At 11:33 PM 02/12/98 -0500, Karl wrote:
>Well, based on the pictures that Chris Turner brought back from
>Germany, VW was experimenting with the syncro concept even as
>far back as the loafs.  Check out:
>
>http://www.enter.net/~bloss/vw/turner/germany/
>
>and look at the picture underneath the white loaf.
>
Yes, there were a couple of prototypes made. I even remember seeing some
writeups in German 4WD magazines about them at the time (1979). As a detail
in this picture notice the joints of the front driveshafts which were later
replaced by CV joints. 1980 VW changed to the Vanagon style and when the
Waterboxer came out the Syncro was introduced. I think the Syncro was first
produced for military applications and then released to the public.

Bj�rn Ratjen

Mill Bay, B.C. 

1987 Syncro Est Alia (self camperized)
1995 Passat TD
(1982 Vanagon Diesel)
1979 VW Bus (self- camperized)