Cosy warm part II

Update on interior stuff.

It's nearing the end of a great deal of effort on the interior.  It's been a long process and it's dragged on at times due to only doing work in the evenings.  Because of this, last weekend was a real push to get the van looking the part (a bit more) and less like a van on the inside.  It's been a very long weekend carpeting, fishing cables, taking bits off and putting things back on.

I really wanted it done before Camperjam because Nicole and I would be camping in it again and we both remember how bitterly cold it was last time.  Apart from anything else, the bed is out and I wasn't about to put it back halfway through a job just for a weekend away.

With that in mind, I lined up the tools, watched about a thousand YouTube videos and set to.

Despite watching all those videos, I didn't have the skill required to fit the carpet the way the purists would like - whole pieces for the sides including the wheel arches.  To be honest, I'm extremely pleased with how it has turned out and very proud.  It's incredible how much difference it has made to deaden the noise in the back and it SO much cosier.  Roll on Camperjam '15

Here's the various stages of transformation...

Wheel trauma

One thing that I always pay attention to on cars (mainly other people's) is the wheels.  So, one thing I am keen to do is get away from the factory steel wheels.  It seems the popular thing to do is store the steelies away for a set of winter wheels and I'll be doing the same.  Question is, what wheels to go for?  Actually, that's over simplifying somewhat...  what size, colour, intricate design or simple classics?

I've liked this style wheel for a while

So when I saw these advertised on eBay I had a sudden rush of blood to the head and bought them.

Stupid, stupid boy! - they are not van rated - despite being advertised as fitting a T5.  There's a big difference between fitting and being suitable.  If you're reading this wondering about getting alloys for your build, check the rims and the tyres are load rated - or risk cracked rims (so I've read).

Advertised them for sale straight away on eBay.  They are in decent condition so should be able to recoup my cash.

Lesson learnt.  Leave it there.

Budget right now is having to deal with a lot of different ideas so I think the best plan to get away from the steelies is the get a set of Range Rover wheels and run those for 12 months while I decide what I really want to do.  I'd love a set on for CamperJam '15 but time is running out.

Spring time in Summer - The Return

Many thanks to the folks at Mark Tempest Autos in Welwyn Garden City.  Top job fitting my lowering springs and replacing the drop links (highly likely due to my hamfistedness last weekend).

Before

After

Wheel arch shots

Front

Rear

Obviously not done a lot of driving since getting it back but the difference is very noticable.  A lot more responsive.  A lot less pitch and roll.  Less nose dip when braking.  Much much smoother ride.

Just need to sort out some funds for some alloys (actually not just - there's loads of things to do and Camperjam '15 is looming).

More interior work

After the aborted lowering attempt, time to focus on other things.  Dave set about fixing the cab light which has a habit of dropping down and also fitting a new microphone for the Bluetooth handsfree - hopefully people can hear me know.  

With the sun beating down outside, I did the final bit of insulating on the side panels.  Just the roof to go now.

Removed all the panels from the van ready for carpeting (this is Dave seeing to a stubborn fir tree clip).

Cut new holes in the tailgate boards to relocate the OEM interior lights. These will act as downlighters when the tailgate is open and the top one will be at a nice height as a reading light when we're sleeping in there. 

Lots of (often confusing/baffling) chat about first fix electrics for new interior LED lights and where to run cables for an extra 12v socket and a couple of USB sockets so the boys can charge stuff in the back on long journeys.  Solution sorted, thanks to Dave's electronic skills with the regulator for the LED's. Think I would have been able to sort it eventually but might have blown a couple up trying. 

With the weekend sun fading and the beer supplies almost exhausted, a fond farewell to Dave and I set about carpeting the roof panels.  For a while, I was going to go for something a little bolder (orange) but decided to go for a lighter grey to compliment the side panels. Really pleased with the results

Really pleased with the weekend's progress. 

Spring time in Summer

Saturday was the day chosen to lower the van.  Springs purchased, quick check of all the tools required, just needed to nip out and buy some axle stands. Dave was visiting for the weekend and had agreed to help out so...   ... we set to!

We managed to get one of the anti roll bar bolts free (the bottom one, as the top one was well and truly stuck (and I think I rounded the spline fitting on the first attempt - oops!). However, when it came to the separation of the strut from the lower arm, it all became a bit too scary with instructions of removing the drive shaft and "you'll need to replace this nut afterwards".  

ABORT!  ABORT!  ABORT!!  

Put the van back together. 

So, it's booked in at Mark Tempest Autos to have the springs fitted on Wednesday. 

Meh!!  On reflection, probably best it's done by a pro but at least we had a go. 

Cosy warm

Right, time to get my teeth into a much more meaty conversion task and insulate the van.  I've read a considerable amount on the various forums about insulating.  An absolute mine of information and some really helpful people out there.  Do this, don't do this. Use this, don't use this. Try this. Etc, etc.

Debated techniques and materials with Dave over a campfire and a beer whilst in the Cotswolds and decided upon:

 - Flashbanding

 - Recycled plastic bottle insulation stuff from B&Q

 - Foil backed bubble wrap

 - Aluminium foil sticky tape

Panels stripped (some anyway). I want to keep the van functional so I'm going to tackle this a panel at a time during my evenings.

First panel done. 

Did a quick, light thump test on the outside of the panel and you can definitely hear the difference. Now for all the rest of the panels.

