VW Type 3 (1961 - 1973)

History of the Volkswagon Type 3

Type 3 Varient

Introduction

The Volkswagen Type 3 is Volkswagen’s popular answer to the perceived gap in the family car market. Manufactured from ’61 to ’73, it came in three variations –Notchback, Squareback and Fastback.

The Type Three was sold alongside the Type 1 Beetle, Type 14 Karmann Ghia and the Type 2 Bus, and featured the same rear-mounted air-cooled engine and rear wheel drive system as the other VW’s on the market at the time.

In 1961 the Notchback went on sale worldwide, generating huge interest and paving the way for the incredibly popular Type 34 Ghia, which used the Type 3’s bodypan. VW then launched the Type 3 Variant (or Squareback in the US) in 1962, which was marketed as a highly practical family car, and a mix between the Beetle and the Bus. 1962 was the same year that it designed and then scrapped a convertible version of the Notchback.

Volkswagen released the Fastback in 1965 and was the sportiest of the Type 3 models and was available with the 1600cc engine, which was then made available for Variants and Notchbacks from that year onwards. Eventually, the Fastback replaced the Notchback in the UK market, which was Volkswagen’s plan for both vehicles, although this didn’t happen anywhere else in the world as demand for the Notchback remained stronger than VW had anticipated.

1969 saw the release of the Type 3 ‘E’, which provided electronic fuel ignition as standard.

The Type 3 was given a facelift in 1970, which added 115mm to the nose length and 42L to the luggage capacity.

Unfortunately, 1973 saw the end of Type 3 production, as the Wolfsburg plant prepared to commence production of the Golf.

Also Known As

Type 3, Fastback Fasty, Notchback, Notch, Squareback, Stationwagon

Manufactured

from 1961 to 1973

Fuel Types

Petrol

Engine Sizes

1500cc, 1600cc

Engine Types

Air-Cooled

Drive Configurations

LHD, RHD

Dimensions & Weight

Wheelbase: 2,400 mm (94.5 in)

Length: 4,225 mm (166.34 in)

Width: 1,605 mm (63.19 in)

Height: 1,475 mm (58.07 in)

Kerb weight: 860 - 1,035 kg (1,896 - 2,282 lbs)

