In Our Garage with Andrew and Lorraine Keen's Kombi

Tell me about your passion for Kombis?

Lorraine wanted to relive her childhood. So, we looked for a Kombi for one of her birthdays that she was having.

We ended up buying a camper van and from there we collected another two after that.

So, I guess it probably would have happened somewhere about 17 to 20 years ago, that we started the love affair with Kombi vans.

What model is this Kombi?

This is a VW Type 1 Split Window, one of the last of the Type 1's that was made, it was made in 1967.

We have had Blue Bus now for, must be 15 years. We call this one Blue Bus mainly because it is blue and we couldn't think of anything else to call it.

Do you use it for camping?

We do take it away camping occasionally. We tend to take the camper more often because it's got everything on board.

But this one here's got a full-size bed, so it's a lot more comfortable, but albeit like sleeping in a tin can because there's no lining whatsoever.

Darn cold in the winter and darn hot in the summer.

What makes the Blue Bus so unique?

These windows are actually a form of ventilation. They assist in the air flow through the car, and they do it quite well, even on warm days.

But you wouldn't get in there with a nice hairdo because there's nothing left of it by the end of the trip.

Have you made many modifications?

We bought the car actually with some of the modifications already done.

They're usually a little bit higher than this, but this one's been lowered a little bit and it's had the wheels replaced with more modern style wheels with wider tyres, and the engine's been replaced with a 1600 CC modified engine.

The suspension has been changed a little bit because it was lowered. So primarily when they first came out, they had what they call reduction hubs which help the low performance engine drive the wheels.

So, they have been taken off because they weren't needed anymore with a more powerful engine.

What do you love most about owning it?

They're one of those cars that people don't seem to mind if you're holding up the traffic and everyone will give you a toot and a wave.

So yeah, they're iconic, I suppose. And yeah, they're just a lot of fun to drive.

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