Gertrude our 1976 Sopru

[onetrackwonder]

Another dragged over from the dark side

Hello to all, first of all I have to say in the short time that we have owned her what a ride it has been, I would like to introduce both myself and my wonderful wife and best friend Katherine, about 4 years ago we moved from Pitt Town in western Sydney and now we live in the wonderful NSW far south coastal village of Central Tilba, if you haven't heard of it do yourself a favour and look it up, we are developing our 10.6 acre property which was a raw bush block, first we built a big shed and now building our house which we are hoping to have close to being finished by Xmas.
I have been on here for quite a long time now and opened the account when Katherine and I were last restoring a 75 Transporter about ten years ago now, unlucky for us we were forced to sell due to some unexpected circumstances after we had all the body work nice and straight and almost ready for paint, so to say all the hardest bits were done, luckily one of the forum members got a great van to finish his way.
We both are long term Kombi and VW owners/tragics, Katherine bought a brand new 76 Kombi van when she was 20 and I bought a one owner Flipper Blue 76 Sopru Delux Campervan when I was also 20, Katherine sold hers when she met her first husband to bale him out of his debt and because he didn't like the Kombi, she should have got rid of him there and then, I kept mine until I decided to buy a house five years later and sold it to help with the deposit, it wasn't long before I was regretting the sale and started saving for another, it took me about 18 months until I had enough and then found a local Riverina Orange 76 Sopru Delux which I owned for 23 years, along the way both Katherine and I were divorced from first marriages and came together and bought more VW'S, my Kombi was sold as we were both doing house renovations and she wasn't getting used due to our limited time away from the renos, we still own a 2007 T5 which we bought 10 years ago and a 66 Beetle which we have had from memory for about 14 years.
And now for our latest acquisition, Gertrude, I/we had been looking for the right 76 Sopru Campervan for a long time, and we wanted the best possible original interior, wasn't too fussed with the exterior or running gear as I am reasonably capable of sorting that, we found Gertrude down in Victoria at Warburton, and what a ride it has been since deciding on purchasing her, after the owners sent me plenty of photos of areas that I requested I was reasonably confident on making the 9hr trip to inspect.
And road trip it was, we have a little Avan that we hitched to the Transporter and off we headed on the Tuesday morning, the Kombi was as per advertised and as per the photos supplied, so we are now the new custodians, it has its issues that we will fix, and what 42 year old cars don't, it has some rust in the steps and front floor along with the spare tyre wheel well and that is it, the windscreen frame and the underneath is awesome along with the running gear, the rear door has popped a bolt in the hinge that is now wedged in there some how but still operates just, it has the usual fuel smell and the first time we filled it up there was a pool of fuel behind the rear left wheel.
After purchasing her we then had to go over to Riddles Creek which we got to on the Tuesday night in convoy with Katherine driving the Kombi, the Wednesday morning we then headed home and drove to the Lakes Entrance where we camped overnight and then Thursday we then headed home, she ran like a train all the way and gave us both huge confidence that we bought a great vehicle for us to develope and make even better.
On arriving home on the Thursday we stopped into Tilba and went to the post office where a heap of parts that I had ordered before we left were already there, I had bought an aerial because I could see the one on the car was broken, I also bought clutch and accelerator cables along with a Bus Stop under dash tray, mesh headlight grills and also a set of Empi Porsche Replicas, also when we arrived home there was a set of tyres for the Empi's on our house slab, so then Friday we ran down to Cobargo and dropped the wheels and tyres off for fitting, the guy there said what are these for and I said a 76 Kombi Camper only to be told that he had just bought two of them, found in a shed in Brogo, he is also the local NRMA man and come across them on a call out so they are still out there, anyway got back at 4.30 and picked them up and then I installed them and continued as per the day doing as much as I could on tidying up the van, replaced fuel lines and filter, found a broken hose behind the spare wheel well in the vent/overflow system and replace that and by then had run out of time.
The Saturday morning we were up at 5 am and headed in the Kombi for Sydney, we had a mates 60th Saturday night and then Sunday morning we were up again at 5am and headed out to Helensburg to meet up with the club members for the run down to Berry for the Blast from the past, what a great introduction to the Kombi Club, met some great people already and will be heading up in a few weeks for the Nationals at Fairfield and then onto Valla, will also book for next Easter so enjoying the ride already, already in the short ride that we have had we have clocked up almost 2000km and how good is it to be back behind the wheel of a Kombi, cheers

