One of my suppliers does conversions. His work is as good as i have seen.

Anyhow, although he has built this on my competitions vehicle, i cant deny it looks bllody lovely.

Oh, and he is selling it as well.

Before anyone says i am promoting his work, i work for mercedes and have no interest in selling a VW. I have also recommended that he contact the powers that be about doing some proper trade advertising on here.

What do you think of this

More pics[

Hmmmm, while I love T5's, something about that one just doesn't quite float my boat. I think it's the graphics; the OTT go-faster stripe is too much on a van, it looks like it came off a Saxo. There's a couple of nice T5's around my way, very similar to that one but without the silly stripe, and they look so much better. Nice van otherwise, I just wish I had the funds to procure one like it. Without the graphics…;0)

Cool in a boy racer kind of way, but don't fancy tramping it up and down forest roads.

Check this out, might need to sell the house to afford one though 😥

Stickers are a kinda personal choice. The vehicles been a mobile advert so it had to be a little over the top. They come off easily.

I was wondering what you guys thought of the interior though.

the old style roof rack looks crap and should be ditched.

there is too much plastic on the front.

the interior rates just below average at best.

6/10 good attempt but could do better.

its nicer than my T4 though.

i live about half a mile from van bodies, i normally buy offcuts of sheet and stuff from them for when i fabricate bits for my rally car.

Fair enough Van Halen

Roof rack is one of their best sellers
The front bodywork only has the addition of a front spoiler and a rear sportline spoiler but i can see your point
The interior – You are having a laugh

Hi Pinches, I used to work at Pye Motors so i knew Bob back then. He did some work for me recently and showed me some of the work he had been doing. I just thought some of the VW boys would be interested.

Maybe not though.

Like the flip up seats with intergrated belts. Very useful idea.

That motor can take disabled wheelchair passengers as well.

Interior is dull, and pretty useless. Nil points

Littlest…..

I'm dropping my new T5 off with Rob at vanbodies on Saturday. He's been great to deal with and as you say his work is great. So many firms just bash out standard interiors – he'll do what you want and his prices seem pretty competitive. I'm having interior similar to above, windows, an RIB bed/seat and quick release rails with an extra crew seat (family of 5). I'll post some pics when it's done. I may also get one of Rob's kitchen pods with stove/sink/power etc, which will also move along the rails.
Can't wait.
p.s. the van I bought was the one you gave me a heads up on a couple of months ago – got there eventually.

I like that, take the stripes off an it'd be ace. The interior looks like a nice but functional set up. Decent as a bike mover but still good enough for carting people too.

thing is all the vw boys will have already seen it as it was featured in one of the vw mags last year.

back then i thought it was a little pointless, sure the quality seems good but no better than many of the converters out there not to mention hundreds of one off self builds (yes, i know there are crap ones too).

designwise it's just a trimmed out van, there's a table to eat your breakfast but no cooker to cook it on but then you wouldn't be eating breakfast cos you wouldn't have wanted to sleep on those single seats?

boxelder – which van did i give you a heads up on??

Stu – I didnt know it had been featured anywhere? Maybe you have to see it though. There are little things that may give ideas to other users. The fact it has the seat rail system makes it very flecible. The fact the seats can be rotated. The bases flip up. The fact the rear wheel arches have been coated in a protective plastic coating which may interest some of the peeps off here who have been asking about floor finishings/interior protection. The fact he has a table design which takes little to no stowage but can be modelled to whatever the costomer requests (I know nothing new but it looks the dogs), the fact that other than a couple of spoilers and a set of wheels that vehicle is as you say a standard ven, the fact that the roof rack, although a bit marmite, is another choice.

Its not just a camper market, there are people that want multi purpose vehicles even without having to sleep in them. This guy will sit and design around what you want and to a very high standard.

Was only trying to have a convo about something i found interesting. Hell its the competition for me and equiv of Brant discussing a Cotic

I may also get one of Rob's kitchen pods with stove/sink/power etc, which will also move along the rails.

I bet that would be of interest to a lot of people.

VW did one off the shelf a few years ago and it was mega bucks. You installed a rail system and they just clipped in. Trouble was they were insane money

I went for a job interview at a company called Bilbo's near Godstone some years back. From what I saw I think they do a good conversion too, more traditional though perhaps.

I didn't go for the job btw.

Yep Bilbo's conversions are good from what i have seen.

TheLittlestHobo –
There are little things that may give ideas to other users.

Its not just a camper market, there are people that want multi purpose vehicles even without having to sleep in them.

totally agree, i'm forever looking at other conversions to get ideas for my own, currently part converted t5. i'm fitting a completely fold away bed (though matress will have to be stored in the house) and free standing/removeable kitchen unit so i will still have full use of the van.

i'm not into camper conversions (cutlery rack, wardrobes etc… can't see the point), did a temporary conversion on mine and used it last year just to see what we need for our proper conversion ready for this season… fingers crossed. at the end of the day it's down to personal taste and each to their own.

VW did one off the shelf a few years ago and it was mega bucks. You installed a rail system and they just clipped in. Trouble was they were insane money

Rob's talking about £800ish (others I've seen are £1K+)

boxelder – which van did i give you a heads up on??

57 plate, silver, Geoff swapping to a Vito supplied by you.

Stu – I didnt know it had been featured anywhere?

It's here – Volksworld

the van as I see it:

1) doors rather than tailgate on the back. -10 points
2) standard transporter headlamps (not caravelle). -10 points
3) standard transporter front bumper sprayed (bear in mind these are textured as standard and never spray quite right) instead of caravelle bumper. -10 points
4) weedy engine (probably). -10 points
5) 5 speed box not 6 (if the above is true). -10 points

6) roof spoiler +10 points
7) under front bumper spoiler + 10 points

-30 points

T5s in volksworld, whatever next!

and free standing/removeable kitchen unit so i will still have full use of the van.

