MK1 Caddy prototype

[burn_your_money]

I know most of ya'll don't browse the mk1 forums on vortex so I thought I would post this over here as well. Flippin sweet if you ask me

My friend Morgan was a employee at the Westmoreland VW plant from it's inception until 1981, and he's got a lot of memorabilia / stories from those times.  He worked on the body assembly lines when the first Caddys were being welded together, he's an encyclopedia of knowledge about these trucks.  I've been working with him to get this info posted up (we've got a couple of pages of pics and stories over here: http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=4775492 ).

When he pulled this pic out of his stash o' goodies this weekend, I knew I had to make a separate post.

During a plant visit to Wolfsburg in 1976, Morgan took this pic of a prototype VW Caddy.  He only got this one shot, as taking pics at the plant was a big no-no.  Morgan claims it's built on a 4-door Rabbit shell with Transporter drop-down sides and tailgate:



Personally, I really like this design.  It really reminds me of the early Ford Courier trucks.

In all my years of being a VW history nut, I've not run across any more images or info on this particular prototype, so if anybody's got anything more to add, please post up!

[Powered by Spearco]

That truck is bad a$$  .
I'd buy one.

[rabbitman]

I always wonder where they stash these prototypes........cool

[maxfax]

Sadly most of these nifty prototypes get destroyed.. (I die a little every time I think of some of the operational prototypes that FoMoCo trashed, but at least they'll share the how too's afterwards)  I would have loved to be they guy at the dumpster if that was the fate of this one..

[rs899]

Yeah, that is nifty looking, but you can see where the production version is a lot easier to make.  I wonder why they never made it in Europe ( I know, they did eventually).  There was an obvious market for a small go-getter like this as there were tons of Citroen and Renault little wagons.

Rick

[theman53]

Even from the start they didn't realize they had bigger doors that could have been used. Why the 4 door version? They had 2 doors back then didn't they? I never understood that and have never had any love for the caddy's because of it. I do like the looks of that one though:D

[bigash]

Just bought this kit on ebay UK for £25 English pounds. Comes with probe and guage.

This may be of help to a few of you

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380182417351&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

[honda_is_the_best]

its in celsius, and it doesnt go down any lower than 200*c. most of us want them in degrees fahrenheit, and that read down to 100* or so, to make sure our turbos are WAY cooled down. letting your turbo spool down/cool off is such an important step in owning a turbo car.

[fdnyguy]

its in celsius, and it doesnt go down any lower than 200*c. most of us want them in degrees fahrenheit, and that read down to 100* or so, to make sure our turbos are WAY cooled down. letting your turbo spool down/cool off is such an important step in owning a turbo car.

Guess we could ask if they do make it in Fahrenheit. I'd love to install one in my 09 TDI.

Stay safe, stay well. Jimmy.

[Smokey Eddy]

Just bought this kit on ebay UK for £25 English pounds. Comes with probe and guage.

This may be of help to a few of you

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380182417351&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

is it just me or did this post stick out like dog b----. Spam?