This year the Valla Spectacular celebrates the iconic Barndoor Kombi, a term affectionately attributed to buses made between 1949 to 1955 (chassis #20000001-20117902) and characterised by their tall engine lid (exceptions being the utility and Ambulance models of the same period). Spanning a production run of almost six years, the Barndoor era began with the first Ben Pon prototype, a design initially born of the need for a factory runabout. Pond's crude Beetle based van inspired Heinz Nordhoff (Chief Executive of Volkswagen) to commission a proper van study in 1949. Pond's scribbles and Nordhoffd's vision have since spawned several successful generations of the Transporter concept. Bruce Butcher is a Barndoor enthusiast, converted to the first series of Split Kombis after having seen one 15 years ago on a property in Queensland. Their simplicity and unique styling won him over, a turn of tides in one respect, as there was a time when Bruce considered any car pred'67 to be too 'oldd'. His good friend Nik vand't Spyker convinced him to buy his first split Kombi back in 1995.
