1963 | Volkswagen Beetle OKRASA TSV 1300/34

Highlights:

• The "first" VW factory rally car
• Long-distance rallies
• Original specifications

1963 Rally Beetle built for the Spa-Sofia-Liège Rally with Oettinger OKRASA TSV 1300 engine

OKRASA was the name of the company founded in 1951 by Gerhard Oettinger. The company specialized in performance parts for the VW engine, and soon, several VW bodybuilders like Dannenhauer & Stauss and Rometsch used OKRASA engines in their sports cars. Dipl.-Ing. Gerhard Oettinger is the founder of Oettinger Kraftfahrtechnische Spezial Anstalt. He began his work in his father's garage with two workers. With his technical skills, he became increasingly interested in motorsport. In 1951, he founded his own tuning company, OKRASA, in Friedrichsdorf. At the first Frankfurt Motor Show in 1951, OKRASA was already present.

In 1953, he developed the TSV 1300/30, an engine with dual carburetors, similar to those used in early Porsche 356 models, and special two-channel cylinder heads with special manifolds and a chromed, eight-bolt counterweighted crankshaft. The crankshaft allowed the engine to have a displacement of 1295 cc instead of the standard 1195 cc. The specially designed cylinder heads had larger intake valves of 33 mm and later 34.5 mm for the 34 PS engines, with a compression ratio of 7.8:1. The carburetors were a pair of 32 PBIC Solex with Knecht air filters mounted on the specially designed manifolds. Vehicles equipped with the complete set had about 70 PS and reached top speeds of 140 km/h and more. The 1300 TS/30, which was also available, was identical to the 1300 TSV/30 but lacked the chrome-moly crankshaft and had a top speed of 120 km/h.

In 1963, Oettinger received official approval from Volkswagen, making it possible to order an OKRASA Beetle from a dealer. In the late 1950s and 1960s, Oettinger built several rally vehicles for Scania-Vabis, the VAG dealer in Scandinavia. With Volkswagen's support, they were presented to the FIA and homologated in the GT class. In 1964, Scania-Vabis prepared five vehicles with Oettinger engines for the grueling Spa-Sofia-Liège long-distance rally. They took first place in their class and 7th and 8th places overall. After the Spa-Sofia-Liège rally, the cars continued to race, mainly in England at subsequent RAC rallies. All vehicles have since been dismantled, destroyed, or rotted away.

This VW Beetle is an exact replica of the original vehicle. The base of the car was an original pearl white Beetle delivered by Scania Vabis in 1963. It is powered by an original OKRASA TSV1300/34 engine, just like the rally cars.

Additional performance upgrades were installed at the time, and these were also used in this car:

• Porsche 356 B drum brakes all around
• Skid plates for front and rear
• Bilstein rally suspension
• External fuel filler
• Rally searchlights on the roof
• Additional headlights
• Sports seats
• Oil temperature gauge
• VDO tachometer
• Makrolon windows
• 3-spoke wooden steering wheel

The Beetle is road-legal in Germany and has classic car registration. It has been driven approximately 1500 km during the last International Petermax Müller Memorial Race, a race exclusively for period-correct vintage speed Beetles.

Here is the story of the five factory cars from back then.

The Return of the VW 1200: Scania's Biggest Rally Effort

A steep climb approaches quickly, a light tap on the brakes, but all four wheels still lift off the narrow gravel path. The landing is hard, the suspension almost at its limit, front and rear. The driver knows that the reinforced front axle and the strong, progressive stabilizer at the rear will absorb the shock—but the rear skid plate almost scrapes over the gravel waves in the middle of the road.

A long right-hand curve suddenly appears. The driver presses hard on the brakes, the strong Porsche brakes do their job. He shifts into third gear and positions the car for the curve. Gravel and stones clatter deafeningly against the bare underbody sheet metal. But he masters the curve with a perfect drift until the road straightens out again. The dual carburetors supply the 1.3-liter Oettinger engine with full power. 130 km/h! In fourth gear, soon 140 km/h, up to the top speed of 150 km/h.

This could have been a report on Scania's biggest effort in two international rallies—if the plan had worked out.

At some point in 1964, Scania realized that something had to be done. The robust VW 1200 was extremely durable but could no longer keep up with the competition's pace. Although the VW Type 3 had been introduced, and the 1964 model year brought a more powerful engine variant with dual carburetors, the vehicle was heavier and, despite these improvements, could not compete with rivals like the BMC Cooper or the Cortina Lotus.

Moreover, the engine was sensitive, not built for higher RPMs like the VW Type 1 engine. Since the natural "throttle effect" of the old long intake manifold was now missing, many drivers over-revved the engine—especially since VW did not install tachometers.

