The Brazilian Split Camper: a good alternative to the original Split?

You often hear it said that "the Brazilian Split is not a real Split": true or false?

It is not the Chinese who copied them and built them behind Volkswagen's back... it was according to VW's precise criteria, in its factories, that these Campers were assembled and evolved somewhat between 1968 and 1975, in the shadow of the second version of the Camper, the Bay Window.

The Brazilian Split is a bit like the 1302 and 1303: it sports a slightly different look; yet these Beetle models are Beetles all the same. They were less loved, less sought after than the earlier models and because they are cheaper, they are coming back into the spotlight and deserve to be better known; the Brazilian Split in Europe is the same.

Around 2015, the Deluxe or SAMBA version of the Split Camper enjoyed an extraordinary craze in the USA. An upswing that quickly spread to Europe, where prices of the 21 and 23-window models took off in their turn. Justified or not, it made the value of the other Split versions soar and pushed some people to have "Brazilian Deluxes" restored before importing them to our continent.

From there to passing a Brazilian off as a German, it was only a step... of samba.

But let us go back a little to the story of the origins of the Brazilian Split, mentioned a bit earlier.

When VW do Brazil opened its factory near Sao Paulo, the agreements with the authorities specified that the Transporter would be assembled 50/50: 50% imported German parts and 50% parts made in Brazil. Quickly, and for reasons of cost and optimisation in the face of demand, this proportion shifted to 95/5, in Brazil's favour. Incidentally (no free gifts), it makes it easier to understand the profusion of "made in Brazil" parts on the spare-parts market for our VWs.

Brazilian Split Campers were therefore assembled (the vast majority of them) with parts from the industry of the land of carnival. Does that make them fake or mediocre Splits? No, since German standards were draconian and VW could not have afforded to compromise on the quality of vehicles sold in its dealerships, even abroad.

What are the differences between a German Split Camper and a Brazilian Split Camper?

Technical specifics and aesthetic differences.

From its debut to its end in 1975, the Brazilian Split stayed fitted with a rear axle with trumpets and reduction boxes; it did not switch to driveshafts between 1968 and 1975 like the German Bay. It keeps wheels with an old-fashioned look, with a 5 x 205 bolt pattern, and stays fitted with front drum brakes. Trumpets and drums being the basis of a good samba, the Brazilian Split is completely "on theme", as Cristina would say.

In terms of style, the big VW logo at the front is stamped into the front panel; the pick-ups also have a logo of the same type on their rear tailgate.

The general bodywork seems to have stayed frozen in 1963; the doors have high hinges like the first Campers, and the handles are pre-1960, of the pull type.

The real difference is found on glazed versions such as the 15-window, which, like the German 13-window, is the most common Split. The Brazilian 15s are visually comparable to the European 23-windows; they keep the curved rear corner windows, but do not have the small oval roof windows along the roof and have no folding panoramic canvas roof. That is why many Brazilian 15-window Splits have been "operated on" to be pimped into (fake) 23-windows, with panoramic roof and Deluxe fittings. Brazil is known to be the country of cosmetic surgery. It is just a matter of comparison; as long as there is no confusion of genres, all is well. Some people (like my dentist) mix the two up, wrongly.

There were other versions exclusive to Brazil, such as the 6-door Camper, created for carrying people. Alongside the Campers and Beetles, VW do Brazil had its own productions: have you ever seen or heard of the VW SP2, Puma GT, Variante, Brasilia...? Just like the Campers, several of these local products regularly leave Brazil, restored or not, imported by savvy collectors or by companies that have sniffed out a business opportunity. Some of these pros are very professional and it is better to go through them if the paperwork and the hassle of importing are not in your scope.

If you want to acquire a vehicle from South America, do your research on Google and take the time to sort through the offers, or you could end up with a cassoulet without the sausage.