Aircooled VW South Africa

The last of my projects. I guess you guys are starting to understand that when I am at home in Melkbos, I am not often on the forum...

This baby is a 1956 Type 2 1b. KOMBI. Basically that means it has the narrow cargo door, a rather spartan interior, i.e. a single hard board sun visor, and the 1:0.75 ratio, 36mm Castle Nut RGBs. It has the 10 Gallon tank, and the short split gearbox. It originally had a 1200cc engine, which I have intact, in storage, she is now powered by a 1776cc with twin 36mm DLRAs, it had two semaphores, which I also have, with the intention of installing. It has a bay-window front suspension, hence the nose-up attitude, and bay window discs at the front. I am busy collecting the bits to restore this back to the K&L pin suspension to correct the stance, and I will be fitting the CSP disc kit with servo booster. There are various other little things to tidy up.

Of course, Gill's favourite is the Safari Windows. I have since these pics were taken, installed a banjo steering wheel with a clock as horn button and a EMPI shifter with the T2D logo on it. I have also installed a rev counter with a shift light to stop us over revving the engine. You all are aware of the modifications ongoing to the RGBs, a project in its own right. Sorry, the engine is a bit dirty... And Ben : "Who, did you say, owns this bus??!?"

Ha! I found the pics of the new look in the cockpit. And the new gear-shift.

Nice pictures...
Tell us more about the history of the bus?

nice bus

History, hmm... all hearsay... It was imported from either South Africa or Germany to South West Africa, by a doctor who used it to drive patients in and around the Caprivi Strip. It was bought from the doctor, who must have been retired already by then, by a German fellow, Lars, (and it was he that told me this). Lars was high up in the ranks of a company that owns leather tanneries, including the one in Swakopmund, which is where he found the bus. The leather tannery connection is the reason why the seats and door panels are all covered in leather. A man called Frank restored the bus for Lars, who had intended the bus to be a present for his wife. Frank built the 1776cc engine. I met Frank at the last Timour Hall show when I was there with Razor. Lars left SA, and left the bus in DaveR's care to sell on his behalf. I bouth the car for Gill as an engagement present, as she had been looking for one for many years.

Don't know what else to tell you...

Veeeeeeeeeery nice.I like that bus a lot.Saw it when I was in CT,and Gill also Loves it.

Lovely bus Ron. I like the steering and shifter and especially the seats. Very nice indeed.

Could this be the oldest Bus on the site

Apparently it is the oldest bus in Cape Town...

Don't get me wrong,I don't want to burst anybody's bubble.

But Duncan has a 55 Ambo.

Hi Ron,

Very nice bus,

Where did you get the steering wheel from? I'm looking for something similar in a wood finish...

I gave up trying to take pics of this bus at the CT meet. Try photographing a black bus at night with a crappy camera.

I brought it at the Tatton Pack show in UK and Gill carried it back. I bought it from Karmann Konnection, they also made the hub.

Taking pictures is one thing, keeping it clean is another!!

Ron i have a 58 front end ! what parts do you still need ?