Type 3 Chassis Numbers

Year	Chassis	Engine 1500cc 45 hp	Engine 1500cc M240 41 hp	Engine 1500cc S 54 hp***	Engine 1500cc S M240 52 hp***		Rear Axle
1961
Apr	0 000 017	0 000 065	0 000 065
Jun	0 000 027	0 000 134	0 000 134
Jul		0 000 254	0 000 254
Aug	0 000 351	0 000 484	0 000 484
Sep	0 002 051	0 002 728	0 002 728
Oct	0 003 991	0 005 021	0 002 728				0 002 253
Nov	0 007 184	0 008 565	0 008 565				0 005 717
Dec	0 011 041	0 013 112	0 013 012				0 009 919
1962
Jan	0 016 732	0 018 837	0 018 837				0 015 315
Feb	0 022 978	0 025 356	0 025 356				0 021 271
Mar	0 031 571	0 034 000	0 034 000				0 029 896
Apr	0 042 437	0 042 719	0 042 719				0 038 689
May	0 051 757	0 054 339	0 054 339				0 050 596
Jun	0 063 404	0 068 069	0 068 069				0 062 099
Jul	0 068 303	0 072 164	0 072 164				0 066 279
Aug	0 081 998	0 085 054	0 085 054				0 079 909
Sep	0 094 813	0 098 085	0 098 085				0 098 412
Oct	0 111 180	0 113 824	0 113 824				0 109 771
Nov	0 127 116	0 130 442	0 130 442				0 125 693
Dec	0 138 774	0 143 557	0 143 557				0 137 375
1963
Jan	0 152 847	0 156 965	0 156 965				0 150 591
Feb	0 161 506	0 175 686	0 175 686				0 159 432
Mar	0 173 700	0 188 479	0 188 479				0 172 209
Apr	0 186 894	0 212 221	0 212 221				0 185 335
May	0 202 878	0 227 033	0 227 033				0 200 722
Jun	0 215 416	0 265 438	0 265 438				0 214 310
Jul	0 221 974	0 271 242	0 271 242				0 222 068
Aug	0 238 748	0 285 127	0 285 127	0 285 127	0 285 127		0 237 198
Sep	0 258 084	0 328 383***	0 328 383***	0 328 383***	0 328 383***		0 256 480
Oct	0 280 117	0 351 696***	0 351 696***	0 351 696***	0 351 696***		0 278 986
Nov	0 303 113	0 404 996***	0 404 996***	0 404 996***	0 404 996***		0 301 788
Dec	0 321 076	0 406 183***	0 406 183***	0 406 183***	0 406 183***		0 319 723
1964
Jan	0 346 394	0 441 702	0 441 702	0 441 702	0 441 702		0 345 408
Feb	0 372 266	0 477 731	0 477 731	0 477 731	0 477 731		0 371 114
Mar	0 397 311	0 513 060	0 513 060	0 513 060	0 513 060		0 395 186
Apr	0 425 436	0 555 668	0 555 668	0 555 668	0 555 668		0 423 422
May	0 447 851	0 584 971	0 584 971	0 584 971	0 584 971		0 447 149
Jun	0 476 186	0 625 430	0 625 430	0 625 430	0 625 430		0 474 376
Jul	0 483 592	0 639 617	0 639 617	0 639 617	0 639 617		0 485 241
Aug	315 024 782	0 678 132	0 678 132	0 678 132	0 678 132		0 508 054
Sep	315 047 195	0 714 358	0 714 358	0 714 358	0 714 358		0 529 756
Oct	315 067 055	0 751 009	0 751 009	0 751 009	0 751 009		0 549 680
Nov	315 083 085	0 783 997	0 783 997	0 783 997	0 783 997		0 566 720
Dec	315 105 296	0 816 281	0 816 281	0 816 281	0 816 281		0 581 791
1965
Jan	315 121 092	0 849 832	0 849 832	0 849 832	0 849 832		0 597 972
Feb	315 132 460	0 883 946	0 883 946	0 883 946	0 883 946		0 614 846
Mar	315 152 295	0 919 704	0 919 704	0 919 704	0 919 704		0 635 330
Apr	315 172 375	0 954 890	0 954 890	0 954 890	0 954 890		0 655 275
May	315 192 558	0 989 990	0 989 990	0 989 990	0 989 990		0 676 537
Jun	315 215 400	1 026 827	1 026 827	1 026 827	1 026 827		0 699 556
Jul	315 220 883	1 029 303	1 029 303	1 029 303	1 029 303		0 707 180
		1500cc 45 hp	1500cc M240 42 hp	1600cc 54 hp	1600cc M240 50 hp	FI 1600cc 54 hp
Aug	316 027 119	K0 004 204	M 0 0100 001**	T0 027 059	P 0 000 001**
