"CLASSIC OF THE DAY"

1960 VOLKSWAGEN TYPE II 23 WINDOW SPLIT SCREEN SAMBA DELUXE

Estimate: £82,000 - £92,000
Registration Number: 8446 EL
Chassis Number: 609715

The bus was purchased by the current keeper from the original and first owner in 1986; Victor and Stella Whiffen of Bridport, Dorset with only 50,000 miles from new and still in its original paint. The owner informs us before the long journey home, he and the Whiffens had a cup of tea in the camper and chatted about the bus and about one of the holidays they had in it. They had it shipped to South Africa for a four week touring holiday, then had it shipped back to the UK. The owner recalls 'just before we said our goodbyes, I asked them if the sun roof still worked ok? The answer came back with no hesitation, 'we don't know as we have never opened it! ''
From 1986 to 2000 it was used for holidays and going to VW shows, completing another 20,000 miles before being dry stored until 2007 prior to the meticulous restoration.
From 1987 the vendor attended many VW shows, throughout the UK and Europe, always looking for original new old stock parts for the bus and managed to collect many rare parts for a future restoration. Also being a member of the split screen club since 1986, many specialists trusted to undertake the restoration were familiar faces.
One of the first jobs was to buy a frame to be able to turn bus on its side, in order to get to the underside. Cleaning the soft underseal with paraffin revealed very little rot and a lot of original factory paint! All the underside was media blasted and minimal welding was needed.
The top side of the body was soda blasted and media blasted where needed. The rear door and engine lid were soda blasted and no rot was found. It was left to a good friend to prepare and paint the body and had just finished painting a VW Hebmuller.
The interior was completely restored. Handmade wool head liner, original interior panel cards were carefully cleaned, rear seats and curtains were remade in a period look material (all original seat covers and curtains remain). The front bench seat has been recovered in original colour matched leather and all the Devon furniture is complete, including gas light and shade, gas burner in door, so-cool box and water tank.
All the mahogany wood has been hand French polished and new as original 9” square lino floor tiles have been laid.
All original chrome has been rechromed, including front VW badge, interior door handles and horn grill under the bus while all outside chrome door handles are new old stock including fuel door lock. All the aluminium deluxe trim is the original and has been polished.
The only item added to this very original bus is a set of new old stock front safari screens and all fixings, including new old stock wiper arm disengage mechanism.
The original engine has been completely rebuilt and a new old stock exhaust was powder coated in near original colour.
The owners aim was to refurbish as much of the original parts as possible and not to take the originality away from this beautiful bus.
This is only one of five known 23 window deluxe buses with original Devon interiors and one of two with rare 'special order' mahogany interiors and as you would expect after such a meticulous restoration is described as being in excellent order in every respect. Now showing only 70,000 miles from new and in the ownership of only 2 keepers from new it is finished in sealing wax red and beige grey with a contrasting blur grey and dark grey interior this has to be one of the rarest and finest examples in existence today.
For further information or to arrange a viewing, please contact our sales department.

Fpr full catalogue go to: www.coys.co.uk

Source: Coys Auctions Ltd

Model specs

1954-1967 VOLKSWAGEN Kombi/Camper

Overview

The initial idea for a VW-based van was in 1947, but it wasn’t until 1950 that the officially designated Type 2 appeared. Many different variants were available but the most popular and numerous were the Kombi (Kombinationskraftwagen – a windowed combination of passenger and cargo vehicle, usually referred to as a ‘bus’) and the Camper. Westfalia created most of the latter. Nicknamed ‘Split’ or ‘Splittie’ due to their divided windscreen, VW updated the mechanical side of the vehicles constantly while leaving their looks mostly untouched... at least until 1968.

Price (excellent): £25,000
Price (good): £20,000
Price (average): £10,000
Price (project): £5000

Performance

0-60mph:35.5secs
0-100mph:N/Asecs
Top speed:67mph
Power:30bhp
Torque:56lb/ft
MPG:20mpg

Engine

Configuration:Flat 4
Aspiration:normal
Fuel:petrol
Fuel delivery:carburettor

Chassis

Suspension Front: Independent, torsion bar, trailing link
Suspension Rear: Independent, swing axle, torsion bar
Drivetrain: rear-engine RWD
Steering: worm and roller
Bodyframe: chassis and seperate body
Transmission: Four-speed manual

Dimensions

Length: 4293mm
Wheelbase: 2400mm
Width: 1778mm
Height: 1892mm
Weight: 1105kgs

Source: http://www.classicandperformancecar.com/front_website/octane_interact/carspecs.php?see=3621

CLASSICS FOR SALE

Saturday 4 October 2014