Well there ya go, you can have a look at boxelders and get some ideas. Not totally useless then.

Sounds like your pretty handy so i would be interested in the stuff you have done for ideas. I always get customers coming in asking for stuff and the more ideas the better for me.

the van as I see it:

1) doors rather than tailgate on the back. -10 points
2) standard transporter headlamps (not caravelle). -10 points
3) standard transporter front bumper sprayed (bear in mind these are textured as standard and never spray quite right) instead of caravelle bumper. -10 points
4) weedy engine (probably). -10 points
5) 5 speed box not 6 (if the above is true). -10 points

1) I want barndoors, so I can open the door with 3 bikes on the back (the risk of a loaded tailgate falling and killing my kids doesn't appeal)
2) Are the caravelle lamps any brighter or do they just look pretty for extra £100+?
3) Again, didn't buy a van for looks – do all T5's have to look the same? Caravelle bumper = £400?? I'm guessing?
4) and 5) mine's a 2.5, 130BHP and 6 spd

Do you only fancy girls with blonde streaked hair and false frontage??
😉

TheLittlestHobo –
Sounds like your pretty handy so i would be interested in the stuff you have done for ideas. I always get customers coming in asking for stuff and the more ideas the better for me.

when it's finished i will be proud to show it off.

i get most of my inspiration from other t5(t4) owners on http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/ click on the t5 tab and scroll down to vwt5 pictures and videos.

boxelder

was commenting on the van whose pictures have been posted, not yours, and this one has clearly been done for looks.

I'm sure yours I lovely.

Also, tailgates make great shelters when it rains, fair comment about a fully loaded one though. Personally I keep the bikes in the back of mine. If I had kids, they'd be strapped to the back.

If I had kids, they'd be strapped to the back.

You can't do that, the NSPCC would be up in arms.

was commenting on the van whose pictures have been posted, not yours, and this one has clearly been done for looks.

I know you were. I was just discussing the points you made – but re-reading my clumsy post makes me sound a right arse – 😳
That van was done to show what the firm could do internally – I think the bumper painting was an afterthought.

It seems odd to me spending lots of £ making Transporters look pretty, and everyone seems to do the same mods.

Each to their own I guess

Wouldn't want to drive anything with those wheels/tyres anywhere off road. Would be damned uncomfortable on tarmac anywhere other than a motorway.

Here's mine:

And with 'winter camo':

They were selling them sportline wheels off 12mths ago for half price. Bargain if you could afford the astronomical cost of a set of tyres 😉

I like that colour.

Jenga – Plenty of people drive motors with similar setups all over the country.

Dasnut – Have you ever priced up a caravelle front end over a standard van front end? Its thousands.

Your comments are really constructive. You like the spoilers. Ummm OK

I thought more people may be asking what things can be done. Like the fact them two seats can be removed in seconds and REPLACED with a removable rock & roll bed. As mentioned above, the same company also makes a removable cooking/kitchen unit so you can have a multi purpose vehicle. You may be surprised at what is possible or even give me some ideas

I'm planning to get some spare clip in sliding fixings (that attach the seats) and spot welding/attaching a couple of old hubs, giving quick release, variable position fork mounted bike carriers.

Heres what I think…..I am respectful of the work done on the van and that it's an advert for their work but it's not ground breaking.

You maybe able to remove the seat and then put in something else but the technology exists where the chair becomes the bed and doesn't need to be removed so it's not really cool more of pain of where to store the parts, and what happens if the people sitting in the seat want to then sleep in the van where is the rock and roll stored and if you carry the bed and the chairs what about storage and the like?

Also I think the non-vw sliders on the side don't look as smart as the OEM VW windows, though they may not leak (depending on what you believe of the sliding window leak issue)

I would have changed the side indications to clears and replaced the orange blubs in the indicators up front to finish it off.

You maybe able to remove the seat and then put in something else but the technology exists where the chair becomes the bed and doesn't need to be removed so it's not really cool more of pain of where to store the parts, and what happens if the people sitting in the seat want to then sleep in the van where is the rock and roll stored and if you carry the bed and the chairs what about storage and the like?

You miss the point.

With the rails fitted to the basic vehicle you come to the conclusion that suits you

You want a rock & roll bed – Fine its slotted in

As a customer you dont want a rock and roll bed – Fine they slot a couple of seats in

As a customer you would like the choice of either because you have loads of storage space and maybe only need a rock and roll bed once per year – Fine you can have both mr customer

Or maybe you are into outdorrs activites and you have a disabled child – Fine you can do that too

Its not ground breaking but its an example and its a blooming good example imo

Never fit sliding windows to the side of VWs (Or any van for that matter) – They all look like prison hatches and they all leak in one form or the other. From a main dealer history, VW sliders leak, believe me.

But as a customer I have seen that I can have a sliding seat with more or less space in front of or behind of said seat, I have a chair that is fully crash tested and seats three, and when need be converts to a full double bed and if I need more space the whole thing is removeable, all from one chair system, not two is tha no a blooming good example of flexiblity. Why is what you have described above better that an all in one solution?

I am not really sure what is so special about being able to remove a pair of chairs and install a bed? If you are saying that because it has a rail system it's flexible then yes it is but your post implied a single person may replace the seats with a rock 'n roll bed which would be a faff for sure.

I am not having a dig and sure it's great but you posted it in a blaze of glory but it's not really all that in terms of conversion there is better and more innovative use of space.