Date: Sat, 4 May 2002 20:15:57 -0700
Reply-To: Mark Dorm <mark_hb@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mark Dorm <mark_hb@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Vanagon Production discontinued in South Africa
Content-Type: text/html
<html><div style='background-color:'><DIV>
<P>What is this? A repro of a SA news article? Have they really stopped making them? <BR><BR></P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>From: Helmut Zeidler <HELMUT.ZEIDLER@NOKIA.COM>
<DIV></DIV>>Reply-To: Helmut.Zeidler@NOKIA.COM
<DIV></DIV>>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: Vanagon Production discontinued in South Africa
<DIV></DIV>>Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 12:57:18 +0200
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> The VW Kombi - something of a South African cultural asset
<DIV></DIV>> Mention the word "Kombi" to any South African over the age of thirty years
<DIV></DIV>> and he (or she) will immediately know exactly what you are talking about: A
<DIV></DIV>> Volkswagen bus with a rear-mounted engine and seating for eight or more
<DIV></DIV>> passengers.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> The very first Kombi in South Africa, a gift to a German malaria researcher
<DIV></DIV>> who had to traverse Central Africa, landed in Cape Town in December 1952.
<DIV></DIV>> Soon afterwards, a second one, fitted out as a hunting vehicle/camper for
<DIV></DIV>> the "father " of Volkswagen of South Africa, Baron Klaus von Oertzen, made
<DIV></DIV>> its appearance in Port Elizabeth. Both these vehicles were tested to the
<DIV></DIV>> utmost by their owners across virtually impassable terrain.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> The arrival in Cape Town soon afterwards of several VW Kombi's on
<DIV></DIV>> trans-African expeditions from Europe must have been further cause for
<DIV></DIV>> SAMAD, the assemblers and distributors of Volkswagens at the time, to decide
<DIV></DIV>> to assemble and market the Kombi locally.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> In 1955 the first Kombi's (The T1 range, officially named the Transporter or
<DIV></DIV>> Bus by Volkswagen) left the assembly line at Uitenhage; some of the first
<DIV></DIV>> consignments were sent to Namibia by rail. Due to the Kombi's excellent
<DIV></DIV>> ground-clearance and superb suspension it was by then the vehicle for the
<DIV></DIV>> bad corrugated gravel and sandy roads of the region during the fifties.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> These qualities of the Kombi also led to the decision of the Union Defence
<DIV></DIV>> Force (Army) to buy Volkswagens on a large scale. As early as 1957 the
<DIV></DIV>> Defence Force purchased Beetles and this was followed in 1959 by a £80 000
<DIV></DIV>> (R160 000) order for Kombi's. Apart from 50 Beetles and 40 standard Kombi's
<DIV></DIV>> the contract also provided for 20 ambulances and 2 fire-fighting vehicles.
<DIV></DIV>> These Kombi's, in military olive-green with white tops contrasted sharply
<DIV></DIV>> with the standard Grey-blue/white finish of the locally assembled Kombi's.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> The price of the Kombi in 1956 - £674 (R1 348) - made it highly competitive;
<DIV></DIV>> the small DKW station wagon was much more expensive at £730 (R1 460). The
<DIV></DIV>> price of the VW sedan of the same year was £569 (R1 138) while the DKW sedan
<DIV></DIV>> was sold at £700 (R1 400). The price of the imported VW ambulance amounted
<DIV></DIV>> to £1 025 (R2 050).
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> Not all Kombi's were assembled at Uitenhage; the Westphalia camper edition
<DIV></DIV>> and luxury Samba model (with 20 windows/panes and sunroof - all in
<DIV></DIV>> red-and-black finish), as well as the ambulances, were imported directly
<DIV></DIV>> from Germany.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> In 1956, Ben Pon, the Dutch Volkswagen dealer, who could be regarded as the
<DIV></DIV>> "architect" of the Kombi, visited South Africa as the guest of Baron von
<DIV></DIV>> Oertzen. Being keen hunters they conducted several hunting trips in Von
<DIV></DIV>> Oertzen's "Jagdwagen" Kombi (which is still being maintained by Volkswagen
<DIV></DIV>> of South Africa).
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> Very soon the Kombi's were joined by the VW bakkie and in 1959 Volkswagen
<DIV></DIV>> marketed the first double-cab vehicle in South Africa at £819 (R1 638); in
<DIV></DIV>> Afrikaans very aptly called "Dubbeldoor" - referring to the double yolks
<DIV></DIV>> found in freak eggs.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> The direction of the stream of travellers who crossed Africa from North to
<DIV></DIV>> South changed in 1960 when a group of South Africans undertook an overland
<DIV></DIV>> journey to Norway in a South African manufactured Kombi. This was followed
<DIV></DIV>> in 1962 by a group of Stellenbosch students who travelled to Ethiopia and
<DIV></DIV>> back in their Kombi - and who had their VW service book in stead of their
<DIV></DIV>> passports stamped at the northernmost border post!
