It was the Veteran VW club in Røyken, Asker and Bærum that organized a drive for pre-registered members. The trip started at Sætre and went around Hurum.
Still used cars
Veteran VW club is for people's cars that are 30 years or older, i.e. proper vintage cars according to the old system. But when you see a people's car, you don't always think of a vintage car - at least not if you're a bit older yourself. In my neighborhood there are a couple of Volkswagen 1300s in daily use. They are used cars, not for decoration. When several people's cars are gathered, as at Sætre before departure, one can hardly avoid thinking that many of these cars could have functioned perfectly in daily use. If you place a beige Volkswagen 1300 in an ordinary car park, it will not attract attention. It should. After all, it is over 50 years old.
Is it really a veteran?
It is special for Volkswagen that many models are actually older than one would think. If we draw the line for veteran at 30 years, cars such as the T3 (Caravelle and Transporter) fall under the term, although they actually look newer, especially in Caravelle design. Until next year, early editions of the T4 Caravelle and Transporter will be able to join the procession as "veteran cars". Likewise the Golf III.
Type-3 endangered?
There is no danger of the public transport bubble disappearing. Not only was it very widespread, but it gained cult status early on. As you know, Volkswagen's Type-3 was supposed to replace the bubble. It came as fastback, notchback and variant. Today it undoubtedly has cult status, but it may seem that it took longer than the bubble. Considering how many Volkswagen 1500 Variants were sold in Norway in the 1960s and 70s, it is strange that so few are left - compared to the folkcar bobla. The explanation may be that the Volkswagen (Type-3) 1500 was used to a greater extent as a family car - and was driven in tatters, while many of the contemporary bubbles were bought by grandparents and old aunts. Maybe they are still simmering around?
The pictures are from the attendance area at Sætre. Further in the post is a YouTube clip from the start of the excursion.
Oval window Volkswagen1957 or 1958 Volkswagen with sunroof, large rear window and direction arrow. In the background a T2 Camper.Luggage rack and USA bumperVolkswagen 1500 in the foreground. Volkswagen 1300 next to it.Volkswagen (Type 151) Kamann Cabriolet Buses and pickups. TV T3 Caravelle. In the middle is T1 with 11 windows. Th Single cabinVolkswagen 1300Volkswagen 1200 in the foreground
Beautiful K70 – Volkswagen's very first model with a water-cooled engine and front-wheel drive. How could it fail?
A Volkswaagen K70 L on Norwegian signs (Cars & Coffee, Øvrevoll gallop)
NSU's very last project
The K70 was not developed at Volkswagen. It was created by NSU and was to be produced in Neckarsulm. Originally, it was considered to equip it with a Wankel engine, but the plans were changed when NSU was unable to get the technology ready for production. Instead, they developed a new 1,6 liter 75 hp water-cooled petrol engine based on the air-cooled engine from the NSU 1200/TT. Ahead of the Geneva exhibition in 1969, NSU was ready to present a forward-looking, modern, beautiful and economical world first which they called the K70.
RO-70?
Originally, NSU considered including the model in its Wankel programme. In retrospect, one can speculate whether NSU intended to call the model the RO-70 ("Ro" for Rotary). "70" because it was to be launched as a smaller model than the RO-80. But since the Wankel engine had been replaced by a regular piston engine, the name became the K70 - "K" for "kolben" (German: piston). Perhaps the plan was to relaunch the RO-70 once the Wankel option was finished? But the situation changed drastically. RO-80 owners experienced a series of engine failures. Massive warranty claims sent the factory into financial crisis. The K70 was never to be launched by NSU.
Did not fit well into the model program
When Volkswagen bought NSU, they got the K70 in their lap. A fully developed, modern family car ready for production. It was a car completely different from Volkswagen's existing model range. The Volkswagen Group could have put 4 rings in the grill and sent it out as an Audi, but then it would compete with the Audi 100. At Volkswagen, they instead chose to launch the K70 as a successor to the Type 4 - better known as the 411/412 series. Both models were to be produced and sold in parallel.
New brand in the grill – voilà!
It is known in retrospect that Volkswagen did nothing else with the K70 than replace the NSU badge in the grill. The hitherto unknown NSU K70 was overnight incorporated into Volkswagen as the Type 48 and launched as the Volkswagen K70 without anyone knowing what "K70" stood for.
The interior resembles today's cars, but was ahead of its time when it arrived in the early 70s.
What was it like to own a K70?
Comfortable, slightly soft in the suspension. Smooth driving, but heavy on the steering. It was all front wheel drive cars at the time. A lot of weight in front of the front axle, safe driving characteristics with a lot of understeer. Early models were known to be a bit slow to shift, but the gear transmission was changed during production. Operational reliability was initially good - with the exception of the water pump, which had to be changed quite often. The 1,6 engine was originally air-cooled. Beyond the 70s, however, the K70 began to get a bad reputation for reliability - not because the cars were bad, but because the aftermarket failed.