Do you remember my comment about factory clips whilst running the cable for the reversing camera. Bloody hell, really wish I'd replaced them when I first took them off. Why oh why did I ever put them back. It's a tedious job getting these beggers out.  I'll be replacing them this time around with "fir tree" clips so that they can be covered over by the carpet.

Catch-up pt VI - Small jobs

Quick update. I did a few smaller jobs to add to the aesthetics of the van.

Firstly, I fitted the chrome bumper protector now that the colour coding is done. I think this is the last of the shiny things (apart from alloys of course.  More on this later)

Secondly, I have taken some orange off the van.  Weird huh, I know!  Credit here goes to another van build blog (Stone 174).  Never considered this but it's the attention to detail that counts and actually I think it really updates the appearance of the van.

• New rear light lenses with chrome tipped bulbs that flash orange.
• Clear side repeater lenses with orange bulbs
• Chrome tipped bulbs in the headlight units.  Note : to avoid expletives, these bulbs are best fitted by a  dexterous five year old under guidance from and adult.

Catch-up pt V - Colour coding

Colour coding the bumpers on older T5's seems to be a right of passage.  After trawling the forums for someone to colour code the bumpers, I settled on the really decent chap at Hinckley Body Wrx (Matt).

Convenience being the name of the game here.  Matt has a great service where he paints bumpers from his stock to your code and then a swift visit for him to swap them over while you wait.  Matt then takes your bumpers in part exchange to replenish his stock. Fantastic service and it means the van isn't in the workshop for 5 days. 

Bought a splitter on eBay. 

One swift visit to see Matt on the way to collecting my boys for the weekend and the spec has been decided. Turns out one side of the front bumper has had a bit of a fix job on it. 

Needed to decide how to replace these fins.  Do I go with a stock part to replace my broken part and pay Matt for it or something a bit different.  Another opportunity for some orange?  I had this idea of having wire mesh as the background to the main grille.  I could do the same for the broken fins.  Mesh purchased and shipped to Matt.  Quick discussion over a Pantone swatch card to match the orange to the orange on the rear badge. Done!!

On my next trip to collect the boys, two weeks later, diversion to Hinckley Body Wrx to have the bumpers and mirror caps fitted.  Matt's done a fantastic job with my less than perfect eBay splitter.  Note, if you're going to supply the splitter yourself, buy plastic. I didn't and apparently it nearly got chucked out when trying to fit. Thanks for persevering Matt.

I hope you'll agree it's starting to look the part!

Catch-up pt IV - Bed/storage/bike rack

Primarily bed.

First weekend away is booked. A quiet weekend in The Cotswolds with Brother from another Mother (let's call him Dave...   ...cos his name is Dave). 

Need to build a bed. Initial sketches have been created and discussed with Nicole.

Time to start the build

Finished (enough to function as a bed) just in time for the weekend away.

It worked.  We slept on it.  There are improvements to be made to make it more comfortable but it worked.  The other thing to note is that it was bloody cold during the Saturday night.  I had hoped that I would get through the summer without insulating straight away but nah! that's gotta go on the list.

Oooh, and a leisure battery, that's going on the list too.  Still growing!

Catch-up pt III - Shiny things

I got a little bit distracted with a smaller expense but another thing to add to the aesthetics of the van. Chrome door handle covers, a chrome cover for the piece of trim above the rear number plate and a chrome scratch plate for the rear bumper (obviously to be fitted after the colour coding has been done).   Oh, almost forgot, I got some vinyl stickers for the inserts of the VW badge on the tailgate - the start of the blue and orange theme. 

Not really in the market for alloys just yet but they are definitely on the list. What build would be complete without.  After seeing what lay beneath the wheel trims, one thing I was keen to do was to get my steelies refurbished. The trims were taken off at a very early stage but the steelies underneath were a little bit scabby. 

Boom!!!  Stumbled across these on eBay that were going at a bargain price.  Apparently from an ex-demo van at a VW dealership in the Midlands.  Eventual owner had alloys fitted so these rims were surplus to requirements.

Tyre swap and new centre caps sourced and fitted (from the Bay). Much better looking and all for a little over £100. Happy with that!

Catch-up pt II - Window winders

Remember these?

Not had a vehicle with window winders for quite some time, in fact, I think my beetle might have been the last car and that was when I was 19.  It's not for me!  So, conversation kit purchased and I set about fitting electric windows. 

It's a big bag of wires and I just about got my head around the wiring diagram - well, everything had a place to plug in so that's a good enough start for me. 

Note to anyone reading this, removing T5 door cards is not easy and not a job to be undertaken if you're the type of person who gets upset when plastic clips get broken. There is some serious engineering gone into the clips and they hold on tight.  You WILL break at least one!

The window winders are also a clever bit of design with a pinch of the inner ring they slide sideways and pop off. I'll keep it polite by saying that the passenger one was a little stubborn. 

Having got the door cards off, fishing the wires through the hinges and mounting the switches was pretty simple stuff. With the wire lay across the van floor I could now wind my windows up and down (both sides) with the push or pull of a button. That's more like it.  It's worth noting that the kit I used does not have the most powerful motors and at first I wondered whether the windows would ever reach the top.  Still, there's a bit of nostalgia there as I'm sure the buttons are from the old Audi 80 (my Dad had one of these).

Time to unclip a few wires and route the cables properly which caused some major head scratching and searching.  Finding all the torx screws to remove the lower dash so that I could route the cable to the passenger side was an event.  It looked like a bomb had gone off in the front of the van. 

You'll be pleased to know that I managed to work all that in reverse and put it all back successfully.