Volkswagen Typ 1 Export — 1948

The car is one of the very first Volkswagens sold to a private individual in Sweden. The company selling it today, Visby Bilcity, is the very same dealer that delivered the car new in the spring of 1949.

In the autumn of 1948, the first 20 Volkswagens arrived in Sweden, imported on trial by Scania-Vabis in Södertälje. One of these was sold to the military for evaluation (we sold that car at the autumn auction in 2018). A few others were sold to government agencies, while some remained in Södertälje for testing ahead of future orders.

This particular car arrived in Sweden with the second shipment in late 1948. It was first used during the first half of 1949 by Scania as a demonstration car, before being delivered to the new VW dealer on Gotland, Visby Bilcity. They had ordered the car for the county forest ranger, Erik Gotthard Söderberg, who needed a vehicle capable of handling Gotland’s rough country roads for his daily inspection rounds.

The Volkswagen was modern, light, lively, and had good suspension. Söderberg was so pleased that he kept the car for almost 20 years. In the spring of 1969, he traded it in for a new one – at the very same dealership where he had bought it.

In the years that followed, the car was used as a loaner vehicle for customers, until it was later restored and then displayed as the centerpiece of the dealership’s new café and lunch restaurant, named Baggen (“The Bug”). There it stood for almost 40 years, up until 2018. During this time, it was started and serviced regularly.

The condition is best described as well-preserved and in good, usable order. The car has never suffered rust damage, but it has been repainted several times.

The seats, headliner, and carpets were replaced in the late 1960s and remain in acceptable condition. Both engine and gearbox are original to the car (matching numbers). The fenders were replaced during the body restoration. There are some minor scratches and dents, and the paint is not perfect – filler and sanding marks can be seen. Still, the car presents very well overall, with most of its original details intact. Only the bumpers are of a slightly later model.

The car has not been started recently, but there should be no issue. The brakes work, and the lights should as well with a new battery.
(Chassis no: 1-0107 964. Engine no: 1-039 215)

• Mechanical condition

  Needs a bit of starting assistance but should then run well mechanically.

• Interior condition

  Reupholstered 40 years ago, still in decent condition, though not entirely original in fabric.

• Exterior condition

  Reupholstered 40 years ago, still in decent condition, though not entirely original in fabric.

• General condition

  Normal condition for an older restoration.

In 1946, Volkswagen production resumed in the basement of the Wolfsburg factory. The rest of the plant was bombed out, but in the basement the production line from the KDF-Wagen project had been stored away. British Army engineering troops guarded the factory and were tasked with assembling a few unfinished cars for testing.

The shortage of cars after the war was severe, and when they saw how well the VW performed, they ordered materials, and soon production was back on track. The first two thousand cars went to France in exchange for steel sheets supplied to Wolfsburg.

In 1947, production was taken over by the German Volkswagen company, which began planning for increased output and export in order to bring money into Germany. Sweden was among the first countries to purchase—or rather trade for—cars (besides France). Scania-Vabis wanted to sell trucks and, in 1948, received 20 Volkswagens in exchange, which were brought to Sweden. (One of these was sold at our VW auction in 2018, and the rest are described above).

The car in question, with its fully verified unique history, is one of the world’s most exceptional VWs, having been owned and driven within the same circle and in the same place since new. A unique opportunity for the historically minded VW enthusiast to acquire a rare, exceptionally well-preserved early car (number 7,964 of more than 25.7 million built).

For viewing the vehicle, contact Michael Luft

email: michael.luft@bilwebauctions.se
phone: +46 708 20 21 13

Collecting of vehicles, you need to book a collection time by calling our customer service
+46 31 933 331

Once your payments have been cleared via our bank, we will send a confirmation to your email address and you can arrange a collection time.