Table of contents for Issue 142 in VWt

HOT TO TROT? Hello and a warm welcome to edition 142 of VWt magazine. Cor, what a weird month. The weather’s been feckin’ awful hasn’t it? Still, who knows, by the time you read this we’ll probably be enjoying a heatwave given all that global warming malarkey. Right now though I am sitting in the VWt office fully togged up in a bobble hat and coat because it’s just so cold and I am too much of a skinflint to turn on the electric fire. In fact, the only time I really get warm is when it’s my turn to do the school run – the heaters in my T25 are ruthlessly efficient, especially with the blower on full chat and the hot air directed onto my ice-cold feet. Hell,…

With day to day running of his PistonPaint tuning business keeping him busy, Luke Booth doesn’t often get a chance to tackle a project of his own. For that reason, his latest stunning VW T5 flatbed creation may have taken a while to surface, but packed with an array of trick mods throughout, it’s surely been worth the wait. For as long as he can remember, Luke has been a huge fan of modified cars. Aged 41, he holds fond memories of the Max Power era, a time when huge spoilers, outrageous wings, lairy paint and striking rims were seemingly at the top of every teenager’s wish list. Said Luke: “In 2005 I built a highly modified Citroen Saxo which went down well at shows. Unfortunately, that car was stolen…

Like so many of us, Pete Coates fell in love with the idea of owning a top-drawer T5 when they were first launched. After patiently waiting for over a decade until he was financially in a position to buy one, this stunning 2007 Trendline, complete with its unique plush and trick interior, certainly ticks all the boxes. Pete Coates has been associated with the VW scene for quite a while now, building and modifying numerous cars from the VAG stable. He learnt his fabrication skills serving time as a cooper, running his own successful barrel making business for a decade before spending 11 years working at Toyota’s engine plant. Oh, and that was followed by work fabricating ornate gates and railings before, more recently, moving to Dub Alchemy in Wales…

If you saw issue 140, you’ll already know that me and my family were making our way across Switzerland, final destination Lake Garda and that we had just stopped over in Stans – home of Mount Stanserhorn – where we’d promised our son, Buzz, a trip to the top of the mountain. Which is exactly what we did in the morning. Our journey up started with the funicular railway – which dates back to 1893 – followed by the CabriO double deck open top cable car to the summit, 1,900 meters above. It offered unrivalled views across Switzerland and 10 Swiss lakes. Trust me, this place needs to be on your bucketlist, it was incredible! After a quick bite to eat, we hit the road, with our next stop Lake…

FEBRUARY 13th – 18th CARAVAN CAMPING & MOTORHOME SHOWThe NEC, Birmingham, B40 1NTwww.ccmshow.co.uk MARCH 10th ULITMATE DUBSThe Telford International Centre, Telford, TF3 4JHwww.ultimate-dubs.co.uk 16th – 17th VOLKSWORLD PLUSSandown Park, Esher, Surrey, KT10 9AJwww.volksworld.com APRIL 6th – 8th DUBSHEDEikon Centre, Lisbon, Northern IrelandGtini.com 19th – 21st ALIVE & KICKINHaughley Park, Suffolkaliveandvdubbin.co.uk 21st – 23rd VW CAMPFESTChester Racecourse, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 2LYwww.camperfest.co.uk MAY 5th STANFORD HALLLutterworth, LeicestershireStanfordhallvw.com 17th – 19th VW BREAKOUTSanta Pod RacewaySantapod.co.uk 24th – 27th RUN TO THE SUNNewquay, CornwallRtts.co.uk JUNE 2nd STONOR VWStonor Park, Henley on ThamesTheabvwc.wixsite.com 7th – 9th BRISTOL VOLKFESTBirches Farm, Bristol, BS48 3RN www.bristolvolksfest.co.uk 21st – 23rd VWT FESTIVALKent County Showground, Maidstone, ME14 3JFevents.fastcar.co.uk/vwt-festival/ GET ADDED Got a meet or event that should be in here? Drop us an email to ian.cushway@kelsey.co.uk*Please note dates and venues…

The last time we spoke to Justin Warren, we were heading into the lockdown of Christmas 2020. It seems like a lifetime ago. A lot has happened since then, and we’re not simply talking about the reinvention of his 2005 custom T5 Transporter. But hey, seeing as you’ve shelled out your hard-earned on a Volkswagen magazine, we’ll concentrate on that part of the last four years! Justin’s backstory is a slightly unusual one in so much as he kind of stumbled into Transporter ownership, rather than having ‘always wanted one.’ Of course, we were keen to delve deeper and find out how that even happens. “Basically, I’ve always had a hobby,” he begins. “I used to race Autograss cars from the age of 14 so I’ve always enjoyed being in…

