[Closed] Show me your bike vans

....here you, a couple of unfinished interior:

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I only got the rear wheel arches and surround of rear doors done with sprayline(£150). Its sort of rubbery and very hard wearing. The cost depends on the amount of masking required. Close up shots on their [url= http://www.spray-on-liners.co.uk/ ]website[/url].
I need the van to be able to seat 5-6 and don't want permanent furniture. The sliding rails on the floor have a crew release crew seat with arms and a flip up (cinema) seat and will also take moveable kitchen unit.
For anyone interested in the work ring Rob at [url= http://www.vandezine.com/ContactUs.html ]Vanbodies[/url], Morecambe

Yeah thanks people, gonna have to stop reading this site. Have gone from considering my next fork purchase to considering my first van purchase in a couple of mouse clicks...

Why are the rear additional seats so expensive to buy
But whos the best people to fit and bolt them to the floor?

Boxelder what do you use to insulate and finish trim for the interior
panels.

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absolutely amazing - massive want! 😮

I think that just beats the Porsche!

Why are the rear additional seats so expensive to buy
But whos the best people to fit and bolt them to the floor?

All VW original stuff is expensive. The vans don't have seatbelt fittings so you need the safely bolt through the floor a tested seat with integrated belts (see the rear of the seat/bed in mine. Or, use any old seats and attach belts to side pillars (hassle and not safety tested). Those rails you see on the floor of mine will take sliding quick release seats and you can also attach sliding QR seat belts to them (or just about anything else). Loads of places can bolt seats in though. My kids/wife will be sat on mine, so didn't want the Heath Robinson approach!

Boxelder what do you use to insulate and finish trim for the interior panels.

I used them as they offer things other firms don't. Great to deal with too (boss had a nice mtb in the back when I met him), they clearly more expensive than DIY.
If you (or anyone) is going DIY with a SWB T5, I have pre-cut plywood panels going for £nowt.

grantway - my van has seats on a sliding rail and the rail is plated through the floor and fixed around the chassis members it's likely the rear set has stronger fixings than the front seats, also some of the seats are crash tested and this ups the cost but means you can carry passengers. If you are getting this sort of thing fitted best find someone who has done it before!!

Ours is insulated with Sheeps Wool and it holds the heat well.

boxelder - van is coming on great, like the flexibility of your design.

forge197 - Ta. Next stage needs some thought, but pop-top going on at Easter.
My folks have a holiday spot in Kippford/Rockcliffe.
I'll give you a shout next time we're up - blast round D'Beattie/K'Tree?

No worries, pop top will finish it nicely makes such a difference.

I would have been at the Lakes ride tomorrow but got tendonitis in my thigh that I need to fix.

If you are up this way then would love to hook up and have a blast around DB or KT just drop us a mail.

Kippford's lovely.

As bike vans go I have always found this pretty cool.[img] [/img]

Heres a couple of questions for you VW bods out there.

I have a 2005 T5 Transporter 1.9tdi. Its very lovely and goes well. I got a nifty rear seat put in with proper certified belts etc etc which is all good + another drivers side rear window. Next step was to properly ply line it and maybe insulate it - i have 2 bales of sheeps wool that I can use, its free the sheep don't need it any more and it is clean i.e. doesn't smell.
Question 1) Plan was to take all the internal panels off and use as templates, cut and drill the ply then bond some hard wearing carpet to them etc and then fill the cavity with sheeps wool. Wondered if it would transfer condensation though and if i shoudl put some breather louvres in ?
Question 2: some twunt smacked my wing mirror a few weeks back and I am now missing the surround (bottom completely and the bit that faces you around the mirror itself) from the passenger mirror - VW in NZ are utterly useless so i have given up with them, anyone know somewhere I can get them ?

3rd and Final question is can you fit rotating (nice) seats to the transporter. It has an OK drivers seat and a passenger + jump seat thing thats fixed. WOuld prefer 2 revolving seats ? If yes any links etc much obliged.

I love my van, great thing but i'm not brave enough to put 6 bikes on my 911 - its a targa anyway so can;t take a rack !!

try http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk, ( http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=54819) plenty of advice about insulation, i shall be using rockwool but i seem to remember someone on the forum said sheepswool is the best.

you can fit swivel seats to t5, only minor problem (???) is that you have to leave the handbrake off in order to swivel the drivers seat, my swivels are RIB (crash tested) from germany and were purchased from south west camper conversions in uk.... not much use to you i know.

Boxelder, great to see the motor is taking shape. I have recommended that spray line stuff before on here. I think as i work in the motor trade people seem to think i am in it for the money when i recommend things. I am not, just trying to give honest advice (Tell people how much i got out of pointing you towards that van). Bob has offered to do my van FOC next time i take a job in for him so i plan to have the back of my vito done too.

I actually sold Bob that VW Kombi he has. He ordered that the day they became available (VW Nut) and loves it. His dad started the business 30+yrs ago and passed it on to his son so its nice to work with a proper family company who take pride.

I am going to do a little test on my motor at the weekend. I reckon 5 passengers and probably 5-7 bikes would be quite doable with just removing the front wheels on the bikes inside. Not bad on a motor that isnt any longer than a mondeo estate.

sadly no longer with me ;-(
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used to look good pulling out of the garage at work instead of the van to the side of it lol plenty of touch up paint for free tho
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taken on the emmerdale farm set next to the dingles van [IMG] [/IMG]

30yr + designed van that was sold for 10-15yrs longer than it should have. Horrible Horrible motors.

your not wrong 😉

Just for Metalheart
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Still looking for something more modern to run as my daily driver / bike van.

