Volkswagen Kombi enthusiasts are deeply divided over which model is the most restoration-worthy. Many people regard the older rear-engined models as the only true Kombis, and some will even say that a true Kombi has to be air-cooled.
Bodie Bodenstein is the warden at the local high school hostel. This alliterating nickname is used quite openly by all the grown-ups, without realising that it started off as Boude (buttocks) because of his elephantine rear end.
He features in this story because he is a Kombi enthusiast and owns a pristine, early aircooled job that he only takes into the open when the weather is pleasant. About three weeks ago, he brought it in for a check-up because on two or three occasions the engine died suddenly while idling but started again and ran as if nothing had happened. Hennie homedin on the ignition system for signs of an insulation breakdown and even checked the coil on our vintage coil-testing machine. He also scrutinised the carburettor in case a dirt particle from time to time blocked and unblocked one of the jets. Hennie could not fi nd anything wrong and we gave the car back to Bodie with instruction to contact us immediately the next time it happened.
The next time turned out to be three days later. Bodie’s phone call made me very happy because the Kombi had decided to solve the mystery without human intervention by breaking its fan belt. One of the generator bearings seized and the sudden shock snapped the belt.
The car was towed in and Hennie’s examination confirmed my diagnosis. The bearing must have been getting dryer and stiffer as time went by, to such an extent that it stopped the engine a number of times. We overhauled the generator and fitted a new fan belt.