Sommaire pour Issue 116 de VWt

Hello and welcome to issue 116 of VWt magazine. The colder months of the year can be a tricky time to be a magazine editor in the automotive sector, as a lot of enthusiasts like to lock their pride and joy away, whether that be to protect it from mother nature whilst the temperatures plummet or as it’s a good time to rebuild, replace and refresh things ready for the coming year. After all, there’s no shows and lots of dark nights, so it’s a great time to have a tinker. This leaves us with a bit of a conundrum, do we shoot as many vans as possible during the warmer months, stockpile features and just hope nothing better turns our head later, or do we risk it and trust…

Having served his apprenticeship running around in Ford Transits, 37-year-old Dan Hutt from Chieveley, Berkshire felt like he had earned an upgrade. It came in the form of a modified Volkswagen Caddy. “It was a lovely van,” he says. “The only downside was the lack of space.” Between Dan and his fiancée, Leanne they have four children (Ellie, Riley, Harry and Alfie) and in more recent times a Golden Retriever called Oscar to join Millie the Jackapoo. Yes, it’s a proper tribe. “When we got Oscar as a puppy, I needed to bring him to work with me,” says Dan. “The Caddy wasn’t going to cut it.” The solution to this conundrum fell right into his lap when a friend who was working with him at the time decided to…

Have you ever been involved with someone else’s build and found that it gets under your skin enough that you want a piece of the pie? I know I have. But there’s a big difference from feeling a yearning to build something similar and actually doing it. Steve Kirkby from Paintworx in Loughborough did just that after working on the Transporter HQ pickup we featured a few months back. The fact is that Steve and Paintworx played quite a large role in two of the build incarnations of the THQ pickup – both the chrome yellow and current peach version. He was not only responsible for the paint on that truck but also mods like the filler flap delete, something he’s become a bit famous for: “I get a lot…

Send us yours: Ever dreamed about seeing your van appear in the pages of VWt? Make that dream a reality! Simply e-mail a selection of good quality high-res images of your van to glenn.rowswell@kelsey.co.uk along with a full spec list and add the subject title ‘Your Vans’. But please remember, if you didn’t take the photos, you MUST have permission from the photographer to use the images in the magazine, and all images should be free from watermarks (by submitting an image you assume responsibility for any copyright infringement). So, what are you waiting for? Let’s see those project builds! t JAMES SMITH’S 2003 T4, Hastings “The camper interior was ripped out during the first lockdown” Hello VWt, here’s a few pics of my 2003 888 Special. I’ve owned it…

BRUTE & FIBRE BAGGED, ROLLING ON ROLLS-ROYCE RIMS AND PACKING A FULL CARBON FIBRE FRONT END- WE GET THE EXCLUSIVE ON LEE HERBERT’S SUPER-TOUGH T6 KOMBI 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…

A number of no doubt great ideas have fallen by the wayside after one too many pina coladas and a fire pit. But on a rare occasion, long after the hangover has gone the idea still marches in your head. Some of the best customised VWs started as well-oiled conversation into the wee small hours at a show and Ryan’s UPS themed, slammed T4 is yet another to add to that list. As you can probably tell from the faultless finish and keen eye for detail, this isn’t his first rodeo having built many T4s in the past including one known as ‘Black Ops’ that featured in issue 39 back in 2016. It was built with a clear vision in mind, whereas this one kind of evolved into what you…

DELTA4X4 MULTIVAN RENDER REVEALED It would be an understatement to say the new Multivan has been dividing opinions, but as more photos and renders appear and the aftermarket readies itself for the next big thing, we can see opinions becoming more positive. Just check out this from off-road specialist delta4x4 who have given the Multivan the full swamper treatment. The Bavarian custom tuners have a reputation for visionary adventure vehicles, just check out their website (delta4x4.com) for everything from Mercedes G-Wagons to VW Amaroks, Porsche Macans, Cayennes and more. So, it’s no wonder that they’ve jumped at the opportunity to customize the Multivan. So, what’s delta4x4’s plan? As previous they will partner with Eibach and Bilstein for a suspension kit which will raise things by 40mm. Then they plan a…

VIBE BLACKAIR PRO 8-INCH DRIVERS The BlackAir series has always been known for its build quality and great sound, but the BLACKAIR PRO 8M is taking it to the next level. In fact, they have been made to take it to the SQL competition scene, delivering top of the class sound quality. These all-new pro audio drivers deliver huge volume with all the quality you’ve come to expect from VIBE. And, they’ve added a high efficiency 6.5” midrange driver and married it to an oversized 4.5” Titanium bullet tweeter to deliver true best in class performance. It’s this combination of fine materials and precision engineering that brings HIFI sound quality with pro audio volume – the best of both worlds! Price £120 www.vibeaudio.co.uk FEATURES: Speaker Size – 8” (208mm) RMS…

If you’re not familiar with The Endless Summer film, it’s a trip around the world chasing the summer weather and, of course, waves. Not only does it contain some cool wave riding but also cool old cars with a few old VWs too. It was repeated (of sorts) with Endless Summer 2 in 1994 with a couple of guys called Pat and Wingnut attempting to re-create the same journey and coming across a few stumbling blocks like large scale property development blighting those idyllic beaches from the mid-sixties; kind of a sad tale to be honest. “We put a bulk order in for all of this year’s vans in 2021, we have 32 new vans arriving this year and all are listed on the website” But before I dwell too…

