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VW Type 2 Split Screen Parts & Accessories
Shop from our huge range of VW Split Screen parts spares and accessories. Choose the category below and filter down to the part, brand or quality you need. Try our Heritage kits, handy project bundles for everything you need in one box. Don’t forget to check the new products for your vehicle and there are always 100’s of parts in our sale section
Volkswagen Splitscreen Parts
New Parts Stocked for your VW Splitscreen Camper Van
The VW Camper parts list is not exhaustive, as we are constantly sourcing new products and expanding our range both in the UK and abroad. If you can’t find the VW Split Screen parts or spares you require don’t hesitate to contact us – we will always try and endeavour to source any VW Camper Van parts that you need. If you have a query about any of the VW Splitscreen Camper parts or accessories we supply, then you can call us during UK business hours or email – details of which can be found on our contacts page.
History of the VW Type 2 Split (T1)
The origins of the Type 2 are credited to Ben Pon, the Dutch VW importer, who in 1946 had visited the Wolfsburg factory with a view to importing Beetles (or KDF Wagens as they were then) to the Netherlands. However on his trip he saw something that interested him more.
What he had seen was a homemade parts mover based on a Beetle chassis, but with the driver and controls sat atop the engine, with a large flat load bed in front of them, this little vehicle was called the Plattenwagen. Pon made a quick sketch and returned to Holland. Ben Pon returned to Wolfsburg in 1947 with some more detailed sketches of his new concept, and a few criteria it had to meet. Namely; it had to be able to carry a load of 1500kg, and that the driver and controls should be mounted at the front of the vehicle.
Development began on the project in 1948, and 3 short months later the first prototype had been made. After initial testing it became apparent that the modified T1 chassis wasn’t going to be sufficient for the job, so a ladder chassis with a separate body was employed.
Upon looking at a split screen bus you’d be hard pushed to believe any consideration had been give to aerodynamics during its conception, however the initial prototypes had achieved very poor drag coefficients, around 0.75. The wind tunnel at the technical University in Braunschweig had been used to refine the shape, and the Cd was reduced to around 0.48 by the introduction of a V-shape to the nose and windscreen area. Heinz Nordhoff approved the new vehicle for production in 1949, and the first production model left the production line in November of 1949. A total of 8 vehicles were made in 1949, with the split being; 6 panels, 1 Kombi and 1 Microbus. By the end of 1950 production was over 8000 units, rising to nearly 50,000 for the last year of Barndoor production.
VW T2 Split FAQs
How long is a VW Splitscreen?
The VW T2 Split is 4.28m long (14ft 6”) and 1.72m wide (5ft 8”). In standard guise they stand 1.94m tall (6ft 4”) without a pop top or a roof rack fitted, and weigh 1047kg (2310lbs).
For reference, the average UK parking space is 2.4m wide and 4.8m long. In the UK a typical single garage might be 2.4m wide by 4.9m long. Height wise, UK garage doors tend to be between 1.98m and 2.2m tall, so a stock VW Split should just squeeze inside.
Whether you are considering the purchase of a VW Split and want to know if your garage or driveway is big enough or just looking at transport logistics, these sizes for an original Split screen T2 should help.
Is a VW Split a good investment?
Classic cars are generally considered to be a fairly good investment, and if you look back over the past 30-40 years the prices for a VW Split have gone from practically nothing to over £100,000 for some examples. History would say a VW Split should look after you, in the long term.
However, in more recent times we experienced a real spike in prices around 2010, and these have softened quite considerably now. So, for anyone who bought at the peak, sadly they might be out of pocket over the current market value.
However, this is a great illustration of why you should only invest in cars you actually like! Should the market change direction, you don’t want to be down on a deal and having to drive or store a vehicle you don’t even like!!
Whatever classic car you buy, you will find that the better its condition, and the more complete its service history the more lucrative it could be for you in terms of a return on investment. Try not to buy the first one you see and do your research. Our T2 Split buying guide should help.
How much is a VW Splitscreen?
Sadly, the days of Type 2 Split Screens being a few hundred pounds, or even given away are over. But projects can still be picked up from around £5000 if you are prepared to put in the work fixing rusted chassis rails, cross members and floor panels, not to mention rebuilding an engine and recommissioning brakes, steering and suspension.
The cheapest option for a ‘drive-away’ vehicle will be a Brazilian or South African Fleetline model. These are almost identical to the German built buses (55-67) however they were produced after German production stopped and made up until the mid-seventies. To the purists they are not as good as a bus made at the Hannover factory, but on the plus side they are probably 25% cheaper than a German built van, and to the untrained eye, look the same.
If you must have a German built VW Split, then a single or a double cab pickup will typically be the entry level offering, with panel vans and microbuses following after as the prices rise. At the top of the tree, you’ll find the 21 and 23 window Samba with glass windows in the roof and full length canvas sunroof. Samba Bus prices have mellowed considerably in the past 10 years, and they are currently sitting around £50-£60,000.
Show vehicles, and those with many modifications, either to the suspension to make it drive really low, or with a big engine to make it go much faster will be priced accordingly and not necessarily follow the same rules as above.
Are VW Split parts expensive?
Parts for VW T2 Split are not particularly expensive, however, there are lots of them, and depending on what you are starting off with, will depend on how many you are going to need to buy.
A full restoration of a VW Split isn’t going to be cheap, even if you are doing the work yourself at home. However, if you just need to carry out an annual service, or overhaul the brakes, then the VW Splitscreen parts are very reasonably priced and considerably cheaper than many other classic marques.
What might cost you lots? If you want to source New Old Stock VW Splitscreen parts (NOS). These are parts that were made by Volkswagen back in the fifties or sixties but have remained in their boxes ever since. Expect to pay a premium at enthusiast events and swap meets for NOS items, especially body panels and trim.
The beautiful thing with aircooled VW vehicles, is that so many parts cross over between the models. A VW Beetle engine will fit in a Bus, later brakes from a Bay Window can be adapted to fit, should you wish to upgrade to discs.
There are also plenty of performance and custom focused modifications available too. Stainless Steel exhausts, twin carburettor kits, alloy wheels, bespoke interiors, roof racks, the list is almost endless, with plenty of Splitscreen accessories available to help personalize your VW T2 Split too.