Volkswagen’s bus is one of the most recognizable vehicles ever made. The VW bus wasn’t only a hit in post-war Germany, as its popularity stretched across the Atlantic to the U.S., where it became a counterculture icon of the 1960s. Though it had its U.S. heyday in the 1960s, the van’s history stretches before and after this time period, with tons of enthusiasts and collectors all around the world.
Known in the U.S. as the VW Bus and in the U.K. as the VW Camper, the official name for the vehicle is the Transporter. This name for the VW bus is especially fitting, as the vehicle quickly became popular for its ability to carry large groups of people. With the automobile’s huge influence on the countercultural movements of the 1960s and its striking design, it’s easy to see how the iconic VW bus evolved through the years.
Known as a Type 2 Transporter, the trucks were introduced in early 1950 and was one of the most advanced commercial vehicles of the time due to its frameless unit-body construction, which had more than 10,000 welds.
Because the Transporter was derived from the Beetle, VW engineers purposely shared their mechanical components as much as possible for supply simplicity and reduced costs. The four-speed manual transmissions and air-cooled boxer four-cylinder engines (1,200-, 1,300-, and 1,500cc’s) powered both vehicles through 1967, which was the Transporter’s last year with split-windshield styling. Despite being chronically underpowered, the Bus and its variants’ curb weights were kept down, and VW engineers equipped them with reduction boxes. These boxes contained two extra gears on the ends of both rear axles that reduced the transmission’s final drive ratio to a basement-level 5.73:1; this allowed for a respectable 3/4-ton payload capacity but limited top speed to 50-65 mph, depending on engine size. The Beetle also donated its basic four-wheel independent suspension with enclosed torsion bars, suitably modified for heavy-duty use.
Both Volkswagen models underwent a gradual metamorphosis, evolving only as engineering refinements or safety regulations decreed. The medium-sized Transporter proved popular for both commercial and private use. The box-on-wheels could be had as a basic panel van, a work/personal Kombi van with removable seats (1950), a deluxe “Samba” bus that seated eight (1951), and in 1952, as a Single-Cab truck (a factory-built three-door Double Cab would follow in 1959). The VW Pick Up bed was lined with oak strips, earning the German nickname “Pritschenwagen,” and designed as a platform with no wheel-arch intrusions. Its folding side and tail drop-gates gave the vehicle amazing flexibility for loading and hauling. The locking compartment under the bed, situated between the engine compartment and the cab, and popularly known as the “treasure chest,” offered another 20 square feet of weatherproof storage. Single Cab and Double Cab Pick Ups could even be optioned with a bed-mounted metal and wood frame that was covered with a fitted canvas tarpaulin.
In ten years of production, the 1962 Pick Up had gained engine displacement, grown a full-length dashboard, new bumpers and DOT-appeasing lamps, received a better fresh-air ventilation system and minor sheetmetal refinements.
We drive them everywhere & it’s a blast, even with the old school 4 speed transmission, no air conditioning or power steering
If you give us a honk on the road and we are in the OG just know her horn doesn’t work, we will try to give you a peace sign
We have the best VW mechanic located in Safety Harbor, Florida & we call him the “VW Whisperer” & when either VW visits we to it as a “Spa Retreat”
Posies fleet ranges from 1960 to 1971 & are all German made
There’s a large Florida based VW group called Local Volks that all of the girls belong to
The trucks have a sister from another mister, a 1965 VW Camper Bus named Sky #skyvwbus
We’re ready to Mezzo-rize you.🌻 Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 3, we’re joining the @mezzomarket in St Pete for the very first time! 🛻 💕
Sep 7
Warning: We attract positive experiences & encounters while driving & parking!
Sep 6
Dragging the line, more like dragging the VW! A glimpse back to a “simpler” 😉 time when the Posies fleet was 4. We thought we had our hands full back then (2023) and here we are with +5 more. “Give them ALL to me” she said, and yes oddly enough this VW obsession is driven (yes she does that too) by a lady. The man in the reel does all the “dragging of the line” aka pushing, lots and lots of pushing. 💕
(Side note: The aqua colored one is Blossom who’s now living her best life at the iconic @armatureworks_tampa)
Sep 5
Pooie! Summer is over and Posies has to reset for pumpkin everything season! 🍂🎃🍎 What a shame said no one ever!
Sep 2
☀️Summer you should get a speeding ticket!👮 (You definitely go by faster than any of the Posies trucks 😆 🌺🐢)
Aug 29
Happy Doggo Day Forever! 🐾 🐶 💕
@nicolegellerpetphotography
@downtowndogstampa
@bearthebrewerydog
@iwilldazzleyou
@fitz.piper86
Aug 26
“You’ll never do a whole lot unless your brave enough to try” Dolly Parton
Aug 25
Flowers leveled up by Posies!
