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Lulu DIY build thread .......... The unconventional way !

181K views 229 replies 63 participants last post by  TURK 
#1 ·
Hi all,

As I have been gathering information these last couple of years, after having purchased my second T4, I thought I had better start a build thread as some of this information may be invaluable to some. My experiences, good and bad ( and screw-ups ) will also be included. Some may learn from my mistakes. I apologise in advance for some of my ramblings, and the many many pictures.

A quick explanation .... I had at the time a 1.9D, great runner, solid, but no 'oompth' if you know what I mean.
That was about the time I joined this great Forum. And become part of something that would take over my life ........ for the better I may add :D

After reading just about everything I could get my hands on, I quickly realised ( and it made great sense to me ) that the 2.5 Turbo Diesel 5 cylinder was the one for me. So my search begin. As I'm in Jersey in the Channel Islands this could be difficult. But I was prepared to travel for the right vehicle. So I carried on plodding around Jersey in my 1.9D with my head full of ideas, and a stack of money waiting to be spent !

Then one fine day ....... I saw her !

I made contact with the seller, and agreed to view the van that evening after work. He wanted waaaaayyyyyy too much cash for her. So I told him I'd sleep on it. SLEEP ....... not on your life. I didn't get any sleep as I was so afraid that he would sell her the following day. So the following day I went for another viewing and we went for a spin. I was smitten :D the difference was amazing. It didn't even drive like a van, these are comparable to some fine cars.

So the haggling began ...... it went on for a while ( as you do ) he just wouldn't budge ........ then I flashed the cash ! never fails that one ;)

The price and terms were agreed, I was now the proud owner of a SWB 2003 2.5TDi 88BHP factory standard ( but we can always do something about that later ...... as I'd learned from reading posts on this forum ).



Here's what she looked like when I first went to view her the first evening >>




And a couple of days later after all the red tape had been taken care of. Parked up next to my 1.9D >>




The interior pretty much the same dull boring grey as my 1.9D. First thing I got to do is get rid of the awful steering wheel >>




A few days driving around around in 'Lulu', a well suited name I thought. I had a smile from ear to ear. Most of my mates and work colleagues agreed she was a beauty ...... but why the 'wallpaper' !? Seeing the picture again, reminds me of why they used to say that.
And besides, flowers are for girls ! >>




Looking inside told me I had a lot of work to do >>




I didn't rate his woodworking skills too much, but as a surfer, I know he would probably prefer to hit the waves. So it would all have to come out >>




The all important 2.5TDi - all in great shape, no records of anything though ! ...... why are people so bad at keeping records !?
It's good practise to type a purchase agreement, I've been doing this for years with second hand cars and motorbikes. If they refuse to sign it, they may have something to hide ....... just walk away. >>




She also came with some very posh 18" alloys ..... Porsche I was told at the time ...... later found out they're not >>




First phase of the operation was to swap out all my recent purchases from my 1.9D, my creature comforts such as bucket seats, Momo sports steering wheel, the DRL type headlights I would do that another time. I was like a proud dad that particular day with my two siblings >>




In order for my Momo steering wheel and boss to function correctly ( ie, indicator canceling ), I cut a piece off an aluminium pipe and glued it onto the original indicator canceling tab that was too short. >>




This close up shows the indicator canceling tab in the OFF position ( the little white tab to the right ) >>




This close up shows the tab sticking out ( indicator ON ) so when you straighten the steering wheel back up, the tab on the steering boss makes contact with that, and cancels your indicator, pretty straight forward really. >>




And the extended canceling tab on the steering wheel boss >>




As I had the intension of installing some electrics in my doors, I wasn't going to leave my door belows behind ..... not at 15 quid a piece ! >>




The smaller of the two ends goes between the two body panels, and come out underneath where the fuse box is located >>




Then the fatter end 'plugs' into the door. >>




My bucket seats in, and most of the 'fire wood' removed. >>




I dread to think what I could find behind those panels ! >>




Well, she's insulated ...... it's that horrid stuff they used to use in the building game. You don't want to be breathing this stuff in, or even let it make contact with your skin. Nothing worse than fiberglass dust in your lungs ! >>




After donning my breathing mask, I continued the demolition ( quite satisfying actually ). Well, this stuff was all over the place.
Must of been warm as toast in here ! >>




Behind all the loft insulation I found some ply panels glued to the metal van panels ! >>




Bit more cleaning up, and checking for rust. >>




And yet more of that god damn insulation in the roof. >>




He wasn't shy in using glue either by the looks of things >>




OK, that's just about everything out, Bit more cleaning and close inspection of various body panels, and I can start thinking about my personal build >>








TURK
 
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#3 ·
Hi mate,

Flowers are already gone ...... too many people said it looked like wallpaper !
So I removed the vinyl, shame really, the previous owner had done a good job of it, as he's a sign writer. Not so good at carpentry or auto electrics however !