Gertrude
https//i.imgur.com/ywirU4f.jpg[/img]]

https//i.imgur.com/TVE84rY.jpg[/img]]

https//i.imgur.com/KDpkyzH.jpg[/img]]

https//i.imgur.com/bC1vt99.jpg[/img]]

https//i.imgur.com/b5k9CS4.jpg[/img]]

https//i.imgur.com/OIjB5Tx.jpg[/img]]

https//i.imgur.com/ziD8JtH.jpg[/img]]

https//i.imgur.com/fjIFtc9.jpg[/img]]
 

Last edited: May 12, 2018

onetrackwonder, May 7, 2018

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Great story. Love the Sopru beautiful inside and out. I just put the exact same rear bumper on Harry!
 

Chris and Sharyn
Team Fun and Niceness

Mr Beckstar, May 7, 2018

[onetrackwonder]

Excellent intro guys.

Welcome (back) to the Kombi Club!

Enjoy the ride........
 

 

Kanga Banga - Blue 88 Manual Caravelle CL (T3)

Utervelle - Blue 91 Manual Single Cab (T3) 

http://forums.kombiclub.com/threads/my-t3-single-cab-project.50622/page-17

http://forums.kombiclub.com/threads/kanga-banga-tidy-up.57512/

Grantus, May 7, 2018

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From your story sounds like a good van. Lots of patina. Enjoy the ride!
 

Alles Gute und einen guten Tag
Alpal & Carol
________________________
Schmetterling (Butterfly) 79 Bay:
DoppelÄrger (Double Trouble) 77 Dual Cab: The Other Bus 74 Kombi
Glitzernwanze (Glitter Bug) : 70 Beetle
Scoots: 1985 Vespa PX: 1978 Vespa Super: 1959 Lambretta Li150 basket case:

Alpal, May 7, 2018

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Great re-start to kombi-ing
Love the character of your van
We spend a lot of time in your area (Mystery Bay, Berma,) and always spend time in Tilba looking through the shops.
Hope to meet some day
Might run into you at the nationals (not literally)

Rick
 

rstucke, May 8, 201

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Welcome back & thanks for the great story. You guys have certainly got a lot of VW & Komb experience.
Gertrude may not be mint condition outside but WOW that interior looks new. Congrats on a great purchase & may she bring you lots of joy.
Cheers
 

Yesterday is history, Tomorrow a mystery, Today is the PRESENT.
Pilot of 'Old Boy' 76 Sopru Fuel Injected
Co pilot Lauren
http://forums.kombiclub.com/threads/76-sopru-resto.54261/
http://forums.kombiclub.com/threads/76-sopru-old-boy.56558/

David H, May 8, 2018

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That last pic with the dogs is priceless! Great bus, enjoy the ride.
 

paul77, May 8, 2018

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Pristine interior and the just married sign in back tailgate gives all the patina and history of a lovely story, thanks for sharing you kombi journey so far and hope that it continues for you.
 

72 Kombi 8 Seater Microbus
72 Double Cab Ute
76 Single Cab Ute

Wayne murray, May 8, 2018

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Where did you get the Kombi curtain prints from? Magnificent. I want them.
Cheers
 

Yesterday is history, Tomorrow a mystery, Today is the PRESENT.
Pilot of 'Old Boy' 76 Sopru Fuel Injected
Co pilot Lauren
http://forums.kombiclub.com/threads/76-sopru-resto.54261/
http://forums.kombiclub.com/threads/76-sopru-old-boy.56558/
David H, May 8, 2018

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paul77 said: ↑

That last pic with the dogs is priceless!

