Índex per Issue 97 a VWt

Hello and welcome to issue 97 of VWt magazine. As lockdown eases, I hope you’ve managed to get out and about and start enjoying your Transporters, whether that’s going on a day trip, a weekend away camping or just going on a road trip somewhere off the beaten track. Due to my little one, I was forced into shielding, so it’s been a tough few months both physically and mentally. But the last few weekends I’ve managed to make it out for a few road trips with the family to the Brecon Beacons, the Forest of Dean and the Vale of Glamorgan. I don’t think I’ve ever appreciated being out in our T6 Caravelle and the freedom it gives us quite so much. It seems you lot have as well,…

Name: John Blackmore Age: 37 Occupation: Software Developer Instagram: @T4.Family Dream van: LWB Crafter Camper Hardest part of the build: Deffintely the interior Build What’s next? Building that Crafter Let’s face it, a lot of people end up thinking about camping holidays for a couple of main reasons; it can be more cost-effective for a larger family than flying somewhere and paying hotel prices and it offers a lot more open space and a feeling of exploration. It usually begins with the cost angle for most, whereupon people begin to realise that it’s great fun too – if it doesn’t chuck it down the whole time, that is. When John Blackmore decided to give camping a try with the wife and kids, it was a tent that was the first…

WORX CUBE VAC Fed up of with dragging your big arse vacuum cleaner out to the van? Worry no more, as WORX, the clever guys behind the thoroughly awesome Hydroshot portable pressure washer, are here to help, with the super-compact Cube Vac. The high-performance, two-speed vacuum delivers 10kpa suction pressure, which is more suck than a (okay, let’s not go there!) and features one-touch button emptying with no need for bags or containers. It comes complete with several cleaning attachments, a flexible hose for getting into all those little hideaways where the Skittles and Maltesers seem to go and with a run time of 25 minutes is capable of cleaning Arnold Schwarzenegger’s hummer before it runs out of juice. Plus, it’s part of the WORX Power Share family, meaning it…

Of course, with the vast majority of people who have to be the first to showcase the newest products on the block, it’s often just to boost their ego or compensate for something. When you have a company that’s recognised for producing out-of-the-box products in the VW Transporter scene, however, you can be forgiven for wanting to be first to the finish line when it comes to launching new products, or at least feeding off the PR kudos that it gives your company by being ahead of the curve. Do you ever look at someone’s Instagram and are so taken with every single picture that you don’t know whether to be blind with admiration or sick to the stomach that you didn’t get the idea to do something similar first?…

You won’t be surprised to hear the existence of the wheel goes back as far as the Bronze Age, and although the basic principle of the wheel hasn’t changed since 3500BC, it’s fair to say that it has seen a few upgrades over the years. We’ll skip the history lesson, because the style of aftermarket wheels we were bolting to our vans as little as ten years ago is nowadays largely unrecognisable. In their place now is a huge selection of aftermarket wheel options that can often make choosing a new set a bit of a minefield. In this guide, we investigate the different types of wheel on the market, the various different fitment options to consider and importantly, what to look for in order to get your perfect rims.…

Over the last two issues of VWt we’ve looked at some of the different styles my T4 has had over the five years of ownership, with it being jacked up on AT tyres at times, to slammed and skimming the tarmac most of the time. Unfortunately for me though my time with this van is coming to an end and a new project will soon be on the way. I love the high top, but it just isn’t suitable for my needs anymore… although that being said, recent developments with engine raises for the 2.5 would make the T4 more suitable, but I really must not get attached to it again, the decision has been made and its going. This month has been all about getting the T4 ready to…

In the interests of full disclosure, this 2005 T5 didn’t look anything like this when Steven picked up the phone and convinced Darren Woodhouse from Woodhouse and Carman to sell it to him. “I did basically have to beg him for it,” he admits. “We’ve recently moved in to a new unit that we’ve been able to buy outright and so had to make some adjustments to our own little fleet of vehicles to pay for it.” Those adjustments included the sale of the company demo van – a very tasty T6 on air with all the custom mods including a bad boy bonnet. “It was really hard to let that one go,” says Steven. “I had it from almost new and spent a lot of hours on it, but…