It was a few weeks before I could get it to a 'blank canvas'. Apart from the makeshift furniture, it's immaculate. A good rule of thumb when buying a second hand T4, is to buy from an enthusiast such as was the previous owner. You can bet that it will have been looked after. Buy from an ex builder ....... and that's exactly what you'll get ..... a builders van, requiring a lot of money to put right.

Same as buying a house I suppose ..... we all want to put our own mark on it. I already had a definite plan as to what I wanted to do with it. I think the first step of any conversion, is the decision of how you're going to use the van. I'm not planning on spending too much time on campsites, or weeks on end wild camping, so a 'day van' or 'weekender' is what I'm aiming for.

But I do like my creature comforts :D

So loads of gizmo's going in. I'm going for a clean understated but functional interior.




TURK
 
#4 ·
Hi all,

I have many more pictures to upload, so I will try and do this in chapters as it were.

As mentioned in my previous post my goal is for a 'weekend' van, so no 240 volt, no gas cooker, no kitchen sink. In fact, cooking inside any vehicle will only multiply the condensation problem ten fold. Any cooking will be done from the rear of the van under the tailgate. As I intend to design a sliding 'kitchenette' from under the rear seats.

Two Audio systems to be run off leisure battery ( front & rear ).
Amp running rear system ( powered from leisure battery ).
13 speakers in all ( including sub ).
Battery condition via digital volt meters.
Still trying to work out whether it's feasible to install an Amp meter for leisure battery.
LED's in doors to illuminate door handles at night.
Door open warning LED' in doors.
Security alarm with proximity sensors.
Rear view camera ( that will double up as rear view mirror ) as I'm going to build a bulkhead to incorporate all the electrics.
Monitor for rear view camera & rear view mirror.
All lighting in rear will be LED's, second lighting system will be 'mood lighting'.
Large 12v flat screen television.
Multi media system run off Raspberry Pi with solid state drive as storage. - Movies - MP3's - may look at GPS at a later date.

As we all know, space is at a premium in T4's, particularly the short wheel base. This can be done, if the space is used intelligently. With all those gadgets, gizmo's, knobs and switches to install, designing a roof console to accommodate most of those electrics, now sounds like a good idea. As you will run out of space on the dash very quickly.


So for my first project, I have to mark out the position of the roof console. In my book, much more practical than a sunroof. You want fresh air .....
wind the window down :D

I need to get the dimensions of the roof console, so I can make a mock-up of it in cardboard.
I'll set that aside as my evening project. >>




During daylight hours I'll consentrate on the van interior. Everything cleaned up real well. Well pleased, not rust at all >>




As my bulkhead will sit on top of the floor, I've got to get the floor in first. So I used the original floor boards the previous owner had, as a template. As I won't be using 25mm ply, I'll be using 12mm ply. An important thing to consider when doing a conversion of any type, is the amount of weight you're going to add to your vehicle. Keep everything as light as possible, without losing the rigidity of the furniture fittings. As an example, by using 12mm ply for the flooring, I gained in the region of 20 kilos ! Every bit you save, will make a big difference in the end. Too much weight gained, and your performance and fuel economy will suffer.

Before I began installing anything, I took Lulu to the local dump as they have a weigh bridge there. Totally gutted out, a full tank of fuel plus spare wheel and me = 1,653 Kilos

It'll be interesting to see what she weighs when I'm finished.

So here's the first board cut to size. I had no option than to go right across, Joining the two section floor would be awkward.
As there's bound to be some flex, and I don't have a biscuit joiner >>




As I was cutting wood with my plunge cutter using a straight edge, I took the opportunity to prepare some slats that I would use as ribs for my bulkhead >>




OK, both fit like a glove. See what I mean by the join in the middle. Ordering a larger sheet of ply in Jersey wasn't an option unfortunately. If you can, do it in one sheet. >>




I measured slightly larger, so when it came to fitting the floorboards. I would push down firmly. No screws or glue needed. But first I have to insulate >>