A crafter is someone who makes decorative objects with their hands. Usually associated with a hobby, in more recent years the term crafter has come to represent someone with a deeper level of quality and workmanship and, most importantly, a human touch. They might have some of the latest 3D printers and CNC technology on the market, but at Vannado in Warsaw, Poland, every single one of their vans is finished by hand and with the most environmentally friendly materials available. Amongst the many Sprinters and Ducatos they turn out, they’ve also been known to build a stunning Crafter or two. The Crafter has led an interesting existence, mostly spent in the shadow of the Mercedes Sprinter until the manufacturing deal between VW and Mercedes expired. What happened next was…

If you’re looking for a weekend of VWs, fun and live music with a medieval backdrop Mighty Dub Fest is the show for you! And 2021’s edition back in August certainly raised the spirits of its show goers after getting the go ahead not long after the final lockdown. The picturesque Alnwick Castle delivered some much-needed normality to Northumberland with plenty of Transporters both old and new in attendance and lots of classic Beetles and newer VAG metal too. There was a great show and shine, plenty of family entertainment, music and lots of great trade and street food vendors. MDF’s organisers tell us the 2022 edition however will be the biggest yet, with plans for a main stage packed with tribute bands and original acts, a show and shine,…

HIGH FIVE Hey VWt, This is my T5.1 High Top and it’s totally self-built. Bought around two years ago as a one owner panel van. At the time I owned a caravan which I sold to fund the build which is just about finished. I ended up going for a slightly different layout to the norm, this gives us a large bed downstairs for me and the wife and the extending bed in the roof gives plenty of room for my two boys. The biggest job was probably fitting air con to factory spec but I’m glad I did it. I understand that High Tops aren’t to everyone’s taste, but it really suits our needs, and I would love to see more featured. Tom Whittaker via email VWt: Hey Tom…

OUTWELL TOURING CANOPY AIR Super easy to inflate and deflate, the new Outwell Touring Canopy Air is designed to fit motorhomes, vans and caravans. With ample headroom, it adds convenient, easily pitched shelter from sun and rain whether you’re camping or having a day outdoors. You’ll also appreciate the convenience of the Outwell Hook Track System so you can hang lighting, clothing and other light items safely off the ground and readily to hand. Lightweight and with a compact packed size, its pre-attached luminous guylines, angled front and reliable, inflatable frame ensure stable protection. Top kit! Price £380 www.outwell.com BUS FIRST AID KIT Having a first aid kit is essential regardless of whether you are at home or away, especially if you or your family are accident prone. Lighten the…

The way Endless Summer Wales do business is something I found impressive; aware that most customers won’t be local to them and that people hate driving a long way to view vehicles that aren’t as described (we’ve all done that), they put 35-45 pictures of each vehicle they have for sale on the website and also send a comprehensive walk-around video: “We aim to be fully transparent and know people don’t want any surprises” adds Jay. “We’ve got great reviews on Autotrader and our own website and do regular stock reviews to keep our prices in line with the industry; we like nothing more than seeing a customer drive away with a smile on their face” he adds. And that sums it up for me. For more info see www.endlesssummerwales.co.uk…

We’re loving the ingenious use of space underneath the table that would otherwise only be a place to rest your weary feet after a day exploring. By raising the level of the floor, Vannado has been able to incorporate a hidden storage drawer, expanding the capacity without losing any usable internal space. There are some clever angles at play here - and you thought you’d never use that trigonometry you learned in school. The whole dining and seating area adds further practicality with the ability to lower the table to create an extra sleeping space.…

MARCH 13th ULTIMATE DUBS The Telford International Centre, Telford, TF3 4JH www.ultimate-dubs.co.uk 19th – 20th VWT @ VOLKS WORLD Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey, KT10 9AJ www.volksworld.com 21st LOW LIFE TRANSPORTERS MEET Caffeine & Machine, Banbury Road, Ettington, CV37 7NS www.caffeineandmachine.com APRIL 8th – 10th Vee Dub Family Big Birthday Camp Out Unity Farm, Brean, Somerset, TA8 2RB www.veedubfamily.org 10th GTI FESTIVAL Santa Pod Raceway, Wellingborough, Northants, NN29 7XA www.gtifestival.com 14th – 18th CAMPER FEST Chester Racecourse, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 2LY www.camperfest.co.uk 29th - 2nd (May) VW CAMPOUT Budle Bay, Northumberland, NE70 7EE www.vwcampout.uk 29th - 2nd (May) THE ONLY MEET IS ESSEX The Orsett Showground, Essex RM16 3JU www.vw-tomie.co.uk MAY 5th – 8th DERBYSHIRE DUBS VW FESTIVAL Wardlow, Derbyshire, SK17 8RW www.derbyshiredubs.co.uk 6th-8th VANWEST Taunton Racecourse, Taunton, Somerset, TA3 7BL…