NEW MINI-CAMPER REVEALED Volkswagen has unveiled the first images of the successor to the Caddy Beach - the new Mini-camper. Based on the completely revamped 5th generation of the Caddy, it packs a whole host of new features including an entirely new redeveloped bed concept and the opportunity to gaze at the stars through a 1.4-square-metre panorama glass roof. Volkswagen state from the outset, the aim was to retain the everyday utility and to design fittings such as storage bags and the bed area to be removable. Cleverly stowed in the rear are the popular and lightweight camping chairs and table from the California models, that also serve as privacy screens when fastened in the rear window sections. The Caddy’s new four-cylinder engines are also innovative, they fulfil the 2021…

VANSHADES WINDOW PODS 2.0 Okay, first things first, this is not so much a new product, more of a newer, better version of a classic. A bit like when Run-DMC collaborated with Aerosmith on ‘Walk This Way’ or when they re-released the updated Nike Air Jordan 1, you get our gist yeah? But, how do you make something great, even greater? When it comes to Vanshades they did the simple thing, they listened to their customers, who, over the years suggested tweaks and improvements they’d like after using Window Pods out and about in the real world. In the words of Vanshades boss man Pete Staniforth: “we’re always improving our products, but over the years we’ve tweaked the Window Pod so much that we decided to have a re-launch.” And,…

JL AUDIO JD AMPS We don’t have to tell you that JL Audio put together some of the finest high-end amplifiers ever to storm the audiophile universe. What many forget, though, is that they have a pretty bloody amazing entry-level range too. In fact, their JX amplifiers have always been extremely highly regarded by those in the know, and now they’re set to be replaced by something even better. What’s more, the new range – these seriously powerful, compact ‘JD’ jobs – will be landing here in the UK as we speak. Instead of a simple update on the older JX kit with a little added shazam, they’ve gone the whole hog with a quadruple hit of re-engineered Class D tech. There’s no less than three new (250, 500 and…

It’d be remiss of us to not list the mod that is the main focus of this feature; the conversion to a 6.1 look that grabbed so much attention. To get this look, a few 6.1 parts needed to be sourced directly from Volkswagen UK. The first area to concentrate on was the front end; OEM T6.1 headlamps and commercial bumper were sourced, as well as an aftermarket T6 bonnet, tailgate, VW Bulli side badges (for the 6.1 wing look) and rear lights. They also fitted carbon fibre side repeater blanks, as the side repeaters weren’t available when they carried out the conversion. To see the video on YouTube search ‘VW T5.1 - 6.1 Facelift’ and look out for the S+S channel.…

Having started his motoring journey as a kid with a ‘72 bug that had a mere 20mm clearance between expensive chassis components and the floor, Joe made a promise to himself that he would never have such an impractical car again. As you can probably tell, that promise looks a bit like any one of those sumps – well and truly broken. “Honestly, I had no intention of doing anything like this to the van,” laughs Joe. “I bought it as a basic Transporter to convert into a camper and live in it.” Yes, live in it. Joe was all set to become Lord of the manor that is in this 1995 T4 800 Special 1.9d tailgate model. “It was the best decision I ever made,” he recalls. “I’m a…

KEEP ‘EM CLEAN Keep your wheels clean. If you leave them covered in corrosive brake dust, the alloy often pits. Moisture can then get inside, and before you know it your wheels look a mess and need refurbing. Make sure to give them a once-over every week and you’ll prolong their life considerably. REPAINTED WHEELS If you’ve had your wheels repainted at some point, make sure there’s no paint on the hub mounting face – when your wheels get hot through braking, this paint can melt and you’ll find you’ve got four loose wheels. SPACED OUT Avoid wheel spacers where you can and buy the correct offset wheels for the van. If you do resort to fitting spacers, ideally use hubcentric or bolt-on spacers. LUBED UP If you’re using alloy…

WOLFRACE EUROSPORT WOLFSBURG Call us Mystic Meg, Claire Voyant or strangely physic, but we reckon that the bods at Wolfrace had VW’s finest in mind when they crafted this sexy looking split-ten. Yep, we know it’s amazing; it is but what we do. Anyway, apart from the design, which seems to make them look even bigger than they are in the first place, we’re also loving the duo of finishes. Gloss black for a touch of class, and gloss black with a polished face for when you’ve really got your party pants on. With a load rating of 850kg and a choice of an 8x18, 8.5x19 or 8.5x20 these are going to go down a storm. Priced from £580 (a set) www.wolfrace.com T4 LED REAR LAMPS Fresh in from Heritage…

