History of the T@B/ T@DA campers

xdr · April 2020

We are still waiting patiently for our new T@B 400 BDL and come here often to learn about maintenance, camping etc. We have learned so much, just can't wait to apply it all to our own T@B!
Many times I will read a post and it mentions a 'Dutchmen' T@B or a T@B from Sweden, or a T@DA, or a Little Guy T@B, and of course nuCamp T@B.

Would anyone like to take the time to educate us on the history of the T@B?
Did it originate in Europe? Did nuCamp buy it from Dutchmen?
Is nuCamp a relatively new company or did they build other campers before the T@B?

And was the Little Guy T@B a part of the Dutchmen or nuCamp line at any time?

We need a history lesson...
xdr

MuttonChops · April 2020

Search this forum, there are several History Threads.

One of more recent, which includes several reference links, is

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/comment/113539#Comment_113539

pthomas745 · April 2020

Someone on the Facebook page posted this info last year on "Tab History."

https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/Tab History.pdf?token=AWwOpIaUdbOilcaqOL6Q1vowxHqYSEW1-u9adaNWzobs5-AavsRTZFhPakBcRcHpoZ5fKWIcVRYjnVZ88XAOpV7hkXQ0tONqRJnoKCMg4wlwq72rCvEa5vFPI3MisNxr5JAM16WYiGytsr-Ta2QPWuw0xN9s90BKo9Gg79alVp7fFQ

YanniLazarus · August 2020

wow. great to know more T@B history. My favorite image: (and I was told I shouldn't use my Subaru for a TV! Notice the VW Bus is going downhill...)

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/x6/agtymrc0gepk.jpg

pthomas745 · August 2020

Here is a better link for the Tab History file, updated in late July.

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/Tab%20History%20July%202020.pdf?token=AWy50ZXEMSiuaQtPtA8C8s_aUs0eE57_C-1oHmi3U0vhv-7sqgPBMvPf0jf2ZMi7kla5IIzhOPBepomRVTl8gRHkMs0yUpyjYWWlbLbNch4ZbfTK2MH2XXkZw1IEsziAk7630SOrN9tkSrJeWg4xDzYsxZHgdR1n-uc88iuHHVNaa_TWz5W8C2uQ1UIXx30_vqBKDzMmFH-dQUaWtdp9iTRejrVxY_8GpeVyhjZnDVmSzNDOpxK6nI_tkJPYM-XgzltFde17Hd6va4oqEkE3k7dPBOqtacXzO0swPLXN59UmUQ&h=AT1ov9d2rbMOUaIThv-DhVJ-I3znq6dO_EWCJ5NYoJFatFokQw944oKbmfrwJbgTPEQ1VvTZgtIOdqee1HQWo1frATcS4P5OPZod9ScF9yzyTNKdp2Xxh97cDVs7FUZ8Fnj8U3QhtGx8DQ&__tn__=H-R&c[0]=AT3dLehbqs1s1mlfx_unjBfMuQkHtXxBcYhVDFemmdK0wWvFiGZYICLfWH5G6Y_RNPkgXWAoUJomLU2aLPiz7fjE6M-iZEAvylrFHtNTn4w-AhpR-dRfkrItDPrFh16YL8MtrX6BLA9PJEYnfU73_bPPy0xvTN2TCqizE2f5Vn_H

The photograph is cool because that is the "Würdig 301“ (also called the Dübener Ei“ or "egg"). Pretty much the original "Teardrop" from the 1930's, and this VW owner has a beauty.

There is a Flickr page ( where all the pinterest photos "borrowed" the photos from) that have many more beautiful shots and some pictures of the interior of the camper. Thanks for finding this cool photo!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sts-pics/

ChanW · August 2020

The VW bus in the photo has a load rating of 1 ton!

YanniLazarus said:

wow. great to know more T@B history. My favorite image: (and I was told I shouldn't use my Subaru for a TV! Notice the VW Bus is going downhill...)

Denny16 · August 2020

Yes, the German/Europe version of the Type 2 VW buss was way cooler than the one we got in the US, front opening windscreen, cool upper curved windows, etc. it was also set up for towing, where the North American model was not. This bus also has an opening roof, the slides back to allow standing room, and cool air with the little tent top rigged over it, as shown in one of the bus photos.
Cheers

pthomas745 · August 2020

That trailer apparently weighs less than 1000 pounds. I can smell the clutch burning from here!

PS: I can't fully decode the German discussion on the Samba, but I'm guessing this person has modified it for improved towing performance, bigger engine, bumpers, etc.

Denny16 · August 2020

The bumpers on the bus look stock to me, and the rear suspension is probably beefed up a little. The tow receiver is added to the frame, not the bumper, going back under the bus. That said, the tongue weight in that trailer is probably around 100 lbs, as in Europe they have lighter tongue weights at around 10% of the trailer’s total weight. You can pickup the tongue on a EU TaB with one hand! Try that with one of the nüCamp TaBs.

The Würdig 301 he is towing behind the VW seems to be the prototype inspiration for the DM TaB320, interior layout is almost identical.

Cheers

ChanW · August 2020

They wouldn't need a bigger engine, cuz each wheel had a gear reduction axle that brought it down to crawling speed.
Couldn't get it much over 55mph.

pthomas745 said:

That trailer apparently weighs less than 1000 pounds. I can smell the clutch burning from here!

PS: I can't fully decode the German discussion on the Samba, but I'm guessing this person has modified it for improved towing performance, bigger engine, bumpers, etc.

Denny16 · August 2020

Yes, that is about as fast as they can go. The reduction gear was probably a towing setup, which is limited to 55mph in Europe.
cheers

History of the T@B/ T@DA campers

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