Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2011 2:49:18 GMT -8
Hey gang.... Simon's the name, but most call me Humpty.... Pretty well known around certain VW circles... Mostly in and around the performance areas of the scene... I have been into VW's since birth... A fact of which you can blame my folks... Dad had a few new dubs back in the 60's along with various Merc's, Porsches, Peugots, Citroen's and the odd BMW motorcycle over the years.... His favourite VW of all time was his 68 Fasty which was a very hard working beast, that gave him many happy miles.... In fact, he liked that car so much, he owned it twice and restored it once!
Other dubs in my cave include a turbo charged Drag Bug, a narrowed/slammed (but restored to stock spec body and interior wise) 1960 Ragtop, WRX powered 64 Notch, slammed and ratty 63 Squareback in very original nick, Paprika Red OG 60 Bug, that is loaded with original owner spec'd options and finally a very original 1968 (first 6 month production) Baywindow Microbus..... Only the Paprika Bug is a none driver currently....
But anyway.... A short run down on this T34 (345096917) I find in my shed and how it came to be mine....
I've known about this car for sometime, having attempted to purchase it off the original owners estate.... Unfortunately I missed out at that first time.... But my day came when I heard that the car might be available once more.... So I got intouch with owner and expressed my wishes.... I booked a flight to Adelaide (via Melbourne to visit some friends) from Perth ASAP...
I'm am the third 'owner' and I have no intention of selling this car on.... They are gonna bury me in it!... Not really sure how much the last guy used it, but in that time, it did very little real mileage.... Apparently it has done an original 98,000 miles since new... I'm not totally convinced, but it is a pretty good example....
The first drive....
It's a complete numbers matching 'S' of 1965 vintage. South Australian delivered and sold by Light Motors in Adelaide. The original owners name was Miss Milton of Magill, South Australia. She took possession of the car on the 5th of August 1965. I got the original owners manual, service booklet, Blaupunkt manual and some other cool stuff in the service folder that came from the dealer... Another cool thing I got was the personal letter from the General Manager at Light Motors, a Mr H. W. Glenney, extending his thanks to Miss Milton on the purchase of the T34....
Cool or what?
Upon gaining possession, I quickly realised the car needed loads of work if I was to drive it back to Western Australia.... The car was advertised as a very nice, honest, reliable, fully working example... "The best unrestored example in Australia".... Bull dust!.... The lights didn't work (6V didn't help!), the gear shift/mechanism had fallen to bits, the carbs were out of sync, there many faulty earths, there was no fluid in the transaxle, it was very grimy underneath and the passenger side window did not wind up.... And there is rust.... Not bad, but its there.... Not what I was led to believe...
But I was in love..... Again.....
Needless to say, I paid the bux he was asking (a bit less than he was asking actually given the condition of the car)...
So the work began.... Straight away.... I was planning to drive this sucka across Australia some 3000km, and it needed to get me home safe and sound....
I had two days to get this car sorted, and I couldn't have done it without the help of two very good mates in Adelaide.... Some of you TIII fans (1500 Club members) might know Aaron Britcher.... Few will know Dave Prior.... Both huge VW guys.... Aaron likes both stock and hot rodded Dubs and is all over the TIII stuff.... Dave is all about pristine original looks and massive performance.... I couldn't have asked for two better equipped and skilled dubbers to help me in my quest.... Both guys gave me the use of they're tools and workshops over that two day period, supplying plenty of coffee, beer, burnt meat and good company along the way.
After much work, sorting through the issues, the car was ready to go.... The window still didn't work and the wipers were kaput, and don't don't even ask about the indicators!.... But everything else worked as it should.... Mostly....
First problem on the road..... Had a wheel alignment issue, which almost killed the front tyres.... A quick roadside alignment, followed by some professional corrective efforts in Ceduna got me going again....
I took out some bugs on the way.... ::)
The engine had a vapor lock issue 200ks past Iron Nob, which took me a little while to diagnose and fix, but apart from that, the 1500S ran like a top....
Re-routing the fuel line away from the crankcase....
The Nullarbor Plain...
Ran into this guy at one of the stops on the Nully.... Lots of people wanted to know what it was.... Only a couple knew.... Great conversation starter I can tell you.... Lost of people wanted to take a picture of it.... You don't see many old cars out there on continental jaunts.... But the funny thing is... The old cars you do still see, are mostly VW's!!!!
The view of the Great Australian Bite is quite amazing.... You'll have to take my word for it.... I left the camera in the car!!!
