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You actually can polish one!

Posted: Sun Oct 20, 2019 3:29 pm
by Kombi Trip
1965 VW Stretched Kombi
This car was bought as a ‘rat’ in 2008
and has undergone extensive structural and cosmetic work before being registered again in July 2019.
The idea for this car was to create a vehicle that could have been made by VW as a concept to exhibit at a motorshow in the 1960’s.

Exterior Modifications
Two 1965 Kombis joined - adding two rows of windows to the length.
Dropped sills and nose to maintain proportion with the extra length.
Chassis boxed and strengthened.
Reshaped front wheel guard line.
Gutter lip removed and roof drainage modified.
Inside metal around side windows fully dressed - usually covered by the hoodlining.
American model ‘towel rail ‘ bumpers fitted and moved closer to body.
Font bumper has had the centre section removed to highlight front ‘V’.
Polished custom aluminium side ‘spears’.
1960’s VW Beetle Wolfsburg emblem to front nose and side ‘spears’.
Deluxe side ‘belt’ trim.
Fuel filler panel key mechanism removed. Magnetic catch with locking fuel cap.
Body seals metal filled.
Safari pop out front windows.
Pop-out windows fitted to all 10 side windows.
Tail lights from 1961 only model year.

Interior Modifications
Pearlised steering wheel using original as a base.
Custom steering column.
Front dash factory radio cut out filled.
Seals around speedo pod filled.
Custom gauge pods with gauges.
Front bench seat modified to two single seats.
Centre console from an XP Falcon used to hide the modern electronics.
Fuse box relocated from under dash to behind driver’s seat.
Custom gear knob machined from billet to match dash knobs.
Dress ring and background of speedo added from 1950’s VW Beetle.
Headrests and custom seatbelts installed in all seating postions.
Middle row of seats reversed.
Engine inspection hatch in rear compartment secured with Ford XA bonnet pins.
Custom hoodliner.
Divider between seating area and luggage area featuring 1960’s records.
Sunroof.
Rear window jailbars.


Motor and running gear Modifications
Ball joint front beam from Baywindow Kombi.
VW T3 kombi front disc brakes.
2375cc motor with deep sump and remote oil cooler.
Stainless steel exhaust.
12 Volt electrics with custom full wiring harness.

Re: You actually can polish one!

Posted: Sun Oct 20, 2019 7:38 pm
by splitthis
Lots of words, not many pictures :lol: Come on Nick we want more.

Re: You actually can polish one!

Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 8:17 pm
by morts
Hi Nick

Good to hear from you and see it finished - is it a working bus or purely a cruiser?

How far north are you? We were sailing in the Whitsundays last week and could certainly get used to that warm weather!

Re: You actually can polish one!

Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 8:32 pm
by Kombi Trip
Hi morts,
hit me up next time! A couple of hundred km north in Townsville. Maiden cruise in the kombi was to Airlie for a 500 mile round trip a couple of months ago. I travel from Mackay to Cairns in my truck / shop each month.

Re: You actually can polish one!

Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 8:36 pm
by Kombi Trip
private bus. Was bought 11 years ago as a business idea but it needed 'some serious work' so that went out the window.
We moved on and kept shovelling $$ into the hole until it was filled and we drove out the other side with full rego and engineering in QLD :)
Will be for sale soon.

Re: You actually can polish one!

Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 8:45 pm
by Kombi Trip
her ya go Matty...

Re: You actually can polish one!

Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 11:05 am
by 68BUS
That is very cool.

Re: You actually can polish one!

Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 4:08 pm
by splitthis
Great work Nick. Good to see this finished and not sitting in a shed especially after the "extra" work required.

Re: You actually can polish one!

Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2019 11:53 pm
by ogrule
Nicely done