RIBEIRINHO was founded in 1905 by José Teixeira in Guimaraes/Portugal. It is unclear what they produced prior to WWII but after the WWII they produced a very large assortment of cheap plastic products such as toys. They manufactured many household appliances and other products. They also copied some WIKING 1/40 models, like the Volkswagen 1200 (as a Split Window Sedan and also as Oval VW Sedan) and the Volkswagen T1. They furthermore issued a series in 1/60 scale, very much based on the SIKU toy vehicle product line of the time. One of the models is the Oval Window Volkswagen 1200. In 1/87, they copied and modified WIKING models like the Volkswagen 1200 Convertible.
The RIBEIRINHO VW Transporter Bus is a nice plastic based copy of the WIKING VW Bus constructional kit. The Bus came in two different basic versions. The first, most common, version was quite simple: a bottom part in at least 8 to 10 different solid colors and a clear top part. The interior included seats, driver and steering wheel which were glued. Plastic wheels with metal axles attach to the chassis. The engine compartment could not be opened and had no engine. This simple version was also released with larger rubber wheels, like the RIBEIRINHO Split Window Beetle in the late sixties, early seventies. The simple version had 3 chassis varieties.
The second, rarer version, came in a two-tone solid color design. The top or roof section of the VW Bus was not clear, but had a solid color. It not only featured a driver, but also passengers and a dog. The engine compartment could be opened and there is an engine, a gas tank and a spare wheel included.
The clear cargo bus on the pictures seems to be one of the first releases and came in a colorful cardboard box in the shape of a garage with a red tile roof (like some of the Split Window Beetle versions). On the side of the garage it reads "FOURGONETTE" which means minivan or cargo bus.
