Handbuilt Volkswagen Transporter Type 2 Will Take You Back to 1956, But Time Travel Costs

However, both the Volkswagen Transporter (originally Type 2) and the VW Beetle (initially Type 1) had a flat-four engine in the rear plus the same wheelbase. The VW Type 2 is best known as a forward control van, also nicknamed Transporter, Kombi, or Microbus, besides the informal names of Bus, Camper, or Bulli. It's easy to recognize – it has the same funny face with dual round headlights and a big VW logo acting as the nose of the Beetle, so no one could mistake them for anything else other than siblings.

However, there was one major difference – in the Beetle, you could usually fit around four adults, while the Type 2 had space for many more or tons of their belongings. An exponent of the hippie era in some parts of the world, the VW Type 2 remains one of the most iconic vehicle designs of the 20th century – alongside the Beetle or VW Golf if we're discussing Volkswagen's contributions to the pantheon of the automotive world.

Usually, a VW Transporter from the early ages is rather hard to find in pristine condition – but we're in luck because New York-based Motorcar Classics probably thinks it has us covered if we're willing to write a very fat check for this restored VW Type 2 (Transporter). According to the dealer's description, this is a 23-window Type 2, and the minivan is part of Volkswagen's history because it's one of the last handbuilt examples before production transitioned to automated factories around the world.

Originally, the example was imported to Texas, USA, in April 1956 – no less than 69 years ago (another funny hippie reference, wink, wink), and it boasts a bespoke rear transmission mount crossmember that easily distinguishes it from the later automated assembly Transporters, an easy "telltale sign of its hand-crafted origins and collectability." Additionally, it’s only been dwelling around dry states - Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, and because of its arid climate lifestyle, it's completely rust-free.

Still with an Arizona title in the glovebox, the 1956 Volkswagen Type 2 has been “meticulously preserved and beautifully restored” to offer “collectors and enthusiasts alike the opportunity to own a piece of Volkswagen's storied past.” It has a full array of windows to "embody the spirit of adventure and freedom that made these vehicles iconic." The interior is beige and mixes and matches with the red over black exterior and interior touches, and “this is arguably the most desirable color combination.”

Additional features include a period-correct rooftop luggage rack, a wide white-wall tire to complete the classic look, and "for improved performance and safety," the Type 2 was also upgraded with a pristine 1970s Volkswagen 1,600 cc engine. Of course, with all those details taken into consideration, if you don't want to “miss this chance to acquire a pristine, hand-built example of one of the most beloved and recognizable vehicles in automotive history,” you’ll need a very fat bank account.

That's because the dealership wants no less than $174,900 for this used 1956 Volkswagen Transporter Type 2, which already has 99,686 miles on the odometer. So, do you think it's worth it?