Here's what I'm going to use, it's a wool and fiber mixture that upholsterers use. I'm not suggesting you rush out and buy this, but this is the way I chose to do it, only time will tell if it works. Some of you will say it'll soak up moisture like a sponge. You may be right, but my way of thinking, condensation will cause the moisture. But if it's 'aired' and is allowed to breath, there won't be any condensation ....... in theory I: >>




I'll be creating a sandwich with laminate flooring underlay, great for sound proofing >>




OK, so I got the first section down >>




Final section going in >>




Entire floor done, now I can lay down my ply flooring I prepared earlier >>




Now I got my floor in, I can measure up for the ribs that will make up the bulkhead. I also put both my seats back in, and fully adjusted right back. I can now see the curvature behind the seats. I can't go back any further as I'm already obstructing the sliding door entry. but I have a cunning plan ! :D >>




Viewed from the back of the van, I can now see where the compartment door will be, not very wide ! ....... but nether am I I:

You will have noticed that I moved the rib forward by 8cm to be on the safe side, and there's still quite a bit of travel on the seats. >>




My other project 'The roof console' had been coming along just great, so I installed that on a temporary basis. As it has to but up to the bulkhead on the cab side. >>




So far my plan is coming together, I've now got plenty more measurements, so I need to update my drawings.
Next phase will be flashbanding ........




See you in the next chapter.



TURK
 
#5 ·
Welcome,

Today we're going to 'flashband' :D

For those of you who don't know what this stuff is and have never used it. It's lead based, with one surface very sticky, makes it ideal for application. I can only say that's it's well worth the ten quid a roll, I only used two rolls for the entire van. Don't confuse it with 'sound proofing' though, As it's not sound proofing, it's actually very effective at reducing the 'drumming' effect that large metal panels create in vehicles. All you need to do is cover the large panels, no need to overlap, or go right into the little gaps, as those areas won't be vibrating anyway.

What it looks like with sticky back removed >>





Here's how I did mine, good clean surface, free from grease or dust. Cut length required then apply pressure.
I'm using using a sheet of paper to protect my roller, as this stuff is like tar on a hot day >>




First panel done. You'll also notice a white piece in the middle. That's the original VW damping pad. You're basically doing the same, but making a better job of it ! once you've done your first panel, go round the outside and knock on the panel, it now makes a distinctive thud as opposed to the sound of an empty tin can. >>




OK, now that's that entire side done >>




Repeat on other side. You'll notice there's a lot of gaps between the strips of flashband, but that's all you need. Don't waste your money putting 2 or 3 layers on top of one another, like I've seen on other builds on this forum >>




If theres one area you have to 'mate' the flashband, it's the wheel arches. As you're driving along stones and road debris bounce against your inner wheel arch. Doing this bit properly will reduce that sound dramatically >>




It's so pliable, it's a joy to work with. Eventually I will be boxing out the wheel arches. But thats for another day. >>




For now, we'll turn our attention back to the bulkhead. I now have all the necessary ribs for the bulkhead >>




The positioning of your leisure battery is critical, as all my electrics such as the battery isolator, fuse box and heavy duty split charge system will be built into the bulkhead, it's only logical that the leisure battery go under the passenger seat, making it a short run to the bulkhead. Making all my cable runs very short. The orientation is also important, I put my positive terminal closest to the passenger door step. This avoids criss-crossing cables, looks much tidier also. >>




So the battery doesn't move about while I'm driving, I just made a base with a cut-out that the battery sits in.
Eventually I will box the whole thing up. >>





To install the ribs for the bulkhead I'll be using pressure, you can't beat very tight fitting joins, and the help of CT 1'
If you you don't know what that is ( I think it's similar to Sikaflex ) they use CT 1 in the building trade. It's got to be one of the toughest adhesives around. In fact, I've seen an advert where there clued a 6 inch breeze block to the side of a building with the stuff ! .....
so no screws or nails required >>




To make better contact, I'll be doing the same at the top as I have done at the foot >>





OK, so that's enough for today. Next time we'll concentrate on the insulation.




See you next time.







TURK
 
#10 ·
Thought I would post a small update, as there's n'out on tv for us insomniacs :D


As a cost saving exercise ( and lack of decent materials in Jersey ) I decided I would try my insulation differently.

Heres how I did it ( bearing in mind I did it 2 years ago, and it's still fine ).