The one on the right looks like he is winking at us
 

Barry, May 9, 2018

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Great story and a solid looking kombi  ..... been a few different colours and the sunburn reveals that 
 

[b]Let me out when I call my name, IGOR is ALIVE[/b]
You can call me Bert
A A Wright FIPA, FFA, DATDFA

KahunaKombi, May 9, 2018

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G'day Greg i've still got the 75 bus i bought from you,good to hear you finally got another
mike
 

Last edited: May 9, 2018

sons 75 panel
75 microbus
79 microbus project
90 syncro panel camper

farquire, May 9, 2018

[onetrackwonder]

Hey guys thanks for the kind words, its a pleasure to be back in a Kombi and on here rather than just stalking the site occasionally, we currently are living in our shed while we are building our house, certainly not roughing it thats for sure, Gertrude is parked just outside our cabin section and I don't know how many times that I have opened the door to look out at her, mentioned it to Katherine and she said don't worry I have done the same, we have to keep pinching ourselves, this week I have crawled all over her and had a real decent look, there is no sign of any previous accident repairs, and the underside is in great shape except for one of the floor support cross sections adjacent to the rear torsion bar and it had been impacted with something and one side of the section has been pushed up towards the floor and the stretched metal has split, looks like an easy repair to get back into shape and a small weld to make good, and certainly not structural so of little concern, apart from that the grey primer that you see at both rear corners is where the battery boxes have been replaced, the front panel and drivers door has also had a lick of primer down the adjoining edges and my guess there is that the door has been folded back onto the front panel damaging both but apart from that she looks like original tired paint everywhere and is also blue behind all doors and panels that I have looked at and blue under and in front of the engine bay, and behind the front underside crash protector under the bumper, I have found a couple of small patches of rust that I will get onto sooner rather than later up under the passengers front floor to bulkhead area which looks like a real pain to get too, as for the dogs expect to see them at any event we attended, they all like a pat and only one bites but not very hard, you will have to work out which one  David H the curtains were already on the car so I have no idea but I'm sure Google will be your friend, Wayne murray the previous hippie owners bought the car especially to be married in her and then wrote all over it with chalk pens, most of this is under the Ankor wax so unless I strip the wax it will stay there, the previous owner had never been able to get the fridge running on 12 volt and this morning I have had a look and traced the power wire and it went nowhere, connected it to the battery and still nothing, power goes into a small relay and nothing comes out, bypassed the relay just with a jumper lead and yay the fridge works so looks like a shot relay so hopefully an easy fix again, the radio even with the new aerial still doesn't work so ordered a new stereo last night, fuel lines are all brand new so nothing on that front needed, however I still have to chase the rest of the connections on the vent system as the fuel smell is still quite strong and there is no charcoal canister which from memory there should be, 

rstucke said: ↑

Great re-start to kombi-ing
Love the character of your van
We spend a lot of time in your area (Mystery Bay, Berma,) and always spend time in Tilba looking through the shops.
Hope to meet some day
Might run into you at the nationals (not literally)

You should send me a message next time you are down and we can catch up and anyone else passing through for that matter

farquire said: ↑

G'day Greg i've still got the 75 bus i bought from you,good to hear you finally got another
mike

Mike that is great news, must be ten years you have had that now, well done, from memory that was also Flipper Blue, hopefully we can catch up somewhere one day for a chat, cheers Greg
 

onetrackwonder, May 10, 2018

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I agree, you did find yourself a beauty. Love the patina and the writing on the tail gate. Was looking at it in Helensburgh and Berry and imagining that writing being on there for 30 odd years......do you know the story behind the writing??
 

Borgey, May 10, 2018

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Very important to peen and glue the fuel spigots on both carbs, if you have carb version, as they are regularly a source of fires.

If it has been changed to electric pump and on carbs a tachometric relay and shutoff valve is good insurance against sump filling via carb needle seat issues.

Keep enjoying the discovery process.

• 
  

 

cbus, May 10, 2018

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Also meet the couple you bought the van from in Boat Harbour Tasy in feb 2016,they'd recently got married ,all the writing was fresh,he was new to kombis and we talked for quite awhile,had a good look over the van very solid,nice people,small world isn't it
 

sons 75 panel
75 microbus
79 microbus project
90 syncro panel camper

farquire, May 10, 2018

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Borgey said: ↑

I agree, you did find yourself a beauty. Love the patina and the writing on the tail gate. Was looking at it in Helensburgh and Berry and imagining that writing being on there for 30 odd years......do you know the story behind the writing??

