A unique rendition of Volkswagen’s iconic T3, this four-door T25 Doka (Doppel Kabine or Double Cab) is reported to have been one of just three units specifically built for the NATO forces with four doors rather than the standard 3-door configuration. This 1992 example is said to have been refinished in Beige Cappuccino from Fiat’s paint collection and features a custom-fabricated frame that supports the canvas cover. Acquired by the seller in 2017 and since undergone a multi-year restoration, this pickup is now being offered for auction by its seller out of Holland, Netherlands.
This rare 4-door example is said to have been professionally stripped, primed, epoxied, and refinished in Beige Cappuccino (231/B), borrowed from Fiat's paint collection. It rides on original 14” wheels with black-painted centers. The seller states that a custom-fabricated and paint-matched frame has been added to the bed, supporting a German-made Sonnenland waterproof canvas cover. Black powder-coated front and rear bumpers have also been fitted. Additional images are provided in the gallery.
The cabin has been customized with NW NOS (Volkswagen New Old Stock) chocolate brown vinyl and brown/grey tweed seat inserts. The dashboard has been reconditioned and a new headliner has been fitted. Other equipment includes VDO instrumentation, a two-spoke steering wheel, a locking glovebox, roll-up windows, door-mounted grab handles, rear lap belts, and black rubber floor mats. The seller adds that all gauges and accessories are working properly.
Power is derived from a rear-mounted 1.9-liter flat-four diesel engine which sends power to the rear wheels through a 5-speed manual transmission. The seller adds that a new clutch, battery, and alternator have been fitted as part of the restoration. No outstanding maintenance items have been reported at this time.
This sale will include a registration, owner’s manuals, and a toolkit.
The seller would like you to know: “After 2 years of searching, we located a low mileage rust-free example in Rotterdam; the coolest thing about the find is that this DOKA had 4 doors! The other interesting detail was that it was an ex-NATO vehicle which in and of itself, offered some distinct pros and cons. The big positive was it had an extensive service history with top-notch repair records. The other side of the coin was that there were some unique features on the vehicle that had to be either removed or corrected. For example, the bed was covered by an inset Bakelite material that provided a base for a series of metal slotted channels; whether this design was used to secure gear and equipment, or a stable platform for the latest secret weapon, I never found out. I decided to have it removed to get down to the original corrugated floor surface. Another challenge was/were the various dents located in specific areas on the sheet metal. These dents were certainly something that needed to be taken care of for sure. This is a unique example because it is one of three trucks built for NATO forces with 4 doors rather than the standard 3 door configuration. VW did manufacture a 4-door luxury version of the t3 called the TriStar which was only available with the Synchro 4WD system and very expensive. Another feature that sets this truck apart is the custom-fabricated frame which supports the canvas cover. The frame was designed to drop the height of the canvas top flush to the truck’s cab to provide a more streamlined look. The steel frame was powder coated and a German-made Sonnenland waterproof canvas was selected for the covering. This top was designed for easy on-and-off access to whatever might be in the truck bed. Roll-up side panels and rear vinyl window panels make it easy to get to stuff with the canvas top in place too. High-quality fasteners have been used in keeping with the high standard of restoration. The truck has all original sheet metal except for the five-foot-long nose panel that runs below the windshield. This is a notorious spot where moisture accumulates in the corner seams allowing corrosion to set in. The new panel was NOS and was welded and epoxy seam-sealed before it was primed and painted. The seams in all these vehicles are the weak link once panel expansion and contraction cause the paint to allow moisture into the original unsealed seam areas. The remaining sheet metal panels and seams on this truck have all been brought down to bare metal and filled with epoxy seam-sealer to prevent this from happening and then of course primed and painted.”
Comments (21)
Well, a little bummed about the result, but thank you all for your interest … much appreciated.
Keep it going this is a special truck with countless hours spent making it as good as possible
Bid in the amount of $12,000
Bid in the amount of $11,250
Bid in the amount of $11,000
Nice to see some action guys! Thanks
Was worried I’d have to start parting it out!
Bid in the amount of $9,999
Bid in the amount of $1,111
Bid in the amount of $750
Bid in the amount of $500
GETcar00
Thank you for the kind words and aplogies for the delay in answering your inquiry. PCar would not allow my reply to be sent and it took a while to resolve the problem. I’m now PCar-literate…I hope
To answer your questions:
1-Color choices- saw a Land Rover photo shoot by an outfit called Cool-n-Vintage from Portugal . The star of the shoot was a tan and chocolate brown Landy which really stood out. At any rate I got in touch with the maestro behind it all and he advised on he paint and canvas fabric. I selected the interior choices on my own to complement the exterior.
2- no collisions that I’m aware of and I’ve got records going back to the beginning of time! There were some selective dents in the weirdest places….to roof of the cab looked like part of he Appalachian Trail!
3- Shipping…if you can forward your zip code I can try to get a relatively exact quote. You can also contact US Customs to get a list of the paperwork and customs fees as well
Bikeman46,
You’re right…the t3’s are the most useful and right now a great value compared to the prices for the t2’s
I’m working on getting some shipping costs. If you’re interested send me your zip code so I can get a more exact quote and if you know the closest international port to your location.
CarNutinMiami
Hey…thanks, I appreciate your appreciation!
Roverchef
Thanks for complement…I’ve Ben a fan for years and finally found a clean example that allowed me to take a little artistic liscense.
I love odd VW's. Really clean example.
What a beauty!
Nice job on the truck. I was stationed in Germany back in the 80’s and these were the rigs to have! The t3 is definitely more usable than the older t2 bus style.
Do you have any idea how much shipping to the US would be now that the costs due to COVID have hopefully come down?
1ton50
You’re in the lead…getting close! Thanks for the bid!!
Bid in the amount of $250
Nice Doka! I have a single cab, which gives me a bigger bed but the cab is very noisy; no headliner just bare metal. You’ve done a wonderful job with the revision work. I can’t believe this was ever an army truck.
The big deal here is the 4 Doors. That’s unbelievable!! I’ve seen 4 door synchro Tristars going for big money, $80K plus and then you have to deal with synchro quirks now and then. Your vehicle should be considerably more affordable and less trouble.
Couple of questions:
1- how did you come up with the color scheme?
2- being a former army truck there were never any collisions?
3- how difficult to get it back stateside?
Thanks,
Gary
Hey PCar followers…
Welcome to my first auction, a rare 4 door version of VW’s Double Cab Pickup, aka DOKA. I will be on hand this week to answer any questions and/or clarify any details to the best of my ability.
Thanks for checking it out!