February 11, 2012

Volkyland Spotlight - VW T1 Krankenwagen / Ambulance

I have seen the pictures but this is my first encounter with an original VW Krankenwagen (ambulance). This T1 ambulance got to be the coolest microbus in the Volkyland collection. A very nice piece overall and a microbus variation I am sure I won't see again in a long while.


Drop-down rear door is not only convenient for stretchers but also the inspiration for the rear door on all microbuses that came after it.

Not going to argue too much but I think most of these usually have a blue light instead of red...

The interior is the most interesting part of this bus. A panel with sliding glass window separates the cab. I think the privacy glass is unique to these models. That side-facing seat runs on a rail and can be removed to transport patients. The tiny jump seat does not look comfortable at all.

There is some semblance of a padded interior. Two stretchers fit comfortably side by side. Supply storage is limited to small overhead compartments on this particular model.

Just like with the fire engine the question remains, will it get there on time?


UPDATE March 24, 2023: As reported in Jalopnik and TheDrive, sadly, this wonderful collection was sold off in 2019 after the museum's closure a year earlier. As of this update, photos of all the vehicles can be found in Oldbug.com for those of you interested.