Hi Borgey the writing has faded some what and it has only been there for about 4 years, the previous owners were on their way to Tasmania where they were to get married and were looking to hire a Kombi as their wedding car, on the boat over they found this for sale on Gumtree so they bought it hence the writing on the back, I guess for the memories they left it there, there are lots of photos of them and the wedding party in and around the car on that other public medium but I will honour their privacy and not show them here, but here is one of the car,

https//i.imgur.com/IU7Hi1t.jpg[/img]]3

I also have history from the original owners with the owners manual and service history along with the genuine book for the fridge and a pile of other receipts and workshop manuals etc, first owner was in Perth it then went to Tassie and then back to the mainland in Warburton and now will spend the rest of our life in Central Tilba, all very exciting, cbus the car has Dellorto's on it, would these be an issue too or just the standard carbs, may have to look at that, it does have an electric pump on it and I'm not sure that I like it yet, I can't see any relay wired to it and I also not sure if like where they placed it next to the battery, but thanks for the heads up, 

The reason the previous owners were selling was that they had bought a Syncro to travel to the Kimberley's, they felt that this one wouldn't be up to it

https//i.imgur.com/ppBqJW4.jpg[/img]]

This was us as we were heading off from home to purchase her

https//i.imgur.com/1nFgsV0.jpg[/img]]

This was us in convoy on the way back home, cheers

https//i.imgur.com/jza7NOu.jpg[/img]]

https//i.imgur.com/LliT39p.jpg[/img]]

https//i.imgur.com/QQf8qh8.jpg[/img]]

And tucked up safe and sound in the shed when we got home, cheers

https//i.imgur.com/IoF7ABK.jpg[/img]]
 

onetrackwonder, May 10, 2018

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I'm not familiar with any delorto issues but plenty on here should be able to advise.

The issue is known for solex on vw at least.

I would have pump outside engine bay.
Worth fitting the solenoid outside as well so that in event of fire and engine stall all fuel is cut.
Each unit around the $50 mark.

Another issue is siphoning if parked nose up.
Don't know if this is an issue with Del's.?

Often the cheap square pumps have variable pressures.
A check and pressure regulator if needed is good practice.
Don't use the empi chrome one with adjustable dial.
Cases of them loosing fuel.

In case you haven't seen it...

http://www.ratwell.com/technical/FuelHoses.html


Cheers
 

cbus, May 10, 2018

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If you can smell fuel that’s a problem that needs fixing immediately. It could be one of the breather pipe hoses too. Either way, fuel smell means possible fire.
 

Chris and Sharyn
Team Fun and Niceness

Mr Beckstar, May 10, 2018

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Hi onetrackwonder,
The oft overlooked is the filler collar to tank. Used 2 of these in 40 yrs.
Cheers
 

Yesterday is history, Tomorrow a mystery, Today is the PRESENT.
Pilot of 'Old Boy' 76 Sopru Fuel Injected
Co pilot Lauren
http://forums.kombiclub.com/threads/76-sopru-resto.54261/
http://forums.kombiclub.com/threads/76-sopru-old-boy.56558/

David H, May 10, 2018

[onetrackwonder]

Thanks guys, Chris and David I will go over the complete system before she heads out of the shed again, I did replace the sneaky bit up under the spare tyre well last week, what a bastard that was, last weekend when we went up to Sydney and then for the run back to Berry the smell was non existent, it wasn't until our last fuel stop at Moruya that the smell was back and its now extremely strong just sitting in the shed so its now a major issue, and its the main repair on my list I will most likely replace every bit of hose and then I will know that its is ok
farquire said: ↑

Also meet the couple you bought the van from in Boat Harbour Tasy in feb 2016,they'd recently got married ,all the writing was fresh,he was new to kombis and we talked for quite awhile,had a good look over the van very solid,nice people,small world isn't it

Small world indeed Mike, and yes a lovely couple of people, were you at the VW show in the big warehouse there on the harbour, went to it once many moons ago, cheers

here is the bit under the spare wheel well that I replaced, looks pretty secondhand
https//i.imgur.com/2BwL3Hz.jpg[/img]]
 

onetrackwonder, May 10, 2018

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onetrackwonder said: ↑

last fuel stop at Moruya that the smell was back

The filler collar only leaks when the fuel can get up to it so full of fuel it runs up the 'neck' & out the 'filler to tank rubber'.
Cheers
 

Yesterday is history, Tomorrow a mystery, Today is the PRESENT.
Pilot of 'Old Boy' 76 Sopru Fuel Injected
Co pilot Lauren
http://forums.kombiclub.com/threads/76-sopru-resto.54261/
http://forums.kombiclub.com/threads/76-sopru-old-boy.56558/

David H, May 10, 2018

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Yep, that looks the same as the one I pulled out and replaced last week on Harry after springing a fuel leak after a refill on the way back from Stanthorpe 
 

Chris and Sharyn
Team Fun and Niceness

Mr Beckstar, May 10, 2018

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Cheers, thanks for the great stories and background, love the bus and it was great to meet up at Berry. Sure we will cross tracks again soon!!
 