WOLFRACE DORTMUND If you were in search of the classic twin 5-spoke wheel, put on the kettle and cut yourself a monster slice of cake to celebrate because you’ve just found them. To be perfectly honest, we think these are stunning – and with a super strong load rating of 875kg, they’d look great on any Van. Especially if you’re boasting a dramatic looking big brake kit, or at least painted calipers and some sexy discs. They are available in 17, 18, 19 and 20in sizes and benefit from Wolfrace’s Complete Fitment Coverage which allows for custom drilling to most popular five-stud PCD fitments. Finishes include Gloss Black and Gloss Black Polished. £500-£800Wolface.co.uk WOLFRACE 71 WOLFSBURG GTR RACING Add a touch of personalisation to your Van with these Wolfrace 71…

If you’ve enjoyed a brisk and bracing walk or done some winter sightseeing, it’s great to round off the day just sat enjoying afternoon tea. Of course, you could just open a packet of biscuits or buy something from the supermarket – but that would be a shame as this one-pan chocolate cake is a game changer! Truly, despite being able to make it on your Camper’s hob, it’s as delicious as anything you can bake at home. That said, you can use the same recipe to cook it in your oven and take it with you if you prefer. If you have a basic box of camping supplies, you won’t need to shop for many extra ingredients either. As this one pan/one ring recipe effectively steams your cake, it…

Own a super-tasty Transporter, Crafter or Multivan 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 ian.cushway@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 about the possibility of a full VWt magazine feature shoot. So, what are you waiting for? Get snapping and show us your van, we’d love to see it!…

KEEP HOLD OF YOUR KEYS Yep, they’re at it again. We’re talking about bogus buyers, and given that we’re a trusting lot, us Transporter owners could be especially at risk when it comes to selling our Vans. Against a backdrop of an 8% year-on-year increase in vehicle thefts, specialist motor insurance lost adjuster, Claims Management & Adjusting (CMA), is warning of an increase in this particular method of robbery which has become especially prevalent in the South East of England. The scam sees criminals targeting owners advertising their vehicle for sale privately, via local newspapers or online marketplaces. The victim, being a considerate seller, helpfully gathers everything the crook wants – the vehicle keys, history and documentation – in one place. The sting commonly comes via a request for a…

Always on the look out for something different, Danny Parker at DUB Buses has struck gold with this 1994 T4 Autosleeper Clubman GL. Although, about the only thing that remains from the original conversion by the Worcestershire-based coachbuilders is the unique fibreglass monocoque ’shell – just don’t ask Danny how many hours he spent prepping it for paint! Seriously, this coachbuilt camper is an incredible find. Not that it’s an overly rare beast, but to find one with just 61,000 miles on the clock, a full service history and just one owner from new is almost unheard of these days. “In all honesty, I didn’t actual have the money for it when I saw it advertised locally on eBay,” Danny admits. “I had to tap my brother up for a…

Last month we went into a little bit more detail about the Rennsport T1 theme we had planned for our project and how we intended to change the Van’s colour from white to red. While wrapping our Caddy red – to tie in with Teng Tools colour scheme – would be cheaper than a full red respray, it still meant quite a bit of prep work. More about that later, though. Firstly, we needed to work out how we were going to get our Van, which was currently up in the clouds, considerably closer to terra firma. There was only one solution, in our minds… AIR SUSPENSION So, this month, while Kwok pressed on with bodywork preparation, we got back on the blower to order up a few more parts.…

Regardless of how rugged you are, you can’t beat being snug on a weekend away. Yes, there are plenty of ways to try and stay warm using thermal clothing and extra thick duvets but the rewards from having a heater shoving out lovely warm air cannot be underestimated. Until a few years ago such heaters involved a considerable outlay but fortunately they are much more affordable now. In fact, it would be daft not to fit one, even if it’s to keep the dog warm after a wintery weekend walk. While there’s lots of inexpensive Chinese-sourced heaters available, and indeed, that’s what we’re fitting here, we’d thoroughly recommend buying a quality EU-approved item from the likes of Autoterm who offer great aftersales support as well speedy access to spare parts…

Ever dreamed about seeing your Van appear within these pages and getting your 15-minutes of fame? Make that dream a reality by submitting it to VWt (ian.cushway@kelsey.co.uk) and getting it in Your Vans. Whether it’s the finished article, still being built or just some photos of your adventures, we’d love to see it and share it. Let’s see those Vans! WAYNE BANNER, T5.1 Hi VWt, my name’s Wayne, I’m 36 and I live in Woolacombe, North Devon. I have been driving Volkswagens since I passed my test in 2002. I started off with a 1303 air-cooled Beetle which I restored and customised to give me a little more street cred... you know how it is having your very first car! That sadly was sold to make room for a catalogue…