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Thu Jan 05, 2012 11:00 am

Hi I have searched and havent found the answer so here goes:
I would like to know what is the definition of a coach built vehicle?
If I read between the lines it would be a car built by an independent body builder using a base from a recognised manufacturer.
My Puma fits this description but is in the Kit car section of the Samba so it probably means that I am wrong. First I thought maybe it has to do with the method of manufacture ie steel or aluminium but then I see fiberglass cars such as the Zelensis or the Enzmann 506 and I am not so sure.
If there is any clarity I would really like to know

Thu Jan 05, 2012 11:06 am

From the Samba dictionary:
Coach-built
Vehicle construction method employed by small volume manufacturers usually creating sporting or cabriolet versions of standard models. Due to the small scale nature of the work, the bodywork was usually hand formed over wooden bucks or with an English Wheel and then welding the small sections together and lead loading and grinding smooth the joins. The term "coach-builder" refers to the days when you would take your bespoke carriage chassis (and later automobile chassis) to a coach-builder to have your own special bodywork constructed. The most famous coach-builders involved with Volkswagen include Hebmuller, Karmann, Drews, Dannenhauer & Staus, Binz, Denzel, and Rometsch.

Thu Jan 05, 2012 12:44 pm

This topic always give a lot of discussion. I just wrote an whole article about coachbuild VW's and also descriped when a car is considered to be a coachbuild or when it is a convertion, kit car or hot rod. The article is in Dutch.

This website give a very nice explanetion about coachbuild:
http://www.coachbuild.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=83&Itemid=1

I don't consider the VW puma as a coachbuild VW, as the puma was also offered as a kit. Besides that, it is offered as a VW and not produced in limited serie. That why I also don't include the Hebmuller and the Karmann Ghia as coachbuild VW's, even as they were build bt coachbuilders.

Regards
Patrick

Fri Jan 06, 2012 2:33 am

I don't consider the VW puma as a coachbuild VW, as the puma was also offered as a kit. Besides that, it is offered as a VW and not produced in limited serie.

I am somewhat an expert on the Puma and feels it neccesary to make a few corrections to the above statement.
The Pume was only sold as a kit in the us and canada as a means of bypassing certain laws regarding new cars. The factory removed the side mirror, battery, front and rear suspensions added a laminated windscreen before crating the parts. this was just enough to circumvent the law. the fact that the car was now a kit was used by the importers an resellers as a selling point.

The puma was Built in Brazil by Puma veiculos SA which did not belong to VW and in fact VW built the SP2 as direct competition to the Puma The small Puma factory had a good relationship vith VW and could buy parts off the shelf. Part of the agreement between VW and Puma was that all visible VW signage be removed from VW parts as can bee seen when looking at original tail lights and door latches each vw roundel was removed.

VW Brazil had a service agreement and allowed cars to be sold by their dealerships (very similar to the agreement with Porsche and Hebmueler)

I South Africa however there was no such agreement and Bromer Motor assemblies was forced to buy brand new beetles take off the bodies and build Pumas of which approximately 275 cars was produced in South Africa.
In South Africa one body was sold to an individual wanting to improve on the design (almost a kit) this car has never been on the road and remains a dream so I can stay by my assertion that The Puma has never been a kit car.

On a different note: all Australian, some South African, and all Irish beetles can be considered as kit cars as they were built from CKD kits and assembled by private importers

Regards
Armand Botha

Ek sal graag die nederlandse rapport wil lees siende dat my huistaal Afrikaans is en ek nederlands 'n bietjie verstaan.