Jethro, Jun 3, 2018

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cbus said: ↑

I'm not familiar with any delorto issues but plenty on here should be able to advise.

The issue is known for solex on vw at least.

I would have pump outside engine bay.
Worth fitting the solenoid outside as well so that in event of fire and engine stall all fuel is cut.
Each unit around the $50 mark.

Another issue is siphoning if parked nose up.
Don't know if this is an issue with Del's.?

Often the cheap square pumps have variable pressures.
A check and pressure regulator if needed is good practice.
Don't use the empi chrome one with adjustable dial.
Cases of them loosing fuel.

In case you haven't seen it...

http://www.ratwell.com/technical/FuelHoses.html


Cheers

Click to expand...

Had twin 40mm Dellorttos on my '73 with a slightly worked motor - had electric fuel pump and pressure regulator set @ 2 psi (mounted @ front of engine bay up near the firewall) ....... the Dell's can be an issue if pump is pushing too much fuel. Depends also if they have been jetted correctly for the engine but once set should not be an issue. Would really need someone with the expertise to look @ them 
 

[b]Let me out when I call my name, IGOR is ALIVE[/b]
You can call me Bert
A A Wright FIPA, FFA, DATDFA

KahunaKombi, Jun 4, 2018

[onetrackwonder]

Hello once again guys and gals, and once again thanks for the comments, since my last post we have been extremely busy as Katherine and I are building our new home and we are doing it mostly ourselves so currently the Kombi is not getting all of our love but rather some bits and pieces when we can find the time or when we make the time, I have continued to change out all of the fuel vent hoses and there is now no odour or when we first got her leaks when filling, David H I am yet to do the filler neck hose as at this stage it doesn't seem to be an issue and I'm trying to do the most important things first along with a little bit of bling because I can't help myself sometimes, since Berry we done the trip back to Sydney for the Nationals which was fun meeting people old and new, for the nationals I installed some headlight mesh grills and eyelids, not an easy task as its usually one or the other, while staying at my mums on the Saturday I installed a new power inlet as the old one didn't have a cover
https//i.imgur.com/iZhs4t0.jpg[/img]]
https//i.imgur.com/ecUGbyl.jpg[/img]]
https//i.imgur.com/uyFKpdU.jpg[/img]]

also I have installed the bus stop under dash tray, and new mirrors no need for photos
we also picked up some second hand genuine front door quarter vent windows and I already had the window rubbers and scrapers and tracks but only managed to get the passengers side done before running out of time, and still haven't had the time to do the other yet, 
https//i.imgur.com/QFwBST9.jpg[/img]]
https//i.imgur.com/x4K4ot8.jpg[/img]]
https//i.imgur.com/v5HLyq0.jpg[/img]]

the week before last I took the car for a blue slip check to change the rego to NSW, we got knocked back on a few issues but nothing major, my biggest concern was that I had been chasing a bad oil leak, I discovered that it looked like it was from the oil breather and when I went to pull the gasket it was so hard it was like a ceramic tile, so that was changed out, everything degreased and they were actually surprised how dry the engine was, so looks like the leak was only there, we were done for no reverse lights, no brake lights, we have seat belts in the back that are not engineer approved but just for the dogs, these have to come out, one of the cv boots was split and another which I thought I would get done on was the oil breather hose just laid on top of the engine going no where, so Thursday we got the bits in the post needed to fix all of this along with some more bling, 
I pulled the drive shafts and cleaned everything and installed new boots too all and re packed all the the cv's and they are back in and ready to go
https//i.imgur.com/h4Crm0T.jpg[/img]]
https//i.imgur.com/57KM0Jr.jpg[/img]]

for the oil breather I got some speed flow fittings and hose and ran it to the top of the filter on the Dellorto carb
https//i.imgur.com/XQULNeH.jpg[/img]]