CLARKE IG1200B 1.1KW INVERTER GENERATOR When it comes to inverter generators, Clarke boast an impressive range, ideal for providing a fast and ready to go off-grid source of electrical power for days out, camping and car shows. They come compact, lightweight (from only 9.3kg) and look pretty cool as well in their eye-catching pillar box red casing. Power wise, the maximum power options available are a respectable 800W, 1100W, 1800W and 2200W. We decided to test the mid-range 1100W unit the IG1200B, as we reckon it offers great value for money, is really portable and offers a good power output suitable for most day trips, car shows and weekends away. This model includes a standard 230V 13A socket, a 12V DC (4A) output and can provide a continuous output of…

After the damage to the gearbox, things took a serious turn. A pretty big job was made even bigger when Joe decided to not only change the gearbox, but also transplant a 1Z 1.9TDI from a MK3 Golf. “I couldn’t have done it without the help of Tim Mathers at North Devon T4s” says Joe. The new loom came from Tommy Barber and the hours of labour came from Joe himself on the road outside his house! “It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life,” admits Joe. “But it was just about worth it. It goes like a rocket compared to a standard T4 – absolutely amazing.” The most difficult part was getting the wiring right and also making the original green dials work. A faulty…

Hey guys, thanks for meeting up with us. So, how did MTB Van Life come to be? MTB Van Life was created as a joint venture between two best friends. In the early days, Sam and I (Luke) both owned cars which we would load the bikes onto, and travel to bike parks. Whilst this was okay, we lacked the security, and ability to camp overnight at locations for more of an adventure. Sam then decided he wanted a van, and along came the T6. Whilst in the early stages of self-conversion, I suggested the idea of sharing our journey and travels through Instagram. We now have an active following over of 11k on Instagram, a new YouTube channel and a website with good daily traffic. We never thought we…

Maybe you aren’t familiar with Bridgend-based Swiss Vans or tuning firm ABT – if you told me you weren’t aware of the former, despite being around for the last 15 years, then maybe that could be forgiven. If you’re into VW’s and not aware of ABT, however, then you need to have a word with yourself; the company has roots back to 1896, when Johann Abt opened a Blacksmiths shop and ABT Tuning was founded way back in 1967 by his Grandson, also called Johann Abt, someone with more than 300 motorsport victories to his name. Right from the beginnings of water-cooled VW production, ABT was one of the leading tuning companies to put its stamp on these cars, beginning with the Mk1 Golf. Johann’s offspring, Christian and Hans-Jurgen took…

If you’ve been following the mag for the last few issues, you’ll know my search for a new project has hardly been an easy one, as it started literally the week before lockdown. This meant that firstly it was incredibly hard, well impossible to get out and test drive any vans. And secondly, due to losing a lot of freelance work and being hit pretty hard financially my original budget was dropping by the week. So I had to have a serious rethink. My original plan was getting something fairly new, a T6 of some sorts, but my dwindling budget soon put that out of reach, so I started looking at T5s and T5.1s. My checklist had a fair few things on it, I wanted a LWB, ideally twin-slider, a…

British Armed Forces & Emergency Services Volkswagen Owners Club Area: National www.facebook.com/ groups/330513957412420/ Bath Air-Cooled Area: Bath & Bristol www.bathaircooled.co.uk Cambs Transporters Area: Cambridgeshire www.facebook.com/ groups/1374742886168935/ Club 80 – 90 T25 Area: National www.club80-90.co.uk Chase Dubz Area: Cannock Chase & surrounding www.facebook.com/ groups/1535643423130892/ Club-Vdub Area: Kent & National www.club-vdub.co.uk Cornwall Volkswagen Owners Club Area: Cornwall www.cornwallvwoc.com Dirty Low Down Dubbers Area: West Sussex www.facebook.com/DLDDVWC/ Donny Dubz Area: Doncaster www.facebook.com/ groups/562792360434388/ Dorset Dub Club Area: Dorset www.facebook.com/dorsetdubclub/ Dubbed Out VW Community Area: Nationwide www.facebook.com/ groups/2434740270141152/ Dubs in Law Area: Wigan & surrounding www.facebook.com/ groups/1415419492007924/ Dunstable Dubbers Area: Dunstable www.facebook.com/groups/ Dunstabledubbers/ Herts VW Owners Club Area: Hertfordshire www.facebook.com/groups/17758385004/ Highlandubbers VW Club Area: Highlands of Scotland www.facebook.com/ groups/1671739203039871/ Just T4s Area: National www.facebook.com/groups/JustT4s/ Kombi Club Area: National www.facebook.com/groups/kombiclub Leicestershire & Warwickshire VW Owners…