Hi ,

i was just wondering whats the earliest kombi over here in Oz or even NZ ?

Barn doors are being unearthed as we speak and are becoming super collectable and super expensive ......but are they many over here ???

Cheers,

Tony

Where are barn doors being unearthed ? pretty rare that an unknown one turns up.

What do you know we don't?
M

Unfortunately i know of none and if i did i doubt i could afford one !

I saw a great clipon youtube of a guy in Europe who unearthed an Original Barn door stored in the back of a garage ....they are out there as are oval and split bugs etc

ill let you know if i find one mate .

So are there are early kombis in OZ ?

North Brisbane mate .........no never been ....iwhats down there ?

We have an original Australian delivered 1954 Transporter at work that we are restoring.

My Father has unearthed 5 barndoors locally (as well as numerous other splits) over the years...........

Just a couple of the old mans old pics...........

His first 2 Barny's circa 1970-75......


Next one he found about '98 when he took a wrong turn, this was the craziest recovery mission we've done, wish I had pics of that day .......


The next was found in the early '90s, but We didn't pick it up till about 2000....


And the last one is the rarest of the lot, standard sunroof with factory safaries......

great pics mate ...the last ones a beaut...............what year is it exactly ?

The first Transporters were sold in Australia in June 1954, fully imported. These were soon converted to local CKD assembly. In Germany the last barndoors were made in March 1955, but probably mid-to-late 1955 here by the time the CKD packs were shipped to Australia, assembled and completed.

The FCAI recorded sales of 334 Transporters in Australia (all types) in 1954, and 1,513 in 1955. I suppose around 1,000 barndoors would have been sold here in total.

cheers Phil74 thats really interesting stuff.......I wonder if any barndoor microbuses were ever sold !!!???

Is there a BD register in OZ ?

Yes, naturally there were some sold here. The FCAI's 1954 yearbook reports that of the 334 Transporters sold here in 1954, 238 were panel vans; 71 were 'utilities'; 21 were 'Station Wagons' and 4 were 'Microbuses'. If this is strictly accurate (it may not be), then the 4 Microbuses might have been the early full imports. The rest of the microbuses and kombis might have been counted as 'station wagons' once local assembly began - the 'deluxe' Microbus was never assembled in Australia. Ours were still Microbuses but not the Euro 'Samba' style.

In 1955 the FCAI recorded 512 station wagons, 492 panel vans, 407 utilities, 97 'omnibuses' and 5 'ambulances - total = 1,513. This may not be right - the panel van was normally the biggest seller as they were usually fleet vehicle sales. Did the FCAI count some in the wrong category? Or maybe the 'Kombi' window van with seats was counted as a station wagon? Maybe the VW 'omnibus' was the Microbus? Who knows. Still, it's the best we have 60 years later. Of course, we don't know how many of these were barndoors as the switchover to the new rear happened sometime through the year.

Great insight Phil and thanks ....now where can i find one of these Barndoor thngs ?????..........................................