The 1935-1936 V-series prototypes

[Undis]

What follows is the result of work that me and Patrick (who goes by IIIA 0426 on here) have done over the last two years. We’ve had long discussions on the mystery of the very early prototypes from 1935 and 1936. We feel that we have been able to figure out a great deal of it.

I would like to get a bit of conversation started on this topic. Mind you this is still work in progress so any input is welcome. Most VW history books just glaze over this period giving very basic information. The only book where this period is discussed in any detail is Birth Of the Beetle by Chris Barber. This book also is a major source of this investigation as it is the next best thing besides reading the original archive documents. Barber quotes numerous documents sometimes verbatim therefore I feel the information presented there is highly reliable. My apologies to those who do not posses his book as I’ll be making references to specific pages but hopefully I’ll be able to place important quotes here so that everyone can follow.

While researching the subject for my Facebook page “Volkswagen Prototypes” I’ve read every piece of information I was able to get my hands on. In the process I’ve come across a discrepancy which I initially dismissed but now for some time I’ve been convinced that something just doesn’t add up.

In Barber's book and a few other history books the general consensus is that in 1935 there were two cars built: a hardtop sedan and a convertible. The cars are usually referred to as the V1 and the V2 respectively. A further 3 cars were built in 1936 referred to as the V3 series. I think this is not entirely accurate.

In short I’d like to propose the following theory:

1. In 1935 there were four car bodies built.
a. Wood and steel mixed construction body 1.
b. Wood and steel mixed construction body 2.
c. All steel construction body 3.
d. All steel construction body 4. convertible.

2. there were no new bodies constructed in 1936, instead the bodies 1 to 3 were re-used to make the V3 series, except in late 1936 body “zero” was produced for the next W30 series but that is not part of this discussion.
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[Undis]

According to Chris Barber there was initially a contract dated 22th June 1934 between the Porsche company and the RDA for ONE prototype to be built. The RDA stands for Reichsverband der Automobilindustrie (State Automotive Industry Association). The RDA was the organisation that was initially charged with financing and producing the new Volkswagen.

Porsche re-negotiated the contract on 7th December 1934 for THREE cars to be built. Apparently as a result of ongoing engine dilemmas and wanting to buy more time and to have more test-beds for the engines at his use Porsche thought this would be a better approach. The whole project had been running late and the RDA was gradually increasing its pressure on the Porsche company.

As a result of this increasing pressure Karl Rabe from the Porsche company prepared a progress report dated 1st June 1935 to be presented to the RDA. In the report he included two lists; one for detailing the progress of the chassis, engines and other components and one for the bodywork. This particular bodywork list is where it gets interesting (page 35 of Barber’s book).

1. Body No.1: steel and wood mixed construction. Finished except for floor and upholstery.
2. Body No.2: same construction as 1; same stage but without paint.
3. Body No.3: all steel. Detailed technical drawings in preparation as is a 1:5 scale design model.
4. Convertible: considerations and design studies have began.

This particular piece of information set me off thinking that something may not be quite right with the whole early timeline and the actual number of cars produced during 1935. The Rabe list clearly states there were 4 cars envisioned in 1935 with two mixed construction bodies practically finished by June 1935.

I started discussing this with Patrick who’s been posting some interesting information on my FB page and in TheSamba.com. We compared our ideas as he also had done sizeable research on the subject. We discovered we had several opinions in common and some differences but most importantly we came up with a very likely scenario that is logical and supported by documentation and photos. Theories posted here are a result of research that I and Patrick have independently and in cooperation done on this subject.
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[Undis]

To understand why the Rabe report includes 4 cars it is important to revisit the contract between the Porsche company and the RDA. Patrick informed me that the original 22th June 1934 contract included a clause negotiated by Porsche. This is very important but for some reason was not recorded in Barber’s book. The clause taken from an archive copy of the contract goes as this:

[Undis]

So is there more evidence that three (plus one) cars were produced in 1935?
Barber states that the first of the cars (body 1) was finished (yet undrivable) on 3rd July 1935 when it was demonstrated to the members of the RDA at the Porsche Villa (page 39). The second body (body 2) was expected to arrive from the Daimler Benz factory in Sindelfingen at the end of September (page 40). This is interesting as on 1st June it was reported as already finished but not painted so why such a long delay? A third body in all-steel construction (body 3) expected in another month making its completion sometime in October 1935. During November 1935 the first photo of the cabriolet (body 4) version was taken at the Tubingen Market square, this means that the later two cars – the all-steel (body 3) and the cabriolet (body 4) were finished very close to each other possibly October/November 1935, likely built side by side.

