The ENDOH VW Busses were made out of stamped tin plate and lithographed. All are front wheel drive friction powered. Some have rubber tires with metal hub caps and later issues have one piece plastic wheels. Not all models have the ENDOH logo, but the lines in the metal stamping of the side panels is unmistakable. This side panel stamping continued into the bay window models. Evidence of this change is provided in the BP or British Petroleum pickup with split window litho over bay window front panel stamping. See the center model in the lineup of three BP pickups. The ENDOH VW Busses were 105mm in length.
Very early ENDOH VWs were produced with separate bumpers, headlights and VW logo as well as the pickup having a very unique stamping wrapping all around the bus from front to back. Then a separate V panel, cab panel, bed panel and chassis. If anyone has an early version Kombi or Kastenwagen, it would be nice to have some photos for this site.
The later model ENDOH VW Busses all had the bumpers, lights and logos lithographed into the design. Pickups have a five piece stamping while the Kombis and Kastenwagens (panel vans) have a four piece panel stamping. Also interesting to note is the vans all have cargo doors indicated on both sides. The later VW Bay Window Bus toys with the Indian head logo are made by ICHIMURA. This ICHIMURA VW Bus evolved from the early ENDOH toys, as the first bay window stampings still had split window Bus lithograph and everything else about the toy is identical.
The three pickups with advertising themes are quite unique. Both the ABC Tire and Shock Absorber/ Laminated Spring versions came with a sample sticker on the roof. The ABC Tire has an additional Tag affixed to the to the roof pillar marked; SAMPLE, Art. # 4627, Made in Japan, Minami Shoko, Tokyo.