I brushed some Evo-Stick very thickly directly onto the metal panel of the van, when the adhesive goes a milky colour, I applied my pre-cut wool insulation, patting down very firmly. When I did a test patch a couple of weeks prior to this, I noticed that the adhesive went 'rubbery' when dry.
This I thought would give me a base layer between the wool and the metal panel. >>




Even waring a respirator, a couple of hours in the back of my van, all doors open, I felt ill ....... I had to pack up and go home :(
I can't believe some people sniff this stuff for pleasure :eek: >>




As the general idea is to have an 'air gap' between the two panels, I had to use batons. I needed at least a 1cm gap for air circulation. The basic concept of any roof insulation, is the air pocket. The aluminium bubble foil all you guys use is designed around this. My wood paneling, unfortunately I had to use 4mm MDF as I couldn't get good quality 4mm ply, has a sandwich layer of laminate flooring insulation and the wool / fiber glued to them. Edged off with adhesive aluminium tape >>




The first of my panels goes in. Currently they're only screwed into the wooden batons. I'm looking at an easy option where I can remove the panels easily. I read a nasty story a while back on a camping forum where a guy traveling around Europe was forced by customs officials to tear down the paneling in his converted van, as they needed to inspect behind the panels !
This won't be happening to me when I'm on my travels >>




Putting batons around the wheel arch was interesting. All the batons are clued on with CT-1
....... it'll stick anything to anything, even if it's porous >>




Next my other panel, I can't show you what the interior of the panel looks like, as I had a hard drive crash a while back, and a lot of photos got corrupted. >>




I used an old coat hanger shaped around the wheel arch, then drew it out on a sheet of card for a template >>




Just checking to see if I'm still square >>




That's one complete side done. I'm not going to carpet the panels, as you can't get the stretchy stuff in black, and grey is so over done. So I'm going to use 'Acoustic Cloth' as it's black and theres not too many contours. Anyway, I'm trying to move away from grey, as another one of my projects will involve removing my dash board and all the plastics and spraying them black >>





I'll try to post some more in the next few days.


TURK
 
#14 · (Edited)
Hi guys,


Thanks for those kind words guys.

how do I like follow this thread? Can I set it to automatically tell me when more pics are uploaded?
Hi CurtisT4

If you go to the top of the thread, you'll see an option for 'Thread Tools', if you click on that you can chose from the drop down menu.




NOTE: Because some people use iPads to view threads, I decided I would try thumbnail previews for faster loading of images. So if you would like to see full size images please click on the picture, it will open in a different window.
Many thanks.


*** Post Edited 2013/05/12
Got rid of thumbnail previews, just too awkward to read thread when you have to open another window to view full size image. ***


Now that I've done as much as I can in the back of the van for the time being, I'll turn my attention to the bulkhead.

For the ribs I used 12mm ply as it's very strong and doesn't tend to warp. They're fixed top and bottom with CT1 construction adhesive. I then began to panel the front of the bulkhead using 4mm MDF. I don't particularly like using this stuff, but it bends much easier than plywood, plus this area isn't prone to dampness so, should be ideal for the job.

I tend to use different types of wood, as they all have their own characteristics and so react differently according to their uses. During the build I will also use pine and hardboard. The main goal here is to keep the weight down, without losing the rigidity as the bulkhead will also act as a security partition. So if some 'A Hole' breaks into the front of the van, he won't be able to get in the back, and vise-versa >>




I decided to work from the top downward, as it was much easier making a cardboard template, then transferring it to the 4mm MDF. The entire bulkhead is secured at the top via 12mm plywood strips and glued into place using CT1, there are no screws at the top or bottom. It's held in place by the pressure of the ribs pushing upward. The rest of the structure ( paneling front and back ) will make the bulkhead even stronger. The screws you see are purely there to hold the panel in place on a temporary basis. The panels will eventually be glued into place and secured by panel pins. >>





The bottom half of the bulkhead had to have a curve in it, to meet the contour of the rear of the seats. So I had to cut some lines 2mm deep with my plunge cutter to allow the MDF to bend a little. The 2 x 4 you see at the bottom, has three holes in it to allow me to run my battery cables through, as my split charge unit and battery isolator is built into the other side of the bulkhead. >>



As you can see in this shot I already started insulting the inner side of the bulkhead, I had to do that first as I wanted to start on the wiring. You can also see the cut lines at the back of the lower MDF panel that helps it to curve. This side of the bulkhead will be a little awkward however, as it gives onto the sliding door. I couldn't make it flat, as the end of the bulkhead would obstruct the inner door handle. So it had to be curved ....... I have a cunning plan for that :D >>





