1957 Wendler Special

The Wendler Company outfitted Volkswagens with special coachwork. Most were centered around 'Woody' station wagons.

Wendler produced a vehicle that resembled a Porsche but was built on a Volkswagen chassis. The roofs were fabric; the doors were suicide. The frame was made of timber and aluminum panels. The early versions were powered by a Volkswagen engine with later versions featuring Porsche-supplied engines.

In 1957, a larger 'continental' model was designed.

In 1957, a series of 2+2 Ponton-Cabriolets were built for export to the United States. This is the only one of two that are known, and the only one that is restored. The body structure is made of steel and the body panels are both steel and aluminum. It is attached to a VW pan. The bonnet panels are attached to tube frames like the Porsche race cars. The engine used is an Okrasa, which is similar to early Porsche engines by having higher compression heads and dual carbs. When the engine was dropped for the restoration, it still had, in chalk, on the back of the fan housing the address of the Wendler factory. The body and interior colors match the original.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2009