International Vintage Volkswagen Forums

Anyone got any info on CKD (it is CKD cars isn't it), that were made in Australia?

Are there many differencies? i know that some parts were made in Australia, and that they have a kangaroo next to the VW roundal, the headliners tend to be different, is there anything else to look for?

Cheers

Andy

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LOTS!

Depends on year.
54 - 59 They were assembled CKD kits from Germany, and by 59 local Oz content was up to over 70%.
59 - 68 virtually completely Australian made cars . Some smaller content parts still German.

68-74 Back to German CKD again and much lower no's built.

NZ basically followed the Oz scheme assembling German kits in Auckland but by 62 NZ local content peaked at almost 40%
( I have found just light lenses and a few Hella parts only on my 63 from European origin)
But 63-68 NZ assembled/content cars fell sharply.

(thats why I have kept her, she's a proper kiwi! :wink: 😃 )

Lots of Kangaroo stamps, lots of VDO Australia. Even on the steel faces of the wheels between the bolts.
Too many oddities to list.

But the Australian body panels/metalwork and welding is as good/indistinguishable from German in my opinion. Different to Brazil and SA I believe.

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How hard would it be then to source parts?

Are they fairly easy to get hold of, or is it a nightmare?

I'm looking at a 65 Oz import at the moment.

They would have been built to the same tollerencies to European cars, i.e. headlights will fit all cars etc. they were just not made in Germany.

however being a 65 there are a lot of hard to find parts on the car anyway, which will be hard to find.

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Yes everything is identical to German in type and fit like Andy says. But as soon as you start swapping things the original and identifiable content slides away.
Many of the fabrics and parts are not available anywhere. Headlining is a good example. Even changing things like the seatbelts and window glass which are all OZ (or NZ) unique.
A big thing is not to replace the interior if you can help it!
There is always the option of Oz Ebay to find some parts.

Even all my Bosch parts are oz manfactured.

Fortunately I have not had to replace a single thing on mine yet. (But then I have'nt driven it for well over a year either :oops: )

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Saw the car Weatherman has, it is very solid, crape paper style head liner, wierd carpet.

Late popes nose (no other holes drilled) on early deck lid with T handle, pre 61 front brake drums, early cast push button door handles and 1/4 lights, electric fuel gauge, but no reserve tap hole in the bulk head, post 62 tinware.

Well confusing, need to get my age finder out and check out the chassis number, do they differ for Aussie cars?

Was getting very scared of the spiders on it though, Aussies do not have any nice ones do they.

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Yep, all sounds 100% correct to me! :lol:
This book although £25 is the best resource for OZ & NZ spec I have found. Its a really good book. VW books usually have a copy on their stand. They will be at Peppercorn.

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cheers, funily enough i have a set of NOS set of sun visors for them, couldn't work out why they were ribbed instead of mottled.

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