| Subject: | Re: Vanagon Production discontinued in South Africa |
| From: | Mark Dorm |
| Date: | Sat, 4 May 2002 20:15:57 -0700 |
<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 <DIV></DIV></div><br clear=all><hr>MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: <a href='http://g.msn.com/1HM105401/46'>Click Here</a><br></html>
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