'Let's Go! Scotland-Croatia and onwards in our Kombi!'

[mcdonaldneal]

[rsbadura]

Nice travel pictures - remind me to build in a heater system in mine Till now only traveling to warm southern areas.
(next year Norway - and if this works for my wife, than one year later Iceland)

[1970fun]

Great pics Phil!!!!

Did the diesel heater keep you comfy and warm?
Be sure you take your time with rinsing/washing the salt out of every nook and cranny salt is nasty stuff that can do its job for years!

[1970fun]

Oh yeah and if you ever get your olive Bay from Australia use that one only during summer time please

[MorkC68]

Absolutely stunning photo's Phil!

We're starting to plan for our Scottish road trip over christmas, get the route defined and see where our path goes
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Major; 1977 Westfalia Campmobile
- Subaru EJ20
- Koni Classic adjustable dampers & Empi Heavy Duty Anti Roll Bar
- 180W Solar System

My blog: https://twolatebays.wordpress.com/

[mcdonaldneal]

Thanks Rolf-Stephan for the detailed reply about the fog lamps I wish I could have given! You probably know I have them wired as aux driving lights to come on with the high beam (and the rear fog light works as a third brake light).

1970fun (Harry). The heater was perfect! As you know, it’s too powerful really for mild weather, but the low setting took the chill off and the higher setting made it toasty, even at zero degrees and 50kph plus wind!
I thought I had run out of paraffin today, having used full power a few times but, when I checked the 5 litre tank, it was well over half full. Definitely better not to run the heater all night! I think I had hit the wrong switch and turned it off by mistake-fooling myself I was out of fuel
You bet ‘Olive’ will be kept away from the salt-summer camping only!

Mork, let me know what your plans are, and if you need any tips.
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1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[MorkC68]

I will do mate, thanks!
_________________
Major; 1977 Westfalia Campmobile
- Subaru EJ20
- Koni Classic adjustable dampers & Empi Heavy Duty Anti Roll Bar
- 180W Solar System

My blog: https://twolatebays.wordpress.com/

[mcdonaldneal]

Our plan to use the Kombi over the winter hasn’t come to anything much since the trip to Skye but, we are hoping to go away for a week from tomorrow!
The first stop, to see friends in Perthshire has probably been scuppered by Covid in their family so, we will likely head to Shona’s sister in Blairgowrie for a couple of days with side trips to Dundee and then, if weather and everything else allows, head up to Ardnamurchan, the most Westerly point on the mainland…
Food has been bought, curry and chilli have been made and warm and waterproof clothing has been gathered against the elements.
The Kombi had a minor tune up, which just revealed the timing is sometimes sticking a little bit, so the distributor will get a service soon(ish). I did notice in the engine bay though, that the cooling flap control lever was in the ‘hot’ position. This had happened before when the hex nut got caught on the bracket but looking underneath, the bellows thermostat had blown. This is the second one from AwesomePowdercoat that has failed, although this one had lasted four years.
An hour or so, grubbing around underneath, ended up with a new (used) thermostat being fitted. Same temperature range. I don’t know why it was fitted to a Beetle/Ghia bracket? The hex nuts had different threads so I had to thread the control cable through the new hex nut. We’ll see how that goes!

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1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[mcdonaldneal]

The other issue I noticed when I was underneath was that the exhaust has rusted through and there are little pieces of sooty evidence. I knew the exhaust was on the way out and I bought a stainless ‘stock’ one last winter but I was waiting ‘till it really failed. I haven’t got time to do it before we head off, so hopefully the holes won’t get too much bigger on the trip!

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1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[Abscate]

I don’t think that leak is near any exhaust valves but if it is, idle the car down for a few minutes after a hot run to let the valves cool off a bit, and avoid being shocked by incoming cold air.
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.ssS!

[mcdonaldneal]

[mcdonaldneal]

We left home on the East coast later than planned, having loaded up huge amounts of food, warm clothing and cat paraphernalia!
We made it to the ‘lunch’ stop: the Royal Borough of Falkland in the Kingdom of Fife at about 2:30 and it was already getting dark, so we made the most of the light and went for a walk and finished the journey in the dark. Unlike the Skye trip, it is incredibly mild (7-8deg C) and so we hardly needed the heater. Shona’s sister is letting us sleep in the ‘Granny flat’ with the cat, so the Kombi is resting and ready for day trips today and tomorrow, and travel further North on the 1st…

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1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[Abscate]

How old is Spit , now , in Bus Years? (Hope I didn’t mix up the cat names again , swaddled in my two this morning )
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.ssS!

[mcdonaldneal]

[mcdonaldneal]

The New Year dawned as wet as the old one, Happy and healthy New Year wishes to everyone!
The early part of today we drove to Dundee on the river Tay to see Shona’s brother’s family. The sun did actually come out for a while before we set off North. It’s still very mild, so we had heavy rain rather than snow and we have ended up in a car park where the Caledonian canal ends at Loch Linhe. Windy spot but flat and we have had chilli, cheese and chocolate for dinner, washed down by beer and a mug of tea!

_________________
1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[mcdonaldneal]

So, on the drive up, I was probably asking an unreasonable amount from the alternator. Electrical devices on power were: full beam headlights, aux driving lights, wipers on full, cabin heating fan, fridge, 12v cool box and CD player. I noticed the dash voltmeter was reading about 12v and the digital voltmeter was 12.2v for main and leisure battery. I didn’t want to risk running the batteries down in the middle of nowhere and so I stopped and turned off the fridge (8A), CD player and the coolbox. Still needed the lights and wipers of course, but the voltage recovered to 13.7/13.8v. Glad I noticed!
_________________
1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[Abscate]

Hmmm

Lights wipers about 20 amps total
Fridge coolbox CD maybe 25 amps
House engine needs maybe 8 amps



TotAl 60 amps maybe? What’s your alternator rated at?


Hello, MeDo! Prrrrrrrp
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.ssS!

[mcdonaldneal]

[mcdonaldneal]

We had a cosy night camping under our double duvet, but the rain was constant and the wind up to about 40mph! It was basically a public car park but we could just about see the boats on the Loch from the Kombi.
The rain meant that water was pretty much cascading over the road in impromptu waterfalls. Medo not impressed. We eventually reached the sea Loch at Lochailort for breakfast.

_________________
1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[mcdonaldneal]

So, further and further down the sea Loch coast, with some breaks in the weather for photos! I had to stop for the ‘Bus Stop’ sign!

_________________
1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!