The reverse lights was a poorly contacting fuse so an easy fix, the brake lights I shorted between the two pressure switch wires and brake lights worked so a pressure switch was needed, not easy to get quickly in a country town but I have Katherines 66 beetle here in boxes as its stripped 100%, do you think I could find it no, so Katherine went to Narooma to try and get one and came home with a Commodore button switch, nope not enough time to make brackets and mount it up so I have a beetle pressure switch on my race car so off it came and yep now have brake lights, the old switch stopped working the day of the inspection because everything was checked the night before,

Yesterday I also done an oil change after finishing the CV's, so Monday the car is going back for sign off for the blue slip and hopefully we can get some new plates on our way to Nambucca as Narooma registry is only open Wednesday and Thursdays,

Today we started more bling so I will do another post as this one is getting a bit photo heavy, cheers Greg
 

onetrackwonder, Jul 28, 2018

[onetrackwonder]

So today was like I said, bling day, lots of scrubbing was done and some polishing to protect and beautify, last week with my order of parts I got some new mirrors as when we got the car there was only one mirror and one arm with out the mirror, the new mirrors from evil bay were like magnifying glass and were utter crap so I got some better ones which are great, I also got some under seat mats as the ones in the but were shot, well what little was left of them, so out with the seats, out with the mats and clean and clean and clean then it was time to put the bling back in, have too say they come up a treat and we are very happy with them, also installed new step treads

Drivers side once the seat was out which took about three seconds,

https//i.imgur.com/DBotYar.jpg[/img]]

The passengers side

https//i.imgur.com/WtAVQFB.jpg[/img]]

Before cleaning

https//i.imgur.com/dT6FsuD.png[/img]]

After cleaning, I wasn't that concerned with the old glue as there would soon be more and it wasn't going anywhere without thinners so was left

https//i.imgur.com/nGldsG8.jpg[/img]]

New drivers side mat

https//i.imgur.com/LsdEfgD.jpg[/img]]

Passengers side all clean

https//i.imgur.com/19eifi4.jpg[/img]]

And new mat

https//i.imgur.com/6BarCad.jpg[/img]]

For those that have never done these mats the edge tucks under the trim and the mat folds back over the top

https//i.imgur.com/icMJNdR.jpg[/img]]

Seats back in and looking good

https//i.imgur.com/3EI6jhD.jpg[/img]]

https//i.imgur.com/1OpPCv0.jpg[/img]]

The seats had been re built by the previous owner and they have been very professionally done, which was one of the attractions for us to buy it in the first place



Please come and introduce yourselves at Nambucca/the Spectacular, only happy to chat, cheers Greg
 

Last edited: Jul 29, 2018

onetrackwonder, Jul 28, 2018

[onetrackwonder]

The seats had been re built by the previous owner and they have been very professionally done, which was one of the attractions for us to buy it in the first place

https//i.imgur.com/CtUh8fH.jpg[/img]]

And the very first change that we done to the bus

https//i.imgur.com/6XZLHcr.jpg[/img]]

Please come and introduce yourselves at Nambucca/the Spectacular, only happy to chat, cheers Greg
 

Last edited: Jul 29, 2018

onetrackwonder, Jul 28, 2018

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Small things but huge improvements  ....... Greg, are you going to put the rubber on the side of the seat mounts - walk through  (https://www.thebusstop.com.au/1968–...Interior-68-79/Under-Seat-Arch-Side-Mats-pair)
 

[b]Let me out when I call my name, IGOR is ALIVE[/b]
You can call me Bert
A A Wright FIPA, FFA, DATDFA

KahunaKombi, Jul 29, 2018

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Side mats also available here - https://www.justkampers.com.au/vw-t...ront-seat-tub-side-mats-t2-bay-1967-1979.html
 

[b]Let me out when I call my name, IGOR is ALIVE[/b]
You can call me Bert
A A Wright FIPA, FFA, DATDFA

KahunaKombi, Jul 29, 2018

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Hi Kahuna, no at the moment I don't think I will install the side mat, I have never had them in the two previous campers that I have owned, I don't believe that they were fitted to the Sopru campers but rather the deluxe microbus, not that I'm trying to have an exact replica of the car that rolled out of Sopru, I did however cut and polish the said area that looks rather untidy in the pics and I'm pretty happy with how they turned out, cheers Greg
 

Last edited: Jul 29, 2018

onetrackwonder, Jul 29, 2018

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If you do ever decide to put in the rubber mats around the side. Just check that you have a channel down the walk thru sides near the buckles ,as you need that groove to put that rubber in. Only reason I mentioned this as my weekend job was to do the same job on my fathers car, but he doesn't have the channel to put the surround seat pedestal rubber.
 