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> In 1968 the T1 range was replaced by the more modern T2 range, which was
<DIV></DIV>> fitted with the more powerful 1600 cc engine from the outset. The range of
<DIV></DIV>> commercial vehicles included the standard Kombi, the more luxurious model -
<DIV></DIV>> the Clipper, a double-cab, panel van and Westphalia (camper) models.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> To prove that the new Kombi's were, if anything, as good as their
<DIV></DIV>> predecessors, VW's Public Relations Officer, Ronnie Kruger, invited a group
<DIV></DIV>> of journalists on a trip over the Sani Pass and a weekend in The Hell
<DIV></DIV>> (Gamkaskloof). Although these Kombi's were fitted with limited-slip
<DIV></DIV>> differentials, the special equipment was not really necessary as they could
<DIV></DIV>> tackle the inhospitable terrain as easily as their predecessors.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> At a distance the T2 Kombi, now officially called the Microbus, could be
<DIV></DIV>> distinguished from its predecessors by the new grey-and-white colour scheme;
<DIV></DIV>> other colours were available, but only on request. Soon afterwards a
<DIV></DIV>> 1,7-litre model was introduced, followed by a 1,8-litre and eventually, in
<DIV></DIV>> the late 1970's, by a two litre engine. Only cosmetic changes such as larger
<DIV></DIV>> indicator and tail lights and a smaller VW emblem differentiated the 1968
<DIV></DIV>> and the 1979 models. Improvements, which were made, were not visible to the
<DIV></DIV>> naked eye.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> In 1975 the Type One Kombi made a short-lived re-appearance on the local
<DIV></DIV>> scene when a number of these vehicles were imported from Brazil and marketed
<DIV></DIV>> as the Fleetline. These models were, however, fitted with the more powerful
<DIV></DIV>> 1600 cc engine. A unique economy model also available was a combination of
<DIV></DIV>> the T1 and T2: A Kombi with the nose of the T2 and the body of the T1.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> The new-generation T3 range appeared on the local market in 1980. It was
<DIV></DIV>> still fitted with the proven air-cooled unit but coil springs replaced the
<DIV></DIV>> torsion bar suspension. A mock grill was added to give the Kombi the same
<DIV></DIV>> appearance as the Golf, but the basic layout remained the same. The more
<DIV></DIV>> angular - but at the same time more streamlined design - enlarged the usable
<DIV></DIV>> space inside the Kombi.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> The Westphalia camper models were not imported any more but CI Caravans
<DIV></DIV>> locally built a camper model that compared favourably with the German model
<DIV></DIV>> in all aspects - and offered more space.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> In 1983 the air-cooled 2-litre engine of the T3 was replaced by the more
<DIV></DIV>> powerful and more economical 1,9-litre water-cooled power unit - which in
<DIV></DIV>> turn was replaced by the 2,1-litre fuel-injection engine in 1986.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> The four-wheel-drive Syncro made its appearance in 1989 and for the first
<DIV></DIV>> time a group of eight grownups could brave impassable roads in luxury and
<DIV></DIV>> space. Many outdoor fans found in the Syncro the space (and comfort) they
<DIV></DIV>> found lacking in double-cab 4X4 bakkies. Several emergency and rescue
<DIV></DIV>> agencies acquired Syncro's and these are still in use - despite their age
<DIV></DIV>> and high mileage.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> Although the flat-four engines were reliable the need for a conventional
<DIV></DIV>> in-line engine still existed. The Audi 5-cylinder engine was adapted to suit
<DIV></DIV>> the Microbus and in 1991 the 2,5-litre Microbus arrived on the local scene.
<DIV></DIV>> Further development led to the well-known 2,3 and 2,6 buses.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> A more affordable model, fitted with the very dependable and economic
<DIV></DIV>> 1,8-litre Golf engine, completed the range. Inadequate power output in
<DIV></DIV>> Highveld conditions led to the 1,8 Volksiebus being withdrawn from the
<DIV></DIV>> market and being replaced by the 2,3 model. At sea level where loss of power
<DIV></DIV>> is less, these buses - as well as the Syncro - are still highly sought after
<DIV></DIV>> on the second-hand market.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> The new-generation, front-wheel-drive T4 bus has a long and
<DIV></DIV>> rich-in-tradition series of predecessors that left their mark on South
<DIV></DIV>> African society. A new, typical African industry developed from this type of
<DIV></DIV>> vehicle - the taxi trade - still being referred to as "Kombi Taxis". This
<DIV></DIV>> phenomenon washed over to all the neighbouring states.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> Even with the new type of bus-taxis envisaged by the South African
<DIV></DIV>> government, the concept of Kombi taxis shall remain - even though relatively
<DIV></DIV>> few VW Kombi's are utilised as such. The VW Kombi is primarily a family
<DIV></DIV>> vehicle rather than a commercial one.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> It is especially adventurous and outdoor people who will remember the VW
<DIV></DIV>> Kombi as a cult(-ural) vehicle. A youth leader recently said that the
<DIV></DIV>> requisite to become a successful Boy Scout or Voortrekker leader is that
<DIV></DIV>> "he must be adventurous, a bit crazy - and own a VW Kombi"!
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> The Kombi is as much part of South African culture as David Kramer's songs,
<DIV></DIV>> braaivleis and biltong.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Text is sent by Tom, South Africa.
<DIV></DIV>>Regards
<DIV></DIV>>Helmut
<DIV></DIV>>'80 Vanagaudi
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