1967 VW Kombi Type 2 T1 (Split Screen)
MDN 8176 ❤️
The 1967 VW Kombi Type 2 T1 featured here was originally imported for utilisation during the Indo German Nilgiri Agricultural Development Project. The vehicle was originally registered in the name of the Project officer and it's primary duty was to ferry the officers across the various farm lands in the Nilgiris.
What makes this vehicle unique is the fact that this is one among the last Type 2 T1 models before the facelifted Type 2 T2 also called the Bay Window was launched.
Another speciality of the vehicle is the sliding doors for rear passengers on either side which was a rarity among all the VW Kombi's. Very few T1 Kombi's with dual sliding doors exist across the world which makes it a highly collectible Classic.
After more than a decade long service with Indo German Nilgiri project the vehicle was auctioned off by the Indian Government. Somebody from Tirupur acquired it and continued to serve the duties for the new owners.
The vehicle changed hands in 1998 and was brought to Kerala when a person hailing from Thrissur bought it. The Kombi served its duties for few more years before it was parked due to non availability of spares. The fitness certificate of the vehicle expired in 2003 and the vehicle laid unattended at the owner's garage for years to come.
The Kombi went through a rough phase of its life in the hands of the new owner. The vehicle was used to store parts of other vehicles and the painter at the garage used the body as a canvas to test his painting skills.
In 2008 during my annual vacation, on the way from Cochin Airport to my home I spotted the Kombi and immediately stopped to check out the vehicle. The owner was reluctant to disclose more details about the vehicle and when I showed interest to purchase it he quoted an exhorbitant price.
I left the place with a heavy heart as I could feel that the Kombi was begging me to save him. Every year I paid a visit to see the Kombi during my annual vacation.
In the due course I was able to build a rapport with the owner and the ordeal continued for a decade and finally in 2018 we mutually agreed upon a price which was once considered exhorbitant.
Finally after the payment was settled, the vehicle was towed to my home in the beginning of 2019. My elder son upon seeing the Kombi named him "FILLMORE" after the animation movie CARS.
Little did I know that it was the beginning of sleepless tense filled nights for the next couple of years.
Even though it laid abandoned for more than a decade most of its original parts were intact which included the precious data plates which adds to the genuinity of the vehicle.
Prior to start the complete strip down restoration process we decided to attempt to start the engine and to make it run on its own power. Majority of the local mechanics were reluctant to work on the vehicle due to their lack of knowledge regarding the vehicle and it's air cooled opposed cylinder configuration engine.
With some difficulty we got the Carburetor serviced and with some general maintenance the engine fired back to life as if it was just parked yesterday. This was a big confidence booster for me to proceed with the laborious restoration process.
After servicing the braking system and some general service the vehicle ran on its own power after almost two decades.
Prior to proceed with the next step of restoration I made an assessment of the parts required and started sourcing them various parts of the world through online sources.
The next stage of the process was to strip the entire paint off the body of the vehicle. In the process we identified the factory shade of the vehicle which was "Turquoise Green". After removing the paint we entrusted the vehicle in the hands of an expert tinker worker to replace the rusted areas and to retrieve the actual shape of the vehicle and to align the panel gaps. At the same time the necessary attention to the suspension and drive train of the vehicle was given and worked upon.
The restoration activity was making a steady progress when the COVID wave hit and imparted huge delay in the process. Once the tinker worker finished his work the vehicle was sent for painting to an expert and a dual colour combination of Turquoise Green for the body and Shell White for the roof was finalized.
Further delays were encountered and finally by December 2021 the painting work was finished and the vehicle was sent to RR Vintage and Classics, Palakkad owned by an Avid Vintage Vehicle collector and restoration specialist Mr. Rajesh Ambal.
The entire wiring harness was custom made and the new cosmetic parts were installed. The engine required minimal work and was finally mounted back on the vehicle.
All the hardwork and patience I invested in the restoration of the vehicle finally paid off in January 2022 when the vehicle was delivered to my home restored to as close as possible to factory perfection.
That is the story of my beloved Fillmore
Негізгі бет Автокөліктер мен көлік құралдары 1967 Volkswagen Kombi Type 2 T1 (Split Screen) Malayalam Review | വണ്ടിfied
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