Unique Cars Australia – September 2019

32 TradeUniqueCars.com.au

NowI’veneverquiteunderstoodthedesire
toowna Kombi,especiallyforthepricesthey’re
commandingthesedays.
Maybethat’sbecauseI’ma sportscarguy– the
Kombidriveslikea bus...becauseit isa bus!
Andthedoorsfeeltremendouslythinand

tinny– youwouldn’twanttogetina bingle.But
seeingthisexampleinthesunwhilstsnapper
Alistairgoestowork,it’shardtodenyitsvisual
presence.
It’sa gorgeousthing,finishedbeautifullywith
allinteriorembellishmentsinplace,andpanel
gapsmillimetreperfect.It’slikelyevenbetter
thanwhenit leftthefactoryinWolfsburgback

inthelate-50s.

I guess,tocritiqueit forhowit drivesmisses

thepoint.Youdon’treallydrivea Kombifor

yourself,yousortofdriveit forothers.Thewaves,

thethumbsupsandthe‘toottoots’yougetin

trafficprovethatpeoplelovea Kombi!

Drivinga microbusisa uniqueexperience.But

it’sonethat’llhaveyougrinningfromeartoear

moreoftenthannot.

Wecantalkincirclesaboutthemoneythese

thingsbring,butintheendit’saboutsupply

anddemand.If youwantthisexampleof‘the

mostcollectibleKombiofalltime’– it’sonsalein

SydneyattheClassicThrottleShop.

“YOU DON’T DRIVE A KOMBI FOR YOURSELF,

YOU SORT OF DRIVE IT FOR OTHERS”

1957 VW KOMBI

TRANSPORTER

TYPE 1 SAMBA

(Factory Specs)

ENGINE: 119 2cc

four-cylinder boxer

POWER: 22kW @ 3400rpm

TORQUE: 81.4Nm @ 20 0 0rpm

TRANSMISSION:

4-speed manual

BRAKES: 250mm drums

(front & rear)

SUSPENSION: Independent,

torsion bar, trailing link (f),

Independent, swing axle,

torsion bar (r)

TOYBOX LEFT Fuchs

wheels on a

Kombi! That’s

one for the

books.