Just one lap in the red zone could lead to bent valve lifters and bearing damage. Race car drivers were better prepared for this stress, but it was clear that the 1500 engine of the Type 3 was less robust than the old 1200. Nevertheless, the Volkswagen team was still successful in competitions, thanks to experienced drivers like Berndt Jansson, Bertil Söderström, and Rune "Ruppe" Larsson.

Scania was primarily a truck manufacturer and only acted as the general distributor for Volkswagen in Sweden. The interest in racing events lay mainly in the potential advertising value of rallying. The entire racing activities were financed from the advertising budget, and both the drivers and team leaders pursued their activities at Scania and Volkswagen—training and races took place in their free time.

During this phase, an offer suddenly came from Volkswagen headquarters in Wolfsburg. One of the senior VW managers wanted to talk to Scania about a special project. So, racing manager Gunnar Häggbom and a colleague traveled to Germany.

The VW director's proposal was surprising: he wanted to invest in a special version of the VW 1200. The development of this model had stalled, the VW 1500 was not selling as expected, and it was struggling with significant quality issues. Such a model could breathe new life into the VW 1200 and keep sales stable for a few more years.

Although the design of the VW 1200 dated back to the 1930s, it was remarkably robust.

At the meeting in Wolfsburg, the VW director, Häggbom, and his colleague discussed possible modifications for the VW 1200 and the competitions it could participate in. The goal was to maintain the reliability of the 1200 models while increasing performance. This is where Gerhard Oettinger's company, OKRASA, came into play, which had specialized in tuning Volkswagen engines since 1951. With a 1300 cc engine from its standard range, a performance increase of 47% could be achieved, and with further tuning, even 65-70%.

The rest of the vehicle would be adapted by the experienced Scania team, and this was the expertise the VW director hoped for from the partnership. But how expensive would this endeavor be? During lunch, Häggbom and his colleague made a calculation on paper napkins.

After lunch, they presented the result to the VW director. The decision was quick: they would run a long-distance rally with specially equipped vehicles and aim for success. The Spa-Sofia-Liège Rally was chosen as the target—starting at the famous Spa race track and finishing in Liège, Belgium.

However, the VW director made it clear that this project was not officially approved by Heinz Nordhoff, the VW boss.

Officially, the rally project was to appear as a Scania initiative, without direct mention of Volkswagen's factory. "The man upstairs probably won't like it—but we'll do it anyway!"

The Finnish VW branch also silently supported the project and encouraged the decision-maker in Wolfsburg. Thus, Scania's most ambitious racing project took shape, a bold mission that was to make history.

Volkswagen's Rally Ambitions:

A historical insight into the Spa-Sofia-Liège long-distance rally

Sigvard Andersson, former head of the information department at Volkswagen, once spoke about the strategic thinking behind Volkswagen's rally adventure. Although Heinz Nordhoff, then head of Volkswagen, was initially not a big supporter of motorsport, Andersson believed that a successful foray could spark interest in the Volkswagen headquarters and possibly lead to the official recognition of rally-modified models under the names "Volkswagen Oettinger" or "Volkswagen Okrasa." Such a step could give Volkswagen vehicles a new competitiveness in motorsport.

This daring project aimed to build five specially prepared VW 1200s for the legendary Spa-Sofia-Liège Rally. Starting from five new white 1963 models, the race car team reduced the vehicles to the bare essentials for maximum weight reduction. All side windows were replaced with lightweight plexiglass, some cars had their window cranks replaced with leather straps, and the rear seats were replaced with special foam cushions that could store important equipment. A massive 84-liter tank, designed by Yngve Back, replaced the standard 40-liter tank, although sealing these larger tanks proved challenging.

The vehicles also received a striking matte black hood to reduce sun glare. Parts derived from Porsche, including brakes from Porsche's B models, were added for performance enhancement, as well as custom modifications inspired by Porsche's Super 90 GT and Carrera GT models. The modified VWs were equipped with Porsche brake drums with cooling fins, as well as longer wheel bolts and spacers for improved handling.

Adjustments to the suspension and camber helped balance oversteer, while a reinforced chassis and body structure prepared the vehicles for the demanding long-distance terrain. These fine-tunings, combined with a modified gear ratio, increased the vehicles' endurance but took them far beyond normal standards. The performance boost came from Gerhard Oettinger's tuning company, OKRASA. The race-ready 1285 cc engines featured a forged crankshaft with counterweights, higher compression, and special cylinder heads with larger valves and sodium-cooled exhaust valves.

