28-07-2022, 08:40 AM (This post was last modified: 28-07-2022, 08:42 AM by Quombi.)
Ahh it’s good to be back. Well done Mel and Admin for getting the forum back online.
Yes it’s that time again for another travel blog with the Sunburnt Express. Having missed out blog for the Dubbo Bus Stop at Easter I’m glad we can keep you entertained with this one. Mind you only being 250kms from home the trip was one of our shortest since our first adventure to Forbes bus stop all those years ago.
This blog we are dedicating to our dog Didgee who left this world a few weeks ago. For those of you know that know us, she loved traveling in the kombi with us. Especially on the weekends to our local village of Millthorpe where she would sit on the seat with the sun coming through the sunroof and pose for photos by passing tourists.
So thoughts of this adventure started a few years ago but like most things in the world got put off by COVID. However here we are and booked into Valla, Macksville, No! Valla again for 2022. Given that the comfort level in the Express peters out around the 5hr mark, and the pothole state of the roads, the kombi found its way onto a trailer.
Work on the trailer started some weeks ago with new lock and load tie-downs, a stone guard and new winch. This was following some side strengthening bars, steel ramps and undercarriage slides, wiring and paint some months back.
Hayley (Quombi) Sunburnt Express - it’s only original once No we are not restoring it, we are preserving it and driving it!
(28-07-2022, 08:40 AM)Quombi Wrote: Ahh it’s good to be back. Well done Mel and Admin for getting the forum back online.
Yes it’s that time again for another travel blog with the Sunburnt Express. Having missed out blog for the Dubbo Bus Stop at Easter I’m glad we can keep you entertained with this one. Mind you only being 250kms from home the trip was one of our shortest since our first adventure to Forbes bus stop all those years ago.
This blog we are dedicating to our dog Didgee who left this world a few weeks ago. For those of you know that know us, she loved traveling in the kombi with us. Especially on the weekends to our local village of Millthorpe where she would sit on the seat with the sun coming through the sunroof and pose for photos by passing tourists.
So thoughts of this adventure started a few years ago but like most things in the world got put off by COVID. However here we are and booked into Valla, Macksville, No! Valla again for 2022. Given that the comfort level in the Express peters out around the 5hr mark, and the pothole state of the roads, the kombi found its way onto a trailer.
Work on the trailer started some weeks ago with new lock and load tie-downs, a stone guard and new winch. This was following some side strengthening bars, steel ramps and undercarriage slides, wiring and paint some months back.
Truly sorry to hear about Didgee. Had the pleasure meeting her at Forbes… such a cool dog and you couldn’t mistake the love she received from her family.
Your blogs and pics are terrific Hayley, can’t wait to read more! Deano’s back will be thankful for that trailer.
28-07-2022, 11:59 AM (This post was last modified: 28-07-2022, 12:27 PM by Quombi.)
Next job was bus maintenance and windows cleaning! The bus got a bath and a bit of sunburn cream (Ankor wax) on the roof. Eleven year old was employed to polish the windows - all 27 of them. Yes you do the maths!
When we last took the door card off we forgot to put the dress ring under the handle and due to it being a pig off a job we had left it off. The tired and tested “toe method” was once again employed. This is because you have to push the card, spring and dress ring on to allow room to hammer the small door pin into the handle.
Then up on the hoist for a bit of engine maintenance, belly check and all round grease.
Hayley (Quombi) Sunburnt Express - it’s only original once No we are not restoring it, we are preserving it and driving it!
Gordon
All Air Cooled www.allaircooled.com.au
We carry stock of Blazecut, Air Cooled Accessories, Wolfsburg West, Buttys Bits, Wolfgang International, Silver Weld Through Panels, Geek Shack, Grumpys metal in Australia and ship anywhere..
28-07-2022, 01:58 PM (This post was last modified: 28-07-2022, 02:30 PM by Quombi.)
(28-07-2022, 12:48 PM)Ted Wrote: Looking forward to catching up
Lol. Good photo. We just went passed the big clam but couldn’t pull up for a photo. See you soon
Express to Valla - post 3
What pict to pick? Dno decided to put a kit in the carbie…. Just because (note to self under my breath- if it’s not broke !).
After that it was all black smoke and missing. So we tipped the VW carbies box (not to be confused with the holden carbie box) on the ground and “pict” one that looked good and seemed tight.
Cleaned it up only to discover “made in Brazil” hmmmm (for those following along on my Facebook this is not great as it’s an aftermarket repro not the original made in Germany).