Here's how I got around the problem. Using pine, which is both strong and light weight, I cut some curved 'ribs'. At this point I knew I wouldn't be able to use MDF or plywood for this side of the bulkhead. I just wouldn't be able to bend those types of wood sufficiently to get that curve round the door area. I would have to use hardboard for this. >>





A closer look at the degree of bend required. This side isn't too bad, one curve right to left, vertically. But on the other side ( cab side ) not only do you have a vertical curve, but you also have the seat contour ! .......... head scratching moment. I thought how on earth was I going to pull this one off. I have great faith in my ability to solve any problem. So a few days deep in thought, and I came up with a solution ..... eureka moment, you could say. >>





As I sat there pondering how I was going to go about shaping this area, and what materials to use, It came to me. I would use a technigue boat builders have been using for centuries. .......... using strips of wood I could curve and twist it at the same time. I know of another techique that guitar builders use, but that would mean steaming MDF. not a good idea I thought. >>





So I went ahead with the MDF as I had to stick with the same thickness wood, as my intention was to cover the bulkhead in black acoustic cloth, different thickness's would be seen through the cloth. So the first wood strip goes in, CT1 ( which hadn't failed me yet ) and panel pins, quickly clamped down into place. As MDF is quite strong, and has a tendency to 'spring back' when put under pressure. >>





With the patience of a saint, I did a strip per day. And it worked a treat ! :D >>





Actually, it's amasing just how strong thin wood can be. One of the annoyance's of driving sometimes, are the various types of squeaking you hear. I can assure you, there are no squeaks or vibrations coming from this wooden bulkhead. Up till now, I'm very happy with it. Quite a bit more to do thought >>





Now that I sussed out how to handle the most awkward of angles using wood as a material, there was no stopping me, I felt I could breach any gap ! The bent, curve and twist had to 'blend' into the bodywork. The screws are purely there to hold it in place till the glue sets, it's also panel pinned.
The marked out area will be cut out to allow access to the sliding door lock. >>





Now that the all important contours were well set. I had yet more bending of wood and shaping to do. In the form of the top rib. I'm sure you can imagine, there's an awful lot of measuring to do. If you get the inner curve wrong, it'll act as a sliding door shunt. I secured the wood strips as I had done previously. I'm now maybe into my third week of bulkhead building. >>





As the top half of the bulkhead went without any dramas, I turned my attention to the back side of the bulkhead paneling. Panel all measured up, I proceded to cut 2mm cut outs on the inside for the vertical bend. >>





I worked from the curved side inward, if my measurements were slightly off, I could trim that down, as it would be the door area. I also strengthened the door access hole. >>





It was now time for a little clearing up. So out with the rotary sanding tool to get rid of the ridges caused by the strips of wood. The next stage would be to cover the entire bulkhead with one sheet of black acoustic cloth, without overlaps >>





As the bulkhead construction gets it's strength by being glued and nailed together, it's a 'solid' box if you like. It also contains all my electrics, so for future access should your electrics develop a fault, you need to make some 'service' hatches. As an ex computer engineer, photocopier and printer engineer, there's nothing worse that trying to fix something you can't get to. Even computer programmers write code with a 'backdoor' should their program fail.

So here's the stage I'm at now. The bottom left is going to be a cupboard for my fire extinguisher. >>





I constantly read other members build threads, ( they're great for inspiration ) but why are so many rushed !?
Any van conversion is a labour of love ........ not a chore. I didn't give myself a deadline, I see this as a hobby ( as does uploading the images for your enjoyment ), so it doesn't matter if it takes me another 2 years to complete it. And I'm still enjoying my van, as it's my daily transport.

I hope you all enjoy your conversions as much as I'm enjoying mine, and feel free to copy anything you see here. It's the main reason why I documented everything.




See you in the next chapter.


* Please let me know what you think of the thumbnail previews. Would you all prefer full size images ?





TURK
 
#16 ·
Wow that was quick ........ did you have time to read all that ? I: LOL:

Thanks for that mate. Def taken on board.


I've just reread the thread myself ....... personally, I don't like thumbnails. As I found it very awkward to open and shut down windows when viewing the image you're reading about.

All my photos are compressed anyway, there shouldn't be any photos larger than 250 KB.


