1973
The Transporter has a new strengthened front, with safety crumple zone and bigger front disc brakes. The front blinkers are moved up higher. The Type 4-based 1700cc engine is available as an option, with a top hatch at the rear.
8,415 Transporters are sold.
1974
The Transporter’s Type 4 engine is upped to 1800cc, while the 1600cc upright engine gets a paper air cleaner. The petrol flap is deleted and replaced by a flush cap.
7,718 Transporters are sold.
1975
The Transporter received some minor improvements to the controls and seats. The 1975 model proved to be the biggest-selling year in Australian history.
8,974 Transporters.
1976
The Transporter’s engine is bored and stroked to 2000cc. The old upright 1600cc engine was discontinued.
The government introduces Australian Design Rule 27A, which sets tough new exhaust and evaporative emission limits for all new cars sold from July. Transporters are fitted with L-Jetronic fuel injection and similar extra parts.
6,198 Transporters.
1977
After management clashes, rising costs and various production and quality control problems at Clayton under Nissan’s control the previous year, LNC Industries announces that all Volkswagen assembly in Australia will cease from March. All Volkswagens for Australian sale will henceforth be fully imported. The entire range is updated and freshened. Prices, however, rise by around 20% across the range.
The Transporter is also now fully imported, in twin-carb 2000cc form. Panel Van, Kombi, Pickup and Microbus versions are imported. LNC changes the focus of their Motorised Campers division to converting all makes of vans, due to the much-reduced numbers of VW Transporters available. The business is renamed ‘Motor Caravan Holdings Ltd’.
2,393 Transporters.
1978
All remaining Volkswagen parts, tooling, jigs, machines, signage, files and documentation are removed from the Nissan plant in Clayton. The most valuable components are trucked up to LNC’s parts headquarters in North Ryde in Sydney, but most is dumped at the Dandenong rubbish tip.
1,476 Transporters.
1979
The last shipment of T2 VW Transporters arrives in Australia in November, as the model has been discontinued and replaced by the T3 model in Germany.
558 Transporters.
1980
LNC decides not to import the new T3 Transporter, as large stocks of new T2 models still exist in storage yards and dealers. Trickle sales of the obsolete T2 continue, at prices twice that of the Japanese opposition.
165 Transporters.
_________________ Robert and Emma (and 4 kids so far)
1979 Bay Window Microbus (Restoration for daily driver due Xmas 2008 - well, some time in '09
1976 DC (daily driver - when it is running...)
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