From The Classifieds: 1957 Volkswagen Kombi Transporter
Finding even a reasonable early Volkswagen Kombi is not easy these days. And don’t even think you’ll be able to buy one cheaply.So you have this dream of dragging your old surfboard out of the dust in the back of your garage, somehow acquiring a couple of pairs of floral-print board shorts and buying a few tubes of zinc cream, all with the intention of embarking on a road trip aboard a first-generation Volkswagen Kombi to the sparkling shores of North Queensland.
Only one thing stands in your way: You no longer have the old Kombi. So you’ll have to find another one.
And therein lies the catch: Kombis, particularly old Kombis, aren’t that easy to find any more. And if, and when, you do find one, that’s just the first part.
The second part is finding one in reasonable condition. Or at least reasonable enough that a restoration project looks worthwhile.
Kombis may have been the ideal vehicle for a surfing adventure in the 1960s and 1970s when they were relatively new, but today’s realities dictate otherwise.
Days, weeks spent trawling the used car market inevitably turns up a mixed bag of mostly unsatisfactory old Kombis. Often on its last legs, modified substantially from original specification or beautifully restored but breathtakingly expensive, the exact Kombi you are looking for is about as elusive as a politician’s answer to a direct question.
Accept it. If you are determined to get yourself a Kombi that is respectably presented and substantially reliable, you’ll either have to wait and pay through the nose for a fully restored example, or have the ability and wherewithal to have a restoration done, or do one yourself.
An indicator of the rarity of original Kombis can be found by trawling through carsales.com.au
Although there appears to be no shortage of more recent-generation Kombis, original versions almost don’t exist. And if they do, they are either priced out of reach, or sadly neglected.
Still interested?
If you are, this blue/white, 1957 split screen Transporter from Jimboomba in Queensland could have some appeal.
The 11-window Kombi is fitted with pop-out windscreens, has new rubbers, paint and trim, and a “fresh” 1.6-litre air-cooled engine replacing the original 1.2-litre horizontally opposed four-cylinder boxer. The small-rear-window Kombi also has what the owner describes as a “rock and roll” bed in a “nice, super tidy” interior.
Now comes the crunch: The Kombi is tagged at $75,000 or best offer and is aimed at serious prospective buyers only. Reassuringly, a roadworthy certificate is part of the deal.
Sure, it is possible to find much cheaper Kombis – but not always a lot cheaper. Around $30,000 or so is a not uncommon price for a going concern that could do with a fair bit of restoration, or modification into surfer mode.
Like most dreams, this one is not likely to become reality without the generous sacrifice of plenty of cold, hard cash.
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