Sommaire pour Issue 114 de VWt

Happy New Year everyone (unless you got your copy proper early) and welcome to the February issue of VWt - that comes out late December/ early January depending if you’re getting your Transporter fix from a shop, on subscription or on download. Confused? Yep, me too and I work here! The world of publishing can be a somewhat strange and crazy place at times. So... it’s 2022, which seems crazy to me, as it doesn’t seem that long ago I was celebrating the start of 2020 and look how that turned out! A year I think we’d all happily forget. As for 2021, well it certainly improved as things got a bit more normal, or as we got used to the ‘new normal’ whatever that is. Anyway, upwards, and onwards…

I’ll assume if you’re still reading that you either firstly, have no Pampas grass in your front garden. Secondly, have some and know all about it. Or thirdly, have just been out there to rip it out. I won’t comment whether Ben has any at the front of his property as he didn’t make me privy to that info (but hey, no judgment here either way!), but it’s a cool colour for a T4, no? In his mind, it’s way better than the brown paint the van was wearing when his name ended up on the V5 though, so that’s all that counts. Having owned about five other T4s before this one, Ben bought the van right before the first lockdown, which was kind of ideal and probably meant he…

Just take a look at the build up pics to get an impression of just how much work Fred has put into this creation. Due to the quality of the finish, it looks a clean and simple build. It only looks that way due to the hard work that has gone in underneath. The transformation from a very tired looking ‘Transport De Sang’ pick up to this incredible custom ride has taken many hours of skilled labour from the fabricating of the bed to the finish on the exhaust stacks. Fred’s Garage, VWt salutes you!…

ROB DENISON’S 2016 T6, Berkshire Hey VWt, this is my 2016 T6 Highline T28 102. After borrowing my mate’s Transporter to go camping at a VW show several years ago, I was determined to get one. So, I purchased my T6 from the Bristol Camper Company in July 2020. I sadly had to part with my lovely Mk6 Golf GTi Edition 35 to fund it, but I think it was well worth the change! The biggest test with the build I would say was the electrics. But, lots of searching, advice and help from mates got it done. My favourite thing about the van? That must be the number plate. As soon as I got the van, it was the first thing I bought. I would have put it on…

SURFER'S DELIGHT BAGGED, TOFFEE BROWN AND READY FOR THE BEACH - WE GET THE LOWDOWN ON PAUL BREEN’S STUNNING T5 LWB SURF BUS... Plus The world’s greatest feature vans, events, guides, news, products and more Transporter related tomfoolery than you can shake a dipstick at… Don’t miss it! To subscribe visit here: http://shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/VWT *Contents of the next issue may be subject to change…

Having owned their 2010 family T5.1 for six years, just last June 45-year-old Andy from Bournemouth was given the world on a plate. Eve brought to the surface the undeniable fact that the trusty old wagon was showing signs of a life well lived and perhaps it was time for something new. “I had to agree, it was true, says Andy - admittingly. “The paint was very tired, and the interior was well worn. Although to be fair, with 180,000 miles on it the engine had been well cared for and the van was mechanically sound and always proved reliable.” “With 180,000 miles on it the engine had been well cared for and was mechanically sound” At this point the Transporter was by no means stock. “When I bought it,…

VOLKS WORLD IS GO GI GO! After two years of no shows - yeah thanks COVID - Europe’s premier VW show Volks World is back at Sandown Park, Esher from the 19-20th March. With hundreds of show quality vans and cars inside and out, club stands, traders and a whole floor of swapmeet tables you don’t want to miss it! We’ll also be there with an awesome VWt display on the famous Summer Lawn showcasing the best T4s, T5s and T6s. Plus, there’s live music, other VW related entertainment throughout the duration of the show and lots more. Why not come for the weekend and camp with us, it’s the best way to enjoy the show and soak up the atmosphere. Tickets are on sale now, so make sure you…

ROTIFORM ROTISPEC FORGED MONOBLOCKS Typically, when you’re purchasing forged wheels, they’re made in a custom spec to suit your exact requirements whether that’s multi-piece or mono block specification. While this is about as cool as it gets when buying new wheels, it’s not exactly what you’d call affordable to the ol’ sky rocket. So, while Rotiform do offer a vast range of designs in its CustomSpec forged range for the big ballers, it has just announced a more affordable RotiSpec option, which offers you a forged monoblock line directly off the shelf… effectively forged wheels in a box! How damn fricking cool is that eh? The RotiSpec series features a forged monoblock design giving you the ultimate blend of both light weight and forged strength – design without compromise. The…

We’ve heard all sorts of theories over the years about the dos and don’ts of washing your van during the winter months, so to separate fact from fiction we headed to Gtechniq with Mark Smith and his T5 for some expert advice on how to keep your camper clean and protected in the cold season. All you’ll need is clean water, five products, a couple of buckets, a wash mitt, drying towel and less than 60 minutes of your time... STEP 1 WHEELS, TYRES AND SNOW FOAM Snow foam is one of the most important stages of washing whatever the weather, but it’s extra important during the mucky months. W4 Citrus Foam is designed to pull the dirt and debris off the paintwork prior to a contact wash. This lessens…