I'll revert back to simple linking. Thanks nicklouse T:




TURK
 
#18 ·
Hi guys ( sorry ..... and gals :D ),


Another chapter in my favorite pastime. Today I'm going to try 'carpeting' ...... actually, I don't like grey carpet, so won't be using stretch carpet as you can't get it in black, I'll be using acoustic cloth instead. Grey wouldn't go too well with my plan of a luxury limousine interior anyway. Black, black everywhere ( apart from the headlining ) as there's something about grey suede that makes it look like silver, all depending what angle you look at it. Acoustic cloth if some of you don't know, is like a thin carpet, much thicker than cloth, but not stretchy ...... so well see how we get on, as I've never used it myself.

Cupboards, where the visible finish will be wood, such as doors, will be made of visa spruce but stained in mahogany, then many layers of lacquer.
But lets not get ahead of ourselves, as I have the entire front cab to do. .......... in black of course :D



Probably not recommended to begin your first foray into gluing fabric to surfaces, but I had to start in an intricate corner as I needed to tuck the cloth between the wood and the metal. My idea was that the wood panel wouldn't squeak against the metal van panels. I had recollections of my aborted attempt at wallpapering a few years ago ......... and that ended in tears :blg
I limited myself to half hour stints in the van, as even with breathing mask on, and having spent 2 hours on the back of my van last time, I had to go home ill ..... 'Evo-Stick' is not to be messed with ..... you have been Warned ! >>




I had to do this in one whole piece, as you will never get the seems correct, and in time ( the unavoidable peeling back of both sections ) will be all too obvious. I prefer the brush on method of gluing, as the spray glue is messy and usually ends up everywhere, including on your person. So I started gluing at the top, ten inch bands, and worked my way down, patting it down as I went along. >>




I went right over the doorway, then cut the doorway out. >>




I installed my seatbelt back in, and made in plinth for the foot of the bulkhead. Even though it's a bright sunny day, my flashgun went off on my camera, the result is the acoustic cloth doesn't look black at all ! but trust me, it is very black. >>




All that hard work shaping the contours of the bulkhead to meet the body work paid off, it's one endless sheet of cloth all the way up to the door rubber. The angle of the shot doesn't actually show the curvature unfortunately.
Note the my passenger door, already spray painted matt black .... Plasti-Kote of course. I even took the time to finish off the door pockets in black acoustic cloth, ( more on that procedure later, as that turned out to be a farce ).>>




As the day was coming to an end, I had to put my seat back in to drive home, it's already looking quite cosy in there :D >>




The following day I trimmed back the surplus material. For jobs like this I tend to use the sharpest tool known to man .... a scalpel, as sometimes a stanley blade isn't quite sharp enough. Cutting acoustic cloth tends to leave frayed edges with stanley blades, not so with a scalpel. During my drive home yesterday, I noticed just how quite the cab was, this stuff is definitely very effective as a sound deadener. >>




And now for something completely different ! .........

As my other project was taking shape, I was now in the position to build my overhead roof console from 4mm MDF. I had to get the front end ( cab side ) of the bulkhead complete, as the roof console bolts onto it. >>




One other detail had been taken care of earlier . The mounting blocks for the roof console. >>




One particular job I wasn't looking forward to, was to drill a 17mm hole in my roof. But I chose to buy one of these Sharkfin aerials as I liked the look of them, plus it meant that no more idiots would be snapping my telescopic aerials in car parks any more. So I rubbed it down with glass paper, ready for primer. Some of the very cheap ebay sorts have very bad reviews, so I decided to spend a little more £20 odd quid if I remember rightly >>




As it's amplified, it needs a 12v feed. That I'll connect to the power of the headunit, so the powered aerial won't be on all the time. I'll also need to purchase an extra long aerial lead to feed up the A pillar up to the roof console. >>




Bit more prepping and masking, and we're ready for 3 coats of primer. >>




OK, my usual spraying technique ...... one thick coat of primer, let it dry, rub it down, then two thin coats of primer, gentle rub down ( scotch pad ) then half a dozen or so 'fine mists' of white acrylic spray paint. Don't know whether that's the correct procedure, but it works for me T: >>




I had to make a safe work platform, as I was intent on drilling from the outside inward. I didn't know what sort of exit hole the drill bit would created. If it had turned out to be a horrible Jaggered edge, it would be easier to clean up the hole from the inside. >>




If there was ever a moment to measure 'thrice' ..... this surely was it ! As I had previously measured the center on the inside roof, I transfered this measurement to the outside. I then went back inside the van, a drilled a pilot hole ..... it was bang on ! >>





I was then happy to enlarge the hole with a larger drill bit, and then clean the edges up with my dremel >>




I applied CT1 to the entire foot of the Sharkfin aerial, and bolted it down from the inside of the van ( the threaded bolt is cerated and bites into the metal of the bodywork making a good earth ) a poor earth will result in bad reception, as a poor reception will be amplified.
I then sealed the edges with waterproof sealant. >>





Job done.