Out the other side of the Nully, just after crossing the border into Western Australia.... Only another 1700kms to go!
Finally made it back.... 4 days, over 3000kms and hardly any issues with a car that has spent the best part of the last 12 years under a tarp in a driveway....
I think the ol'girl did a pretty good job....
Other dubs in my cave include a turbo charged Drag Bug, a narrowed/slammed (but restored to stock spec body and interior wise) 1960 Ragtop, WRX powered 64 Notch, slammed and ratty 63 Squareback in very original nick, Paprika Red OG 60 Bug, that is loaded with original owner spec'd options and finally a very original 1968 (first 6 month production) Baywindow Microbus..... Only the Paprika Bug is a none driver currently....
But anyway.... A short run down on this T34 (345096917) I find in my shed and how it came to be mine....
I've known about this car for sometime, having attempted to purchase it off the original owners estate.... Unfortunately I missed out at that first time.... But my day came when I heard that the car might be available once more.... So I got intouch with owner and expressed my wishes.... I booked a flight to Adelaide (via Melbourne to visit some friends) from Perth ASAP...
I'm am the third 'owner' and I have no intention of selling this car on.... They are gonna bury me in it!... Not really sure how much the last guy used it, but in that time, it did very little real mileage.... Apparently it has done an original 98,000 miles since new... I'm not totally convinced, but it is a pretty good example....
The first drive....
It's a complete numbers matching 'S' of 1965 vintage. South Australian delivered and sold by Light Motors in Adelaide. The original owners name was Miss Milton of Magill, South Australia. She took possession of the car on the 5th of August 1965. I got the original owners manual, service booklet, Blaupunkt manual and some other cool stuff in the service folder that came from the dealer... Another cool thing I got was the personal letter from the General Manager at Light Motors, a Mr H. W. Glenney, extending his thanks to Miss Milton on the purchase of the T34....
Cool or what?
Upon gaining possession, I quickly realised the car needed loads of work if I was to drive it back to Western Australia.... The car was advertised as a very nice, honest, reliable, fully working example... "The best unrestored example in Australia".... Bull dust!.... The lights didn't work (6V didn't help!), the gear shift/mechanism had fallen to bits, the carbs were out of sync, there many faulty earths, there was no fluid in the transaxle, it was very grimy underneath and the passenger side window did not wind up.... And there is rust.... Not bad, but its there.... Not what I was led to believe...
But I was in love..... Again.....
Needless to say, I paid the bux he was asking (a bit less than he was asking actually given the condition of the car)...
So the work began.... Straight away.... I was planning to drive this sucka across Australia some 3000km, and it needed to get me home safe and sound....
I had two days to get this car sorted, and I couldn't have done it without the help of two very good mates in Adelaide.... Some of you TIII fans (1500 Club members) might know Aaron Britcher.... Few will know Dave Prior.... Both huge VW guys.... Aaron likes both stock and hot rodded Dubs and is all over the TIII stuff.... Dave is all about pristine original looks and massive performance.... I couldn't have asked for two better equipped and skilled dubbers to help me in my quest.... Both guys gave me the use of they're tools and workshops over that two day period, supplying plenty of coffee, beer, burnt meat and good company along the way.
After much work, sorting through the issues, the car was ready to go.... The window still didn't work and the wipers were kaput, and don't don't even ask about the indicators!.... But everything else worked as it should.... Mostly....
First problem on the road..... Had a wheel alignment issue, which almost killed the front tyres.... A quick roadside alignment, followed by some professional corrective efforts in Ceduna got me going again....
I took out some bugs on the way.... ::)
The engine had a vapor lock issue 200ks past Iron Nob, which took me a little while to diagnose and fix, but apart from that, the 1500S ran like a top....
Re-routing the fuel line away from the crankcase....
The Nullarbor Plain...
Ran into this guy at one of the stops on the Nully.... Lots of people wanted to know what it was.... Only a couple knew.... Great conversation starter I can tell you.... Lost of people wanted to take a picture of it.... You don't see many old cars out there on continental jaunts.... But the funny thing is... The old cars you do still see, are mostly VW's!!!!
The view of the Great Australian Bite is quite amazing.... You'll have to take my word for it.... I left the camera in the car!!!
Out the other side of the Nully, just after crossing the border into Western Australia.... Only another 1700kms to go!
Finally made it back.... 4 days, over 3000kms and hardly any issues with a car that has spent the best part of the last 12 years under a tarp in a driveway....
I think the ol'girl did a pretty good job....
