I remember watching this when it first came out about 6 years ago. I still come back to re watch it from time to time. Such a cool and great story/ video.
Wow, I used to watch this video over and over again back in 2016, it doesn't even seem like 7 years ago... oh, how time flies. For some reason I consider this video a very special one.
Memories. I bought a '56 panel from LA in 1972, threw a '67 engine in it, did an overall rehab, drove it to San Fran, and then up to Mendocino County, grew a lotta pot, and then across country to NYS. Had it for maybe 5 years as a daily driver, until the rear suspension just gave it up ..... it was a great van, with about 400,000 miles on it.
A testament to the durability of those old VW vehicles and a testament to these modern day European men who did something worth while. Excellent job gentlemen.
Le combi qui voit personne en 40ans, et qui est retapé en deux jours par toute une équipe ! Le choc pour le papy ! ^^ Ca fais franchement plaisir de tomber sur une vidéo française de cette qualité ! ;)
Tout à fais d'accord avec toi Zeke avec un "petit" bêtisier en bonus , sa change des conneries de vidéo à la con que l'on vois régulièrement sur youtube.
Practically took the words out of my mouth BUT for one thing, I think this is the GREATEST "drive it out" story I have ever seen, and I have seen RoadKill!
Well there handsome, I thought you just did the local garage sales and here I find you're a world traveler. But you are Wright as usual King Friday, this was a great adventure and accomplished with some great friends for help. :> )
Just one greater story here: Absolutely mindblowing is this story of the resurrection of one of the 1934' VW Bug prototypes: thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=340552
I love this rescue. Great job! It's amazing to think at one point people couldn't even give away their VW's & they ended up in places like this. I'm so proud to be a VW bus owner today!
If you believe that machines have souls, which I do, especially cars... of the people who made them and drove them... this is an amazing resurrection. I can't take my thoughts from it. How it got there, what that day was like. The years in-between, solitary alone but surrounded by nature, in the sun, rain [and snow?] and dark of night. Then the discovery. Some new life. Rebirth and re-introduction to society. What a story this little van can tell. I love it. Thank you for sharing.
it drove into the woods, and it drove out of the woods. much respect for fixing where it was, and giving it the respect to allow it to leave under it's own power.
What a funny idea to fix the bus in the woods. I like such crazy ideas. And an amazing camera work combined with nice music. That´s what I call enthusiastic. That´s much more than only one thumb up.
Là, les gars, vous nous avez vendu du rêve en barre ! J'ai une pensée émue, en regardant le Kombi redescendre sur ses propres traces d'il y a 40 ans, pour le gars qui s'était emmerdé à le monter là haut ! Juste pour l'abandonner et s'en faire un abri ? C'est dingue de lui avoir offert de redescendre comme un prince ! Sur ses roues à lui ! Bravo aussi pour la qualité de votre film... Des images superbes, un montage top, pas de pathos... Je me suis vraiment régalé à suivre cette aventure des temps modernes.
Old VW's to me are the most clever, quirky, tough as nails, well built machines ever built. I love these things! This was an excellent documentation of a VDub resurrection!
I thought of woody allen in one of his films he woke up hundreds of years in the future, and found a Volkswagen Beetle in a cave, covered in dust.....he turned the key, and it started right up ! lol Funny moment in the film.Matt.
Some may think i'm nuts but i think one of the best looking vehicles ever. Just look at the video of this van coming out of and driving through the forest. Wonderful. Give me a restored split screen over any super car any day.
Wow! That is truly incredible! I have NEVER, in my almost 40-year long life, seen anyone DRIVE away with a vehicle found in a forrest in that condition. The bus was driven there for its final rest a long time ago, and now you drove it away from that very same spot. That is one hard-core way of doing it! Much respect guys! Looking forward to more cool videos in the future! //Daniel from Sweden
Watching them drive that old bus out of the forest gave me goosebumps! Great job everyone who worked on it. Is there a follow-up video so we can see how it looks now?
Congratulations! What a great accomplishment, I did something similar in 1990-I bought a '59 bug on an indian reservation in Washington State where it had been sitting for 26 years in the woods. $40.00 dollars. I had to cut down quite a few alder trees just to get to it. It is very satisfying to rescue an old abandoned vehicle. Well done.
Retired after 46 years in auto service. My heart will always be pulled to Volkswagen. Think I would like to build anther 40hp air cooled engine just for the fun of it. Starting with 111-101-123. Those who speak fluent VW will know what I mean. Great video. Great effort. Geoff, Shelly Motors VW, Wellington New Zealand.
Amazing video. That the kombi could be repaired to drive while in its 40 years bed is a tribute to VW engineering. The forest is beautiful. The music was awesome. My first click of the morning and it was a home run. Thank you guys.