I would LOVE a van but cant see fun control signing off on it... BUT i guess if you say its for the family / weekends away in the summer thats got to count for something 😆

[img] http://lh5.ggpht.com/_By42uYleqms/S3gEE5sxORI/AAAAAAAAGOY/2NJbI2w0A6Q/van.jp g" target="_blank">http://lh5.ggpht.com/_By42uYleqms/S3gEE5sxORI/AAAAAAAAGOY/2NJbI2w0A6Q/van.jp g"/> [/img]

my pug partner 1.9d 56plate- 38k on the clock and silly mpg compared to my old car which did 33mpg on a good day unloaded and about 27/28 when loaded is great at about 50-55mpg - did 62 on my last long motorway trip.

roof rack is off , takes 4 bikes no bother with the wheels on , havnt tried wheels off.

its slow - but i dont care ! does 84mph flat oot but i dont care - just leave earlier and if im late im late thats the end of it.

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aint quite so hot on the capacity with the 29er in there ..... that eats up the room , my merida nearly goes straight across with little angle - the 29er goes corner to corner ---- oversight lol - might have to take the wheels off that one - because you need to compress the forks to get the bars through the back doors as well.

they are also pretty sweet in the ice and snow - aberdeen was mental today with lots and lots of vehicles getting stuck on north anderson drive - 2nd gear - no accelerator - lift the clutch slowely and i just cruised on through like it was a dry day 😀

T4 is the one to have. I've had mine from new (98) and it's now done [b]271,000[/b] miles and never let me down. Still does over 110 leptons on private roads! 34 to the gallon. Space, Grace and Pace.
But if you go for one make sure it's the 2.5TDI 102bhp or if you can find one a 150bhp one.
Ade

An update on my T5 SWB 1.9TDi - lovely thing. ABout to get the bumpers colour coded and add a set of 18" wheels to it. Has had an extra window on the drivers side added and a bench rear seat (fully certified). Had a very light aluminium frame built for the rear - two sides about 10" high and a channel in the middle - storage boxed push under with fold out seats and other gubbins, bikes sit on top fine. ABout to ply line and insulate, install the 6x9's in the rear door etc. Have done 6000ks in it already and has been superb, really frugal at about 900km to a tank which is pretty good.

Had a look at a 2006 California today at the VW dealer. It was on the yard for 6 hours before it sold for $70,000NZD - jeeeeeesus. Nice though, all electrickery roof etc and roll out awning. V nice but not enough room for me.

NZCol - how about a pic of what you've done in the back?

The bike rack thing sounds like a good idea.

Just don't get one of these. It was a right old piece of shit...

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It was woefully slow and a rustbucket. A decent estate car is nearly as practical and massively better to drive/own.

Was planning to take some photos as I progress through ripping it apart and putting it back together. Frame has been test fitted but really busy just now so will be a few onths before i do the rest - June probably !

Just a little bump, Anyone got any really sexy Transporter Pics?

My mate converts transporters. Just got his own unit now, so if you are in or near Suffolk I can give you his details. Here is a vid of an earlier conversion.

Bigface0_0 - Member
Just a little bump, Anyone got any really sexy Transporter Pics?

Well I think it is, even if no-one else does 😀

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And before anyone says anything, yes it is very flat... that's why the boards are on the roof...

Rare rear view of our tin top Bongo.

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Can get bikes inside with wheels off, but went for the pricy Thule rack. Full size Rock n Roll bed and partial conversion. Looking forwards to 3 weeks in the Alps in July.

MMMMMmmm Transporters ))

I've been running a 2.5 diesel lwb transit (R reg) for four years now, its mileage is 165k (65k by me) and its been great, the running costs have been good(exhaust, servicing,tyres, replaced the locks and a water pump,£200 insurance) but fast enough comfortable enough, huge - I drove it to the Algarve and back no problems, loads of second hand parts if the worst happens.
ok the body work got rusty (which attracts a lot of attention in Spain and Portugal!) but who cares its a van!

My tip for a DIY bike rack is second hand Tubeclamp its great for building loads of things and can be dismantled in minutes with one Allen key.

I HEART BONGOS

Had a few T4`s I love em! Got a T5 kombi now couple of pics of us on a trip 5 bikes all the camping gear had to take a little trailer. Couldnt even feel it behind the van!

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Vans for sale if anyones lookinf for one.

Oh and can someone tell me how to post slightly larger pics. Mine are always smaller tha everyone elses:( 😕

Our van, remapped, de-catted and ace. Posted on page two but you did ask for sexy vans....

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Lived out of mine for over a year...ahhh the irony of working as a Paramedic and being called out to help the homeless!! LOL

On the other end of the scale...

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rickmeister - your T5 rocks! Love our T4, but now have van envy 🙁

. Mine are always smaller tha everyone elses:(

another bongo owner here
just got back from livigno with 5 peaple and ski kit and luggage 758miles each way
did'nt miss a beat cruised at a steady 75-85mph all the way there and back
love it 8)

PS
how hard is skiing 😯
i'm nacked 😳 my poor leggies
looks easy on the telly

Anyone got a scudo/expert/dispatch?

mi dad has one of thease

53plate ex.MOD, LDV Convoy double cab, 7 seater, massive parcel shelf,room for 2 bikes behind the rear seats, boot big enough to fit 5 bikes and tool chest,towball for towing caravans, av.38miles to the gallon in very hilly area

like this

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sizes except his isnt the minibus version..
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sorry stock image due to difficuty postin 9 images on ebay

Here is a first on the topic of vans, a dihatsu extol converted with a bike rack in the back for 2 bikes and even room for camping gear and a dog! taken us up to scotland a couple of times no probs didnt get stuck in the snow and drives like a car. the van is currently for sale on ebay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110509178198&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

as now have a vito!

Here's mine:
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Would quite like one of those VW transporters for everyday transport.