72 Kombi 8 Seater Microbus
72 Double Cab Ute
76 Single Cab Ute

Wayne murray, Jul 29, 2018

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Thanks Wayne, I have the groove along the top edge of the walk through and I am fairly sure that the rear near the buckles that wraps around the back edge is held in place with contact glue, cheers Greg
 

onetrackwonder, Jul 29, 2018

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onetrackwonder said: ↑

Thanks Wayne, I have the groove along the top edge of the walk through and I am fairly sure that the rear near the buckles that wraps around the back edge is held in place with contact glue, cheers Greg

I was more mentioning the groove near the buckle. Not whether it was glued or not,that was all.
 

72 Kombi 8 Seater Microbus
72 Double Cab Ute
76 Single Cab Ute

Wayne murray, Jul 29, 2018

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Greg, wasn't sure but get the look as it was approach  ...... $$$ spent better on something else also 
 

[b]Let me out when I call my name, IGOR is ALIVE[/b]
You can call me Bert
A A Wright FIPA, FFA, DATDFA
KahunaKombi, Jul 31, 2018

[onetrackwonder]

Hi Wayne I must have read it wrong but all good,thanks for the advice, We managed to get away for the VW Spectacular and had a great time, managed to clock up just on 2200km for the trip, ran from Tilba up to Sydney where we stayed with my mother for the night, got to wash the Tilba dust off the car that night and check the oil which was all good, then ran up the freeway, thought we would stop at the Leyland Brothers Rock for breakfast only to see it burning too the ground, sad days, anyway we had an awesome time up at Nambucca, lots of very cool cars and people, never checked the oil at Nambucca because it was fine in Sydney, then the run home we done via the coast and just before Nabiac the oil light came on so we stopped and checked it out and the oil was way low, actually halfway down the stick so we filled it up and continued on our way, once back in Sydney it needed a top up again and then the trip back to Tilba we never used a drop, so from Tilba to Sydney nothing, Sydney to Nambucca and Nambucca to Sydney heaps. like 2,0L and Sydney to Tilba nothing, so I am thinking that the oil breather line that I connected to the air filter may be sucking the oil down the carbie at the high revs on the freeway and was wondering what everyones thoughts on that was, I might have to add a catch tank that breathes into the filter and drains back to the sump, as it hadn't used any oil before this trip and the change to the breather

Leaving home
https//i.imgur.com/iSRVpdh.jpg[/img]]



https//i.imgur.com/IMdFLJy.jpg[/img]]

At Raleigh Raceway a place that I have done plenty of laps at in my karting days

https//i.imgur.com/Kj4Y4T9.jpg[/img]]

https//i.imgur.com/77tL7gN.jpg[/img]]



My brothers partners surname is Barrett and then this beauty parks next to us at Raleigh

https//i.imgur.com/6N29Gz7.jpg[/img]]

Here is my wife and her sister who travelled down from Toowooomba

https//i.imgur.com/YEYWUmN.jpg[/img]]

Im sure that everyone has seen plenty of pics of the event but here is one

https//i.imgur.com/8p3DZ93.jpg[/img]]

Just when we were leaving Nambucca from up on top of the hill, went to take a pic and a guy that lived there came out and offered to take our pic, great stuff

https//i.imgur.com/gvCye4a.jpg[/img]]

South West Rocks on the way home

https//i.imgur.com/a6WMMS7.jpg[/img]]

At the swap meet we managed to pick up a Sopru Roof Rack which are pretty rare, our rack was not the original so was a great pick up

https//i.imgur.com/n32Wo0K.jpg[/img]]

had an awesome trip, van ran like a train even though the oil was an issue on the freeway

 

onetrackwonder, Aug 22, 2018

[onetrackwonder]

Today we finally got rid of the Vic rego and now have to mount these, happy days
https//i.imgur.com/ROWc2A3.jpg[/img]]
 

onetrackwonder, Aug 22, 2018

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What a great road trip - doing exactly what Kombi’s should do! 