Fantastic effort getting it running in a couple of days in the middle of the forrest. My hat is off to you. I wish my projects would get running that fast.
the record for changing a VW engine with hand tools is a minute and a half. I got a VW van running when I was 15 after it had been sitting for 20 years or more, I knew nothing, and didn't even have metric tools. They were made so they could be repaired by the owners... not like today's crap.
Hi Flori, after 3 years, my '58 Kombi Alaskan forest find is back on the road again. December 8 it was -17C and we took her out for her first ride in probably 40 years, just like yours✌️Cheers, thanks for the inspiration!
That was absolutely incredible. I've never seen a vehicle in that condition left abandoned for such a long time driven away from where it was found. You guys are amazing, well done. Good luck with the full restoration. And thank you for making this great video.
Un grand coup de chapeau à vous tous d'avoir pu mener à bien ce projet de sauvetage qui n'était pas gagné d'avance je dois dire , surtout dans un endroit de pinèdes aussi isolé ; est-il resté dans son jus en mode hot-rod , ou a-t-il eu droit à une légitime et complète restauration ? Les deux me font autant kiffer !!! 😍😍😍🤩🤩Vous n'y avez pas compté vos heures pour redonner vie à ce vénérable vétéran du bitume et des plages de surf , là où d'autres auraient tout de suite abandonné à sa simple vue , au vu de son état d'origine ; un grand bravo à toute l'équipe , vous êtes des as , et des amoureux de notre mémoire automobile ! Ce sont des témoignages incroyables , que nous nous devons de ne jamais laisser tomber dans l'oubli , sous la mousse , boulottés par la rouille et les nids de rongeurs ! Big up 😍pour tout ce que vous faites !
This is a very fine video, the project and these men’s friendships are inspiring. Much appreciate that boys are French, but have chosen an America songwriter’s Music to express the resurrection triumph of their joyful labor of love for Kombie.
Absolutely fantastic!!! What for a great idea to repair the bus on this place! Thank you for this amazing video. Thanks, thanks, thanks.... Greetings from Germany Have a good time Christian
Beautiful video on so many levels. A) The bus itself; B) The love those guys have for the process and vehicle, and the balls to put it all together; C) the comradarie amongst friends. Loved it guys, loved it.
I bought a’65 window vanbin 71 when I got out of the Marine Corps. I had NO idea how to take care of a car, much less a VW van. Wonderful vehicle. Mine was a Las Vegas car and had NO rust in 1972. I ran it too hard, too far and went thru two engines thanks to my dad(bless his soul). If I had known anything about these, I’d still have it. I sold it in 73 to buy a Honda CB5004F. Great bike. I wish I still had both, or either one!
I had a late 55' panel as well. I pulled it from the Redwood Forest in Ferndale, Northern California. Restored it back in 1997-1998, drove it for a couple years and sold it to a nice young lady from Mexico for $5000...restored!......man I wish I kept it. 55' had that weird tubular transmission hanger like a barn door but had a fresh air vent like every other split, thats the only difference I know about.
hi Flori, my '58 kombi Alaskan forest find is restoring very nicely, cannot recognize her since cutting her out of the woods two summers ago, she is responding well to all the tender loving care she is getting. Turns out that she is the oldest farthest north kombi in the world, very special !Thank you again for the inspiration and hope! I will send photos this summer :) T
C'est con mais j'ai eu une bouffée d'émotion comme si j'allais pleurer en voyant que quelqu'un s'intéressait à ce petit combi abandonné, et qu'il redescendait pour une nouvelle vie après 40 ans. Merci du partage .
every once in while i rewatch this video, everytime it makes me sad to see the little bus sitting in this forest for 40 years, the moment when it drives down the gravel and finally touches the asphalt again is so unbelievable satisfying.
I imagine the face of that man who left it there, gave it a last look and heaved a sigh. Wiping the tears, he moved on, downhill, on his feet. He knew that he was not coming back ever, so many memories...
This..this is so much better than a hollywood movie! I hope this will go down in history as a great achievement. By the way, your name Florian George is romanian, but you speak french fluently. Wish you all the best.
My first VW was a '56 panel van, which I drove for years (bought it for $100 in 1972). Eventually, I put a 1600 engine in it, and an upgraded transmission; paid for all the parts and mechanical needs with some of my weed crop! Drove it from CA (Whale Gulch) to NYS without a problem! It was my favorite van ever...! Finally had to put her to rest in '81. Word is she wound up being a chicken coop. :(
I loved that scene of the bus in the middle of the forest. There was such a mistique surrounding it, being in such a beautiful forest with the nature slowly claiming it (reminded me A Forest by The Cure); I can only imagine the feeling of the moment you found it. Somehow I have mixed feelings about this, this van deserves being loved once more indeed, but at the same time it's unfortunate no longer any fortunate people exploring the mountains can come across it. Please take good care of it and make it worth it, to be left rusting on a garage or backyard I think it was better where it was.