See you in the next chapter. .......


TURK
 
#22 ·
Hi all,

In this 'chapter' I will concentrate on my roof console.

The first thing I had to do was to workout the positioning of my monitor, as it will double up as a rear view mirror, as I've built a bulkhead, with door closed I'll have no visibility out back. >>






Now that I have my dimensions and correct angles, I can cut out my two sides. >>





A quick test fit shows how well it fits. Like everything else, it has to be a snug fit. Any movement and it will vibrate.
Nothing worse than those little squeaks while you're driving. >>





With my cab headlining back in position I marked out where the cuts had to go. This is critical, you only have one shot at this, get it wrong .....
and your headlining will be useless. >>





Now that I have my cut mark marked out, and I know which side of the line I'm supposed to cut to. Cause there's nothing worse, making a nice clean cut only to find out you've cut the wrong side of the line ......... it's been done before I: >>





It's kinda nerve wracking cutting up a perfectly good headlining, using a good steel straight edge, and that's one side done. >>





Headlining back in, and ready for roof console to be installed. >>





Here's where I'm at with the console. The design is set at an angle as I can view everything from my driving position without leaning over to see whats what. The switch panel is also at an angle for easy access. >>





These are the switches I'll be using. I tend to stick to blue LED's as 'indicators' for auxiliary equipment ON, like the headunit or interior lights ( you can hear the music and see the lights are on, so they're 'indicators' ). Red LED's however are for 'Warning' circuits ON ( like fog lights or my amp for instance, as those could be left ON accidentally ). Cardboard mock-up of the switch panel, the switch guards were very difficult to get hold of, in fact I had to get from a aeronautical place in the states. You don't want to be banging your head against all these switches ! >>





After re-jigging things around a little, I managed to fit six switches on the panel, meaning five switch guards. The positioning would have to be accurate to the millimeter. As anything that is lit and out of line, is all to obvious. >>





To avoid 'the wondering drill bit' syndrome, I started the hole with a very sharp bradle. >>





OK, so that's the holes drilled for the aluminium switch guards. Next up is to drill the 12mm hole for mounting the switches >>





So that's the first one done. >>





And from the back of the switch panel. >>






Really starting to look like something now. Six switches, should be enough to accommodate all those extra gizmo's I'm going get >>





And from the back ....... I like neatness ! :D >>





A quick assembly to see what the console would look like >>





Roof console in situ. The plan for running the wires is well under way. The blue cable and the yellow one coming from the bulkhead, are for my headunit switching, as my headunit is powered via my leisure battery. Directly to the right of those two cables there's a dark blue cable with a red splice connector on, that's just a test lead, for testing the earth on the switch. As it's the return to earth that makes the LED in the switch light up. >>





As cool blue LED switches are very bright, I'll have to tone them down a bit as it's illegal to drive at night in some countries with the interior light on. Originally I was going to use resistors, but I would have to test various resistors to find one I was happy with. But what if you changed your mind and wanted the LED a tad brighter !? ....... you'd have to de-solder that resistor, and install a new one. The alternative is a potentiometer, it's a 'variable' resistor. So I bought a PC fan controller, with the intension of taking it apart for the potentiometers. When it arrived, I had a cunning plan to mount the whole thing in one of the panels ......... here's what I came up with. >>





Here's what the completed roof console would look like, viewed from my driving position. >>





I decided I would solder the earth connections to the pots, as oposed to using the PC plugs, as it uses a 5v connection for the LED's on the fan controller. I then tested the pots with a multimeter, a rise and full of the voltage on the meter tells me they're suitable for dimming the switch LED's. >>





So that's another stage done, for the time being. Next up ....... covering the headlining with grey suede.







TURK
 
#23 ·
Hi all,

I this chapter I'm going to be applying the finishing touches to my cab roof. I decided to go for grey faux suede for the roof lining. It seems the obvious choice as my bucket seats are black and grey. It also breaks up the colour a little.

I've seen in previous threads the original poster tearing up the cloth from the headlining card. As gluing anything to that surface is quite difficult as it's so porous. I believe in doing a job well, which means I only do it once. As you don't want the fabric coming off in a couple of months. As I didn't want to strip the original VW fabric and the sponge material I did it this way ......