What was the very first car that was finished (not yet drivable at the time) and shown on 3rd July 1935 to the RDA at the Porsche Villa?
Barber states it was the car with the small engine cover featuring five narrow cooling slots (photos on page 41). Barber and others refer to this car as the V1. I believe this is not correct. To understand this it is important to look at the styling cues and other evidence.

During February 1935 body design 3 (sketch 996) was produced showing the body style that was later used as base for the first prototypes. It shows a fastback styled body with large front and rear lids. Although it includes a proper rear window not used on actual cars, the sketch looks remarkably familiar. At the same time body design 4 (sketch 997) a notch-back sedan and body design 5 (sketch 998) convertible are produced, both also with large front lids. Shortly after, two scale models were made and photographed at the Porsche Villa (pages 35-37). Although Barber does not mention exactly when these photos were made there exist more photos from the same time and some of them show the remains of snow on the ground. This provides some proof that the scale models were made right after the body sketches sometime in March or April 1935. Afterwards two steel and wood mixed construction bodies were quickly made by the Daimler Benz factory at Sindelfingen, finished in June 1935. Those two body designs are closely based on the two scale models featuring large lids front and back with the main differences being the shape and number of air slots on the rear lid.
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[Undis]

The sketch that started it all. Although there were several previous body designs this one can be regarded as the direct predecessor to the first actual cars. Sketch 996 was done in mid-February 1935 and was the third body design of the Volkswagen project. With the exception of a few different body lines and the presence of a rear window this design is almost a dead ringer to the first series cars.

Sketches 997 and 998, fourth and fifth body designs were done at the same time showing a variation of the previous sketch but in a notch-back configuration. The convertible body design was used with some detail changes for the actual Porsche company financed full sized car.

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[Undis]

Very soon 2 scale models were produced. The models were closely based on the earlier sketches with some details that would later be seen on the full sized cars. The models featured numerous detail differences between them with model A having somewhat less detail than model B. Several photos were made in the garden of the Porsche villa the intention of providing a visual preview of the full size cars to be made soon.

Model A had a little less detail including the absence of a middle ridge on the front hood.

Model B was more detailed. Both had bumpers that did not appear on actual cars until 1938.

Note the remains of snow on the ground and barren trees in the background indicating this is early in the year.

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[Undis]

This photo may be the earliest known showing the construction of the first series of prototypes. It is from early 1935 taken inside the Porsche villa garage where the first series cars were assembled. The early version of the chassis is on the trestle. Notice that openings for the hand brake and the shifter have not yet been cut into the chassis tunnel indicating this may still be the way it was delivered from Allgaier. On the bench behind the chassis the two cylinder, four piston A-engine is being assembled. I wonder of this particular photo is from before the first series body was delivered to Porsche? The car to the left is the Porsche Type 32.

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[Undis]

Do we have any photographic proof of the first car finished and shown on 3rd July 1935?

I believe this car has been hiding in plain sight. Its photo is seen on page 71 in Barber's book. There were other photos made of this car at the same time and location. The photos are quite formal with the car looking shiny and new as you would expect the first Volkswagen to be. This car can be called body number 1 and has been generally referred to be the 1936 V3/2 which strictly speaking is not wrong but I’ll explain that later. Something that stands out in these photos are the large 17 inch wheel rims with hubcaps that were not used in the later V3 series. The tyres are distinctive Continental Ballon 4.50-17. This is a strong indication that this body is sitting on the very early type chassis. The deciding photo is on page 51 of Barber's book. It shows the interior of car with seats unlike any of the later ones and a bulge under the carpets suggesting there is a cross member under there. This was not present on later type chassis. Barber correctly identifies the first chassis style and that this is the first body but examining the details it is clear this is not the same car that is generally referred to as the V1. It is in fact the same car as seen on page 71. It is not clear however if these photos were taken during the 3rd July 1935 showing to the RDA or another time or even during meeting of 31st October and 1st November 1935 with the RDA members being able to ride in a fully functional first car fitted with the D-motor (flat twin) (page 46). One thing I’d like to propose is that it is probable the car seen by the RDA in October/November may have been already the all steel body because the expected October delivery date of the new all steel body coincides with the date of that meeting. I have no proof of this but it would be logical that the RDA were to be presented with the improved second version of the Volkswagen also featuring the more modern flat twin engine but this is open to discussion. I just want to add that body 1 (already on a later chassis) was involved in a serious accident early in 1936. There is a photo of the damaged car on page 80 of Barber's book. The body was rebuilt but the work caused a lengthy delay, in fact it was still not finished by 5th October 1936 in time for the three V3 car test drives to start as planned.