Did you know when making a reservation on OpenTable with @steelbach_tampa you can add a Posies floral arrangement? We design and deliver a gorgeous floral arrangement to be beautifully placed on your dining table - surprising that someone special upon arrival. Leveled up by Posies executed! 💕
Of course you will always find us inside @armatureworks_tampa to pick your own pretty stems or let us curate a stunning flower bouquet for you. Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-8pm!
Video Cred: @tianna_stamas
#posiesflowertruck #levelup #tampabay #armatureworks
Aug 23
It’s easily 120 degrees in our warehouse, time ticks at the speed of light and we have to be out the door and on time, we race, we plan, we SWEAT, we curse, we lose things (keys), we triple check supplies, do we have oil, how about gas, is there enough (few gas gauges actually function), get ice, fresh water for humans and our four legged visitors, dog treats stocked, treasure chest goodies, stickers - the list goes on and on!
As we finish our truck load prep we take a giant deep breath, we did it! We step back and look at the prettiest flower truck as it’s ready to roll out the door, we can’t help but smile! Then we do a little “please engine start” so we can actually roll out the door - comes with keeping vintage VWs running. Phew, she started and is out the door enthusiastically, day after day, weekend after weekend - bringing the happy in so many ways. What a special thing this Posies life is!
Happy weekend - we can’t wait to see you again my friend!
Aug 22
From 813 Day, Armature Works, Hyde Park Village, Cafe Vino in Safety Harbor, deliveries, DoorDash, OpenTable orders, subscriptions - you kept us hopping this week Tampa Bay! THANK YOU ☺️ from the bottom of our VW little engines hearts!
findposies.com is the go to for finding our sweet happy truck around town.
@armatureworks_tampa Wednesday to Sunday, rain or shine we’ve got you covered in blooms aka happy, 10am-8pm!
@hydeparkvillage every Friday & Saturday 11am-3pm parked at our favorite fountain, you know the spot - Posies Parking only! Once the weather cools down we will sneak in a Sunday or two or three!
@starkeymarket Saturday, August 22, 10am to 1pm - who else thinks we need to be there more often than 1 Saturday a month?
Aug 16
THERE’S STILL TIME TO ENTER TO WIN FREE FLOWERS & MORE!
HOW TO PLAY:
📪 Mail a postcard snail mail to Posies PO Box found for 1 entry (Posies Flower Truck, 334 East Lake Rd, #354, Palm Harbor, FL 34685)
🚶♀️Drop off a postcard to Armature Works Monday through Sunday for 2 entries (to our new Posies mailbox found near the truck) or
💐 Bring to Armature Works & buy flowers or gifts (any amount) for 3 entries during our open hours Wednesday-Sunday 10am-
4 CHANCES TO WIN!
💕 1st Place Drawing - Recieve a FREE 3 month Posies flower subscription delivered right to your door!
🥰 2nd Place Favorite Message - Free Posies Bouquet (chosen by the Posies staff!)
💞 3rd Place Favorite Postcard Design - Armature Works Gift Card + Tee Shirt (chosen by Posies & Armature Works)
🇺🇸 We also heard all the out of towners - you can play to for a Posies swag bag of goodies! We will pick our favorite postcard as the winner!
✅ IMPORTANT: All postcards must include a first & last name, email, contact phone and message written on the postcard to be entered into the drawing. No purchase necessary to play, Tampa Bay only please for local prizes, including Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties. Out of towners one prize for Posies swag bag! Entries accepted August 1 through August 31, 2026.
Winners selected September 2 and notified via an old school phone call! 📞
☮️ Call us old school, vintage souls, retro crazy - whatever we align with all of it & love everything about it! Sure we could ask for likes and tags but why not roll it back to snail mail, mailboxes, stamps, pens, postcard’s & love notes! We’re also obsessed with postcards so what better way to enjoy August than reading all your hand written old school messages, loving the postcard designs & feeling the love! ✌️
Aug 14
Thank you @buccaneers for supporting small business! Forever grateful! #gobucs
Aug 11
“Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the best things in our lives.”
THANK YOU @buccaneers and the Glazer Family Foundation for everything you do for this community! What a treasure you are to the small businesses of Tampa Bay.
When our Posies warehouse flooded not once but twice in 2024, along with 3 Posies trucks flooding (one that just came out of a brand new paint job), a damaged flower cooler, canceled events, loss of revenue & the daunting task at hand to get back to business. It was honestly one of the first times we questioned if we can continue with the monumental work and expenses that lie ahead. After the shock of it all we got back at it, worked in a torn up warehouse with no walls, a ripped up office and plowed ahead. That flooded newly painted truck, it went back to paint and is now living its best life at Armature Works. A testament to our communities resilience.
