Kombi Number Two

No changing of place at 100 mph will make us one whit stronger, happier or wiser. There was always more in the world than men could see, walked they ever so slowly; they see no better for going fast.
John Ruskin

Dino popped in this afternoon and we managed to manhandle the second Kombi onto the slab after a lot of straining, grunting and farting. She's lined up and ready for major butt surgery. She's not in great condition, the front panel shall need a lot of work but I'll probably use the doors from Marigold as they're in a better state.

Thanks for stopping by
CooP

The Big Chop

I am learning, as I make my way through my first continent, that it is remarkably easy to do things, and much more frightening to contemplate them.
Ted Simon

I made a few final cuts this afternoon and the front just fell away onto the axle stands. Most of the weight is taken on the wheels - I jacked it up and stuffed a beer trolley under the front to assist with moving the load.

That's it for the front end. I'll wheel it out of the way tomorrow and get the other Kombi in for it's own chop.

Thanks for stopping by
CooP

New Year - Big Decisions

Own only what you can carry with you; know language, know countries, know people. Let your memory be your travel bag.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn

There has been a lot of hoo-hah in the press lately about left-hand-drive vehicles and the possible banning thereof in South Africa. At the time of writing there is a lot of confusion and no-one seems quite sure how the new laws shall be interpreted. Partly to avoid a possible ban, and partly because driving Marigold is an absolute cow, I am planning to change her over to right-hand drive.

Now...here comes the bit that'll upset some of the purists: I'm going to slice off the whole front end and weld on the front end of a South African built, right-hand drive Kombi. If this kind of carnage upsets you then please don't scroll down to see the pictures - you can get help here: www.lifeline.co.za.

I already have another Kombi that I picked up for a mere R1500 in the Free State (thanks Niyan). I plan to hack the front two-thirds of that and duct-tape it to the back two-thirds of Marigold, thus giving me the right-hand drive that I desire, and an extra 1.4 metres to boot. By the end of January I hope that both Kombis shall be chopped and prepared for joining together again.

Preparing for the big chop - even my friend Dino "I can fix anything" is scratching his head a bit at the prospect of this new challenge. Marigold is all jacked up on the new axle stands, the pop-top is off and we're marking out the cut lines.

Where would I be without good mates, eh? Daryl gets down and dirty as he puts the trusty Black & Decker to work on the underside.

Cutting the roof - sparks fly as Dino traces the line across the roof with the cutting disc.

Thanks for stopping by
CooP

Ripping Out The Roof Canvas

I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list.
Susan Sontag

About a billion or so tiny, rusty bolts to remove, nearly half of them sheared off before I managed to loosen the nuts beneath. The canvas/vinyl was in such poor shape that it'll be completely replaced. We've also removed the bumpers, wipers and a few other bits.

The side cupboards have been dismantled and removed. Just a few more plywood trim panels and the two upper bunk beds to remove and we're done. I've left the Dormobile pop-up roof on for the time being to keep the rain out but it shall get a full restoration too, in time.

Thanks for stopping by
CooP

Ooh Stripping!

To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world. You are surrounded by adventure. You have no idea what is in store.
Freya Stark

The Rock 'n Roll Bed, the side panels and the plywood floor have been removed. There was loads of lovely insulation between the plywood wall panels and the exterior steel skin. All of the crap seen here on the floor was caught up between the bed and the cupboard, including a love letter addressed to my little sis from 1978! The rear interior is in far better condition than I had imagined and won't need a lot of work to tidy up. Just wait 'til we look underneath!

Thanks for stopping by
CooP

Starting The Tear-down

People don't take trips – trips take people.
John Steinbeck

At last. All of the hard work on the concrete slab seems worthwhile. The old girl actually jump-started on the first attempt and drove up here under her own power! Very exciting with loads of wheelspin when trying to get up the muddy ramp. The dustbin bag taped to the roof is cover the hole left by a missing skylight. The skylight was left ajar when we drove to a music festival in Heidelberg, it blew away with a loud bang while we were tootling down the freeway.

The Sorry State of the Cupboards
In this picture they just look filthy, but they are actually quite rotten and swollen from water damage. The fixing screws and bolts are all loose and the melamine surfacing is peeling off. I'll probably only keep these long enough to use as a pattern for the new ones.

Stripping Out The Interior
The forward cupboards and the "dicky seat" have been removed, as have the front seats, mats, curtains and door trims. The lower seatbest mounts were so badly rusted that I had to soak them in good old Q20 for a couple of days before I could remove them.

Thanks for stopping by
CooP

Roofracks removed and roof examined

All I seek, the heaven above and the road below me.
Robert Louis Stevenson

Pop-top raised for inspection. Oh dear, it is as bad as I expected. It's in pretty bad shape - the vinyl has become brittle and has cracked in a few places. Lots of work to do there. There seems to be some badly-repaired damage to the rear metal roof as well. The body filler has cracked and come slightly loose, allowing rust to creep in.

Thanks for stopping by
CooP