Sep	316 054 118	K0 007 662		T0 51 967
Oct	316 079 886	K0 011 281		T0 074 943
Nov	316 111 613	K0 016 000		T0 101 568
Dec	316 140 426	K0 020 000		T0 126 399
1966
Jan	316 171 291	K0 024 328		T0 152 405
Feb	316 200 496	K0 029 729		T0 176 711
Mar	316 232 523	K0 038 226		T0 199 647
Apr	316 259 374	K0 044 626		T0 220 502
May	316 287 049	K0 051 068		T0 242 586
Jun	316 314 892	K0 059 880		T0 259 894
Jul	316 316 238
Aug	317 032 409	K0 074 712		T0 308 780
Sep	317 058 875	K0 075 365		T0 314 768
Oct	317 084 672	K0 064 952*		T0 337 630
Nov	317 110 671	K0 067 028*		T0 360 341
Dec	317 135 254	K0 075 495		T0 380 413
1967
Jan	317 151 263	K0 079 033	M0 001 258	T0 396 497	P0 002 901
Feb	317 166 414	K0 081 921	M0 001 356	T0 396 497	P0 002 997
Mar	317 175 407	K0 083 745	M0 001 356	T0 408 000	P0 002 997
Apr	317 187 668	K0 086 139	M0 001 427	T0 423 520	P0 003 184
May	317 205 476	K0 089 285	M0 001 458	T0 441 421	P0 002 263
Jun	317 228 833	K0 091 727	M0 001 572	T0 459 580	P0 003 400
Jul	317 233 853	K0 095 700****	M0 001 572	T0 476 124	P0 004 035
Aug	318 019 764	K0 098 222	M0 002 066	T0 478 051	P0 004 138	U0 000 915
Sep	318 042 424	K0 101 825	M0 002 098	T0 469 991	P0 004 223	U0 002 419
Oct	318 062 184	K0 103 600	M0 001 583	T0 498 298	P0 003 457	U0 001 050
Nov	318 084 758	K0 095 854	M0 001 583	T0 509 438	P0 003 590	U0 001 890
Dec	318 102 506	K0 105 421	M0 001 908	T0 517 550	P0 003 649	U0 001 005
1968
Jan	318 125 744	K0 107 674		T0 526 789
Feb	318 148 806	K0 110 845		T0 538 645
Mar	318 171 074	K0 113 361		T0 548 711
Apr	318 188 971	K0 115 880		T0 556 711
May	318 210 963	K0 118 236		T0 566 186
Jun	318 224 405	K0 120 734		T0 573 772
Jul	318 235 387	K0 121 573		T0 576 427		U 0 093 651
Aug	319 023 329	K0 122 747		T0 581 361		U 0 093 652
Sep	319 045 236	K0 124 855		T0 591 514
Oct	319 070 165	K0 127 690		T0 602 014
Nov	319 092 602	K0 130 030		T0 610 870
Dec	319 108 299	K0 131 969		T0 616 933		U 0 154 029
1969
Jul	319 500 000	K 0 150 000	M 0 003 544	T 0 690 000		U 0 230 433
Aug 1	310 2 000 002 310 2 000 003 310 2 000 006	K 0 150 001**	M 0 003 545**	T 0 690 001** T 0 690 002		U 0 230 434** U 0 231 001
Dec	310 2111 451	K 0 157 478	M 0 003 808	T 0 728 613		U 0 168 080
1970
Mar 17	310 2 187 207					U 0 321 371
Jul	310 2500 000	K 0 173 002	M 0 004 016	T 0 805 013		U 0 366 020
Aug 1	311 2000 001	K 0 173 003**	M 0 004 017**	T 0 805 014**		U 0 366 021**
Aug 20	311 2 013 182	K 0 174 397
Nov 30	311 2 090 091
Dec	311 2108 457	K 0 180 600	M 0 004 163	T 0 854 350		U 0 412 693
1971
Jan 12	311 2 115 270
Apr 17	311 2 ??? ???			T 0 893 490
Jul	311 2500 000	K 0 198 000	M 0 004 266	T 0 933 000	Engine 1600cc M239 US/Canada/ California FI	U 0 502 000
Aug	312 2000 001	K 0 198 001**	M 0 004 267**	T 0 933 001** P 0 006 901	U 5 000 001 X 0 000 001 Cal.	U 0 502 001**
Dec 7	312 2 054 423	K 0 213 580
Dec 12	312 2 058 437			P 0 007 237
Dec	312 2066 941	K 0 200 870	M 0 004 378	T 0974 878	U 5 000 001 X 0 000 001 Cal.	U 0 504 000
1972
Mar 9	312 2 100 433	K 0 199 974		T 0 985 611
Mar 10	312 2 102 533	K 0 203 296
Jul	312 2500 000				U 5 057 000	U 0 507 000
Aug	313 2000 000	K 0 210 511		T 1 029 687	U 5 057 001**	U 0 507 001**
Dec	313 2500 000	K 0 213 933		T 1 056 763	U 0 069 142	U 0 510 144