***Todays Shoot - Volkswagen T1 vs Volkswagen T2 vs Barkas B1000***

[cawimmer430]

Had a shoot today for a classic car magazine. This is a major 20-page comparison between four popular German vans from long ago. These photos are basically just boring snapshots - camera with an SB-900 slapped on the top to provide some flash lighting. Nothing special, plus the locations weren't ideal. I'm getting paid well for this shoot but there isn't enough time to do the usual job of setting up my lights and finding an ideal location.

Anyway, we had four classic cars here: a VW T1, two VW T2s and a Barkas B1000. The Barkas is an East German car that was during a brief moment the most advanced van on the planet in the early 1960s with features such as FWD, good aerodynamics, intelligent interior design etc. But that was its short moment of fame. It was produced without changes until 1991. The Barkas was the work vehicle of East Germany. It was popular with the STASI (secret police), army and could only be ordered by civilians with special permits. There was also a pickup version of the B1000.

So here are some of the unedited RAW to JPEG conversions.


Photos for the title/introduction page. The blue van is a VW T1, the red-white van is the East German Barkas B1000. The orange van is a VW T2 "Samba" with Westphalia interior trim.







The owners and their cars! The girl who owns the Barkas is from the former East Germany and this is her daily driver. She's free-spirited and the type of person who appreciates cars that nobody wants.





The T1 was roomy! Second photo is of the owner - she and her husband have a whole fleet of classic cars but their true love is VW buses. Their dog is called "Mocha".




T1 interior...



This is where East German teenagers made out - provided they could wait ten to fifteen years before taking delivery of their Barkas - and by then they weren't teenagers anymore! 



Motion shots...






Can you believe it? This is the tiny 900cc 43-horsepower 3-cylinder 2-stroke engine of the Barkas. A massive power upgrade occurred halfway through its production life - a 1000cc 3-cylinder 2-stroke engine with 46-horsepower! 



This Opel Kadett B 1700E saw our convoy of classic cars and joined in the fun. He was recruited for an upcoming future classic Opel-themed shoot by the magazine!




That's it. Took over 500 shots today of details etc. but the boss will select the pictures he wants me to edit for the magazine. 

[Eye of the Tiger]

I love how the interior engine cover in the Barkas appears to be made of canvas.
I'll take the beige VW T2.

[S204STi]

Like.

[MexicoCityM3]

I miss pot.

[Cookie Monster]

Cool pics! I've always liked those vans.

[cawimmer430]

I love how the interior engine cover in the Barkas appears to be made of canvas.

I had the engine cover for the Barkas in my hand. It's basically some kind of Duroplast wrapped around with leather. Man that engine was SMALL!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duroplast

[cawimmer430]

Cool pics! I've always liked those vans.

I assume you won't be taking the Barkas for a drive because it is FWD, eh?

[AltinD]

I think we had pick-up Barkas around in Communist Albania, till the early-mid '80s

[Colin]

Looks like a fun day......... and blessed with far nicer spring weather than I experienced!

The Barkas was never officially sold in the UK, but the odd one has arrived here over the years. There are few Communist era cars left here, though today I did see not one, but two Moskvitch (report to come presently).

[Mustangfan2003]

My grandfather had a T1

[Morris Minor]

Looks like a fun day......... and blessed with far nicer spring weather than I experienced!

The Barkas was never officially sold in the UK, but the odd one has arrived here over the years. There are few Communist era cars left here, though today I did see not one, but two Moskvitch (report to come presently).

An English teacher at my school, a dyed-in-the-wool socialist, owned a Wartburg Knight (353). He was an excellent teacher with a not-so-excellent car. I'm guessing a surviving example of one of those would in real terms be many, many times worth what he paid for it new in the 1970s.

[TurboDan]

I had a chance to see this '66 VW Vanagon Riviera up close and personal a couple months ago. It was at the same dealership as the XLR. I hopped in and looked around, and it has a pretty cool interior! I believe the owner of the dealership said an NHL player was interested in buying it:

http://www.motorcarswashington.com/web/used/Volkswagen-Vanagon-1966-Chantilly-Virginia/2606466/

[cawimmer430]

Looks like a fun day......... and blessed with far nicer spring weather than I experienced!

It was really hot. And today it was +7 degrees C (cold) and rainy. The weather is insane. There was a big classic car show in Munich today on the Theresienwiese (where Oktoberfest is held) but I didn't bother going because of the rain.

Instead I had another shoot today in the rain - pictures up tomorrow!

The Barkas was never officially sold in the UK, but the odd one has arrived here over the years. There are few Communist era cars left here, though today I did see not one, but two Moskvitch (report to come presently).

There was a Top Gear UK episode once about Communist cars in Britain. The owners who collect and drive them appear quite eccentric and weird, but you can see the passion in them for their cars. True enthusiasts.

[cawimmer430]

My grandfather had a T1

Was he a Hippy?

[cawimmer430]

I had a chance to see this '66 VW Vanagon Riviera up close and personal a couple months ago. It was at the same dealership as the XLR. I hopped in and looked around, and it has a pretty cool interior! I believe the owner of the dealership said an NHL player was interested in buying it:

http://www.motorcarswashington.com/web/used/Volkswagen-Vanagon-1966-Chantilly-Virginia/2606466/

Looks good!

I saw a T1 today on the road with Coca Cola advertising all over it. It was therefore also two-tone colored (white and red). Looked great. Those buses have so much charm.

[Mustangfan2003]

Was he a Hippy?

Nah just had a lot of kids and that was one of the cheaper people carriers of the day. 

[Madman]

I had a chance to see this '66 VW Vanagon Riviera up close and personal a couple months ago. It was at the same dealership as the XLR. I hopped in and looked around, and it has a pretty cool interior! I believe the owner of the dealership said an NHL player was interested in buying it:

http://www.motorcarswashington.com/web/used/Volkswagen-Vanagon-1966-Chantilly-Virginia/2606466/

That's NOT a Vanagon.  Volkswagen only marketed the T3 (1980-91) model in the US under the Vanagon name.

[Secret Chimp]

The shades and bed in the Barkas are pretty sweet.

[TurboDan]

That's NOT a Vanagon.  Volkswagen only marketed the T3 (1980-91) model in the US under the Vanagon name.

Interesting. I just went by the model name on the website. Don't know much about those kinds of cars.