What went wrong?
The introduction of the K70 took place without the sales force and the aftermarket being sufficiently prepared. The model was literally trampled over the heads of the organization. The sellers, who for decades had argued for air-cooled, rear-engined cars with round body shapes, suddenly got a model that broke with all that. The workshops were also not sufficiently prepared. You can say that many K70 customers experienced being treated like a stepmother.
Before its time
Those who already drove Volkswagen's air-cooled family models were not ready for a model that was at least two car generations newer than the 411 and 412. If the K70 was to catch on, it would have to steal customers from other brands - preferably customers who preferred front-wheel drive. At the beginning of the 70s, the family car class was dominated by cars with rear-wheel drive. Customers who chose front-wheel drive were already loyal to brands such as Citroen, Renault and Saab.
Should have been given a different name
It was not just unknown design and technology that meant that the K70 was treated like a stepmother within Volkswagen. It was the name. It had no affiliation with Volkswagen, nor did it create any loyalty. "K" for flask. Seriously? "70" - for what? Number of horses? Hardly! Imagine if Volkswagen had chosen to call NSU's great innovation "Passat" or "Golf"?
The articulated safety steering column above the engine was carried over to the Audi 80/VW Passat.The K70 achieved good results in the crash tests of the time.
A K70 story from reality
I know someone who has owned and driven a K70 in his younger days. He tells of a special episode with his K70 - or "Key-Seven-Zero" as it was called at the air station where he served in his younger days. The K70 was equipped with inboard front brakes - just like its "big brother" NSU Ro80. This means that the disc brakes were not mounted outside the wheels, but at the other end of the drive shafts. The brake yoke was attached to the gearbox/differential. After changing the engine, he had had problems attaching the drive shafts to the differential due to "screwed to death" bolts. One evening on his way to a date, he drove at full speed down a hill where he had to slam on the brakes. Then both drive shafts came loose! The result could have been fatal. With loose drive axles, he lost the brakes at the front - because the discs sit on the inside of the axles and rotate with them. Without drive shafts, he could not brake the engine either. It did not improve the situation that the rear brakes were worn out and that the handbrake was currently dismantled. Fortunately, the journey ended in some bushes. The unfortunate car owner had a hitch - and the date was saved - although the K70 had to be left in the bushes. This history is perhaps one reason why inboard brakes never gained widespread use on modern cars.
Facts about the Volkswagen K70
Internal name: Type 48
Place of auction: Salzgitter, Germany. The facility there is currently being expanded to produce batteries for VAG's electric cars. Read more
Start of production: October 1970 (50th anniversary this year)
Model year: 1971-1975
Motorisation: NSU 1,6-litre 75 HP (std and L) or 90 HP (LS 1971-1972). NSU 1,8-litre 100 HP (LS 1973-1975). All engines mounted longitudinally with front wheel drive. Production of the engines ended with the K70 - and was never continued in subsequent models.
Chassis: Independent suspension on all wheels. McPherson struts at the front, longitudinal wishbones with coil springs at the rear.
Brakes: Front disc brakes (inboard mounted towards the center of the car), rear drum brakes.
Length, width and height: 442 / 169 / 145 cm
Wheelbase: 269 cm
Own weight: 1050 kg
Facelifted from 1973 model: Double headlights for all models. The LS version got a larger engine of 1,8 litres. New steering wheel with 4 spokes and more padding.
Sources
Volkswagens of the World – Simon Glen
Quotation: …, the innovative engineers at NSU also started developmental work on a smaller, medium-sized version of this car, the "Ro70", but because of teething problems with the RO80's rotary engine (…)
I know someone who has owned and driven a K70 in his younger days. He tells of a special episode with his K70 - or "Key-Seven-Zero" as it was called at the air station where he served in his younger days. The K70 was equipped with inboard front brakes - just like its "big brother" NSU Ro80. This means that the disc brakes were not mounted outside the wheels, but at the other end of the drive shafts. The brake yoke was attached to the gearbox/differential. After changing the engine, he had had problems attaching the drive shafts to the differential due to "screwed to death" bolts. One evening on his way to a date, he drove at full speed down a hill where he had to slam on the brakes. Then both drive shafts came loose! The result could have been fatal. With loose drive axles, he lost the brakes at the front - because the discs sit on the inside of the axles and rotate with them. Without drive shafts, he could not brake the engine either. It did not improve the situation that the rear brakes were worn out and that the handbrake was currently dismantled. Fortunately, the journey ended in some bushes. The unfortunate car owner had a hitch - and the date was saved - although the K70 had to be left in the bushes. This history is perhaps one reason why inboard brakes never gained widespread use on modern cars. 
