Table of contents for Issue 118 in VWt

Hello and welcome to issue 118 of VWt magazine. It’s official, show season has landed! As I write this Ultimate Dubs has passed and it’s the week after the Volks World show, so it really feels like things are in full swing. After two years of postponements at the Sandown Park based show, it was amazing to see what had been planned since 2020 finally come to fruition. Also, it was so good to be back at a show that felt relatively normal. There were still a few masks and plenty of hand sanitiser, but it was great to finally see some faces... quite literally! It also felt special to be amongst and catch up with the many people that make VWt what it is today, that includes our fantastic…

NORTH SEAS CHANGING ROBE There’s nothing worse than getting changed in the elements! So why not do it in style with the new Stitches + Steel changing robe. The fleece lined changer features lightweight nylon construction, a water-resistant outer for changing in all conditions, lined side pockets, an adjustable hood and no zip, so no catching the bits you don’t want getting caught. One size fits all. Price £65 www.stitchesandsteel.com OUTWELL BIRCH MUMMY SLEEPING BAGS Scandinavian camping specialist, Outwell, has introduced a new mummy-style sleeping bag to cater for campers wanting a snug haven for all-season camping. The Birch, Birch Lux and Birch Supreme offer three insulation weights in a mummy profile carefully chosen to balance comfort with performance. Length and width are larger than the norm and the classic…

It was Foster Huntington who was originally credited with creating the #vanlife hashtag and sparking a huge global movement; there are currently 12.3 million Instagram posts using the hashtag alone, with lots of similar offshoots, such as #vanlifediaries (2.2m posts) and #vanlifemovement (970+k posts). It has also inspired several books, such as Foster’s own VAN LIFE which is worth a look - plenty of stunning images of VW vans of all years in their natural habitat. It’s this movement which I personally credit the swamper look to. Prior to this taking off, most VW vans were of the slammed variety, but the Vanlife movement has made millions realise that they don’t have to be limited to paved roads and that vans can look just as cool with raised suspension as…

We all love to read about the budget busting rides that provide endless inspiration or consternation depending on your style and point of view. This 2006 T5, however, has been bought, fixed and modified for less than most people pay for wheels. How does the grand sum of £1,800 grab you? There can’t be a budget in sight getting busted by that! Sadly, it’s not the kind of deal you see come up on Facebook marketplace or eBay, this is one of those times when it’s about who you know. “The MoT tester did give an advisory for it being lowered to an unsatisfactory level. We took this personally of course and so proceeded to lower it more. I hope he’s happy now!” You’ll be less than surprised to learn…

This van has never been about chasing the lowest of lows, but there are some modifications which can really help with it being a low daily driver. I’ve done around 40k in the van now and this set up with the Solow coilovers and Stitches + Steel 18” steels has been great. Of course, speedbumps need to be taken with a certain amount of caution, but the van is high enough and the tyres are big enough to still be able to bump up curbs. Which was something I felt was needed to make sure the van is still a ‘sensible daily’. Even when visiting the wonderful, cambered lanes in the furthest corners of Cornwall there was some scraping, but generally speaking the van was ok. That being said the…

GAME CHANGER FULLCARBONFIBREBODYKIT,AIRRIDE, 3-PIECEFORGED WHEELS&AWHOLELOTMORE - WEGETTHEFULLSTORYBEHIND VAN HAVEN’S REVOLUTIONARY TTRCARBON EDITION T6.1 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…

Setting yourself a task of building the most practical vehicle on the road sounds a challenging one. But when one of your side projects is a 1000bhp twin Tesla-motored T6.1 then, like everything, it all comes down to perspective. If you have a heartbeat, own a Transporter and are reading this magazine then it’s pretty unlikely that Andy Stretton and Transporter HQ will need any introduction. From market leading products to trendsetting builds - THQ pretty much has it all. If there was any doubt surrounding that last statement, then this latest build puts that to bed. “We decided on the multifunctional route. Kids, dogs, bikes, camping - the lot!” Before disruptions caused by the pandemic, Andy was planning to build a rental fleet; a collection of well thought out…

PROJECT 22 LAUNCHED Our friends over at Just Kampers are taking on one of their biggest projects to date by completely converting and transforming a regular T6.1 panel van into a pristine camper! The van, owned by their Marketing Director, Stephen Gosling, is a short wheelbase, Startline model in Pure Grey with a manual 102 hp engine. It’s called ‘Project 22’ and JK are building the to-be high-spec campervan using just their own products! Plus, they’re also filming and documenting the lot so they can fill their website and YouTube channel with a bucket load of ‘how to’ videos. For more info check out www.justkampers.com WIN £250 IN CASH WITH VWT At VWt Towers, we aim to produce the best content covering all aspects of van culture and Transporter life.…

Coen Hermans is from a place called Schijndel, just north of Eindhoven in The Netherlands. He’s a car guy who has turned his passion into a business. “I easily remember the exact day I bought the van,” he says with a smile. “It was February 1st 2021, the same day I started Monkey Design.” For anyone going self-employed it’s a brave step. For a 24-year-old (as he was at the time) it’s a huge moment. “It all started with training,” he explains. “I spent four years at media college training to become a sign specialist. On top of that I followed many other courses including tinting and car wrapping. After that I began to modify my own cars and that of family members. My passion has made me what I…