And good to see that Rex Barrett Lowlight panel, still has the original Fyshwick ACT phone number on the side.

I remember seeing it often on the roads around the ACT, in it’s earlier life as a company workhorse. 
 

 

Kanga Banga - Blue 88 Manual Caravelle CL (T3)

Utervelle - Blue 91 Manual Single Cab (T3) 

http://forums.kombiclub.com/threads/my-t3-single-cab-project.50622/page-17

http://forums.kombiclub.com/threads/kanga-banga-tidy-up.57512/

Grantus, Aug 22, 2018R

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Great trip guys and thanks for the pics and the story. Love your new rack!! Dont see many of them for sale anywhere.
Cheers
Geoff
 

Jethro, Aug 23, 2018

[onetrackwonder]

Hi guys its been a while since I have made an update on here, we have been extremely busy building our house/home which has taken longer than you would think as Katherine and myself are really the only ones doing all the work, well to cut to the chase last Easter on the way down to the Bus Stop at Mallacoota while being the lead driver/ guide the old girl developed a bit of a miss that would clear itself and then come back again, once in the van park I tried to do a bit of trouble shooting to no avail then on the way back from the big photo shoot she went bang in a big way, the poor old girl had a major melt down and melted the main Venturies in the throat of one of the the carburettors, hence we had to tow her home, luckily we were only 3 hrs or so away and Debbie and Mark Perinich were graceful enough to drop me off at home in Central Tilba on their way home so that I could return with a trailer to pick the bus, Kath and the dogs up, once home the poor old Kombi has sat in the shed ever since without me being able to spend any time to diagnose the exact issue with her which has been very frustrating not being able to spend the time to fix her along with not knowing what is wrong ,with building we initially built a large shed that has been used for storage of the kombi and all our household goods along with a cabin that we have lived in, now we are in the house which is unfinished but getting very close, I have spent the last two weeks believe it or nor cleaning and rearranging the shed now that most of the building materials and furniture has gone, now I am happy with the shed space so this afternoon I dragged the bus around from one side of the shed to the other so that I could get at her and then jacked her up and pulled the engine, I was worried that some of the aluminium from the venturies had gone down the inlet manifold into the head, I wasn't going to risk some of that being in the head, lucky I did because yes there was bits in the top of the head on the inlet side and one big bit jammed against the valve , I now have a bench full of engine parts and I have also learnt a bit more about our engine and its condition, we have an electric fuel pump and when i looked at where he mechanical one was there was no plate over it just a hole, I thought stuff what is going on, they must at some stage welded it up and I have never seen that before, I also had never realised that the alternator has a fresh air inlet to the back of it, also found that the engine mounts were stuffed, also very surprised that the air bellows/thermostat had a broken/missing cable so wasn't too happy about that, I now have to pull the head so that I can see if any aluminium bits made its way into the barrel, I don't think they did as the bits that I have found make up most of the venturies, what lookes like caused all of the problem was that there had been a bit of the fuel line when pushed on to one of the carburettor fittings has taken a slice off the hose and then that has got stuck in the end of the carburettors emulsion tube, here are some photos, cheers Greg

https//i.imgur.com/sBAko1E.jpg[/img]]

Engine on the floor
https//i.imgur.com/maNF9jh.jpg[/img]]

Engine in the air
https//i.imgur.com/OXAyiY7.jpg[/img]]

Rubber in the emulsion tube which I think caused all this
https//i.imgur.com/jCUtX0I.jpg[/img]]

Bit hard to see if you don't know what you are looking at but there is a bit of the venturi stuck up on top of the valve
https//i.imgur.com/XtVxR1h.jpg[/img]]

The bits of the venturi dragged toward the front of the inlet
https//i.imgur.com/JT6FMNP.jpg[/img]]

Bits that I have now found
https//i.imgur.com/NXk8tm7.jpg[/img]]

How the venturi should look, thanks to Wayne Murray
https//i.imgur.com/w58WD8o.jpg[/img]]

fuel pump hole
https//i.imgur.com/YVWupgR.jpg[/img]]

Broken engine mount
https//i.imgur.com/soczxxc.jpg[/img]]

 

onetrackwonder, Oct 21, 2019