Date:         Tue, 1 Oct 1996 12:51:44 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         mholser@Adobe.COM (Malcolm Holser)
Subject:      Kombi question again

Ok, I'm back on the list(s) after several weeks of mail troubles (and
apologise to those who got weird messages from mail routers).  I just got
a letter from VW stating that my '86 Kombi does meet all the US and
California requirements, despite it being a strange model.  California
declined to give me a title (they already had given me plates and stickers)
until they straightened this out, since the VIN number did no compute.

So back to my question:  Does anybody know much about this model, like
how many were made, or where they were available?  This is a 1986 Kombi
Syncro, from Canada.  The Canadian sales literature from 1986 lists panels
and pickups, but not Kombi's.  The US Vanagon Owner's Manual, though, lists
the Kombi in its dimensions section.  Kombi's are a well-known model among
splits, and even a few loafs, but this is the only one I've heard of in
the Vanagon era.

This is *not* a base model Vanagon.  It is, like the classic Kombi, a
panel van with windows.  The side windows are unique to the model -- they
don't open at all.  There is no headliner, and the interior is painted
masonite and metal.  It has "Transporter" badges, no seats, and transporter
instruments (read that as minimal instruments -- no trip-odometer, no clock,
no tach, no nothing).  It does have the rear defroster (no wiper).  It has
black transporter trim -- no rubber strips on the bumpers, either.

This model was widely available in Europe, but I don't know if they sold
many.  It seems odd that it was built with the Syncro option as well, since
that is a whole different factory.  Anybody familiar with any of this?
How rare (or common) were the classic split-window Kombi's as a model?
how about the loafs?  How about Vanagon-style?  and I guess I might as well
ask: Do they still make Kombis in the EV style?

The VIN number for the later Vanagon-era Kombis have an "X" as the model
designator, but also have the "25" body-style "Vanagon" (instead of the
Transporter) part.  I've seen sales lit showing high roof versions, and
sliding-doors-on-both-sides versions, but mine ain't that cool.

malcolm

'80 Westfalia
'81 GL partsmobile
'86 GL
'86 Kombi Syncro