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Our first T4 build! ?

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28K views 68 replies 21 participants last post by  MisterMoleyMole  
#1 ·
Hi there! After being shown the light by the girlfriends parents ( they had a swb converted t4 called travis)! The bug has bitten! Lol
So after many weeks of looking we found one we liked and on a Saturday made the trip from Essex to Gloucester to look at it, on Sunday we returned and bought it! Lol so now we are the proud owners of a 2.5 tdi lwb!
He has no name as of yet, is a bit scruffy, but solid! He has only had two owners and has all paperwork from new! (Result)
And we love him! We have only had him just over a month, but have done a bit so far, will post some pics!
We have big plans! He he! T:
 
#5 ·
Hi Stuart, yeah we have thought about what we want to achieve, but I know it will be more of an evolve as we go affair! Lol
I'm sure we will bump into each other being so close! Do you go to any meets?

And hi and thanks Kev, I have read your build thread and was very impressed!

Will post up some pics of what we have done so far!
 
#8 ·
Thanks for the warm welcome! Here's a few pics of what we have done in the few weeks we have had him. Nearly all work has been done in the evenings after I finnish work, and I had been out there for as long as I could stand the cold! One night there was ice inside the van! :(
I have done more than this, and will post more pics soon! T:
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#10 ·
Thanks Cave Man! Well made some more progress in the last week. We now have central locking fitted to all doors, some vw led puddle lights, finished insulating and cut a ply floor, replaced the intercooler bobbins and more!
Will post pics soon as I can! For some reason when I add an album the add photo button doesn't appear anywhere?? Tried a few time :*
 
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#11 ·
Re: Our first T4 build! ��

get some heavy duty green springs on the back. 60mm should sort it. got mine from cmc. ( i've got a long 'un tooRasp:) get some shorter shocks in there, front and rear, then wind the front torsion bars down with a deep 27mm socket. soak them both in wd40. then wind them both down evenly, do 2 full turns at a time on each nut, until you've reached the desired drop......it looks like it should go down loads yet though !.....a few feet even!!:eek:

looks a good base to be getting on with though T:
 
#13 ·
Update time! I have done quite a bit in the last few weeks, have lots of pics but can't upload any pics yet? Is there a limit?! :*
Anyway, I deleted a pic off my other album so I can upload this!
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Last weekend I popped over to my dads and he had bought some ply, so we measured, made cardboard templates and cut some ply to make a new floor! Also got some vinyl from b&q and cut and loosely fitted, looks a lot more cosy now!
 
#14 ·
Still can't load anymore pics?? :* anyway lots done in the last month, fitted a central locking kit from right click, found it pretty straight forward to fit and managed to get it done in a couple of evenings after work. All wired into the hazards and also foot brake so it will lock automatically when I start to drive! Found a rather neat 2x Usb unit that replaces the cigarette lighter 12v socket Rasp:
Found some material for the headlining from CMC that is the same look as the factory material and recovered the cab headlining and cleaned and covered the rear too, to give a 'factory' look!
The vw wheel centres were looking a bit rough, so a search on the bay and a new set for £4 found its way to me and I promptly fitted them! Next was to replace a couple of perished bobbins supporting the inter cooler, again found on the bay £9.
Also installed a fitted cab mat from CMC, excellent quality and fit, a bit quieter and a lot comfier now!
Yesterday saw two large deliveries arrive, side windows and a R & R bed!! A: so today was spent fitting them! Only managed to get one window fitted as I didn't get to start as early as I would have liked, but still pretty happy, and have the bed bolted in.
Will post pics when the site lets me!
 
#22 ·
Just had a quick look at your build, looking good dude! And excellent choice on flooring T:
The girlfriend has already ordered those covers and should be here this week! Also have a ply lining kit in the post!
Managed to get a side window and the r&r bed fitted saturday Rasp:
 
#24 ·
Looks like a really clean base van to start with!

I'd strongly recommend some altro-type vinyl instead of the B&Q stuff. The cheaper stuff scratches really easily and it'll be a royal PITA to replace it later on in the build.

The trader on here is doing pieces to fit a LWB for about £45. My wood effect stuff has been fitted for over 14 months and there's not a scratch on it. That includes scuffing screws across the floor under my foot while installing cupboards etc. It's bullet proof.
 
#25 ·
Hi Hodges, thanks for the advice, I thought the b&w vinyl would have been good enough, but I guess it makes sense to have something more durable, I will have to see if I can find some of this altro vinyl!
Yes the van is pretty clean really, there's a few dents and scratches but then it is a well used van. The worst bit is a hinge which has ripped out of the drivers side barn door, so we are looking to replace the door, might do both as the other one has a few dents too!

Here's some pics of what we have done in the last month!
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The old wheel centres were looking a bit tired...
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A browse on the bay found these smart replacements for £4!
Warmed them up before fitting to make sure the glue good!

Next, again found on the bay, a double Usb socket to replace the 12v cigarette socket!
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I had to trim a very small amount of plastic for the socket to fit
 
#26 ·
Usb socket
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Next I got busy with some ply off cuts...
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Using cardboard to make templates, a lot of measuring, a bit of cutting, some pinning and glueing, I made this!
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It was bloody cold in the garage, so my dad made this to create some heat!
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It got pretty warm! Lol
 
#27 ·
eBay bargain! Led puddle lights!

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I wired these into the courtesy light using some cores from the multi ore cable loom I installed for the central locking and future proofing!

Wheels

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After reading about the egr valve in a thread, I decided to clean mine and make a blank plate!

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Filthy!!:(using some aluminium plate I made this!

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Works a treat! And feels better to drive! T:
 
#28 ·
Last week the windows and bed arrived! So on Saturday I got busy!

Big box! :)

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No going back now! :eek:

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That's better!

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It was pretty scary cutting out such a big hole in the van! But it went well, and I bonded and riveted the two skins together after reading about it in a thread!
Next was to fit the bed..

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I used some steel spreader plates and 10mm high tensile steel bolts so should be nice and strong!

Installed a nice fitted cab mat from CMC, really good quality

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Next up is carpet lining and then to start building the units!
 
#31 ·
Ha ha! Is it that obvious! Lol yeah I'm using an iPad and for some reason I keep getting randomly logged out! Even though I press the remember me button? So I have to try and cram it all in quick when I add pics! And there's no pattern to it either! Literally could be fine for 30 mins, another time only a minute! So weird! Lol

Your build is coming along nicely, what units are you going to fit?
 
#32 ·
Progress! We didn't do much at all last week, had two parcels arrive though! T:
A ply lining kit from custom v dubs, thanks Luke! And a side step cover and rear threshold cover which my better half ordered!

Saturday I managed to get the second side window cut and fitted Rasp: and on Sunday we carpeted the ply lining kit and started covering the metal work inside the van! So all in all not a bad weekend.
Will upload some pics soon!
 
#33 ·
I have been busy with work for the last week, but I have some time tonight so thought I would update!
The other weekend saw me fitting the sliding door window, I found this more time consuming than the other side! But it's done! And I feel pretty happy that I did it myself! T:

http://i60.tinypic.com/1079gz5.jpg

Scary cutting such a big hole in the side of your pride and joy!

I managed to find a few hours in the evenings during the week to carpet the cab floor! So it was seats out, floor out and a good clean and some sound proofing before carpeting and refitting the floor!



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Then finished some trimming around some metal work and tidied the carpet lining..

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That's better!

Last weekend we carpeted the ply lining and prepared the panels ready to be fitted

http://i60.tinypic.com/10ok5ls.jpg

Even got the girlfriend involved! But it was bloody cold!
 
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