Hi.

I am considering buying a 1975 2 litre Kombi camper from Sydney.

The images I have of the car show that there is rust around the some of the window (front) seals and also in sections of the roofline. It has a pop top roof. At this stage I do not know how bad the rust is. There is no rust visible inside the vehicle. The engine was reconditionded 12 months ago.

I hope to inspect this car early next week, and am looking for suggestions as to what else I should look for by way of typical rust and other potential problems with 30 year old Kombi campers from Sydney.

Any thoughts and comments will be greatly appreciated as I am new to Kombis.

Many thanks.nn[ Edited on 25/7/2005 by Sulla ]

make sure you lift the front carpet up and check the floor where the drivers and passengers fit go make sure you look under the front there too.

check the dog legs dont have rust too.

like youve mentioned just make sure you find out how bad the rust is around the pop top aswell.

Thanks very much pyr0.

But what are "dogs legs"?

The dog legs are the front door steps, they tend to rust fairly commonly, also the sill area behind the front wheels.
Unfortunately tho, the rust around the windscreen can be just like an Iceberg.......you may only see a little bit coming out, but there will be heaps more underneath the rubber.

Go and have a look at a few different kombi's, i rushed into buying one and because we didnt look at many we didnt know if we got a good deal or not, ended up spending alot of time and money on engine and gearbox as a result. Test drive a few, fiddle with everything, check all the switches and stuff....

take it to a VW shop like Indian in Sydney or CBB in Sydney - not sure where you are - give 'em $50 to look over it. Else hire in the NRMA. As a serial-kombi owner - it will be money well spent, especially if it's an auto (=EXPENSIVE TO FIX).

Agree with other comments. Check the lower front apron for rust, water drops down there and rots. Check the firewalls inside floor edges. Get all the seats out the cargo area. Look for rust. Expensive to fix. Check the outriggers underneath to see if they are bent or rotten. Expensive to fix. Check the inner sill - as the rot from the inside out.

Check the play in the steering box - but then most Kombis steering boxes are a bit ordinary by now. Check the window rubbers, ideally you don't want to take 'em out. Check the headlining, you have to take the windows out to do a decent replacement (I think).

And buy off someone who cares - a vw person - you'll get a better deal. Depends what you want to pay. I'd advice anything less than 2000 will need work for a bay, and over 8000 and you'd be seeing a bag of bills.

75 is not the best year either, but I've got tired now.

Gentlemen, thank you very much for the "tips". I will arrange an NRMA inspection if the seller agrees to it ($239). I am in Melbourne and had not considered an NRMA test.

Thank you pyr0, crewcabconnection, 11CAB and 76camper for taking the time to respond. Very helpful from a Kombi novice's point of view.

crewcabconnection - WOW! those 6v starters on eBay went cheap! Got any more?

:kissnn[ Edited on 12/7/2005 by Sulla ]

UPDATE

The seller stuffed me around a lot and in the end an NRMA test was not convenient for the seller due to his work hours (PLUS faults with the vehicle he did not want me to know about)!!

I picked up the 1976 (not 1975) Kombi last Wednesday in Sydney at 0830 and arrived at home in Melbourne at 2000. The car did not miss a beat during trip. (Only issues were that the fuel guage is faulty and the heater does not work. Brakes were very low but easily fixed after bleeding and adjustment which was done today.)

Rust is minimal and really limited to the left rear side corner where the left battery is located the dogs legs. (In the battery area rust has eaten though the area in two sopts - each hole about the size of a 75 cent coin. Dog leg rust appears to be surface only. So far - I have not yet "dug deeper".) The left and right battery areas need to be cleaned up and Por-15'd. What I thought was rust around the window seals after viewing imagess was in fact sealant which had not been "cleaned up" when seals were last replaced. The car is amazingly rust free for a Sydney car based on my limited experience.

Overall the trip home was exhilirating having never driven a car from Sydney to Melbourne before! I really felt elated after the trip as it was truly a most pleasureable experience; and I recommend it to all!

The real highlight was arriving at the Victorian border and then having freeway driving all the way to Melbourne. Did not have to use the "low" brakes for almost 300 km's.

The Kombi now sits happily alongside my two 1963's and 1964 Beetles where I am sure they all chat about old times when I am not within hearing distance!

Again many thanks pyr0, crewcabconnection, 11CAB and 76camper.

Sulla

PS I recommend the trip from Sydney to Melbourne as a "must do" at least once in your life. It really was a buzz!


nn[ Edited on 25/7/2005 by Sulla ]

ahh, a trip most dread, but i also thoroughly enjoy!
good luck with your new prize