1966 NZ splitty, was ambulance now dormobile roof camper project

[SISKOZ]

Hello everyone reading this in the Samba community.
I'm new to this site, I've purchased a 66 kombi here in New Zealand.
What I'm wanting to ask the community is for your view on the state of the bulkhead. Apparently the original use of this kombi was an ambulance and that may explain the bulkhead. It currently has non original seats so I'd like to know if you recognise them - maybe from a bay window? Im yet to actually get the kombi delivered but I'm told the seat(s) swivel. Maybe the bulkhead was cut to allow for the swivel seats? My guess is it was a full bulkhead that has been butchered? It has a gusset in the roof to allow for the removal of bulkhead I assume. There in no spare wheel allowance in the rear so I assume it wasn't a factory walkthrough model. Any help would be appreciated. I'm still getting my head around all the differences in type 2s. Cheers from NZ
MATT

[campingbox]

Yes, it has a cut bulkhead. Those seats are from a later bus.

[SISKOZ]

Thanks Campingbox for your reply. If anyone thinks any different please let me know. Otherwise I'll be sure to order a replacement bulkhead for the restoration. Thanks
Matt
_________________
1966 Ambulance Kombi Turned Dormobile Camper
1954 'Farm Find' Barndoor Kombi Project

[thirtyseven]

Apart from the reinforcement plate at the cab separation (hurts my forehead just looking at it), it's a rather interesting hack, specially for a camper... I would hesitate between pursuing the walkthrough / swivel seat conversion (with period-correct seats) versus putting back the original bulkhead... Would question the structural integrity though, but some hacks are more relevant than others

Even the color is nice on the bus, reminds me of a Sierra Yellow. Do you plan to strip it back to OG paint?

[Clara]

Depending on your plans, it might be useful camping wise to leave it like that.
I think late bay westys had plaid seats.

(Checks gallery)

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_search.php?search_keywords=Swivel&search_forum%5B%5D=11

_________________
The Obsolete Air-Cooled Documentation Project http://oacdp.org/

[SISKOZ]

[SISKOZ]

[velvetgreen]

Looks like someone raided a 76 or 77 Chrome Yellow Westfalia for your front seats and perhaps other parts. As others have noted your bulkhead was hacked (not factory). That said factory 76' and 77' Westfalia's with Berlin model interior had passenger front seat which swivels, which if you are not too concerned about originality makes for a very useful addition to a camping setup (you would need to cut out the rest of the pass side bulkhead to achieve this). Am about 99% sure that seats from 76' or 77' Westy do not just slide in to split era seat mounts so they may have already made some further modifications to accept the newer seats.

Like many things best to do lots of research to weigh pro's and con's before busting out metal cutting disks. Really boils down to how important "originality" is to you etc but you do have a clean slate as it appears it has no camping interior set up. If it were me I would be sure to check out how Berlin interior is/was setup as it makes a very good use of available space even if it is not "correct" for a split era bus. Worth considering that if you do down that route your "improvements" may be someone else's hack and resale value may be impacted.

Also worth investigating "belly pans" which were often installed on buses that had rear roof member cut out to accept that style of "Dormobile" fibreglass camper roof that yours now has. The belly pans were installed to ensure that bus still had same torsional rigidity etc in spite of having rear roof member removed.

Fun project good luck

[velvetgreen]

Edit- I missed that your bus already had the pass side bulkhead cutout. Perhaps whoever did that had the foresight to install the swivelling seat option too? If so there should be a small lever underneath the seat that you pull up to allow you to do that?

[SISKOZ]

[velvetgreen]

NP Happy to share any info I have come across. Like most everything belly pans have pro's and con's. Pro is they add structural rigidity, Con is they are famous for trapping dirt and debris which when water gets in there expedites rusting of underside. Some people have opted to only weld in the side pans and instead bolt (an idea VW came up with in bay window era buses after formerly welding them on splits) in the middle pan for ease of inspection, maintenance etc.

Here's an idea what they look like prior to paint/installation

[Malokin Martin]

I feel like safety would also be a consideration. There’s multiple ways people add stuff to bus’…. If it were mine, I would do a fair amount of research on how the front seats are supposed to be mounted versus how the PO decided to do it.

In a head on collision, we’re all dead anyway…. but it would be nice not to fly out the front window wearing a baywindow seat for those last few seconds

[j.pickens]

There are some remnants of the original bulkhead there. I'd probably just add a reinforcement to the center of those two bits, and add belly pans. Most original Dormobiles had belly pans, I believe. The walkthrough is great for camping. Swivelseats, even better.

Here's what VW designed for swivelseat walkthru bulkheads. 20mm steel tubing welded to a sheet steel small bulkhead.

_________________
Founder and Chairman Emeritus, ECMSAS
BBX BBXII and BBXXI Long Distance Award Winner

[SISKOZ]

Thanks for everyone's contribution.
I can't believe what happened..I went to Google and entered the original number plate into the search bar and discovered an news archive called the gisborne photo news which showed my bus after being bought new by St john ambulance new zealand. Previous owner said it May have been an ambulance but wasn't sure.
Amazing to have original photos of my bus. You'll see it had rear seats and hood lining etc. I'm still yet to have my purchase delivered so haven't seen the mcode plate yet but would that suggest it's actually a micro bus not a kombi? It does say typ23 on the air box plate. Maybe a kombi with extras added. Looking forward to getting a birth certificate and reading the mcode plate.

Further to the bulkhead conversation please see cab divider in the ambulance photo below. Someone must have chopped it but kept the top part when making it a walk through . Interesting!!

Also would like to know people's thoughts on what colour it may have been?? Hard to tell from black and white photo. Also I understand it could have been specially painted for the ambulance. It was built September 1965 making it a second month 1966 (registered in nz March 1966 and this article below was from June 16th 1966 when the bus had been registered for 3 months (enough time to do the necessary ambulance fit out?)

_________________
1966 Ambulance Kombi Turned Dormobile Camper
1954 'Farm Find' Barndoor Kombi Project

[velvetgreen]

That is fantastic that you found that article, and blessed by a priest no less. That said whoever hacked up your interior and binned all the ambulance specific stuff should also consider being blessed by a priest- for their sins

It's a drag that Hella spotlight got tossed as too did the ambulance sliding window divider and the back seats apparently too!?! Interesting that your bus while being originally outfitted as an ambulance still retained the original back seats instead of the actual ambulance equipment (stretchers etc). I guess the ambulance patients were supposed to sit upright on their way to the hospital? Factory equipped ambulances also had the rear hatch open the opposite way from normal (hinged at bottom not top). Which way does yours open?

Anyway what is done is done, and your bus has had substantial mods since it was originally running around as a St John Ambulance. I suppose given number of previous mods you have a blank slate to make the bus the way that you want.

[velvetgreen]

Here's what I was referring to regarding the rear hatch opening the opposite way from "normal"

[SISKOZ]

[velvetgreen]

Looking through those old grainy pictures I am not sure if the rear seat was actually from the factory. I see a metal tubular frame behind the rear seat that I have never seen before and as well the rear seat seems to be purpose built to split in two?

Anyhow you have yourself a very good starting point that is only limited by your imagination. If it were mine I might almost be tempted to try and make use of the hacked bulkhead and get a swivelling seat happening for at least the front passenger seat. Having had both a split window walkthru camper and a bay window walk thru camper, I believe the bay window setup is a better use of space. I am specifically referring to the Westfalia Berlin kit. Having that front seat swivel really makes the interior space much more usable. I am sure you will come up with a setup that works for you. Best of luck- keep us posted

[SISKOZ]

[Blue Baron]