Would you drive your rare and collectible VW through axle deep mud, up crazy inclines at ridiculous angles and along boulder strewn, teeth rattling bush tracks ? Thought not, but then this ain’t no ordinary Volkswagon collectors piece.
Story & Pix:- RICK McDOWELL
This article copyright to Rick McDowell, Australia.
Rick McDowell, PO Box 1537, Wangara, Western Australia 6947
Expressions of interest from Overseas publishers most welcome. Quality 35mm transparancies to support article available immediately.
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What you’re looking at here is Australia’s one and only VW syncro dual-cab Transporter with 16" wheels and double-diff-locks. A bit of a mouthful true, but it’s important that we get the explanations correct right from the start. You see, Volkswagen’s syncro 4WD system is nothing special Down Under and it ’s fitted to quite a few vehicles, including transporters (see side story).
The usual wheel size with Transporters though is 14" and single-cab configuration with a single diff-lock down the back is more normal too. So, finding a dual-cab Transporter with two diff locks riding on 16" wheels is a rare find indeed. But whatever you do, don’t go telling Hans that all he has is a tricked up Kombi. This machine sure ain’t no custom butchers special and was manufactured under contract for Volkswagen by Austrian specialists, Steyer Daimler-Puch (see side story).
The vehicle came to Australia in the early 90s for the Wynns Around Australia Trial and won its class based on engine capacity (2.1 litre). The passage of time has seen the unique VW sold to various owners, although how Hans acquired it is an interesting story in itself. A ceramic tiler by trade, Hans has owned about six VWs over the years, all of them Combis, although there have been a couple of dual-cabs and one or two other projects. "I was in the process of re-building a dual-cab Toyota would you believe, but I was never really happy with it," recalled Hans. "Then my best mate John came back from Queensland with some pictures of this dual-cab, double-diff-lock syncro VW and I fell in love.
So, I rang up the missus and asked her if I could buy it and she said yes - I think because she was having such a good time in Bali when I rang ...." Volkswagen’s ultimate 4WD machine was in reasonable condition when it arrived in Perth, yet a vehicle such as this still needs repaired and serviced like any other. Peter Arnoldi is the individual responsible or keeping Hans’ VW in perfect working order and there’s probably no-one better qualified to do the work in Perth.
A motor mechanic by trade specialising in VWs, Peter works out of the same shop on the same premises that his father Heinz founded back in the 1950s. To say that the guy is a Volkswagen connoisseur is an understatement and he’s even done some of his own research on Hans’ double-diff-lock syncro. "I was at Wolfsberg in Germany for a training course back in 1985 and they told me then that double-diff-locks were only fitted to military vehicles", explained Peter. "This particular one that Hans owns came into Australia along with a 16" wheeled Combi camper to do the Wynns Around Australia Trial back in 1992. I think the Combi was just a support vehicle for the trial, but it’s now owned by a Baptist missionary up at Oenpelli in the Northern Territoy – I should know because his engine is sitting in my workshop !! I’ve got a feeling too, that Hans’ dual-cab is the actual one they used on a poster where it was jumped off a sand dune on Fraser Island."
Interestingly, the dual-cab featured here and the associated Combi utilise the same 2.1 litre liquid-cooled powerplant. It’s the same engine as found in MV engine numbered Transporters from 1987 through to 1992. Peter admits that these motors do require good maintenance and he has already replaced the heads and head studs on Hans’ engine due to corrosion. Although the original pistons, rods and crank are still on board, Peter has replaced the camshaft (stock specification) and various items in the valve train. A new clutch has also been added, while the gearbox was fully re-built by Regents in Osborne Park. Everything else in the engine and transmission departments has proved ultra reliable, including the stock exhaust system and Bosch ‘Dijifant’ EFI package.
As an enthusiastic member of the Wanneroo Wanderers 4WD club in
Perth, Hans takes his rare VW on regular excursions and expeditions. Not surprisingly, the
vehicle carries quite a few modifications, although there’s a number of interesting
features that are standard. There is, for example, provision for dual shocks on all four
corners, yet Hans is happy enough with single shocks and has recently replaced the
originals with Bilsteins. While we’re discussing the underside of the vehicle,
it’s worth noting the huge skid plates which run all the way from front to back.
There are no linkages or suspension components to snag on obstacles and if the rear wheels
are driving, this Syncro could literally ‘skate’ forwards if the front wheels
left the ground. Also of interest is a wiring loom under the back seat to accommodate
three batteries in addition to that found under the front driver’s seat. As a serious
4WDer, Hans has always used the extra battery capability for such things as air
compressors and the ‘obligatory’ Engel fridge. In fact, Hans says that he owns
about three Engels and which one he uses depends on the length of the trip !
There’s plenty of space out the back and underneath the dual-cab, so much so in fact, that a 50 litre water tank is a standard feature too. On the inside and much of the dual-cab’s interior has been customised, with the rear door trims and their additional pocket spaces a prime example. In-between the front seats resides a home-made centre console, again with storage space in mind, although it was originally designed to carry a small TV and a video recorder for the kids. Further in-flight entertainment is provided by a mild sound system.
When all is said and done however, the great thing is that this rare VW is regularly used in the sorts of conditions for which it was intended. The looks on the faces of other 4WD enthusiasts when they see what they falsely believe to be a Combi climbing a near vertical incline with six foot deep ruts and knee deep mud .........
Oh Vott a feeling indeed !! VOTT’S A SYNCRO MEIN HEIR ?
To understand how Volkswagen’s syncro AWD system came into being requires some knowledge of the relationship between the various auto makers and specialists in Europe. Nonetheless, it was in the late 1970s that engineers from Volkswagen and it’ s siblings Audi and Porsche, got together to see if they could invent the World’s greatest All Wheel Drive system.
When the boffins had finished, they decided that Volkswagens fitted with the new system would be called ‘Syncros’, while Audi would use the ‘Quattro’ tag. Porsche used the system in their 959, but didn’t really have a catch phrase. The number of Volkswagens fitted with the Syncro system over the years is vast and includes everything from the Passat, the Golf to all sorts of full or semi 4WD vans, Combis and transporters.
Transporters with the system are actually quite rare and as discussed in the main story, double-diff-lock, 16" wheel syncros are few and far between. Over the years there have actually been several versions of VW’s Syncro system, the more latter - and as fitted to the dual-cab featured here - known as Vanagon.
Names aside, the system sees the rear wheels driven all the time, while the front wheels are normally free. When wheel spin occurs however, a viscous coupler transfers power to the normally free wheels for extra traction. The viscous coupler is a case full of parallel plates and a silicon gel. When the plates start to turn at high speed (wheel spin), the gel turns into a solid, locking the plates and transferring power through to the wheels that are normally free.
The system is quite efficient, but is really more practical for road cars as things can become complicated if a wheel leaves the ground. For serious 4WDing therefore, the addition of at least one diff’ lock is preferred to back up the Syncro system, but of course, the dual-cab transporter featured here is equipped with two diff’ locks. Make no mistake about it, this dual-cab, double-diff-lock syncro is virtually unstoppable !
Most of Volkswagen’s syncro equipped vehicles were (and are) built by Austrian 4X4 specialists, Steyer Daimler-Puch. Steyer have been operating since the late 1950s and are well known for their small Haflinger vehicle. If you’re still none the wiser, then consider that Steyer made the G-wagon for Mercedes Benz, the Fiat Panda’s 4WD transmission, assemble the Jeep Grand Cherokee and are involved with Range Rover’s Freelander. (c) Rick McDowell 1999
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