Aircooled VW South Africa

These are popular in the UK for engine bays . We have a group buy in the making over here. The whole idea is that the fire is out before the magnesium enging case starts to burn as once they start say goodbuy Rita!
http://www.firetecuk.com/pages/en/firetec-products.php

Nothing wrong with the firetec kit, but I prefer prevention.

You can say goodbye to Rita L-O-O-O-O-O-N-G before the engine case catches alight. I've seen plenty completely burned out ACVWs where the engine case did not burn. We burn a scrap type1 case at every KKKult kamp-out and it's not that easy to get them burning.

This is my school diary from Std 8 (I reckon the photo of the dude and his bus must have been taken in 1986 or 1987)







some other doodles from the same diary, from an obviously very bored (at the time) Jolas





for sean



I'm feeling very old suddenly

But this really is a depressing story - poor dude, poor bus

Wow, I had no idea he'd owned the bus for so long. Thanks for the pics.

It's a sad story, and this makes it even sadder.

am i righ in assuming this burnt out bus and the Harties bus[below] is not the same bus then

I think it is the same bus. Before your pic it was green, then painted in primer as in your pic, then painted red/yellow as it was when it burned. I know the Harties bus belonged to a band, just didn't know the name. It would be a hige coincidence if there were two SA bands with similar custom buses.

However, that is not the only SA split bus with a Beetle on the roof. In the 1990s I saw a Fleetline panelvan with corner windows and a Beetle on the roof in North Riding, Randburg. I suspect that one was exported to the UK.

They are "the silver creek mountian band", if they did fix the bus from its former state when green, it was just about rusted beyond repair, they stopped at me about 4 years ago looking for body parts, then fixing after the burn is possible, it is sad to see this,

I took a slight (300Km) detour on the way to George to have a look at the bus.

Found it and it's owner. Nothing worth taking off it which I haven't taken already (unless you are looking for a front beam or the 2 remaining fleetline/14" wheels). The shell has been promissed to a local play school.

The bus had just been restored at considerable costs.

Pictures of the restored bus can be viewed here http://www.silvercreekmountainband.co.z ... index.html

Yes !! I did take pictures of the burned bus but I'll let you enjoy the above first.

Rod told me that this was the fourth 'signature' bus which he had done up like that ie the beetle high roof, thus why it has been spotted in different variations over the past 40 years.

very very sad indeed.

Pictures as promissed.

There are some pictures on facebook of the bus burning, will see if I can find it.