MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Mine and the missus' home sweet home when in NZ for 2 months.
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and the view wasnt bad
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Our T25 up in Highlands
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and on the N coast
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WTF are those hairy things? That looks well dodgy. I can see how a vayn is an advantage, nay, a [i]must[/i] in such situations! 😯
Imagine if you were in a tent? You'd probably get eaten.
Theyre Haggis mate 🙂
Knew it! People say I don't know nothing about the countryside and that, but I know loads of stuff. And I know a Haggis when I see one. I'm not stupid.
Bloody dangerous that. Could have yer arm off no problem.
i spent the night with a couple of girls in an old T3 the other night beside Lago di Garda.
the shocks were in full working order..... bit cramped though.
However nothing beats coming back to the campsite after a long day out and cracking a cold beer from the fridge. Can't get that with a tent - the beer is always warm!
Yes you can! I always take a fridge when we go camping.
Susie - Member
Mog, do you just lock your bikes to the rack overnight then? We were wondering about storing bikes under the bed. How reliable are the VW's?
Yep, locked to the rack - never had any problems in around 6 years of events, days out etc... Don't think you'd fit any bikes under the bed, unless you practically dismantles them. Ours has been very reliable. It's 1998, 120,000 miles - we only service it annually when it gets MOT'd. Don't to crazy miles in it though - gets used around twice a week for work/supermarket duties and then most weekends away.
Van Halen - Member
mogs van for the win.its what mine aspires to be.
what cab bunk do you have/use? very interested as the small nipper needs one soon and the ones i've seen for t4 have been crap.
We got ours from a guy of the [url= http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/ ]T4Forum[/url] who was making them just for members. You can choose whatever material you like or send him some to match whatever you like. The frame sits on the door cards - v.secure, the girls love it. I won't tell you how much he charged me in case his prices have changed - he does it just for the members on the site though so I bet he's still cheaper than most places. You're right though, some are really flimsy.
Not knocking it, and I'm sure it must be nice to have and that, but doesn't it kind of defeat the object of getting out into the countryside, when you bring a small house with you?
In a camper van or caravan, you can sleep cosy, warm and dry, you can get up, make tea and breakfast in a real kitchen, sit on a sofa, eat at a table, make toast, get dressed standing up, drink cold drinks etc etc and still pack it all away in 15 minutes and drive off. The point about being in the countryside is just that, being in the countryside - sleeping on the floor in a bag doesn't have to be part of it. You can still thrown open the door and gaze across some new mountain vista just like you can in a tent, but it's way way more comfortable.
I'd love a camper van, the only reason I like carvans is that the standard of available accomodation is way way better for the money. Plus, I am beginning to think you generally get more living space in a caravan.
I registered to post this! Often had a nose around but never felt the need to comment.
Anyway, we have a T5 Kombi (rear seats that can be removed) and we did a basic conversion which suits us. It's by no means a camper but we can store the bikes inside and sleep in there (more a tent on wheels - think electric cool box and camping stove rather than built in units). Unfortunately no pictures to hand, I'll see what I've got later.
Attempt at a description:
We have made use of the fact the rear seat folds flat and built a platform behind at the same level using scaffold poles and carpeted ply. The scafold poles mean no central support is required. This leaves sufficient room to slide 2 bikes under (stacked), with front wheels removed (easiest if pedals are removed too), plus several boxes and bags.
Great thing is the platform is easily removed and we can then use it as a 5 seater, a van, etc. It's our only car so needs to be versatile.
One thing I would do differently next time - put some karrimat under the carpet on the ply bed - ply is very unforgiving.
Steve
To sum up. If it's small it's like a car, and you can drive it everywhere, however it probably will not have secure storage, a toilet, shower and luxury stuff for extended or remote trips; but you can sleep, cook, and wash in it! so it depends upon what your intended use is. life is a compromise !
Steve, we'd be very interested in seeing photos if you've got any.
NickyB, did you buy that out there and sell it on when you came home? We're planning on going to New Zealand too, but are thinking of doing that as a bike tour.
I engineered this for the BAR Formula 1 team in 1998/9
[url= http://www.aed.eu.com/aed/sport/f1-racing ]BAR F1 mobile hospitaity suite[/url]
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Now that is just ridiculous! 😆
Baah - get yourselves a proper size camper !!
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Bourgeois lot!! Here is a real camper!!
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i thought todmorden looked better than that on the tv this morning?
mog,
i've seen that one. it doesnt collapse very small does it? i see storage as a problem we have a 3 seat variotech so i'm not sure where i could store something that long permanently. i need to put some thought into it. i'm sure there is a better way.
we got a T4 as its our only vehicle. damn good it is too. and reliable so far.
bikes chained to hte rack or locked inside/underneath if going away for the day.
