Description
Dordrecht-based Volkswagen dealer Jan Ames and Cor Scheffel started building their motorhomes in 1967. The AMES dealerships were sitting with a large stock of used vans on their premises and could not find a buyer for these, until they came up with the idea of fitting the vans with camper interiors and reselling them. A new trade was born, and they named their newly developed campervans "Amescador". This sounds fairly exotic, but it is actually short for AMES CAmper DORdrecht. Besides different colour schemes, the ‘unic selling point’ was that each bus could accommodate four adults. This was possible because a small tent could be hung on the back of the bus. AMES delivered some 800 Amescadors between 1967 and 1984, and today they have become rare and sought-after classic campervans.
This example was delivered new in 1978 to its first owner in Holland, finished in the colour of Marinogelb with an optional Dormobile roof. The Volkswagen has travelled a lot in its career as a campervan, with the best proof being the Swiss road vignettes from 1989 to 2009 stuck on the windscreen without any interruption. The actual owner bought the car in 2015 as it was in completely original condition. About 50% of the paint is still original, but the interior was a bit worn. He decided to overhaul the inside of the campervan with correct materials, and installed a new fridge and sink. The front compartiment is still original with these typical brown vinyl seats and rubber floor mats. The VW was then registered on a Belgian numberplate but kept in his summer house in Southern France where his family used it for romantic trips on the countryside.
It's a great campervan to drive. It starts on the button with that typical VW Boxer rumble, and the gearbox is easy to operate. It actually drives very comfortably with its soft suspension and high seating position, and makes every ride feel like going on a short holiday.
Maybe you will be the next lucky owner of this really practical and eye-catching classic car ? A visit to our showroom can only make it happen....
