http://www.volkswagencamper.co.uk1967 SAMBA CAMPA^13
Original
bumpers complete
with aluminium
trim triple
chromed make
the Bus stand out
from the crowd
The oak ply has
mellowed with
age and looks now
as though it was
installed in 1967
year old grandson.
Next we must have a word
about the bumpers for these aren’t
some cheapy bling offering, but
the originals complete with their
de luxe aluminium trim. Once
resident in the UK the bumpers
were triple chromed and as a result,
certainly make the bus stand out.
To Ron though other features,
those little quirky developments
associated with a late, late split are
equally endearing, whether it be
the safety-first rotary rubber knobs
on the dash, the shorter and more
substantial cab door handles, the
press button with finger grip on the
tailgate, or, of course, the hidden
treat of 12 volt electrics as standard.
Oh, and there’s something else - Ron
revealed that the split cost in the
region of $2,600 dollars when new
and that as it was a walk-through
model there would have been extra
costs.
All of which leads us to whereMr Brown is with his VW today.
The total on the clock now stands
at 80,000 genuine miles - he has
every MOT to prove it - (meaning
that our Ron covers on average a
little over 1,500 miles a year). The
un-restored engine still runs ‘as
sweet as a nut’ and burns not a drop
of oil. It’s serviced twice a year, with
an oil change carried out about a
month before it goes into winter
hibernation, with another done
as it re-emerges for the summer.
The bus is on its second exhaust
of Ron’s custodianship and on its
second set of tyres, but only because
the first batch were showing signs
of cracking. On the front it’s shod
with Michelin XZXs (Ron managed
to find a pair not that far distant
from home) and on the rear with
Michelin Energy Savers (185 x 65
R15s).
Now you might think such a
smart split just potters about locally,
but you’d be wrong. Wait for it ...