MOBILE HOME IN A BOX Box clever Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has launched a range of mini-mobile camping units offering a kitchen area, bed, water supply, and storage space to give owners complete flexibility. The ‘mobile home in a box’ is a range of modular units that cleverly fit into existing luggage compartments and provide travel essentials. The kitchen can be ready in a few seconds and the bed unfolds in a single movement making life easy out on the road. The range-topping, multi-purpose BusBox, priced at £3,340, is compatible with the Volkswagen Caravelle T5/T6/T6.1 and includes a bed, mattress, kitchen area with space for two-burner stove, extendable storage area, and water supply. For Caravelle and California Beach Tour owners, the BusBox is available without mattress, priced at £2,555. The KombiBox,…

I’m not sure where the term Sibling Rivalry came from, but not every set of siblings are locked in a battle of oneupmanship in a fight to the death stylee. Having grown up with a brother myself, I can tell you that we had our moments pushing each other’s buttons, but most of the time it was more harmonious. My brother and I are like chalk and cheese in adulthood, just like when we were kids. It would have been great if we’d shared the love of VW, but at least we get to go camping together - him in his caravan and me in my VW bus. Sean and Ash have the VW hobby in common, but it wasn’t always that way... Ash has always been into classic cars,…

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! ANDY BOARDMAN’S 2011 T5.1, YORK Hello VWt, I’ve always wanted a Transporter, so I started out with a 1998 T4 which I did a Mk3 Golf 1.9 TDi engine swap…

AUTO FINESSE 1 ELIMINATOR SCRATCH REMOVER Developed for targeted use on all types of gloss paintwork, this is the quick and easy solution to removing paint defects without the use of a machine polisher. Designed to break down quickly and work through easily - making this product suitable for fast, efficient hand correction - this advanced abrasive formula effectively eliminates localised paint and clearcoat imperfections such as swirl marks and fine scratches with a minimum of effort. Price £13 (250ml) 2 RENEW PAINT RESTORER An advanced restoration compound specifically engineered for application by hand. Developed for the removal of oxidation and other paintwork defects, unlike traditional machine polishing products. Contains diminishing abrasives that can be broken down and worked through easily to leave a glossy, refined finish, restoring clarity and…

It’s the suspension raise and tyres, along with the pop-top that gets my vote for top mods. It looks like VW vans were supposed to look like this in my opinion. Obviously there are Syncro vans built like this from the factory, but they are rare and usually not even jacked up this much. Sean’s van, equipped like this, looks like it’s ready for off-grid camping and all the terrain that he can throw at it... and it will be when it’s had the 2.5 swap!…

Let’s face it, like it or not, we live in a culture that places an extraordinary amount of emphasis on money and status. Long gone are the days when people were content with what they had and hung onto vehicles for years, sometimes decades. I’d hazard a guess that, out of the 39 million cars on UK roads, at least 80% of them are financed with HP or loans. We’ve all seen those stickers that say ‘Finance killed the scene’ and some genuinely believe that it did. I like to think that easy finance added an extra element to the VW scene, even though I personally choose to pay for my cars in pound notes. Some people argue that it’s hard to get your build noticed these days if you…

If you saw last month’s little update, you’ll know that I’d finally got around to sorting out my winter wheels, but I was still waiting for the tyres to be delivered. And before you say it, yes, I know it’s now spring and winter is long gone, but like I said after moving house and various other things the T5.1 has barely been touched. Anyway, my fresh set of Nankang Noble Sport NS-20 tyres finally arrived so I stuck the rims and tyres in the T6 ‘velle and popped down to my local Formula One Autocentre in Bristol to get them fitted. I don’t know about you, but I bloody hate getting tyres fitted to new wheels, it stresses me out. Many a time I’ve stood close by wincing as…

APRIL 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 5 th – 8th DERBYSHIRE DUBS VW FESTIVAL Wardlow, Derbyshire, SK17 8RW www.derbyshiredubs.co.uk 6th-8th VANWEST Taunton Racecourse, Taunton, Somerset, TA3 7BL www.vanwest.co.uk 8th EARLY EDITION Sywell Aerodrome, Northampton, NN6 0BN www.edition38.com 20th – 22nd VW BREAKOUT Santa Pod Raceway, Wellingborough, Northants, NN29 7XA www.santapod.co.uk 26th – 30th DUBS IN THE MIDDLE Ashdown Farm, Evesham, Worcestershire, WR11 7EN www.dubsinthemiddle.co.uk 27th – 29th VOLKSFLING Biggar Showfield, Biggar, South Lanarkshire, ML12 6PN www.volksfling.co.uk 29th CRUISE TO THE PROM Beach Road, Beach Lawns, Weston Super Mare www.veedubfamily.org JUNE 3rd – 5th VAN…