My 1970 Bay Window Westfalia

[Kafer74]

Hi

I bought this Westy 2 days ago. The family decided on the name Ben, named after Ben Pon who in 1947 drew the first sketch of his idea, which became the kombi.

Here we are out having milkshakes last night

[Retrobug]

Congrats!
Nice Bus!

[Ron&Gill]

And the son of whom my father went to school with...

Nice ride. Congrats.

[Kafer74]

Thank you Retro & Ron.

That's very interesting Ron.

I bought the bus at Piston Ring on Sunday. Here is a side view.

[Kafer74]

From the left

[Golfmad]

Wow !! Thats nice !

[Ron&Gill]

Yes, Ben Pon Sr had a shop in Amersfoort, a sewing machine shop, which later became a bicycle shop, I could walk you to it from the railway station if we were there... But I don't know the street names anymore, anyhow, I was 6 when I left and couldn't read yet... hahaha!

Ben Pon Jr was in my dad's class at school after the war, when schools resumed. When VW started back up with Ivan Hirsch at the rudder, exports travelled to Rotterdam for export to the States through Amersfoort, which was then the rail centre of Holland, a bit like De Aar is for SA, and it has since moved to Utrecht. Ben Pon wanted a piece of the action, and he visited Wolfsburg with the intention of becoming the sole importer of VW into Holland. He succeeded, and to this day, Pon Holdings are sole importers of VW, Porsche and I think Audi too. He added Caterpillar to that as well. It was on one of the trips to Wolfsburg that he made his little drawing.

My dad tells me he used to sit and day dream, watching flat bed rail truck, one after the other, in a endless and colourful progression of Beetles and Buses, getting hauled past his classroom window.

Ben Pon Jr went on to become a moderately successful racing driver. My dad went to sea and eventually emigrated to SA with us lot in tow.

[Kafer74]

What a history. I love the history behind cars and their inventors. Thanks for the interesting post.

[fig]

Congrats Kafer74!

I heard that bus was for sale at a bargain price at Piston Ring and thought it must have sold quickly.

As the newest member of the Kaapse Kombi Kult, why don't you join our KKKult konvoy to Vaalwater this weekend (see events forum). So far there are two other 70 westies in the konvoy.

[Kafer74]

Thanks Fig. I also thought it was a bargain at R16 000. I arrived late at Piston Ring and was quite suprised to see it was still available. My lucky day I suppose.

[Golfmad]

R16k ? ? ? ? WTF !!!!!!!!!! Its practically free, forniet !


I am now very VERY jealous !

[Sambabus]

Ha,.....I was planning to buy his Westy at the end of the month........I bought those eye lids as a present for the PO when he got that car. Nice buy, I know all the money and time he put into that bus to get it like that.......he made a HUGE loss.

But congrats,glad it went to a loving famly

[jolas]

stunning ! Congrats

[hendriks]

that is very nice man!!!

congrats!!!!!

[Kafer74]

Thank you everyone...