1973 Volkswagen Type 2 Kombi 23-Window Conversion

This Volkswagen began as a 1973 Volkswagen Type 2 15-window Bus built in Brazil. It was refurbished in 2021 and converted to a "Samba-style" bus in Brazil before being imported to the US in January 2022.

Volkswagen do Brazil Ltda.; a subsidiary arm of Volkswagen Group was established when the Brazilian government banned the import of fully built vehicles in 1953. Its first president was Friedrich Schultz-Wenk who had emigrated to Brazil in 1950 after a brief stint as a prisoner of war, followed by some time in Wolfsburg. Their first plant was in Ipiranga, São Paulo and was a strict knock-down kitoperation. In two years 2268 Fuscas and 552 Kombis were assembled there by hand. After Juscelino Kubitschek's import substitution programs began taking effect as Volkswagen was compelled to open a proper factory in São Bernardo do Campo. Work on the factory began in mid-1957. Originally only the Kombi was built locally from September 1957, but from January 1959 the 1200 cc "Fusca" also entered local production, with ever-growing local parts content. In 1959, VW started production at the plant near São Paulo.

Their factory was erected in 1958 and started production of the Kombi bus. There were several versions produced by Volkswagen do Ltda. Brazil over the next 56 years, including 11, 13 and 15-window models. This bus started as a 15-window model and was later modified to replicate the Samba Deluxe (built from 1955-1958) - adding a sliding cloth sunroof and 8 windows on the roofline.

The extra windows of the original 23-window Volkswagen Deluxe Microbus model allowed relatively unobstructed views of passing scenery. As a result, the bus was often used for tourist transport was known by the nicknames Samba Bus or Alps Bus.

Brazil had the last factory in the world that produced the T2 series of Type 2, which ceased production in December 2014 due to the introduction of more stringent safety regulations in Brazil. This marked the end of the era of rear-engine Volkswagens, which originated in 1935 with their Type 1 prototypes.