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Kombi RIP
04 July 2022
Photos: Mac Schumann, Gary Perkin, Jamie Nicoll & Tony Hutcheson
The lovingly restored and cherished Ground Effect Kombi was stolen from our locked garage at work over the Matariki weekend, and was found a few days later hacked up for parts.
Born in 1972, it's been a part of our world for the past 24 years. As well as the regular carting of fabric and other stuff from our warerhouse to factory, it's been on plenty of mtb adventures. It's also had plenty of love, including a repaint - returning it to its original Niagara Blau livery, and the Danbury fitout updated by Steve with lightweight hoop pine ply joinery and a rock 'n' roll backseat-bed. Gone but not forgotten.
57 Responses
phil
16 July 2022
No way! Why would someone want to cut it up? It must have so many great memories. I agree with Phil Gyford above – Happy to pay a surcharge as a slush fund to get another .
Peter
13 July 2022
Pretty dis-heartening this kind of behavior. Unfortunately the Dead beats out there have no regard for other peoples property. Admire Team Ground effects attitude
Greg
12 July 2022
Am very sorry to hear of your loss guys. I say this as a lifelong air-cooled nut. Best wishes.
JDT
08 July 2022
That is totally appalling, my parents had several VW Wagons and Im fairly sure one was a 1972 model which was light green. I actually did a bit of minor rust repair work on it for them in the 80’s. Great machines with lots of Teutonic character! The culprits obviously have the IQ of a fencepost for this sort of behaviour.
MD
07 July 2022
You guy’s are such a great and positive bunch it’s always good to read about your adventure’s.
So sad to hear about the beautiful kombi what a horrible thing to do to such a fantastic piece
of history how sad RIP thoughts are with you all MD.
Carmen
07 July 2022
So sorry to hear the dreadful fate of your Kombi; what a waste of a classic, lovingly restored vehicle. Hope, somehow, you have footage of the scumbags that stole and vandalised it…
BAABAA
07 July 2022
Sad to hear this crap goes happens on your side of the ditch as well. I have owned VW’s and they bring back so many memories when we spy a Kombi. Karma is a good thing for the shitheads that did this.
Chris Taylor
07 July 2022
It is good that you have posted your grief on here but it would also be good to get the media involved and get whole sad story to air .at least you then have chance of finding out who these scumbags are .
Kevin
07 July 2022
I’m so sorry to hear about this.
It makes me worry for a lovely Combi that lives around the corner from us (parked under a carport).
As a Kiwi it saddens me to say that we have become a bunch of thieving bastards these days…
Jude
07 July 2022
A bad egg in a basket that committed this atrocity. This villainous act can only be a catalyst to the hatching of a golden egg… waiting for the alchemical arrival.
Ross
07 July 2022
As a classic car lover … it beggars belief that anyone would destroy the kombi like you see in the pix … what value would they get from what they hacked off ??
Absolutely braindead dropkicks !! 😡
Yves
07 July 2022
A very sad end to a beautiful old timer.
May the good memories live on for you all.
As for the vandals who did this, may they choke / OD on the $$$ they may have got out their short minded selfishness
martin Van zonneveld
06 July 2022
Bad news Ernie and crew. Low rent barbarians, I find it difficult to understand how such brutality can be undertaken.
Kia kaha,
martin
Penny
06 July 2022
that’s really sad and awful that there are people that want to destroy property like the beautiful VW
John Anderson
06 July 2022
As a VDub owner, restorer and lover I feel your pain! As said above, not dub lover would do such a thing, that image is sickening!
Roger
06 July 2022
So sad to see this. I had a 91 Toyota Hilux ended up the same way. Still miss it today.
Gutted for you guys, RIP
Toni
06 July 2022
Gutted for you guys. That really sucks!
Ant
06 July 2022
So sad! You could kind of get your head around it being stolen and valued for the classic VW it was. But, this…? It’s certainly not stolen by anyone with a sense of value or anything between their ears.
Stephen
06 July 2022
What an unbelievably shitty thing to do! Someone didn’t do the cost / benefit ratio properly. Sorry to see that.
Chris O'Neill
06 July 2022
No Kombi lover would do such a thing.
Self-centred bastardry! Karma lives and breathes in Kombis. The future does not bode well for whoever did this.
Chris O'Neill
06 July 2022
No combi lover would do such a thing.
Self-centred bastardry! Karma lives and breathes in Combis. The future does not bode well for whoever did this.
jon
06 July 2022
Astonishing. Whoever would sink to that must be in a pretty pathetic place. I agree with the slush fund idea – set something up and I’ll gladly contribute.