We’ve already put the funds to great use with replacing that broken flooded cooler with 2 twin coolers, which was so needed. Being a small business and having something like 2 hurricanes back to back can take years to recover, this grant award came at the right time for us! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
#tampabaybuccaneers #tampabay
Aug 11
Your vision, fully bloomed. This never gets old!
Aug 3
WIN FREE FLOWERS! 🌼
CONTEST STARTS TODAY! 💌
CALLING ALL POSTCARDS NEAR & FAR! 📫
HOW TO PLAY:
📪 Mail a postcard snail mail to Posies PO Box found for 1 entry (Posies Flower Truck, 334 East Lake Rd, #354, Palm Harbor, FL 34685)
🚶♀️Drop off a postcard to Armature Works Monday through Sunday for 2 entries (starting Saturday, July 25 to our new Posies mailbox found near the truck) or
💐 Bring to Armature Works & buy flowers or gifts (any amount) for 3 entries during our open hours Wednesday-Sunday 10am-
4 CHANCES TO WIN!
💕 1st Place Drawing - Recieve a FREE 3 month Posies flower subscription delivered right to your door!
🥰 2nd Place Favorite Message - Free Posies Bouquet (chosen by the Posies staff!)
💞 3rd Place Favorite Postcard Design - Armature Works Gift Card + Tee Shirt (chosen by Posies & Armature Works)
🇺🇸 We also heard all the out of towners - you can play to for a Posies swag bag of goodies! We will pick our favorite postcard as the winner!
✅ IMPORTANT: All postcards must include a first & last name, email, contact phone and message written on the postcard to be entered into the drawing. No purchase necessary to play, Tampa Bay only please for local prizes, including Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties. Out of towners one prize for Posies swag bag! Entries accepted August 1 through August 31, 2026.
Winners selected September 2 and notified via an old school phone call! 📞
☮️ Call us old school, vintage souls, retro crazy - whatever we align with all of it & love everything about it! Sure we could ask for likes and tags but why not roll it back to snail mail, mailboxes, stamps, pens, postcard’s & love notes! We’re also obsessed with postcards so what better way to enjoy August than reading all your hand written old school messages, loving the postcard designs & feeling the love! ✌️
Aug 1
They’re Here! Overnight, fresh cut direct from Alaska farms - the most stunning HUGE Sarah Bernhardt Alaskan Peonies you will have ever seen!
Available all weekend while supply lasts - these stunning beauties will not disappoint.
We did turn off pre order for pickup but you can still order from our website for delivery or visit the trucks. Keep an eye on the weather - we’re planning on keeping to our schedule but Mother Nature has a way of diverting our well laid out plans! 💕
@hydeparkvillage Friday & Saturday 11am-3pm (weather permitting)
@armatureworks_tampa all weekend 10am-8pm
@fatbeetfarm Sunday 9:30am to 12:30pm
Jul 31
Magic in the mailbox! Seeing our very first postcard arrive & on display for all to enjoy - epic. 📫
To celebrate the very first postcard, we are expanding the contest! Out-of-towners we heard you, this one is for you: mail us a postcard from wherever you are, and you will be entered to win an exclusive Posies swag bag packed with goodies. See pinned posts for contest address & rules! Thank you for playing along!
Jul 30
CONTEST TIME! CALLING ALL POSTCARDS!
Call us old school, vintage souls, retro crazy - whatever we align with all of it and love everything about it! Sure we could ask for likes and tags but why not roll it back to snail mail, mailboxes, stamps, pens, postcard’s and love notes! We’re also obsessed with postcards so what better way to enjoy August than reading all your hand written old school messages, loving the postcard designs and just feeling the love! 💕
With SUMMER POSIES POSTCARD VINTAGE MAIL-IN there’s 3 chances to win!
1st Place Drawing - Recieve a FREE 3 month Posies flower subscription delivered right to your door!
2nd Place Favorite Message - Free Posies Bouquet (chosen by the Posies staff!)
3rd Place Favorite Postcard Design - Armature Works Gift Card + Tee Shirt (chosen by Posies & Armature Works)
How to Play:
Mail a postcard snail mail to Posies PO Box found on the artwork for 1 entry
Drop off a postcard to Armature Works Monday through Sunday for 2 entries (starting Saturday, July 25 to our new Posies mailbox found near the truck) or
Bring to Armature Works & buy flowers or gifts (any amount) for 3 entries during our open hours Wednesday to Sunday 10am-8pm.
Important: All postcards must include a first & last name, email, contact phone and message written on the postcard to be entered into the drawing. No purchase necessary to play, Tampa Bay only please, including Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties. Entries accepted July 25 through August 31, 2026.
Winners selected September 2 and notified via an old school phone call! 📞
Jul 27
Currently servicing Tampa Bay, Armature Works, Orlando, Winter Park, Bradenton, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Trinity & most Florida communities & cities!
© 2025 The Original Posies Flower Truck™
Developed by Thunder Media Group & It’s Pretty Sweet
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