Common VW Mail Truck of the 60s Has Now Become a Rare Collector Car

The Volkswagen Fridolin, on its official name, Type 147 Kleinlieferwagen, was a tall and funny-looking wagon produced between 1964 and 1974. Although only manufactured for 10 years, it managed to create a buzz and leave an impression to this day.

Volkswagen claims it doesn’t even know for sure how the “Fridolin” got its nickname. It may have all started with a VW worker who claimed the vehicle looked like a coworker with that name. Another rumor says its name comes from a similar German word meaning “child” or “small boy.”

Nevertheless, the Fridolin was designed as a bespoke car specifically for the German Postal Authority, to be used as a mail truck. It had to follow exact specifications: to have a large cargo capacity of at least 750 pounds (approx. 340 kg), and to allow for easy access in and out of the vehicle. It is why the Fridolin was equipped with two sliding side doors.

According to the carmaker, the mail wagon was a mix of parts and designs from several other VW cars: the chassis from the Karmann Ghia, the engine and transmission from the Beetle, the headlight and hood design from a Type Notchback.

Weighing over a ton, this user-friendly vehicle was very successful back then, with more than 6,000 models being produced during that decade. The Swiss were so taken with the Fridolin they wanted 1,000 vans for their own postal service. And they got them, along with some upgrades, too: a larger engine, additional windows, better visibility through exterior mirrors on the front fenders.

Nowadays, less than 200 models are still in existence which is why the Fridolin has become a prized collector item.