Hi all...new here and looking to buy a finished ( or nearly finished ) split screen Kombi. Confused about the difference between a Samba and a Kombi. Isn't the Samba supposed to have roof windows or does it just depend on the window count. What makes the Samba unique?

hey welcome to here
a samba has either 23 windows or 21 windows depending on how old the model is; earlier = more glass..
bog standard bas started with 11 windows
and a samba is still a kombi
now ya know

Only for the UK market. They were not sold as 'Sambas' in Australia. Here, the deluxe Microbus was sold as the 'Alpine'. Also, the term 'Kombi' in Australia has come to mean the entire range of Type 2 vehicles, but technically only the Type 23 model is a 'Kombi' - the window van with removeable seats. 'Kombi' is short for 'Kombination', meaning that that model can easily be swapped between load carrying van, and passenger van.

The official name for the vehicle was the 'VW Transporter', or 'VW Commercial' for some of the earlier models.

It's interesting that 'common names' such as the '21' or '23' window Kombis (whatever their name) are still wrong. They count the doors as having only one window each, rather than the two (or three!) they actually have. Thus the '21' window (post '64) has 2 windscreens, 2 door windows, 8 side windows down both sides, 1 rear window and 8 skylight windows. Total = 21. They don't count the door vent windows, so the total should be 23. Or that in pre-winder days the door window was a slider, with 2 panes of glass. New total = 25! The pre '63 also has 2 additional rear corner windows, making '23' actually 25 if you count the door vent windows, or 27 if you count the door sliding glass.

Count the sheets of glass on this '21' window van:

this one has just been fully restored & will be in the owners hands in sydney in about two weeks.

That is just magic!! Where can I get one?

NICE