European VW T3 Westfalia campers

Here is a late model (1991) Westy in it's European version. Note that the front luggage rack has been replace with a more aerodynamic piece. This was presumably done after some articles had been published in German press about the damaging effects the luggage rack had on the van aerodynamics. A base vanagon, is despite its boxy shape quite aerodynamic, and has Cv = 0.44. Multiplied with the projected area one yields an equivalent flat plate air resistance area of 1.35m^2.

The Westy luggage racks create turbulence at the sharp top edge and significantly worsens Cv to 0.51. With the slightly larger area (due to the top being about 8cm higher) the area equivalent is 1.62m^2.

At highway speeds when the quadratic air resistance term dominates over linear tire and mechaincal friction, thus the luggage rack introduces an extra 20% drag. After this had been published VW created the new front piece seen in this picture. It can be found on 1989-91 European models. I don't have figures for just this profile, but comparing to other pop tops that similarly rises a bit behind the front, it is likely that the extra drag is reduced from 20% to 5-10%.

There are also small differences in the interior between the European and North American Westies. Naturally, different standards for electicity and gas forced changes to those parts. The water tap in the European model, as can be seenin this picture, is a sturdier metal version. It has an electric micro switch under the knob that turns on the pump motor when the knob is turned. Apparently on this exemplar it is not working, hence the owner added a separate switch behind.

An even smarter switch arrangement is to have a switch mounted in front of the cabinet at foot or knee height so the pump can be turned off and on without hands when washing and rinsing dishes.

Other differences are that Europeen models came with a box behind the passenger seat. This is handy for sitting on when doing kitchen chores, and contained a porta-potty inside. Also it appears that late models didn't have the front table (or at least I didn't see them or traces of their mounts).


An LPG heater was a factory option on European models. The Truma e 1800 model, made near Munich, is an excellent heater for small campers. Using only 7/13W on low/high settings it is lean on the battery. Note also the excellent efficiency: 1.8kW out /1.9 in yields 95% efficiency. Much better than your average home furnace of the 80's, and quite good also these days.

Those who wanted a Diesel or Gas fired heater could get an Eberspacher. Instead of the DA6 and BA6 units used on North americal models, and mounted underbody, spanning from front to back, the European models had a much more compact unit, similar in size and shape to the one we got with the T4 Westfalia campers in Canada.







The factory underbody LPG tank has a level meter. Quite a convenient thing. I wonder how it works. I assume it must have a float on a lever sticking into the tank somehow.

Many Germans think the there periodically required LPG system inspection is too expensive and I saw several campers where the underbody gas tank had been removed to avoid this. Instead they use a BBQ type portable tank, (that they remove at time of inspection) and get around the check. (though technically they shouldn't it seems to work in practice).

Later, the T4 Westy and many other non-Westfalia T3 and T4 conversions were offered with a removable LPG tank, frequently located below the hanging wardrobe closet.









High tops

In Europe a Westy high-top was also offered. It seems like it was more popular then the pop-top despite the inconvenience of not fitting in most city parking garages or in a home garage. The high top is insulated and thus made it possible to sleep 4 also in cold weather. Other reasons mentioned by the Germans were that they felt safer sleeping in the rigid high top than in the canvas pop top when camping away from home.

Other than the Westfalia high-top, there are numerous other version from e.g. Carthago, Futura, and Reimo. Some also use the standard VW high top offered on the cargo vans.









The interior of the high-top contains two movable shelves to extend the bed. One slides in a track and the other flips up vertically to also act to secure any cargo put in the top.

the height in the high tops is a bit lower than in the pop-tops, so one canot sit straigh up when getting in and out of bed, but have to crouch and wiggle in.


















Engine options

In Europe, both the 1.9l and 2.1l waterboxer was offered. Not having as strict emmissions regulations at the time, they came also with carbuerators instead of fuel injection, and typically without a catalytic converter.

On the Diesel side, the 1.6l naturally aspirate engine was offered from 1981-1990. Towards the end a 1.7l version was also offered. However the most interesting engine is the 1.6l TD offered from late 1985-1991. With 51kW/69Hp it gives a 127km/h top speed, while to make it last long one has to cruise at 100-110km/h. Subjectively it has more torque, over a wider band than the 1.9l waterboxer gas, and it hence accelerates quicker. It is a bit louder, but not terribly loud. The best part is of course that the Diesel consumption is from 8-10l/100km in both city and highway, compared to the gas engines 12-14.

However, without retrofitted (and probably power robbing) converters and particle filters, it can be quite expensive in pollutotion tax in Germany, at about Eur6-700/year. A 1.9l with catalytic converter is Eur 260. Hence one has to drive quite a distance to make up for the difference in tax by the fuel savings.