Table of contents for Issue 130 in VWt

SPRING IS IN THE AIR... Hello and welcome to issue 130 of VWt magazine. As I write this it’s early March, spring is less than a fortnight away - I guess depending on when you’ve picked up your copy of VWt it might actually be spring already! Not only does that mean that flowers and other wildlife things will be rearing their pretty little heads, but more importantly, it signifies the beginning of lighter evenings – yay more van fettling time - and of course the start of show season... at last! If you’re reading this before mid-March, make sure you dust off those van cobwebs and get yourself to Sandown Park in Surrey on the 18th & 19th March for the VolksWorld Show. You’ll find us there putting on…

This Transporter’s previous life as a hero of the roads, rescuing stricken motorists has not been hidden. In fact, it has been embraced. With some choice colour-coded mods, this hotter-than-the-sun’s-arse AA yellow looks for all the world like a custom mix. But just what turns a work van into a show van? There’s nobody better to ask than the man who built it. “After building my first show car - a VW up! - I saw a few Transporters sitting at ED38 and fell in love with the possibility of building one myself at some point,” Scott begins. “But due to a few changes, I first needed a van for work and luckily managed to find this T5.1 in my budget. Initially, it was supposed to be purely for work…

GO EXPLORE Brighton is a cultural cornucopia of creativity, with more than its share of festivals, museums, galleries and gigs. Famous for having a thriving foodie scene, legendary clubbing spots and magnificent Regency architecture, Brighton is without doubt one of Britain’s most colourful and fascinating cities- we love it! A bohemian vibe runs through the streets, from the exuberant 19th-century Royal Pavilion to the wonderfully tacky Brighton Pier, and the maze of independent shops along the warren of alleys, the Artist Quarter and the quirky fashion hub, North Laine. What’s more, you can head to the pebbled beach and seafront promenade for fresh air, fish and chips and traditional seaside entertainment. For party peeps in search of entertainment, the city offers an abundance of choice from comedy to cabaret. And,…

ANDREW’S CADDY MAXI With a fresh delivery of new products from Turtle Wax for 2023 the big clean on the Caddy is just around the corner. One new product that caught my eye was the Hybrid Solutions Graphene Acrylic Trim Restorer and I couldn’t resist trying it out during the regular wash routine. Whilst some owners may pay a large sum to have their van’s bumpers colour coded, if you’ve seen my T5 you’ll know I’m a big fan of commercial bumpers. I personally love a clean commercial look - like Lloyd’s panel van from the cover of issue 123 - the Caddy’s bumpers however were faded and dull along with all the other ‘black’ trim on the Caddy looking rather sorry for itself. I’ve used previous trim restoring products…

Own a super-tasty Transporter and want it featured in these very pages? Then show us what you’ve got! Please e-mail a good selection of images that show the exterior and interior of your van to glenn.rowswell@kelsey.co.uk along with a spec list and add the subject title ‘Feature me VWt’. If we like what we see, we’ll get back to you ASAP to chat about a full VWt magazine feature shoot. So, what are you waiting for? Get snapping and show us your Transporter!…

Matt Fryer is a family man. You only need to know the meaning behind his business name to figure that out. Combining the initials of his twin daughters Esme and Quinn, E Q Camperworx was created in 2019 to give Matt a platform to market his camper conversion skills. He has been crafting and converting vehicles for over 20 years and prides himself on attention to detail and high-end conversions. His work is proving so popular that current bookings are advised to be around four to six months in advance. Of course, any conversion business worth its salt needs a demo vehicle. It’s generally kitted out with all the bells and whistles to ultimately entice you perhaps to spend a little more money on upgraded accessories. Often, the demo van…

DARKSIDE DEVELOPMENTS T5-T6.1 INDUCTION KIT The performance diesel tuning devils at Darkside Developments have partnered up with the guys at RamAir to produce this full induction filter and heat shield kit. The especially made for Transporter open air induction kit will give your van that much needed increase in induction, whilst the laser cut heat shield will reduce heat soak coming from the engine. Thus, resulting in an increase in BHP and more importantly torque, because as we all know, torque talks baby! RamAir foam filters are renowned for their clean and smooth induction tone and have been trusted by high-end performance car owners for years, so – like Darkside Developments - it’s a brand you can trust. The included PRORAM filter is constructed using an internal stainless-steel cage and…

SHOWS Things have changed a lot over the last few years in the lowered T4 world thanks to Shane at Scarface Lowriders and the parts now available for the T4. When we heard there was going to be an end of season camping trip with a whole bunch of quality T4’s from across the country all together on the North Coast of Cornwall for a weekend, we had to stop in and take a look! If there was ever proof needed that you can drive a lowered van anywhere, this is it. Most of these vans are actually static and drive everywhere like this... yes really, a pretty hardcore bunch eh? The campsite chosen for the campout was the brilliant Mount Pleasant Eco Park. This campsite would be a great…

HOT VANS For those of you who’ve not come across the Dudley-based conversion company, Starlight Campers has now grown to become one of the largest in the area, producing around 50 vans a year from their spacious and well-equipped premises. It all began a dozen or so years back when Mark Cherrington decided to combine his experience in mechanical engineering with his dad Dave’s cabinet making background. “I was a keen petrolhead anyway and with my dad’s carpentry skills, together we decided to produce bespoke campervans, “Mark explains, “I’d worked as an engineer for 10 years and my dad had been a cabinet maker for 40 years, so we had built up plenty of experience between us.” “We designed the conversion this way to maximise the usability of the van…

Sam owned his T4 for six years and they covered a lot of ground in that time. There’s something about selling a vehicle that has transported you safely for tens of thousands of miles that pulls at the heart strings a bit. When you get your head turned by something else, the lust kicks in and it’s natural to want progression in life, but there’s no joy without pain and the joy that Sam experienced when buying his new T6 was tempered by quite a big loss. Although most people think that true love is the feeling you get when feeling an attraction to something – a person or an object, that’s not love. It’s lust, it’s obsession, it’s excitement, but it isn’t love. Love can only happen when you…

GLENN’S T5.1 & T6 It’s been a funny month van wise. I feel like I’ve done a lot, but also feel like I’ve got very little to show for it. Let me explain, a few issues ago I said that big changes were afoot and my plan for 2023 is to finally turn the T5.1 from a basic camper - with the Stitches & Steel false floor and drop-down bed -to something a bit more luxurious with some home comforts. Well, the wheels are truly in motion. In the last month I’ve visited Skyline Roofs to talk about fitting an awesome Skyline Aurora pop-top, dropped into Simply Surf Bus to talk about insulation and interiors, and started planning my camper layout with the guys at Van Furniture. I’ve also booked…

TRUDI & DARREN PHILPS’ 2012 T6, SURREY Hey VWt, we have always been on the VW scene, from our teenage years owning a ‘67 Beetle, that made way for all the Golf GTIs we’ve owned. We purchased our beloved T6 T30 Highline LWB (AKA Mr Banner) in 2019. We looked at hundreds of Transporters and became very frustrated as nothing seemed to suit us. Following a chance conversation, we stumbled across Camperking in Warwick, and this is where the journey began. Our van started life as many do, as a builder’s panel van, but several modifications later including a completely new interior, we became the lucky custodians. One week after purchasing the van, Trudi was sadly diagnosed with breast cancer. We thought we had made a huge financial mistake, but…