How many RHD zwitters are out there in OZ? Has anyone got one and can you put some pictures of it up?

Thanks Guys

i know of an IDIOT that converted a zwitters to a split dash for some strange reason

i think I'm being left behind, saw the Zwitter thing and thought it was some new face book thingie or somthn.

Yes, it's another stupid name for a VW model given to us by the UK VW magazines - along with 'bay window', 'razor', 'T25', 'IRS' (for double-joint rear) and 'wedge', among others.

As far as I can tell, 'zwitter' is a German word that means 'hybrid'. In other words, for a Spilt-window Beetle with an Oval-window dashboard. These were only made for a few months, from late 1952 to the early months of 1953. The Germans themselves don't use the 'zwitter' term - it's a UK bastardization. The Germans call them 'brezelfensters.'

They were never sold in Australia, as Volkswagens weren't imported here until late 1953 and were officially launched at Easter 1954. Any oval-dash splits you see are private imports.

Phil what would you rather call them? why do you think the names given are "stupid"? seems a strange comment.
at least everyone knows what they are talking about.

It seems alittle stupid to me to place a personal judgement on what has become a worldwide known and well accepted term.

Do I really have to explain this?

Someone in the UK decides to come up with a kewl, 'in' name for the unusual and collectable oval-dashed split. OK, it's like a hybrid, innit? Whassa German word for hybrid? Zwitter. Awesome!

I imagine when the UK magazines first started using the term in the 1990s, eveyone thought "what the hell is a zwitter"? I would think that most of them still do today. Of course peer pressure is a powerful force and the readers had to start playing along - they wouldn't want people to think them ignorant, or somehow 'out of the loop'. So now everyone thinks that it's a 'worldwide well-accepted' term. Sorry, I don't agree with that. It's not a term that Volkswagen ever used, for starters. I have run VW trivia quizzes at our club meetings for more than ten years, and I have a pretty good idea of what the average VW fan knows and doesn't know. 'Zwitter' might be an 'in' term in certain circles but it's not well known generally.

Here's a test - go for a wander through the crowd at the next VW show and casually ask strangers "do you know what a zwitter is?" see how many positive resonses you get. Do the experiment. Surely calling them 'oval-dash splits' makes a lot more sense, and describes them perfectly.

We are all entitled to our opinions, and to express them, and you are of course equally entitled to disagree with me. This whole forum is about making personal judgements and that's not going to change.

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Originally posted by donn i think I'm being left behind, saw the Zwitter thing and thought it was some new face book thingie or somthn.

So in your opinion does that mean the "Thing" is not a recgonised term ?

Phil, what evidence do you have its an english name and not American? i first heard of zwitters on american forums.
also do you call a vw bug a Kafer?
i'll be working on my T25 dash-T3 windowed panel van if you need me!

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Originally posted by Smiley Quote: Originally posted by Phil74Camper Here's a test - go for a wander through the crowd at the next VW show and casually ask strangers "do you know what a zwitter is?" see how many positive resonses you get. Do the experiment. This seems to be a bit of a biased experiment. Given that none of them were sold in Australia. I knew of the term but I had no idea what it was except for being an early 50's model car. I do agree that some of the terms that people use are downright confusing like calling a Type 3 a T3. One that I'm a bit half and half about is the 'IRS'. It is an incredibly widely excepted term and pretty well everyone knows what you're talking about, unless they're not into dubs. You try explaining to the boys at work that you're trying to convert your swingaxle Baja, which is obviously independent suspension to IRS. It gets confusing, I normally just end up telling them it's going to be better IRS. Smiley

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Originally posted by donn i think I'm being left behind, saw the Zwitter thing and thought it was some new face book thingie or somthn.

All T2's are Type 2's, but not all Type 2's are T2's

Looks like we're making some progress here! It's nice to be able to point out that, sometimes, the emperor has no clothes.

True Smiley, yes they were never sold here and the term wasn't even used until the 1990s. The term has just crept into usage through osmosis...

Jon, I tried to do a bit of research on the derivation of the term and came across a similar thread on Samba. Several correspondents refer to it first appearing in the UK, although some thought it first appeared in the 1960s. I doubt that - I have a collection of Safer Motoring / VW Motoring magaizines going back to the '60s and there's no mention of zwitter in those. Anyway the link I found is http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/archive/index.php/o-t--t-45555--.html  Of course if someone else can find evidence it appeared first in the USA, that would be great.

Meanwhile I'll put the T25/T3 in the same basket as the T3/Type 3. Quite right, 'T' stands for Transporter. The '79 to '92 Transporter was the T3 (third generation). For some reason the Brits call it the 'T25' - they actually mean TYPE 25, and that only refers to the van anyway. The Pickups are not Type 25s.

Sure, 'Thing' is a proper term, it's the name the Type 181 was officially sold under in the US market. The equivalent UK market name is the Trekker. It was never sold here, so take your pick. I'm sure most people jsut call 'em 181s, even though technically only the LHD models were Type 181. The RHD ones were Type 182.

I suppose we should refer to Beetles sold on the German market as Kafers - although they weren't officially sold under that name until late in the model life. In Australia the Beetle was sold as the 'Volkswagen 1200', 'Volkswagen 1300' and 'Volkswagen 1500'. Only the 1976 1600 model was officially sold as the 'Beetle'.

Here is the cover of a 181 brochure.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/lit/73thing/page0001.jpg 

The 356 crankcase is made up of two halves - as per VW - and a third piece at the pulley end.

This bit is known universally as " The Third Piece ".

So back to the original question how many are out there does anyone have any picture of ones in aus they can put up?

Thanks Guys