VW Kombi bus sells for $202,000 at auction

[scott]

I thought this deserved it's own thread.

This restored 1960 Kombi bus sold for $202,000 at a Shannons auction last night.

http://www.theage.com.au/drive/vw-kombi ... 3nd9m.html

Write up from Shannon's website

http://www.shannons.com.au/auctions/lot ... OwlYLf9kdU

[Newcastle Flyer]

Don't tell one of those sold for over $200,000?!

And then we have one needing restoration for $30,000. Nuh, surely not

[boronia]

A similar one sold last year for around $175K

[Swift]

I think I want to kill myself now. I don't want to live in a world where a vehicle once the preserve of the budget conscious is now unattainable like a Ferrari. Just stupidly absurd.
Why can't there be reproductions introduced if they fetch prices like that?!!

[mubd]

I reckon reproductions of the 1960s VW Kombi would be a great idea. It'd need some modern features, but look exactly the same as the classic '60s Kombi. I'd buy.

[ajw373]

I was watching Wheeler Dealers just this morning and they had a similar Kombi on it. They only got 25,000GBP but presumably not done up as well as this one.

[boronia]

I noticed in the advertising for this auction that the VW was fitted with a 1600 cc engine.

Those early VWs were a hairy drive with a 1200 cc engine and the swinging axles, 1600 would be deadly

I wonder what other mods were done to it?

[Bedford-29]

Its amazing what people go through to up the horsepower in a VW Kombi they put Ford Capri V6,Subaru flat 4,V8s and the list goes on.My uncle was at Lighting Ridge many years ago and he felt this rumbling coming he looked up and this VW Kombi turn up he went up and had a look inside and there was Jaguar V8 powering this Kombi I don`t know how true it was.

[boronia]

I've seen a few "hot-rodded" Kombis with big engines, but these are usually mounted inside the body with conventional axle rear ends.

There were a few water cooled conversions back in the 70s and 80s, I think Ford Escort engines fitted in neatly and could be hooked up to the original gearbox and suspension.

I remember watching a movie years ago made in Mexico, lots of "Series 2" Kombis (72-80 models) fitted with massive radiators at the front, so factory water cooled versions, not sure what engines in them.

[crazyturbo76]

I've seen a few "hot-rodded" Kombis with big engines, but these are usually mounted inside the body with conventional axle rear ends.

There were a few water cooled conversions back in the 70s and 80s, I think Ford Escort engines fitted in neatly and could be hooked up to the original gearbox and suspension.

I remember watching a movie years ago made in Mexico, lots of "Series 2" Kombis (72-80 models) fitted with massive radiators at the front, so factory water cooled versions, not sure what engines in them.

VW continued to make T2s (or Kombis) in Brazil until just a year or two ago, and during the 80s or 90s swapped to a factory fitted water cooled engine due to emissions standards. VW did use their own engines for these Brazilian Type 2s, and these are Flex-Fuel capable, meaning that they can run on 100% ethanol.

I reckon making a modern retro styled Kombi would be a good idea-VW did prove that it worked with the New Beetle after all.

[Bedford-29]

Here some pictures from flickr of the Brazilian water cooled T2 VW Kombi.
https://flic.kr/p/8onaa
https://flic.kr/p/9PwbZ9
https://flic.kr/p/r4mx8U
https://flic.kr/p/pbB6TC

[scott]

I was doing some research and the last of the T2 Kombis were imported to Australia in late 1979 and some sat around until 1981. They were assembled in Melbourne until 1977 when VW ceased local assembly.

This link has an excellent history of VW in Australia, well worth reading in it's entirety:-

http://www.clubvw.org.au/history006

[Lt. Commander Data]

VW Kombi bus sells for $202,000 at auction

I wouldn't call it a 'bus' exactly, more like a van...

Its amazing that it went for what it did. For that kind of money, i'd rather have a Range Rover.

[boronia]

It would (should) have had seats, and would have been referred to officially as a "VW Microbus".

I owned a couple of these in the 60s, 70s, 80s. Very versatile vehicles: people mover, load carrier and camping van.

The skylight windows were a factory option to make it suitable for commercial bus use.

[crazyturbo76]

Type 2s were also sold in pickup (or Ute) form but US sales took a hit thanks to the "Chicken Tax" (a 25 percent tarriff on light trucks coming from Europe).

[boronia]

The utes came in single and dual cab versions, the latter predating the Japanese invasion of the form. They were quite popular the 70s and early 80s, because of their 1 tonne payload capacity.

And of course the Japanese stole the Microbus concept to invent the "people mover".

[Bedford-29]

Here is a laugh a Subaru Sambar van as a repilca VW Kombi I if it wonder catches fire like the real Kombi.
https://flic.kr/p/62bSa3
https://flic.kr/p/nbr5t7

[crazyturbo76]

The utes came in single and dual cab versions, the latter predating the Japanese invasion of the form. They were quite popular the 70s and early 80s, because of their 1 tonne payload capacity.

And of course the Japanese stole the Microbus concept to invent the "people mover".

And I believe Toyota were the first to do so with the Hiace, which for a time was available in van, people mover or pickup form.

When Mitsubishi came on stream with the Starwagon, they didn't sell the pickup version of the vehicle (which was sold in Japan of course) as the Triton filled that role.

[boronia]

Here is a laugh a Subaru Sambar van as a repilca VW Kombi I if it wonder catches fire like the real Kombi.
https://flic.kr/p/62bSa3
https://flic.kr/p/nbr5t7

There are a couple of companies in Japan that specialise in building replica vintage bodies on modern car platforms.

One nice one a few years ago was a Mk 2 Jag on a Nissan March. http://jalopnik.com/5826165/miniature-n ... r-on-ebay/

[boronia]

VW did try to revive the Kombi name a few years ago, but never got past the concept stage.



http://www.smh.com.au/drive/motor-news/ ... 1bc7n.html

[boronia]

Noticed this parked down the back of my mechanic's workshop when I went to pick up my car this afternoon

DSC05343 (Small).JPG (99.5 KiB) Viewed 5932 times

I got intrigued by the subtle "grill" on the front, and a rather non-standard dashboard; yes it is water cooled as Holden don't make an air cooled V-6.

It is for sale if anyone is interested.

[Bedford-29]

A VW T2 with a Holden V6 Jeez it be hairy to drive with that much power.

[Swift]

One nice one a few years ago was a Mk 2 Jag on a Nissan March. http://jalopnik.com/5826165/miniature-n ... r-on-ebay/

Abit like building a replica 1950s looking half cab bus body on a Hino BX chassis.