Susie,
Finally got round to looking out those images - turns out I don't take many inside the van! However the following three give an idea of how it works
In this you can see the half(ish) height platform and can just see the rear of the two scaffold poles supporting it underneath:
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This is the platform with a double thermarest on it and the rear seat folded down
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Here you can see the rear seat up
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The bikes are on the driver side underneath the 70's orange sheet (parents old curtains). Certainly not super quick getting the bikes out - you wouldn't bother for popping to the shops but not offputting for proper rides
By the way - don't get black if you can help it - very warm!
Hope that helps a bit.
Steve
easy Susie,
Nah we rented it, the risk of buying one and then being liable for all the repairs if it turns out to be a nail worried me. If you hiring on I would recommend doing what we did and hiring a panel van not a camper van out there as the campers are pretty pricey and you cant get the bikes in without taking em to bits unless you buy a big one. We got a minibus that the owner took the seats out of and blacked the windows up? Just took a gas stove and bought crap pans and stuff out there. Washed in the sea yadda yadda yadda. If you want the company that we useds contacts message me.
Nick
Finally cracked!
[url= http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1236/528510120_5773583304.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/528510120/ ]Sligachan Camp1 on Skye[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1055/530206573_4cfee9b683.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/530206573/ ]Heading out of Glenbrittle[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1031/530403517_dcd0a35da7.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/530403517/ ]Bedtime view[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
Thanks for posting those Steve.
Nick - YGM
Postierich - I think I might have seen yours at Birches Valley car park.
BandySteve
Loving your T5, and your set up is exactly as I'd been thinking as I'm committed to a 5 seater for car allowance reasons.
Do you reckon a set up where the bikes sat upright with the front wheel (and potentially saddle/seatpost) removed would be too high to get a bed deck like yours above? I've farted about with mates Transporters, and it's hard to say without actually building it. I've got a Caddy Maxi just now do would have to swap before I could be let loose with tools and scaffold poles! I appreciate the back seat would need to come out.
Cheers
Jupiter - that site is mental, but how cool would it be to have one of those
My westy they are the best fact 🙂
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and for old times the type 2
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Postierich, love that mate, but ive always thought they looked a bit snug for two on an extended trip, how do you find it?
See, there. In my heart I like the old campers. But then you see one of the modern ones and it all looks so comfortable and easy to live with.
those big vans must be a nightmare to drive around pembrokeshire, devon, cornwall etc
Brycey,
Not sure I can't see that working - well not easily or comfortably - depends how much breathing room you want!
We happily fit upto 6 bikes in the back behind the rear seats - inverted with front wheels removed and there doesn't seem to be much space above them.
I guess if you removed the saddle and/or rear wheel you would then just be constrained by the handlebar to axle length. VW website gives the internal height as 1410mm ([url] http://www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/transporter/dimensions/ [/url]).
It might just work!
Other things to consider: You would need the platform to extend to the rear seat area unless you are very short! However, in the kombi you obviously have rear windows in that area thereby making support attachment a tad tricky. I simply screwed a short length of 4x2, with a notch cut out, to the ply side panel so the weight on the scaffold poles is transfered to the floor. In the window area, I'm not sure how this would work (mine only has to go as far as the rear seat).
Would a long wheelbase version help....?
Alternative would be to go for a poptop roof/bed (about 5/6K fitted I think).
thekingofsweden,
Swivel front seats - nice - always been tempted to fit those. Can they slide any closer to the front of the van? In the kombi the rear seat is fixed (albeit with decent leg room compared to most cars) and therefore you might end up knocking knees if they go where your picture above shows...
Cheers,
Steve
Sweepy tis snug with 3 of us thats why we have a drive away awning to cook/chill but we all sleep in the bus.
Susie yep BV regular.
Been off the road for the last 6 weeks due to white van man ramming me but its all good now 😀
Cheers BandySteve, I reckon you're right. I suppose a high roof one would be an option, but then you've got all the ferry and car park issues (and they don't look as good!). I reckon you're current set-up is the way to go.
PS My mate has a Kombi with two revolving front seats, works a treat.
BandySteve - is your misses in the process of building a huge joint in that photo?
Brycey - I'll email you at lunch with an alternative set up for your Caddy, that we use in ours now we have it.
Brycey,
I was actually thinking of the pop-up (tent sided) roof rather than a high top.
The pop-up roof (when down) is no different in height to the normal van - maybe a few mm depending upon which version you go for.
Thinking about one ourselves, but really not looked into it properly yet.
