Check Out These Lowered, Widebody VW Vans from Last Week’s SEMA Show

Even among the wild showcars of SEMA, this pair stood out. Where have you ever seen a widebody version of an original Volkswagen Type 2 van, let alone two of them?

There they were, parked among the brodozers outside the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, usually with a crowd around them, two early 1960s VW buses—a 1963 Single Cab and a 1961 15-Window Deluxe. They were lowered to the ground, which looked interesting enough, but they both sported flared fenders and wide, wide wheels and tires. Both are powered by 1914-cc air-cooled flat four Type 1 engines making 120 hp each.

“These have been two of the most challenging and rewarding builds I’ve ever done for SEMA,” said Kenny Pfitzer, president of Kenny Pfitzer Designs, which made the pair. “When FB COUNTY and Original Cascade (the clothing brands that sponsored the builds) came to me with the concept to design and build two wide-body buses at the same time, I knew instantly we were going to turn some heads at this year’s show. We’ve had some very long days and had to overcome some massive design hurdles to bring this together, but in the end it's all worth it.”

The builds began in late August at Pfitzer’s Corona, California, shop. Both vans were completely stripped down and scanned in 3D to design the different body panels, which included front and rear fender flares, roof wing, front splitter, rear roll pan and rocker panels. Using CAD software, all the body panels were designed and machined with what Pfitzer Designs calls “special composite material” which gave Kenny the ability to “create body panels that perfectly match the buses’ classic body shape.”

All the interior parts were removed, too, and full custom interiors were designed and built from scratch, Pfitzer said, including CNC-machined components for the gauge clusters, pedals, switches and other key interior elements. The buses also got all-new air-ride suspension kits, brakes, lighting, and electrical components.

“We are rolling into SEMA with two of the most stunning vehicles at the show,” said Pfitzer. “That’s what we do at KPD. This is where modern design meets timeless inspiration.”

That’s not just bravado. Pfitzer himself is the quintessential Southern California cool car designer. He grew up helping his aerospace engineer dad work on cars in the family garage. One of their projects was a 1960 microbus. Then he worked at iconic concept car maker Metalcrafters in Fountain Valley, then at West Coast Customs in Corona, then several years at Foose Design in Huntington Beach, before starting Kenny Pfitzer Designs in Corona. Along the way he had a hand in many show cars you have probably seen in magazines and on video. He even worked on the mockup for what became the ICON A5 amphibious airplane. So a couple of VW buses might not have been that difficult.

Want a pair of buses for yourself? KPD can set you up.

“Because of its proprietary design and build process, KPD has the capability to duplicate all composite body parts used in this build for additional builds,” Pfitzer says. “Early next year, KPD will begin taking orders for custom widebody Volkswagen bus builds and can either transform someone’s personal bus or source a bus for the build. The composite body parts or body kits will not be made available for purchase.”

No price was mentioned, but if you have to ask…