One of the first meets I attended this year was at Tamworth Transporters and in fact so was one of the lasts ones. The plan was just to pop along and have a look at the first meet, but when I arrived there were top quality Transporters as far as the eye could see. So, I thought I best break out the camera so I could share the day and give you a little insight into the Brew at HQ meets. When I got to the meet I think there were a good 100 vehicles on site, mostly modern Transporters both lifted and lowered, so plenty to suit all tastes. There were also a few air-cooled buses and cars, hot-rods and other cool Volkswagens in attendance. And, with it being…

For me, it’s definitely the modular camping setup! It packs so much into a small space. You do potentially have to be the kind of person who eschews warmth and comfort and embraces the outdoor and adventure to fully benefit from these setups, but, let’s face it, there’s a lot of evidence to show that comfort is one of the biggest killers there is. Staying warm, being unable to push out of a comfort zone and getting so comfortable in life that you stop exploring. Discomfort is guaranteed to get you fat and on a cocktail of medications. A bit too profound maybe but definitely food for thought……

I always tell myself things will be quieter in the winter. However, as I write this it’s early December and the weather is pretty good so I’m still able to be out photographing vehicles. This is brilliant for me, however the winter projects pile of parts is growing and if I’m not careful we will be back in March in no time with the show season starting again! This winter there is some essential work needed on the van and then once the weather changes to constant rain I’ve got a few longer bits to tackle. I’ve had the T5 for over a year now and it is still an empty panel van inside with the old T4 storage system dropped in temporarily. In the summer months it was rather…

We have the perfect hack when it comes to choosing the colour of your next purchase, courtesy of Andy. It’s a critical part of any project and, along with the wheel choice, is a serious make it or break it moment. If you’re looking for something outside the norm like Andy’s Fashion Grey, here’s the perfect resource. Check out www.rennbow.org. It’s purportedly the largest collection of Porsche images on the web and is handily organised by colour. You can search by colour group e.g reds, blues, greens etc. or model of car and even specific years. In fact, even if you’re not looking to paint anything soon, it’s worth a look!…

VWT’S YOUNGEST READER Hi VWt & Glenn, I am currently enjoying this month’s edition of the mag whilst on paternity leave with baby Austin Wilce aged just 12 days old! We particularly loved the interior inspiration. Austin joins a Transporter mad family, with older brother Bryn (3 years old) who loves to wave at other Transporters and even knows the difference between the different models. Attached is a photo of Bryn (above) from the Roll Hard show at Bicester with our pre face-lift T5 Bert and also a photo of Austin (below). We’re hoping to get to as many shows as possible next year as well as a few camping trips. Thanks for the great mag, it’s always a good day when it arrives on the doormat. Cheers! Josh Wilce…

We’ve gone sur le continent this month to bring you a magnifique custom creation from Fred’s Garage in Bouc-Bel-Air, just south of Aix-en-Provence in France. The owner, 42-year-old Fred Apap has been modifying cars for years and has recently turned that passion into a full-time business with Fred’s Garage. It’s always a good idea to have an eye-catching vehicle if you’re in the business of making other people’s rides look good. This pick-up more than catches the eye, in fact it really gets the blood pumping and, in more ways, than one! The truth is, it almost turned out very differently for this T5 as Fred explains. “In 2016 this previous Transport De Sang pick-up had been used for transporting blood and was destined for the scrap yard. It’s from…

“I wanted the deep look all around so have 10” wide front and rear” What do the names Andrew and Kleon have in common? Hard to believe, but both names are rooted in Greek history. We’ve featured plenty of vans owned by Andrews but, as far as we know this is the one and only Kleon-owned Transporter to find its way to print. Built as a machine to be enjoyed by Kleon Fenton and his whole family, he managed to sneak a few custom mods into the equation although it seems his earlier penchant for switching out wheels as often as he filled up has mellowed. “Yeah, I can’t quite believe that I’m still rolling the Rotiforms,” he laughs. The 20x10 SPFs with a huge concave all round were chosen…

With a collective 25 years experience working within the Volkswagen scene, Dan Birch and Ben Trudgian had the idea of selling vans, but they wanted to do things a bit differently: “There are literally tons of companies these days setup to offer VW vans, but we wanted to offer something truly bespoke; we were never interested in offering vans straight off the production line” adds Dan. With that in mind, they set up the company to offer completely custom vans to suit their clients’ every need; every van that passes through is fully custom by the time it leaves – a bespoke build that is fully tailored to individual requirements. Whether it’s a show vehicle, camper conversion, leisure pursuits van, family-friendly day bus or even a workhorse that does a…

Engine: Standard 199bhp Chassis: 9x20 Supermetal Rocket wheels with 265/40/20 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres, Projekt Monotube coilovers, H&R anti roll bars Exterior: Gloss grilles, front SSB splitter and mirror bases, matt badges, colour coded Hilo roof with tweed canvas, Hex sidebars, gloss black VW bike rack Interior: Caravelle rear seat on factory rails and factory front captain’s seats on swivel bases – all upholstered in Alcantara and leather, Alcantara roof lining and tweed lining, Lime green Vanshades blinds, EGOE Nestbox Roamer full camping package, Webasto diesel heater with Easy Start app Audio: Factory head unit with nav and Carplay, front Hertz MPK 165.3 speakers, rear Audison Prima APX 5s, Audison Prima APS 8D sub in the rear of the van.…