1956 Kombi - ex Ambulance
Forum rules
Only post pictures of YOUR cars here.
Only post pictures of YOUR cars here.
- jolas
- Donor
- Posts: 4253
- Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:11 am
- What model do you have?: '65 Kombi
- Location: Klapmuts, Western Cape
- Has thanked: 393 times
- Been thanked: 173 times
1956 Kombi - ex Ambulance
Back home again with my new bus, 2 days and 1450km later. Problems encountered were brake failure of the trailer on route whilst in Lainsburg, and trying to get the bus out of her spot under the tree where she had "waited" for many years was also
a mission. One front wheel had no bearings and the other had no nut to keep wheel drum on, the drivers side rear wheel drum was siezed (still battling to get the drum off).
It is a 1956 (Sept/Oct) RHD Ambulance as confirmed by Fig and Erus Meyer. Sadly there are no ambulance bits and bobs left on the bus. It was used as a shepards accomodation for many years, being towed from one grazing camp to the next on a Karoo farm. It needs plenty of work but is a very nice and solid project bus. Thanks Sean for the company and the use of the 1975 Merc which towed amazingly well.
And here are a few pics ...............................
(I've had to edit this thread (8 Dec 2016) as imageshack decided to delete all my pics wtf - some pics might be missing, in the wrong place, etc, etc
Sean and bus at the dawn of a new Karoo day - long day ahead !
After unceremoniously being pulled out from under the tree
preparing for the long drive home
Farewell to the town and probably previous employer, could'nt resist this pic down the main road .............
my new "ride"
Sean's 1975 280 A Merc - never missed a beat, old faithfull !
a mission. One front wheel had no bearings and the other had no nut to keep wheel drum on, the drivers side rear wheel drum was siezed (still battling to get the drum off).
It is a 1956 (Sept/Oct) RHD Ambulance as confirmed by Fig and Erus Meyer. Sadly there are no ambulance bits and bobs left on the bus. It was used as a shepards accomodation for many years, being towed from one grazing camp to the next on a Karoo farm. It needs plenty of work but is a very nice and solid project bus. Thanks Sean for the company and the use of the 1975 Merc which towed amazingly well.
And here are a few pics ...............................
(I've had to edit this thread (8 Dec 2016) as imageshack decided to delete all my pics wtf - some pics might be missing, in the wrong place, etc, etc
Sean and bus at the dawn of a new Karoo day - long day ahead !
After unceremoniously being pulled out from under the tree
preparing for the long drive home
Farewell to the town and probably previous employer, could'nt resist this pic down the main road .............
my new "ride"
Sean's 1975 280 A Merc - never missed a beat, old faithfull !
Last edited by jolas on Fri Dec 09, 2016 10:57 am, edited 4 times in total.
by fig » Mar 26, 2018
Sambas in South Africa are good for only 2 things: showing off and sunburn.
Sambas in South Africa are good for only 2 things: showing off and sunburn.
- bienie
- Oil Pump
- Posts: 279
- Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:15 am
- What model do you have?: 1961 beetle, Wizzard
- Location: pretoria
Re: 1956 Kombi - ex Ambulance
The bus looks "good for you"
I might know where to get a back door for the bus and the sliding windows in the middle.
I might know where to get a back door for the bus and the sliding windows in the middle.
One VW at a time
- ChrisG
- Crankshaft
- Posts: 703
- Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 9:55 pm
- What model do you have?: None
- Location: Milnerton, Cape Town
Re: 1956 Kombi - ex Ambulance
Congrats, what are the plans for it?
http://thegreatadventurer.com
Twitter: @TGadventure
Twitter: @TGadventure
- jolas
- Donor
- Posts: 4253
- Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:11 am
- What model do you have?: '65 Kombi
- Location: Klapmuts, Western Cape
- Has thanked: 393 times
- Been thanked: 173 times
Re: 1956 Kombi - ex Ambulance
Thanks John, Bienie, Chris ............. Bienie, will post some interior pics at some stage. There are 2 panes of the interior glass, I assume there must be 3, the 3rd one would be the sliding one? Must check up. I'm also wondering if they are the same dimensions as the side pop-out windows, ja, will check. I may be interested in the rear door. This bus did come with one, but a window was hacked into it, not an "ugly" job, but, nevertheless
Restoring it back to original ambulance spec might be the ultimate goal, in fact I will start collecting the bits as time goes on, but in the short term, I just want to get it mobile and "complete".
But for right now, she needs to go under a roof and wait her turn, busy with 2 other projects at the moment, it will give me time to start putting bits together and hunting for parts, etc.
Restoring it back to original ambulance spec might be the ultimate goal, in fact I will start collecting the bits as time goes on, but in the short term, I just want to get it mobile and "complete".
But for right now, she needs to go under a roof and wait her turn, busy with 2 other projects at the moment, it will give me time to start putting bits together and hunting for parts, etc.
by fig » Mar 26, 2018
Sambas in South Africa are good for only 2 things: showing off and sunburn.
Sambas in South Africa are good for only 2 things: showing off and sunburn.
- bienie
- Oil Pump
- Posts: 279
- Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:15 am
- What model do you have?: 1961 beetle, Wizzard
- Location: pretoria
Re: 1956 Kombi - ex Ambulance
Yes there must be 3, 2fixed and one sliding. Ill see if I can get you sum pic's on the weekend off the door and glass
One VW at a time
- jolas
- Donor
- Posts: 4253
- Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:11 am
- What model do you have?: '65 Kombi
- Location: Klapmuts, Western Cape
- Has thanked: 393 times
- Been thanked: 173 times
Re: 1956 Kombi - ex Ambulance
Cool, thanks man
by fig » Mar 26, 2018
Sambas in South Africa are good for only 2 things: showing off and sunburn.
