WARNING.— The person in whose name this vehicle is displayed may or may not be the current owner of the vehicle. Readers are warned, therefore, that this entry is not proof of ownership.
Details
- Registration Mark
- BIC 323
- (a) Type:
- Type 2
- (b) Year:
- 1966
- (c) Colour:
- Anthracite Grey
- (d) Paint code:
- L469
- (e) Engine CCs:
- 1500
History
- (a) Country of origin:
- Ireland
- (b) County first reg'd:
- Carlow
- (c) Current or last known location:
- Wicklow
Model information
Split Screen Panel Van
Info
BIC 323
The Cold Rolling Mills Carlow, a razor blade factory owned by Steel Products Ltd. was purchased about 1956 by a Mr Klotsman. He needed a supply of steel band to make the blades and decided to set up a factory to produce this material.
He discovered that there was a better government grant available for setting up in Co. Laois rather than in Carlow. He purchased a field on the right hand side of Killeshin Road just past the Poor Clare’s convent. The top corner of the field was in Co. Laois.
In 1966, Mr. Klotsman was diagnosed with lung cancer and died on July 2, 1967. The OKAVA factory was sold in 1972 to Perma Sharp Co. and ceased to exist by the mid-seventies.
The Carlow Factory was sold after Klotsman death in 1967. Source: Carlow County Museum 2012
Enter John O’ Neill, a foreman that worked in the factory. John’s boss set him the task to find a delivery van for the factory. John got in touch with his brother (name unknown) who was the foreman for Devoy’s VW garage in Carlow town. On January 3rd 1966 John took delivery of a brand-new Anthracite Grey panel van, bearing the registration number BIC 323.
The van lived a hard and colourful life during it’s 6 years of service delivering razor blades all over the country. John told me so many stories about the van and it’s driver. Far too many stories to add on here, so be sure to ask me about them when you see the van out and about!
The van even had an engine issue after the first 1000 miles and the VW garage replaced the original unit with a brand-new one, no questions asked. The broken engine sat in John’s office until the day the factory was sold in 1972.
When the factory closed, John bought the van from the company and took it home. He used the van himself as a daily vehicle for work and home life until he parked it up some time in the mid 80’s
I came to own the van in 2022 and the van is undergoing a restoration. I am delighted to own a VW with such a fantastic Irish history, and I am even more blessed to still have John (pictured below) here today to share all it’s history. There is so much more to this van and I look forward to sharing the stories with everyone.
(The picture of the non-VW van is to illustrate the branding the company used on most of it’s vans.)
Additional Photos
