My 1971 ambulance from Indonesia

[Brian Ong]

This is my 1971 VW ambulance which I bought in Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia. I'm originally from Singapore and I'm currently working and living in Indonesia with my wife, Fiona.

As I once owned a bug back home in Singapore and I always wanted a type 2, I knew I had to search for one as my daily driver here in Indonesia. After a few months of asking around, I managed to tracked this one down. It used to belong to a local Catholic hospital, the "Rumah Sakit Charitas". I bought it from a guy who had brought it directly from the hospital. It's quite tidy and nice. Rust free and engine runs perfectly. Turned out that the ambulance was seldom used (only in Independence Day Parades and some other important events, I was told) and was always in the hospital garage.

Now I'm driving it on a daily basis and I had removed and carefully stored the ambulance fittings to make way for a bench seat so that my veedub can carry more than 2 passengers.

I do intend to fit it all back together as an ambulance again in the future and let it live a pampered life in my garage. But that will have to wait.

Do check out my blog at http://www.veedubfunk.blogspot.com/ for more pictures.

Cheers
Brian Ong
Indonesia

 

[easy]

Sounds great, but I can`t see it!

Welcome to the forum dude! 8)

 

[bruce]

nor me :lol:

 

[Brian Ong]

I'm able to view it on my computer. I'm still figuring out how this posting works. Hope i've not done it wrongly. Perhaps a reload will help?

cheers
Brian Ong

 

[swartie]

i couldnt at first but then i right clicked ont he little box thing and said show picture

voila picture can now be seen

bloody nice van by the way.

 

[Brian Ong]

Hee hee hee I've edited it 11 times. Trying to remove the picture and posting it up again ... finally worked for me ... it's either this programme is too smart for me or I'm just plain lucky this time round. It sure has a mind of its own. :roll:

I hope everyone is able to view it now. If not, you may all make a short detour and vist http://www.veedubfunk.blogspot.com/ for more of my Veedub's pictures.

btw, thank you all for the kind words and the warm welcome ...

Cheers
Brian ong

 

[easy]

great van dude! loving the air con (is that what it is?) 8)

 

[bruce]

reminds i have a police siren to fit on my bus.


nice looking ambulance

 

[Brian Ong]

Thanks ....

Yes, the air con unit is what you see in front of the front passenger seat. That big black thing sticking out ... takes away some leg space (especially in a bug) but it's what you'll need to have when you live near the equator where the sun is real hot and the climate is real humid. Driving around in a vehicle without air conditioning here will get you feeling real sweaty and nasty when you arrive at your destination.

Cheers
Brian Ong

 

[Scampi]

Great van dude

 

[clyde]

Loving the van mate. What id give for one of those steps that fold out when you open the door? Has it got ambulance fans fitted and what is the second pully off the crank running? Sweet bus all in all lovin it.

 

[Brian Ong]

Thanks It does have a ambulance fan fitted somewhere in the middle section of the van. The protuding circular thing that you see on the roof is actually the fan. It is operated by a switch in the van on the right panel. It not only allows the paramedic to expel bad air, it also allows works in reverse and sucks in fresh air.

The 2nd pulley runs the air conditioning unit. Robs the engine of some horsepower. But it's a neccessary thing here in the tropics. The engine bay would also be neater without it. Some people here are not content with "only" 2 pullleys, they will fit in power steering .... that makes it 3 pulleys running off the crank!! i perfer non power steering anytime .. lol

Cheers
Brian Ong

 

[aps]

Congratulations to the ambulance.

I owned an original ´71 ambulance (Type 27) of the German Red Cross, saved in 1996 for beeing ending as a normal transporter, and gave it back the Red Cross for their private museum at the end of 2004. Pictures will be published here in the Galery later on.

 

[Lucky boy]

I bet you get some looks in that. Great to see it has gone to someone that will look after it

 

[70 BUS]

Nice mate. Great colour. How does the air con work? Is your motor a stock 1600? Where did u get the unit?

 

[Brian Ong]

Sorry for the late reply to all your posts ... I was away from my internet connection for quite some time.

Thanks for all your kind words .. Here are some replies to the questions that were asked.

70 BUS -

I'm not too good with technical stuff but this is how best I can answer this question about the air conditioner. The air con blower is attached beneath the dashboard. The compressor (which is mounted on a bracket in the engine bay) is then powered by a belt attached from the compressor to the alternator. It spins and brings me some relief from the tropical humidity. (Told you I am bad at technical explanations .. )

Yes, my motor is a stock 1600 ... except for the CDI which i got someone to fix.

I bought this ambulance from someone who bought it some years ago direct from a Catholic hospital here in Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia. It came complete with the stretchers ...

Lucky boy -

I do get some people coming up to me once in a while to have a closer look at the ambulance .. they are generally surprised to find out that the ambulance is more than 35 years old ...

I'm planning to build a shelter for the ambulance. It now has a cover to protect it from the rain and the shine.

aps -

That's wonderful to hear. I'm looking forward to seeing your old ambulance up on the gallery. All the stretchers that were in my ambulance are nicely stored up somewhere and I do hope to put it all back again in the future.