THE KOMBI KONNECTION

OberonViking · Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 6:28 pm Post subject: Robert and Emma's microbus

I want to detail the restoration of our Kombi, mostly for my own pleasure - I hope you enjoy it too. It might even be helpful for people like myself as we start such a project.

We've been looking to buy a new Tarago, but thought better of it. Sure a brand new car would be really nice, but it would only ever be that, 'nice.' A kombi is something both Emma and I have loved since we were kids. Emma has always said that she would never drive a van, unless it were a Kombi, "besides, they're not vans, they're Kombis!" And now that we are talking about having another 2 kids to go with the four we already have...

So we have just put a deposit on a (baby poo) green 1979 bay window microbus: $9,200. It is in Melbourne, so we plan to fly to pick it up in the school holidays, and drive it back to Oberon. It's engine and gearbox were reconditioned only 8,000 km ago, and the odometer reads as 46,000 km.

My cousin is currently living in Melbourne and kindly accepted my request to 'go over it, especially the corners, with a magnet.' He found no evidence of bogged up corners, or anyway on the vehicle. There is a fair bit of surface rust, as the paint is fading away. He emailed me a dozen photos.

I've been getting a few more quotes lately, and everything is fitting into the $25k restoration budget. Very easily actually. A big part of that will be the '$50 paint job' (Go google it). I think I will even get the same paint brought in from the USA with an aunt who is returning to Sydney from New Jersey in May.

Emma and I are talking about interior options. We want a new car feel so we will get the seat reupholstered (to match the new paint job - pale pink with white from the windows up). Might buy door and wall panels stock from suppliers and put more of the money into sound-proofing materials, or we will have them made as we have the seats reupholstered.

We both want retractable lap-sash seats throughout, and headrests and baby-seat bolts. One motor trimmer thought that was easily do-able.

The cost of sandblasting might be borderline. He suggested that $1,200 would probably be the most that it would cost, if the paint was really stubborn. We might do that one ourselves. But then again...

Bought our fist copy of VWMA today, mostly for the ads. Now I can really get the quotes coming in. And we have some more ideas for how we want the finished product to look. Emma even agreed that it would be great to have the car at show quality and maybe win a prize, People's Choice would be great.

I also asked the RTA about the availability and cost of number plates to suit. We plan to get BUS*** as standard yellow plates. I hope to have the bus registered with NSW plates for its 30th birthday.

More info as more happens.

Brookie · Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 6:41 pm Post subject:

Congrats on purchase- look forward to pics of bus, drive back and resto progress.

Would not recommend sand blasting -if you feel you want to go this way go for beadblasting- a lot softer on metal and gets rid of everything without abrasiveness of sand.
A proper inspection when you have windows etc out may show it does not need blasting-just a good rub back and normal prep.

I guess you mean this with your $50 paint job

http://thekombikonnection.myfreeforum.org/about796.html

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Kombis Keep you Younger

73 Sopru Poptop-under resto

66split · Moderator Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 492 Location: perth

also looking forward to progress pics. if you want to go back to bare metal for you resto then consider paint stripper on the flat panels and having the door jams and fiddly bits bead blasted. good luck with it, sounds like you have a good plan in place and are going to enjoy it.
dave.

OberonViking · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:50 pm Post subject:

(Testing the image loading)
Here's the new bay.

[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3126/2363324978_5732654395.jpg?v=0[/img]

okay, having troubles, probably related to flickr?

Brookie · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:06 pm Post subject:

OberonViking · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:15 pm Post subject:

Here's the new bus, and the first major concern - the colour!

Here's my only real concern, everything else is very straight and tidy

KustomKombi.Com · Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 7:16 pm Post subject:

Hi Robert and Emma
Welcome aboard and if thats the only thing you have to worry about, You have a very good bus then. Cool

Jamie
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HAVING FUN IS WHAT IT IS ABOUT
You can view my work at www.kustomkombi.com
Im only here to help fellow kombi lovers

Kinga · Moderator Joined: 20 Sep 2007 Posts: 487 Location: Perth

That looks like a great bus guys, nice and straight.

Already has sliding windows too.

I think that colour was called Martini Green or something like that.

Sounds a bit more exotic than "Baby Poo"

Rust under the seat like that generally means a leaky window rubber.
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Kinga

Brookie · Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 11:06 am Post subject:

I think the inside colour under seat looks like Martini Olive- the exterior seems to more "green"
Martini Olive
Dulux colour No 158803 VW Code CLR 622

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Kombis Keep you Younger

73 Sopru Poptop-under resto

Piratekombi · Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 11:38 am Post subject:

Hey there Robert and Emma!

I love Martini Olive! I think it is a great retro 70s colour, and I would definitely keep it if it was my bus.... but, of course, the choice is yours!

That is a great condition bus, pretty original looking and unmolested, well done! You should have no problems restoring it, with plenty of money left over for accessories (or bling!). Have fun, I look forward to seeing the resto develop.

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....Woz

'72 Sierp Bros poptop - "Woger the Jolly Piwate"

Aus liebe zum kombi