Type 82 (Kubelwagen) questions

[Kubelwagen Chris]

Hey guys, I have tons of questions regarding the Type 82 Kubelwagen. Where is the best place to post them seeing as this is a early beetle forum?

Chris

[EverettB]

This section and this thread is the place.
Go ahead...
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[Kubelwagen Chris]

[Blue Baron]

It will physically fit, but just about everyone here will recoil in horror, and urge you to at least fit a 36hp engine, which is easy to find.
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[splitjunkie]

12 volt flywheel would be too big. You would either have to grind out the bell housing, have the flywheel turned down to install a 6 volt ring gear or I think there were some 6 volt flywheels that would work. I would recommend finding a good 36hp engine. It won't be correct but will bolt right in and will look a lot more like the original engine.
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Chris

You know, a lot of these scratches will buff right out... Jerry Seinfeld

[Kubelwagen Chris]

[Kapt. Q]

Here is a great place for help, it would also be worth registering at:

http://www.vw166.com/forum/index.php

This is a site dedicated to wartime VW's so you will find much good info there after registering (this can take a little while).

The 36hp is a common choice as it can be 'dressed up' to look almost the same as an original and parts are easy to get/find.

Cheers!

[Kubelwagen Chris]

[Blue Baron]

[johnshenry]

[Mike Sal]

While talking about kubelwagens, can anyone point me to good opinions as to what color of canvas I should use to make a new top for my kooble kar reproduction? Seems I've seen several different colors while searching the web, but haven't figured out which would be most appropriate for an early '43 look.
thanks,
mike Sal

[Kapt. Q]

Early 1943 would be grey, they are reproduced in Czech.

Cheers!

[Porsche904]

[Mike Sal]

Thanks for the info. The kooble kar has slight differences which will not allow a standard Kubelwagen top to fit properly, so I am making my own, using the old top as a pattern. I have a commercial sewing machine and have been doing my own automotive upholstery for several years.

I have seen all different colors of tops (green, olive, olive drab, khakie) on different years of real kubels, but was not finding a consistant pattern. My kar is dunklegelb (I think that's the right way to say it), not grey in color.
thanks,
Mike Sal

[Kapt. Q]

On Feb 18th 1943 the Wermacht officially ordered that the basic colour for all vehicles be changed from dunkelgrau to dunkelgelb, however it took a while for industry to gear up for this and existing stocks of parts and paint to be exhausted, so any colour top would probably be considered correct up to late 1943 and perhaps even later. Many parts like torsion bar covers and steering columns can often be seen in grey on yellow vehicles on period pictures.

There is plenty of photographic evidence for grey wheels well into 1944 and perhaps even 1945

Notice the above schwimmwagen also has a dark roof too that is definitely not yellow and the picture is dated sept 1943, the car is obviously still quite new (matching tyres with good tread, no cammo or dents/obvious damage ). Interestingly the brake drums are also still grey and these were painted at the same time as it's drivetrain and suspension so those will also still be grey.

Tops or at least the fabric were probably made by more than one firm for VW so it is likely that there were variations in colour even when new, and perhaps shortages of chemicals/dyes might even have led to more, not to mention the effects of weathering.
There is some evidence for olive drab type colour tops (Had the war continued the Wermacht were actually going to change the basic colour to this, as it made more sense as the main theater of operation was no longer the plains of Russia but Germany itself which was naturally greener).

Here you can see the wide variation:

Personally I wouldn't worry too much as there is no 'absolutely correct'

Cheers!

[DONGKG]

[Mike Sal]

I tried to sign up to the 166vw site over a week ago & my membership is still pending.....who knows.....
Mike S

[Kubelwagen Chris]

[Kubelwagen Chris]

[s.e.charles]

so I don't start a new topic ....

what was the space in front of the cockpit (under the spare tire) used?

was the floor of the cockpit its only access?

could a 5 gallon gas can be fit there on its side - and more importantly, retrieved?

thanks