1967 VW Type 3 is a family car
The “MINANO SUNDAY PICNIC 2023” is an event where owners of classic cars dress up in stylish outfits matching their cars and bring nostalgic items to enjoy car discussions. The event was held on 4 November 2023 at “Our Minano Base” in Minano-machi, Saitama Prefecture. Here we introduce some of the cars and owners that caught our attention at the event.
“I wanted to drive an air-cooled car”
Kanta Yamamoto (40), who attended the event, drives a 1967 Volkswagen Type 3 Notchback, which he bought three years ago as a family car for five people and uses on a daily basis.
“I was looking for an old car for my family of five, and I wanted to drive an air-cooled car that I had never owned before. After searching around, I found it for sale in Gifu Prefecture and found it to be a superb car. I decided to buy it, picked it up on a business trip to Shiga Prefecture, and drove it home slowly on my own.”
According to Yamamoto, who told us this, in the past he had loved MG ‘Midget 1500’, Alfa Romeo ‘1300TI’, Volvo ‘240’, Morris ‘Mini Van’ and Toyota ‘Hilux’, and currently has a Type 3 as his only four-wheeler, Honda ‘CB750 FOUR-II’, ‘Monkey’, ‘Super Cub (C100)’, ‘CR125R’, ‘GB350’, ‘Velocette LE200’, ‘NSU Super MAX’, ‘Ducati Sport 175’ and ‘Motobi 200 sprite’.
What are your future customization plans?
“This Type 3 is a Yanase dealer item and most of the maintenance records from back then are still available. When I used to take my family camping with VW through an acquaintance, I was able to take a large tent with me by attaching a carrier to the roof, even with a small car. In the future, I want to practice flying Bluetooth with the old radio, changing the muffler, and setting up the carburetor.”
Yamamoto has been driving old cars since he was 20 years old and also said that cars are the best vehicles to lift his spirits. Does he have any plans to increase the number of cars in the future?
“I would rather replace the cars than increase the number of cars.”
Replacement means giving up the Type 3, but I am sure we will find another old car that the family of five can drive again.
translated by DeepL
