After Christmas Nan and I bought a 1973 VW van (also called a Kombi, or VW type 2).
I had been eyeing it for about 2 weeks sitting on a side street in Parkhill, when finally I drove Nan by it. I knew that I would be able to shake my impulse after Nan viewed the old, rusty, camper.
What I did know was that she has always wanted a VW van. We took it for a test-drive. The motor sounded good. A little under powered, but hey VW’s are not known for their spryness. During a second test drive Ben (the seller) took us to Precision 1 Auto where they specialize in fixing Vdubes and gave us the low down on what he had done to the van. The interior is in great shape and the canvas on the pop-top is without holes. There is some body rust, but with a lot of love, we’ll be able make her pretty and functional.
Ben, had had the van for 4 years, and was looking a spending more time fixing his other two VW vans, which is the reason why he was selling it. He was asking $3,000.00 after a little bargaining we got him down to $2,500.00 and he threw in his 2 repair manuals. After the trip to the mechanic and the repair manuals I don’t know if he was giving us a heads up or not.
Happy little campers Nan and I drove off with our “new” orange camper van.
Our first drive we found that the heater didn’t work, not much of a surprise, being air cooled Vdubes are not know for their tropical heat production. This lack of heat was acutely felt as we drove home with shelves from IKEA. It was–30 out, and we hit rush hour. Nan kept the window scraped with a credit card as I navigated 45 minutes to Nan’s through traffic. It was a friggin’ –100 within the cab. Needless to say we were happy to finally get to the heat of home.
With our first few trips being successful it is time to take it to get checked out for safety
Next Blog Brakes and Front end.
As I should be marking, naturally I am taking time to comment on this lastest entry…
The vee-dub: Nan’s perspective.
Some time a few weeks ago, Stephen mentioned an orange kombi for sale on a side-street not too far from his folks’ home in Rideau. I am one of those born-and-raised Calgarians who has a complete love of the prairies and, yet, feels more ‘at home’ on the island, I have a head of dreads, wear Birkenstocks with wool socks, and like singer-songwriters. I am the worst kind of stereotype you can imagine (a stereotype of what, I’m not sure, but stereotypical nonetheless). In any case, naturally, an orange toaster oven on wheels is my dream vehicle. So, when we drove by the van (at Stephen’s suggestion), I casually asked if he had ever called the number.
Bob’s-your-uncle, we’re test-driving it.
Whoop, zoop, sloop, we own it.
Things to know about vee-dubs:
1) Cold does not even begin to describe the shelf-buying mission. Stock a space blanket and some extra socks. A scraper is good for the inside of the windshield at red lights. Balaklavas remain optional.
2) They are every bit as in need of repair as rumoured, be prepared. Hooray! for school shops and the fact that Stephen is handy, because beyond reupholstering the inside, and perhaps painting a smiley face on the front hub, I am going to be utterly useless in the repair department
3) Vee-dubs like to mosey on at their own pace. People will honk and cut you off. But, Hey! Look! {insert name of wildlife one wouldn’t otherwise have seen going highway speeds}. It is totally worth it.
4) Other people will wave and smile for no reason, other than the fact that you are sitting in a road-worthy orange kombi.
5) They are every bit as great as I had imagined, even more so, in fact. It’s going to be a terrific summer. One-hundred fifty-six days to July and counting…
6) Stephen failed to mention our name-the-van contest. Okay, well, maybe that’s because he didn’t know we’re having one. I’m not sure what you’ll win, but we need a name for the van, because I am tired of calling her ‘the van’. And because we need all the good-luck juji we can get during road-tripping season…I like to think a name helps.
SO…… Name That Van!
okay…back to the marking.
two suggestions:
1. DOUBLE O (meaning “old orange” – but reminiscent of 007 – ie James Bond
– that is steady, dependable, reliable, strong….you get the picture
2. if you want a feminine name, or you could call her Aurona – the goddess of dawn (new beginnings?) or Carnea – goddess of the heart and other organs and door handles
xo
M
Name her the “Juice Can” as in Orange crush, because I love you, little V-dub,…or as in it only takes 500 juice cans for a new (name that part) that I need and I can pick them up from the side of the highway as I walk back twenty miles to town….or as in a juice can would drive faster than you little van!… or as in pass the juice because its a makes the drive sweeter …
Best of luck, happy karma.
PS. Does your van have a sister?
ill will buy your vw for 17,000$
This is very hot information. I’ll share it on Digg.