Steve
Rik, that would be great. rbryce at harsco dot com. Cheers
Postierich wins. Easily. 🙂
Every time I see a Bay, I want my old '72 Danbury back. 🙁
This is my current one...
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I've had it just over a year now and I love it. i do a lot of dh racing so it gets used every weekend. It's a motocross race van originally hence the huge garage area, this limits the interior layout a bit but it works fine for me or a couple of people. I'm just starting to think about a switch to a chassis built one next year or the one after as I like it so much.
More pics here:
BandySteve - Member
thekingofsweden,
(Swivel front seats - nice - always been tempted to fit those. Can they slide any closer to the front of the van? In the kombi the rear seat is fixed (albeit with decent leg room compared to most cars) and therefore you might end up knocking knees if they go where your picture above shows)
Yeah they slide miles back and even slid toward the rear of the van youll never 'Knock your knees'
It is also a Lwb so theres plenty of room
Why are the various iterations of VW Transporters so popular with camper conversions rather than Transits, Renaults, Fiats etc - is it because they're smaller and more car like?
Gerty. She's GGGRREAATTT...
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Oooh, go on then...any excuse to show our pride and joy. She's a 95 T4 Westfalia called Rafi and she rocks.
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Why are the various iterations of VW Transporters so popular with camper conversions rather than Transits, Renaults, Fiats etc - is it because they're smaller and more car like?
The rear engined ones have a certain cult following, but for the later models they're really good to drive and don't rust much.... Some of the other vans may be more powerful but take a look at how many 10-15 year old VW vans you see compared to 10-15 year old Transits, Vitos etc. If you do see a 15 year old transit, it will probably be pretty manky.
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Just done a 3750 mile round Europe, Scotland - Slovenia & back. Didn't miss a beat. Not ideal for the longer trips though, more suited to weekends away.
SprocketJockey's comment is kind of why these Bongos are popular - very car-like to drive, good nick for their age (as long as they've been waxoyled on import). They are a bit on the small side - but suits me since I'm a short arse!
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Quite a few of these Bongos about- here's ours
dunslair - looks like somewhere in the Hebrides. Harris?
Not far off SJ..... Barra (airport, when you were able to pitch up there)
You can't any more? 😯
Thought it was somewhere that way - it was a biking trip up to the Hebrides that convinced us to buy a van, after seeing folk parked up on the machair in a spot just North of there. Always fancied returning with the van.
[waves] Hi Dunslair. [/waves]
Summer 2009 was the last time they allowed camping at the airport on Barra- it became unsustainable with folk turning up in massive motorhomes for a fortnight and damaging the machair, I think there were plans to open a slightly more formal site this summer.
Would that be the 'sectret wave' then Dave? 😉
Here's my Barra airport shot:
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We were there in 2009 didn't see any particular signs of "folks turning up in massive motorhomes for a fortnight and damaging the machair".
Nearly everyone appeared to be doing what we did and moving every few days. I read that there were issues with people dumping waste etc. but didn't see any signs of that either. One advantage of the vans like mine is that their tanks are big enough to go several days without needed to dump waste, and there are facilities for that dotted about the western isles including at most of the ferry terminals. There is a place just along the road from the airport in fact (at the little harbour) but it's not that well signposted so I don't think everyone knew about it. There might have been issues with people without on-board facilities (as the toilet in the airport isn't accessible much of the time) having to use the shrubbery but again I didn't see anything like that myself.
There are limited camping spots on Barra other than at the airport so it seemed a little crowded (by Western Isles standards although probably not by anyone elses!) but once away from there it was still very quiet. Other than at the campsites in Lewis and on Benbecula I don't think we ever camped near anyone else.
Yep.. our experience of camping at the airport was much the same as yours epicsteve.... we were there early summer 2009. I can only assume it got much busier later in the summer. We noticed the articles about'massive motorhomes' around Jan this year in the Western Isles Press. (not sure the locals would be so happy to lose all the tourism, even if it could get a bit busy by Western isles standards)We had a laugh at the number of folk making the early morning dash to the public loo.... on their bikes or in their cars. Glad we took the portapoti. 😀
There's a definate VW theme running through my mates (and this thread). Islay for a stag do last month.
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can't decide between a merc and a VW..? [url= http://www.travellerhomes.co.uk/?p=5363 ]here's[/url] your solution..
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/xmoses/4974154911/ ]Grey Ducato[/url]
Here's my new van.
We've spent about 35 nights in it since the beginning of May, and it's great. We had the shell converted to our spec for about the same as an off-the-shelf model.
It's effectively a bed-sit, with 5 separate areas, double bed up most of the time, kitchen, shower/bog , sitting area, driving area.
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/xmoses/4974772644/in/photostream/ ]Inside[/url]