With all these modifications, the modified VW 1200s reached top speeds of up to 150 km/h and accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in about 15 seconds. The transformation from standard Volkswagens to rally-tuned machines meant that the new vehicles were now ready to take on one of Europe's toughest rallies.

At the start of the competition, the teams tackled the over 2,000-kilometer route through Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy, Yugoslavia, and Bulgaria. Swedish driver Berndt Jansson, along with his co-driver Erik "Jerka" Pettersson, led the field and quickly climbed the rankings. However, unpredictable mountain conditions in Yugoslavia brought new challenges, including a dangerous encounter with competitor Pat Moss and an unexpected cliff incident that forced them to retire when their VW crashed into a stone bridge pillar.

Other Swedish teams faced similar difficulties. For example, Rune "Ruppe" Larsson had to struggle with a gearbox failure that forced his co-driver Börje Nilsson to shift with pliers due to a broken bolt—a sign of how demanding the roads were. While some Swedish drivers made it to Italy, others had to retire due to accidents or mechanical failures.

Volkswagen's rally venture ultimately demonstrated, despite the challenges and setbacks, the brand's innovative spirit and resilience. This journey not only showed the courage and ingenuity of the drivers but also the potential of Volkswagen to make a mark in motorsport.

An Unforgettable Finish

The goal was reached—Rune "Ruppe" Larsson and Börje Nilsson had made it! In a thrilling race and after a sensational drive, they secured 8th place overall and simultaneously won their class. No wonder they were immediately surrounded by fans—autographs were in demand, and Börje (left in the picture, in a dark jacket) and "Ruppe" were the stars of the moment.

Börje described the experience as a real "high-speed ride." They raced through villages and towns at full throttle, accompanied by the thunderous sound of an extra-loud horn mounted on the front hood. Police in more densely populated areas tried to slow them down, but in a rally competition, such presence naturally had little success.

In Germany, however, the police were more supportive. On the highway, when traffic came to a standstill due to a jam, the police briefly directed the rally cars over the fields to bypass the blockade.

On the Trail of a Legendary Rally Team

The vehicles that survived the tough competition were brought back on a truck. Some were even stacked on top of each other, giving the impression of a salvage operation for scrap cars. Nevertheless, the modifications to the old VW 1200 models proved their competitiveness. Berndt and Jerka were even in the lead before an unfortunate event in Yugoslavia changed everything. Ruppe and Börje also finished the race in a respectable 8th place, despite gearbox problems.

New Cars for the Next Race

Before the next big event, the RAC Rally from November 7 to 12, the team again prepared five vehicles. Two new 1962 models were converted from Scania service vehicles into competition vehicles, with the same specifications as the 1964 models from Spa-Sofia-Liège. Plexiglass windows, additional lights, and black hoods gave the vehicles the unmistakable look of the "Oettinger" race cars. One 1962 model was used as a spare vehicle to serve as a rolling spare parts depot for the main competition vehicles if needed.

Breakdowns and Fateful Turns in the RAC Rally

In the race itself, Berndt Jansson and Jerka Pettersson started strong, while Pauli Toivonen and the duo Ruppe Larsson/Börje Nilsson were stopped early by gearbox problems. However, the duo Bertil Söderström and his co-driver Rune Olsson drove steadily and secured good positions on the stages. Berndt and Jerka were even in the lead when suddenly the rear skid plate came loose, severely affecting the car's performance. Although Berndt and Jerka continued to fight, it was impossible to make up the lost ground.

A Grand Finale

Despite the challenges, the race showed the potential of the "Oettinger" Volkswagens. Berndt had lost the lead, but in the end, it was enough for 8th place overall. Tom Trana won the race and secured the European Championship, while the best placement of the Oettinger vehicles was achieved by Berndt and Jerka.

Interestingly, the background of the project was handled discreetly at the highest level of the Scania-VW cooperation with tuning specialist Gerhard Oettinger. However, Oettinger's pride in his work led to a press interview that ultimately jeopardized the project. The revelation of his involvement in a major motor magazine caused dismay among VW management, leading to the abrupt termination of the endeavor. Soon, all five race cars were sold.

Loss and Legacy of the Oettinger Volkswagens

Although the vehicles ended up on the scrapyard, they left a lasting impression in the motorsport world. The remaining vehicles, including some models later converted for circuit racing, offered impressive performances until the end and caused a sensation.

Thus ends the story of the fascinating yet forgotten Oettinger Volkswagens. A chapter in motorsport that remains unforgettable and is remembered today as one of the most exciting—and secretive—episodes in the history of Scania and Volkswagen.