We have lift-off!

Got my bus today.. a VW T2 1600 aircooled built in 1972!

(pls note: the babyseat, dice and other fluffy bits are NOT mine, repeat...)

Went to pick it up at the VW garage where it is normally serviced. The owner/mechanic had some good tips and some less obvious ones like, eh... "don't drop things in your fuel tank"! Apparently, it happens...

After some detailed instructions from the previous owner (and getting rid of a rather cumbersome wad of cash!) I had a leasurely 2hr drive back to The Hague from Doetinchem on the German border. A nice way to get acquainted with my new 'home'. It feels like driving a.. well.. a bus. A bit like in old films, where the camel-smoking-talking-to-the-elegant-blonde guy keeps turning the wheel of his MG from left to right down a dead straight piece of road!

Made it back in one piece. Will take it for a check-up and will probably spend the next two weeks in and under the car to get to know the pieces, so that when I get stuck on one of the Aeolian Islands (not a bad prospect to be fair!), I know how to get it up and running again.

For those who have never seen a vw engine this is what sits in the back of my T2:


It's a pretty straightforward 1600 (which means that it will probably do no more than 40 up a hill in the Alps!) with very few modern electronics. Therefore relatively easy to work on, given you have time, the right tools and the book I mentioned below!

Main thing with one of these is to take it easy! When going over a 100, it starts sounding more like a washing machine spinning too fast than a VW, so max 95. Luckily that's the whole point!

Well, I'm looking forward to the next episode! Hope to hear from you soon!