Once he owned his first Beetle it was air-cooled VW all the way for this owner
1974 Volkswagen Kombi
There are now two buses in the garage, however I had a Beetle first. I fell in love with the Volkswagens as a result.
This one became available in Sydney and I jumped on it. Then I sold the Beetle and bought a 1969 model as well. It was a good decision.
What do I like about them? They’re just cruisy, fun to drive, not fast, but it’s not about that – it’s about the trip. I really enjoy them. It’s my daily driver and we go away in it as well. My wife rolls her eyes a little, but ends up enjoying the trip even if it’s not as comfortable as our modern cars. The people before me put the fittings in the cabin. We had a bit of an accident with it, on a trip, so we ended up repairing it and repainting the lower section in the dove blue. That was also an opportunity to refit some of the interior and put our own little stamp on it.
You meet lots of people when you’re travelling in it. Everyone gives you a wave and everyone wants a chat. You pull up somewhere for a rest on the big trips and you get swamped, but it’s good fun.
This one runs a stock 2.0lt motor with the twin Solexes on it. The only thing I’ve done is pop a Vintage Speed exhaust on it for a bit of a note, and it looks better. It will sit on 110km/h on the flat no drama, hit a hill and it slows down, but that’s alright.
They’ve become a bit expensive for the enthusiast, but that’s the market.
Valuation: Owners are asking around $60k and up depending on model.
Classic Australian Family Car Value Guide home page
Muscle Car Value Guide home page
Japanese Classic Car Value Guide home page
Photography: Guy Allen