service almost every where, it was the German Jeep. The schwimmwagen primarily use by the reconnaissance units of the Panzer Grenadiers, especially the first units of the Waffen-SS, small attack units or scouting in the countryside. The lightness and great off road capability of the VW. It's air cooling and oil cooler engine was very good at both hot and cold weather, for example, After the cold winter night, a willys MB jeep water cooling motor had to be bought back to life with blow-lamps, hot water or a gasoline fire under the engine block. Often it was sufficient to start. The VW by very simply cranking or pushing it to start. As the VW 82,82e,166,87 is a very simple, to repair just need few small tools was enough, great numbers of VW, spare parts can take from a wrecks VW, like wheel, brake, axles, gear box, suspension, gear box, engine. after the war at 45 British forces use the VW82 parts to made another 669 type 51( former type 92/82e), 520 type 21(former type 82),275 type 83 KdF with box body (mail truck),225 type 28 Kubelwagen with box body (mail truck), 57 type 11 (former type 60KdF sedan),6 type 70 ( former type 166 Schwimmwagen, of spare parts), 3 type 27 ( VW 82 pick up body) In January 1946 , another 55 off road KdF and one 82 been build,2 are the 4 wheel drive model, The last high clearance KdF off road wagen and Kubelwagen chassis was finished January 29.1946.All for test by the British Army and Franch Army. KdF 60 sedan did not become widely available to the civilian public until the 1950s,As the shape like a Bug, people in US call it is a beetle. Today we can see one VW87 chassis with 6.90-200 sand tire at Porsche Museum at Gmund, Carinthia without body. One VW 82,VW 82e and one VW 87 at Volkswagen museum in wolfsburg ( this 87 was one of made at 1946,for test by the British Army, front tube bumper was from another British military vehicle.) two more VW 82 and VW82e at Auto Museum Sinsheim at Germany. only very few war time KdF off road Sedan survive today, Because only handful VW82e and handful VW87 off road KdF been made at war time for Commanders ,staff and radio car, By the end of the war many off road KdF converted to run on woodgas or use bottle of gas, Because of fuel shortage. As it is a command car/staff car, near all of them destroyed by the British and US Soviet air attack in the North Africa, or Eastern front line, and some captured or destroyed by Red Army at Russia. Near the end of the War, almost all German Vehicle and weaponary destroyed by the Allired force. Some left by the roadside as the German troops retreated, many vehicle lack of gasoline, some KdF be the wrecks Kubel and VW166 spare parts, and some use by the opposite forces car. The civilians appropriated them too. Very few off road KdF survive after the war and near all body been shot-up. After the war, they use Type 60 body or use the KdF to make a short chassis, or a Van body or even a pick up body, use every day, until mid of 50s most of them go to junkyard at Europe. As the low leg beetle oval rear screen 30 hp are very success in the market. This is why not many original 82e/87 off road KdF in the collectors hand like VW82 or MB/GPW Jeep. Most of the off road KdF was rebuild in original form the chassis put a body from about 1949 body. Dr. Ferdinand Porsche also use a KdF at war time in his Country. The one we have is a very nice 43 model 25hp 82e off road KdF sedan from Germany with a chassis No 5-xxxxx. it is very good condition, the body from a 49-50 KdF, the only problem is the axle, But we have another very original 82e chassis with all original axle, We will put the original axle to this historic vehicle at end of this year. This car got some history, it Was Built on June 9th 1943 Was Delivered June 18 1943 to Heereszeugamt (Translation: office of Army things) in Kassel Germany . we believe only the Per war KdF ( today every body call beetle ) still can use at today's traffic condition. (more than 20 million model of the Volkswagen Beetle had been built until today.( non off road sedan )They were to take the automotive world by storm, Mexico VW branch factory in Puebla stop to build the air cooled Beetle just for few years. simple, reliable use less fuel is the best. It was a very important car in the automobile history. If you have some war time KdFVW82e,VW82,VW166,VW87 Kfz B20/325/R180/R200 original parts or accessories, or even some war time pictures, Please e mail us at wwiivehicle@yahoo.com  we will pay cash to buy them. We have a1937Kfz B20, 1942 VW 166 Schwimmwagen prototype and a 1943 VW 82 Kubelwagen too. If you got war time VW, you need some nice reproduction parts, such as alloy made fuel tank head lamp cover, 25 hp fuel pump parts, etc, just let us know. We will try our best to help you. Some nice repro war time parts you can see at our tank model website http://www.tankmodel.com

a 1938 Kdf type 60 saden.