Anyway we put it back on with the must have tool - cresent ring spanner and it ran ok (yet to be road tested) and 2 spares and distributors in the parts box just incase!
Hayley (Quombi) Sunburnt Express - it’s only original once No we are not restoring it, we are preserving it and driving it!
The fan belt has started to fray so Dno did a trip to town for a new belt. Got the length and year right but didn’t account for the pitch. So Dno dug around in the shed and found that an FJ Holden belt did the job but after fitting he just decided to put the old one back on and take the petrified holden one as backup.
Nothing like night time timing in the shed.
Then after a last minute purchase of some new driving lights at the BCF sale we stayed up till 12 fitting those as there was no way we would be ‘out the gate by 8’ the next day plus we would be driving the following evening around Kangaroo-o’clock. Fitting fiddly things is my department, since I can get my hands in most tight spots, but the bulbar on the Isuzu nearly beat me. However after holding my tongue in the right spot and squinting my eyes “just so” I finally got the bolts in and washers and nuts on just before midnight. Trailer brakes will have to wait for the morning.
Hayley (Quombi) Sunburnt Express - it’s only original once No we are not restoring it, we are preserving it and driving it!
30-07-2022, 07:53 PM (This post was last modified: 30-07-2022, 07:56 PM by Quombi.)
Leaving day has come and we are definitely not ready. Trailer brakes need adjusting and the sleet and driving driving wind have the temperature on wind chill of -5!! I left Dno to the trailer as I needed to do a last minute run to town for supplies. By the time I got home he wasn’t able to hold the coffee I made him because he was shaking with cold.
Brakes were done apart from reconnecting the wire to the front connector, which I had to help with as Dno couldn’t coordinate his frozen, shaking fingers!! That completed and Dno thawed out I found out that to adjust the brakes he either had to
A - lay in the mud with a tarp over him to stop the waterfall that was cascading off the trailer or
B - lay on the tarp with the water pooling around his ears and soaking into his clothes while water run down his arms or
C - Roll himself, burrito style, in the tarp and just get the job done.
Next to start the bus and get her on the trailer. The carbi was a bit rough on starting but idled well and it was just line it up and get it on the trailer - oh did I mention this was backwards! Not a job for me! I just did the guiding and thumbs up once the job was done (and breath again as I must have been holding my breath). Note there is no photos of this as it took all of my concentration!!! Thankfully there was also a break in the weather which allowed us to do this without sleet. Then it was just finally back and forward on the trailer, which I could manage, while Dno found the sweet spot on the trailer for the long haul ahead.
Final tie down and pack and we were ready for our family photo before pulling out. One member was definitely missing but we put on our latest sticker (shout out to Gilmore Valley Grove) and at least we had a token dog with us on the journey. The old purple dog lead also was left in for the ride.
Hayley (Quombi) Sunburnt Express - it’s only original once No we are not restoring it, we are preserving it and driving it!
Safe travels Sunburnt Express Family !
Hopefully no clutch cable clevis pin issues (ala Dubbo) this trip
So sorry to hear of Didge’s passing…….always in your kombi….
Cheers,
Mark It’s not oil, it’s sweat from all the horsepower !
Pit crew for : The Tardis - a ‘76 Sopru Campmobile & Herman - the ‘71 White Low Light
31-07-2022, 10:00 AM (This post was last modified: 31-07-2022, 10:02 AM by Quombi.)
Express to Valla - post 6
Out the gate by …….lunchtime.
The trailer and bus pulled well and apart from the potholes and a few narrow bridge passes, while holding our breath, we travelled well. Thanks to Tess for packing our lunch we had a quick stop for that in Molong and another in Dunedoo for fuel.
Dunedoo is the aboriginal word for swan so I had to get a photo with the ‘BIG’ black swan on the roof of the Express. What I got and what I imagined it would look like were two different things.
Only one hiccup on the trip was the lock and load straps slipping off the wheels. This was due to a combination of things including rough roads and also us not have the bus central to the plates. The last item was intentional since we had to compromise on plate spacing to suit the Holden’s and the VW’s in our vehicle family. Anyway another tie down strap and strapping off the shoulder of the tyres solved this problem.
New driving lights came into action at the end of the journey and did a good job. We rolled into our first camp at Singleton about 7:30. We knew we were in the right spot by the company we were keeping.
Make sure to give us a thumbs up or a comment if you are still reading along.
Hayley (Quombi) Sunburnt Express - it’s only original once No we are not restoring it, we are preserving it and driving it!
Had the pleasure meeting her at Forbes… such a cool dog and you couldn’t mistake the love she received from her family. 
!). 