I am certain this is the car that was first finished and shown on 3rd July 1935? Note the red-on-white temporary plate IIIA-0427. The photos are quite formal with the car looking shiny and new as you would expect the first Volkswagen to be. Is this the original V1? Probably not as that code appeared later and referred to the all-steel body.

I believe this is the interior of the same car. Note several details such as the insides of the doors and the quarter windows indicating this is not the V1 but an earlier version. The seats are unlike any of the later ones and a bulge under the carpets suggesting there is a cross member under there.

Going by the Continental Ballon tyre in the front strapped down with a leather belt this is the front trunk area of the very first car before the body was reused to become the V3/2. Later the spare wheel was bolted to a mount attached to the chassis frame-head.

A rare photo of body 1 during initial tests by the Porsche team before the car became a V3 and ran the RDA test late in 1936.

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[scottyrocks]

Fantastic research. I thoroughly enjoyed your tracking of the restoration of VW38, and am looking forward to reading and seeing more on the prototypes.
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[Jack O'Neill]

Nice to see your research being shared here!

About the notchback design, it looks like a "hardtop" version of the convertible. Also looks like Darth Vader helmet =)

Regarding the bulge in the floor of body #1, you mean this one...

[/img]

...possibly caused by this beam?

[Undis]

That's correct. You can notice a bulge under the carpet in that interior shot. That definitely is the integrated cross-member seen on the bare chassis and serves as proof that in the photo we are seeing the very first chassis design. Chris Barber in his book says that the photo may be of the V1, but that is not true. It is the same car as above, one wearing the plate IIIA-0427.
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[Undis]

So what about the second body (body 2) that was expected to arrive from Daimler Benz Sindelfingen factory at the end of September 1935?
I don’t have anything concrete on it so this is just a best guess but I think the body was stored at the Daimler Benz factory until needed, maybe the chassis was not ready yet, hard to say. Did it ever receive one of the earlier chassis is still not clear. If it did, it may have been only for a sort time, a month perhaps? It is also probable that body 2 was stored even longer - until the V3 chassis became available. There is a jest noticeable in Barber’s book that the first chassis design was quickly deemed to be inadequate and would need to be redesigned. It is possible the other early chassis that already were built by that time (three in total) were slightly modified and used on bodies 3 and 4 but left body 2 without one. Body 2 was later used in 1936 with the new V3 series chassis and became the V3/1. In fact in a progress report dated 25th June 1936 (page 56) it is stated that 3 new chassis were available at the time (these being the V3 ones) and an “older body” was fitted to the first of those explaining why this car received the code V3/1. I want to discus the V3 series later on.

Below is a photo of body 2. The lack of photos of this body in pre-V3 configuration suggest that although it was finished already in 1935, it was not utilized until early 1936 once the later V3 chassis became available. Here body 2 (V3/1) seen in Munich early in 1936. This may be one of the earliest photos of this car.

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[TRS63]

That is incredibly interesting, thanks for sharing all the details!
Bests
Antoine
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Antoine
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[allsidius]

You are making many people's heads hurt now, Undis! I always thought this body was the first one made, firstly used on the V1 chassis, then altered at the front, given a couple more louvers and put on the V3/3 chassis. How does it fit in your theory? I know you are elaborating as we fret about this thread, and you probably have it all figured out, but my head hurts so..

I know it is V3/3, but was it never really V1?

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[splitjunkie]

[finster]

don't know if this helps but here are a couple of photos from etzold's kafer dokumentation II
this one shows two cars together, on test in/near italy, so we can see these are two different cars (not the same car modified) the car on the left is the version with the flowing wing/valence line shown next to the vw30 in the photos above

in this photo outside the porsche villa is v3 on the left and v1 (old numbering system), note that the v3 has vw30 type headlamp treatment

here is the v3 (right) with with a vw30 outside the villa

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[finster]

[Undis]

[Undis]

[Undis]