Firstly I sprayed the entire surface of the fabric with hair spray. Loads of it ! when it dries it leaves a solid layer. Should be fine for gluing. It also gives extra adhesion to the glue. >>





I love the look and feel of this stuff, even though it's fake it's almost like the real thing. At varying angles it sometimes looks like silver, brush it one way, and it'll look dark grey, almost black. I'd like to use it everywhere, but it's too light weight for that, but it's ideal for roof lining, as up there there's no heavy wear involved, on the plus side its also very light. >>





As mentioned earlier I don't use spray on adhesives, I prefer the brush on method. I'm using Evo-Stick that's an instant bond, so after you've brushed it on, you wait till the surface of the adhesive goes tacky or milky in colour. I decided I wouldn't use the vacuum bagging technique as that seems too much faffing about for me. So I rolled the suede fabric in heavy plastic sheeting. I applied the glue in six inch bands, waited for it to go milky then rolled the plastic out patting down the fabric as I went along. >>





If you did it loosely you should be able to pat it down into the curves of the headlining. leave it for a few days before the next stage >>





I think like paint, glue has to 'harden' before you attempt to cut it. So with my scalpel I made some 'incisions' ! >>





And the final product ....... just like factory finish ! >>





Now that I know that my roof console idea will work, running cabling won't be an issue, and I've design the panels to be removed like service hatches, so I can add circuits without having to remove the entire console from the roof. I'll finally cover that also. Originally I wanted to flock it black. But that would mean sending it to the UK as nobody does flocking in Jersey. So I decided i would have to use black fabric. The first stage however was to cover the MDF with baize, this will give it a softer feel. I've allowed for these extra few millimeters on my headlining. >>





I can't fold the surplus baize inward as that would make the internal dimensions slightly narrower. So I just trimmed the edges off. >>





With both outer side of the console covered with black baize, all I have to do now is cover it with material. My choice of material here was disastrous, any cut what so ever and it frayes horribly. >>





Not liking the DIY look, ie, edges where two pieces of fabric meet. Plus with wear and tear, those two ends are sure to peel back. Making the whole job look nasty. So somehow, I had to do it in one piece. Another head scratching moment ..... but it's doable ! >>





Next stage is covering the switch panels and service hatches. I quickly realised that using this type of fabric would cause problems. The thing you have to consider is, the constant removal of the panels. There was only one option ........ spray the panels matt black. I'd already had very good results on my dashboard and door cards. But how would Plasti-Kote react to wood !? >>





I didn't have any varnish about the place, so I spray painted with primer. I was quite surprised to see that the MDF hadn't soaked up the paint as I though it would. So I put a couple more layers on. >>





I put about six coats of matt black Plasti-Kote on, sanding in between coats. It looks shiny in the picture as it's still wet. But when it dried it was matt black just like a blackboard. >>





Getting ready for the final assembly. >>





Headlining in and supported by 'L' brackets on the inside. If I need to remove the headlining for what ever reason, it's the usual clips above the doors and console supports are velcro. >>





headlining now properly secured and the cab plastics back in place. >>





On rainy days when you can't do any work on your van outside, you can always concentrate on your electronics projects.
Today I'll prepare the earths for all the LED switches. Pretty straight forward really. >>





This is a typical example of what I was saying about service hatches on the console panels. Ease of access. I'm now free to tinker around and run cables and wires. So all the preparation to get to this stage had been worth while. >>





Currently I only have two running circuits on the switch panel. The headunit can be turned ON/OFF with switch#1 and the rear lights that are LED fitments wired via a voltage regulator is switched by #2.
I'm currently testing various cameras that may be suitable for my rear view mirror. That's to follow. >>





Hope you all enjoyed the thread, there's plenty more to follow.
And hopefully somebody will find something useful.



Thanks





TURK
 
#25 ·
Thanks Jay T:

It's starting to look like the space shuttle :D

I do like my gizmo's


Loads more to upload yet. I'm sure there's something for everybody. If nothing is to your taste yet.
If it helps a forum member out, then the build thread will have served it's purpose.

Plus I've got everything documented in one place. :D




Cheers guys T:




TURK
 
#26 ·
Love this so far Turk , well done A:

Your patience,dedication and attention to detail is totally OCD ! :eek: ....but you are a man after my own heart T:

The bulkhead curves are subtle yet a beautiful touch of class .:cool:

I am now officially an avid subscriber to this build thread, top job and Keep up the good work .

P.S. i shall be stealing any ideas that i like and think i can actually reproduce without ballsing them up :D
 
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