Sambas in South Africa are good for only 2 things: showing off and sunburn.
- splitbusahollic
- Advertiser
- Posts: 1265
- Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2010 7:10 pm
- What model do you have?: a couple of buses
- Facebook: vintage kombi
- Location: Port Elizabeth
- Has thanked: 87 times
- Been thanked: 54 times
- Contact:
Re: 1956 Kombi - ex Ambulance
Well done...we will have plenty to chat about in the near future....i bought a '57 ambulance..lots more rust than yours...but def. worth restoring !! mine has lots of parts missing so we'll hunt together !!
my interior in the back is still nice....
will only put pic's once i have collected..it is done and paid for at least ! very exiting to see a fellow meat-wagon owner !!
my interior in the back is still nice....
will only put pic's once i have collected..it is done and paid for at least ! very exiting to see a fellow meat-wagon owner !!
vintage kombi.co.za (Website)
vintage kombi on Facebook
vintage kombi on Facebook
- Dazz
- Oil Cooler
- Posts: 390
- Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:08 pm
- What model do you have?: T3 Syncro
- Location: Centurion
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 4 times
Re: 1956 Kombi - ex Ambulance
congratulations....what a find...
We had a Merc like that when i was in highschool...
Its an awesome car to drive with tremendous torque...
Hope you have fun hunting and restoring it...
We had a Merc like that when i was in highschool...
Its an awesome car to drive with tremendous torque...
Hope you have fun hunting and restoring it...
Measure twice CUTonce.
1975 Kombie
1979 Kombie
W203 C320 CDI
'68 Austin Cambridge A60
Looking for a kombi project
1975 Kombie
1979 Kombie
W203 C320 CDI
'68 Austin Cambridge A60
Looking for a kombi project
-
- Carburettor
- Posts: 1924
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 3:27 pm
- What model do you have?: ZILTCH
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/brandon.gilson
- Location: Port Elizabeth
Re: 1956 Kombi - ex Ambulance
splitbusahollic wrote:Well done...we will have plenty to chat about in the near future....i bought a '57 ambulance..lots more rust than yours...but def. worth restoring !! mine has lots of parts missing so we'll hunt together !!
my interior in the back is still nice....
will only put pic's once i have collected..it is done and paid for at least ! very exiting to see a fellow meat-wagon owner !!
you need to show pics otherwise we dont believe you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bad Ass ???
- sean
- Transmission
- Posts: 2400
- Joined: Sun Aug 03, 2008 8:51 pm
- What model do you have?: Bays & Splits
- Location: Somerset West
- Has thanked: 63 times
- Been thanked: 227 times
Re: 1956 Kombi - ex Ambulance
Hi Paul, you got some nice photo's there. That picture in front of the Spar actually looks pretty good considering we were in such a hurry to get out the way.
Worked out the merc's fuel consumption, got 6.7km/l on the way up and 5.5 km/l with the load on the way down. I am quite impressed as I get no better just driving it to work and back with out any load.
Worked out the merc's fuel consumption, got 6.7km/l on the way up and 5.5 km/l with the load on the way down. I am quite impressed as I get no better just driving it to work and back with out any load.
- jolas
- Donor
- Posts: 4253
- Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:11 am
- What model do you have?: '65 Kombi
- Location: Klapmuts, Western Cape
- Has thanked: 393 times
- Been thanked: 173 times
Hey Sean, ja for a car thats almost 40years old, not bad going, whens the next trip ?
BadAssBob, watch out for a new thread dude, it will be about a '57 ambulance, he's got the pics - unbelievable, 2 early split ambulances popping out of the blue !
BadAssBob, watch out for a new thread dude, it will be about a '57 ambulance, he's got the pics - unbelievable, 2 early split ambulances popping out of the blue !
by fig » Mar 26, 2018
Sambas in South Africa are good for only 2 things: showing off and sunburn.
Sambas in South Africa are good for only 2 things: showing off and sunburn.
- jolas
- Donor
- Posts: 4253
- Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:11 am
- What model do you have?: '65 Kombi
- Location: Klapmuts, Western Cape
- Has thanked: 393 times
- Been thanked: 173 times
Re: 1956 Kombi - ex Ambulance
Nice one Bienie, took me a while to catch that onebienie wrote:The bus looks "good for you"
I might know where to get a back door for the bus and the sliding windows in the middle.
by fig » Mar 26, 2018
Sambas in South Africa are good for only 2 things: showing off and sunburn.
Sambas in South Africa are good for only 2 things: showing off and sunburn.
- Dutch_Diver
- Full-time Bug Nutter
- Posts: 4028
- Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2007 8:52 am
- What model do you have?: 64 bus & 63 Bug
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/Frank-Van-Hoof/576686903
- Location: St Ives, Dorset, UK
- Been thanked: 10 times
- Contact:
Re: 1956 Kombi - ex Ambulance
Lovely bus....let me know if you need parts searching in the UK to get her back....when you are ready of cause!
"MO" - 1965 Splitscreen bus --> http://www.aircooledvwsa.co.za/viewtopi ... =37&t=9305" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"BOBBIE" - 1963 Beetle --> http://www.aircooledvwsa.co.za/viewtopi ... 23&t=11338" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"BOBBIE" - 1963 Beetle --> http://www.aircooledvwsa.co.za/viewtopi ... 23&t=11338" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;