Phil Gyford
06 July 2022
Perhaps we need a slush fund for a new Combi. A voluntary surcharge on orders would be an acceptable idea to me.
Andy
06 July 2022
Condolences from across the ditch. That is an absolute disgrace. I can’t believe you feel as philosophical about it as your words above. Bring on karma and let’s hope the scumbags get what they deserve.
Jo
06 July 2022
What a bunch of Mongrels. Hopefully a phoenix will appear as a replacement.
Sally
06 July 2022
How sad. Kombis like that are treasures and should be respected not destroyed. I am sorry for your loss and agree that karma has a wonderful
way of sorting things out. Keep remembering and cherishing the good times you and Kombi had together.
Sally
Emma
06 July 2022
So gutted to read this, love seeing the photos of it being lovingly used. RIP Beautiful combi!
Peter
06 July 2022
Sorry for you guys. That was nasty. The thieves have targeted that vehicle wanting certain parts. Keep your eyes peeled. The parts will re-appear on another vehicle.
Paul
06 July 2022
As a Kombi owner myself I feel your pain. So sorry to here. Give it time but there’s another Kombi out there waiting for some love.
Damyon
06 July 2022
That’s awful news. You are so right if you see one of these on the road they do make you smile. Don’t worry karma will catch up with the dudes that did this.
Kate
06 July 2022
Lower than low – Karma in both directions, sending goodness your way
Roy
06 July 2022
So sorry to hear about your loss and the fate of beloved Kombi.
Dave Mcfall
06 July 2022
I’m thinking the boys who did it aren’t rational folks. What a waste.
Peter Spitz
06 July 2022
Bad enough that it was stolen. Worse that it was gutted for parts. Awful. Really feel for you and the crew.
KEVIN
06 July 2022
I’m quite shocked that some a___hole would take something that has been so lovingly restored and simply hack it to bits. Finding and locking them up is not enough – they need to feel some REAL pain!
You guys do so many good things for others, it’s just not fair to have to deal with this.
(If you want to stick with Kombi’s, I’m aware of someone in Australia who has/had one – so just send me a note if you wish to follow up)
David Sadler
06 July 2022
Was a great restoration and great to see that it was used as a “daily driver”. Unfortunately there are people out there who have little respect for what this iconic Kombi means to those of us who gain great satisfaction from seeing it out there on the roads and no doubt getting lots of happy faces from the passing parade. Please let us know if the Police eventually ID the thieves and establish just where the stolen parts ended up.
Cynthia
06 July 2022
Thanks for sharing the photos of your gorgeous Kombi and its adventures. Lots of warm hearted love to the team for your loss!
Christopher Rundle
06 July 2022
awful
Glenn
06 July 2022
Gutted for you guys. That people that do this are scum. The people that are the bigger scum are the ones that no doubt are fully aware they are buying stolen parts for THEIR project van.
Randal
06 July 2022
Flippin mongrels!!🤬
Ann-Marie
06 July 2022
That’s terrible. Sorry to hear about what happened the Kombi. I hope those responsible are held accountable.
Bruce
06 July 2022
Wow….so sorry to hear….such a waste of an iconic vehicle!😱
Matt
06 July 2022
Ridiculous! Such a waste of an icon, not withstanding the sentimental value.
To their lowlife thieves: May the fleas of a 1000 camels infest their armpits.
Chris
06 July 2022
Arseholes
Jim
06 July 2022
WHAT A WASTE FEEL FOR YOU GUYS.. Any CCTV footage that might identify the culprits. . hope you can find another one to replace it.
Mike
06 July 2022
So sad. Such a waste of something inherently beautiful and valuable just to make a few dollars in stolen parts.
Rick
06 July 2022
Bastards!! Karma is coming
Simon
06 July 2022
Very sad news. Looks like the pop up top has been stolen for a van conversion. Keep a look out for it and the thieves!
Chris
06 July 2022
so sorry for you – hope the wonderful memories are a small consolation
Ross
06 July 2022
Buga, show some respect people. I second the Givealittle, happt to add my bit if she can be salvaged.
Alan
06 July 2022
Heartbreaking☹️
Greg
06 July 2022
Mindless vandalism
Kombis are such icons of grooviness and freedom and to steal it is terrible , to destroy it is beyond belief
Having owned many I Feel for you ❤️
James
06 July 2022
Damn, Givealittle?
Phil
06 July 2022
That is terrible news. Really sad that people stoop so low. RIP
Denis
06 July 2022
Still sic people in Aotearoa, sad story bro’s.
Clive
04 July 2022
I feel your pain , its like losing a member of the family.
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J F
17 July 2022
So sad, senseless Very sorry. May the happy memories bring you and the GE family some comfort.