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Mon Nov 12, 2012 7:04 am

Was just wonder what other names Type 181's were know by around the world. I know the names The Thing, Safari, and Kubelwagen but there are surely others.

Mon Nov 12, 2012 7:15 am

Trekker in the UK
" What the hell is that?" in the Southern USA

Mon Nov 12, 2012 9:08 am

Deckard wrote: " What the hell is that?" in the Southern USA

:lol: :lol:

Mon Nov 12, 2012 9:55 am

Pescaccia in Italy
Camat in Indonesia

Mon Nov 12, 2012 9:59 am

Don't believe "Kubelwagen" was ever an official name for the 181 but rather an unofficial nickname that carried over from it's ancestor the 82.

Not sure whether Kurierwagen was an official VW name either.

Technically the Trekker was a 182 but let's not split hairs.

I believe it was marketed as the "La Pescaccia". Not sure if that was an official VW name.

Safari was of course the Mexican moniker. Not sure whether that carried over further south into South America.

I believe it may have had a different name in Indonesia and the far east.

Mon Nov 12, 2012 10:13 am

Semper_Dad wrote: Don't believe "Kubelwagen" was ever an official name for the 181 but rather an unofficial nickname that carried over from it's ancestor the 82.

Not sure whether Kurierwagen was an official VW name either.

In Germany (and most european countries) the car was nameless and advertised as an "VW 181". The German army used "Kurierwagen" (=liaison vehicle) instead of the official name "VW 181". The name Kubelwagen came later and was used by the german people, but was never an official name for the VW 181.

Mon Nov 12, 2012 10:24 am

Doc*181 wrote: Pescaccia in Italy
Camat in Indonesia

I believe Pescaccia translates to "Fisher" as in Fisherman

Any idea what Camat translates to? Is that some sort of a critter?

Mon Nov 12, 2012 10:33 am

Semper_Dad wrote: Doc*181 wrote: Pescaccia in Italy
Camat in Indonesia

I believe Pescaccia translates to "Fisher" as in Fisherman

Any idea what Camat translates to? Is that some sort of a critter?

A quick internet search shows that Camat is some form of government official. Maybe a T-181 was the car you got when you reached that height in the government?

Mon Nov 12, 2012 10:51 am

Semper_Dad wrote: Doc*181 wrote: Pescaccia in Italy
Camat in Indonesia

I believe Pescaccia translates to "Fisher" as in Fisherman

Any idea what Camat translates to? Is that some sort of a critter?

The origin of Pescaccia has something to do with the italian words for hunting and fishing. In an early sales brochure (1970), the italian text did not mention "pescaccia" but only the type name (VW 181), so pescaccia came a bit later.

The meaning of Camat, if I recall well it has something to do with Indonesian authorities. A camat was a person who worked for the Indonesian state. Camat is a name given by the idonesian people. Officialy, the VW182(!) in Indonesia were sold as "Safari" (I just found an old indonesian pricelist in my archives to confirm this).

Mon Nov 12, 2012 5:02 pm

Semper_Dad wrote: Don't believe "Kubelwagen" was ever an official name for the 181 but rather an unofficial nickname that carried over from it's ancestor the 82.

Not sure whether Kurierwagen was an official VW name either.

Technically the Trekker was a 182 but let's not split hairs.

I believe it was marketed as the "La Pescaccia". Not sure if that was an official VW name.

Safari was of course the Mexican moniker. Not sure whether that carried over further south into South America.

I believe it may have had a different name in Indonesia and the far east.

In Mexico it was called 'Safari' and it was intended to be used everywhere because the word is the same in different languages, but Pontiac had a station-wagon in the mid 1950's named 'Safari', so Volkswagen was unable to use that name in the US market. So the decision was made to label the vehicle, 'The Thing'.

Here is a add from a Mexican magazine. It reads something like this: "VW Safari.
The Serious one more fun"
At the bottom it says: " Few things in life work as well as a Volkswagen"

A District (Indonesian: Kecamatan) is an area within a regency or city. The head of a District is known as a "Camat"'. Camats are civil servants, responsible to the regent (for regency) or to the mayor (for city). The 182 was the official car for these people.

Tue Nov 13, 2012 3:45 am

In Germany they use a lot the word Kübel
In France : kubel .... :wink:

Tue Nov 13, 2012 9:11 am

Funny that the Italian slogan translates as "it's a sure THING"

Tue Nov 13, 2012 9:43 am

So the North American Things were the only ones sold with the elephant foot tail-lights?

VW has some strange ideas, the 98 NewBeetle could not be sold in Germany because the side marker lights weren't added until 99.
And the MK4 Jetta wagons (built in Germany) came to the US with all red tail lenses, and the MK4 Jetta sedans (built in Mexico) used amber or clear rear turn signal lenses. ???

Tue Nov 13, 2012 10:57 am

77kafer wrote: VW has some strange ideas,

Don't think VW has anything to do with it but rather each and every country's DOT requirements. I think VW would be happy having a single design.

Tue Nov 13, 2012 12:30 pm

jjrannauro wrote: Semper_Dad wrote: Don't believe "Kubelwagen" was ever an official name for the 181 but rather an unofficial nickname that carried over from it's ancestor the 82.

Not sure whether Kurierwagen was an official VW name either.

Technically the Trekker was a 182 but let's not split hairs.

I believe it was marketed as the "La Pescaccia". Not sure if that was an official VW name.

Safari was of course the Mexican moniker. Not sure whether that carried over further south into South America.

I believe it may have had a different name in Indonesia and the far east.

In Mexico it was called 'Safari' and the name was intended to be used everywhere because the word is the same in different languages, but Pontiac had a station-wagon in the mid 1950's named 'Safari', so Volkswagen was unable to use that name in the US market. So the decision was made to label the vehicle, 'The Thing'.

Here is an add from a Mexican magazine. It reads something like this: "VW Safari.
The Serious one more fun"
At the bottom it says: " Few things in life work as well as a Volkswagen"

A District (Indonesian: Kecamatan) is an area within a regency or city. The head of a District is known as a "Camat"'. Camats are civil servants, responsible to the regent (for regency) or to the mayor (for city). The 182 was the official car for these people.

Tue Nov 13, 2012 3:04 pm

A better translation of the Mexican ad is
"The fun side of serious".

Tue Nov 13, 2012 11:21 pm

Deckard wrote: A better translation of the Mexican ad is
"The fun side of serious".
"El lado divertido de lo serio", indeed is a good headline, and I know what you mean.

The add means (at least in Spanish) that the man in the picture and the Thing are serious, and they are more fun than everybody or everything. Greetings.

Wed Nov 14, 2012 3:44 pm

Deckard wrote: A better translation of the Mexican ad is
"The fun side of serious".

so basically they're saying that the 181 is to cars what the Mullet is to hair style? i'm not sure how I feel about that.
:?

(hi, I'm looking to buy a Thing and been lurking here)

Wed Nov 14, 2012 7:48 pm

Sorry, but the mullet car is an El.Camino: business in the front, party in back!

Wed Nov 14, 2012 10:03 pm

jjrannauro wrote: Deckard wrote: A better translation of the Mexican ad is
"The fun side of serious".
"El lado divertido de lo serio", indeed is a good headline, and I know what you mean.

The add means (at least in Spanish) that the man in the picture and the Thing are serious, and they are more fun than everybody or everything. Greetings.

Interesting seeing a Mexican add for a T-181. When I first saw 181's in Mexico in the early '70s they were serious cars, meant to be driven hard and put away wet. Never really thought of anyone buying one just to have fun. Get supplies across las lomas to build a new fence, yes; to take the kids out to the swimming hole, no.