[timster66]

So, it all started back in July last year. Wife went away for a week holiday to Italy with some friends, left to my own devices, and found a dealer specialising in vans around the corner from where I live, this appeared on my drive

No fetish for orange vehicles, honestly....
So, it‘s a 2013 ex RAC T32

All the RAC racking obviously removed by th e dealer, this is how it arrived, with gel backed carpet covering a fairly manky flooring.

 

[timster66]

First job was to remove all the panelling and get online and order sound deadening, sound proofing and insulation

and start the work...

And, strip out a load of ex RAC wiring. Everything had been just snipped off and excess wiring left in place...

 

[timster66]

Apart from fitting a Pioneer double din unit, a reversing camera and ‘sounds like a golf‘ etc door seals...

... things stalled a bit.
I bought windows and a friend of a friend was going to fit them as a hobble but, holidays, weather etc all conspired against me ( I didn’t have the [email protected] to cut holes in the van myself) so in December the guys from Platinum Skyline Wales fitted them for me. Top bunch of guys to be fair, Mal the main man man couldn’t do enough, very friendly and helpful bunch of guys and did a great job.

 

[timster66]

Windows were fitted a week before Christmas, so in the new year the rest of the work started in earnest

(prior to getting the windows fitted I removed the bulkhead brackets too, bit of a pain but no real dramas)

 

[timster66]

Mrs nagging me know, pizzas are in the oven... I’ll continue later or tomorrow

 

[timster66]

Next job was to fit the leisure battery, a Leoch Xtreme 110Ah AGM, under the double seat. Whichever way I tried just could not quite get it to fit!!
So, out with the saw...

 

[timster66]

Next I cut the ply panels, temporarily fitted them to check the, well, fit! Left them in overnight and was gutted to see damp patches around the lower three fixing points on the rear nearside panel adjacent to the tailgate (c pillar)!!

it had rained heavily overnight, removed it and found slight leak from the seal for where the sliding door motor would have been fitted. Down to local VW dealer and new part ordered, including fixings for the sliding door panel cover thingy (and yes, they did all snap when I removed it!)

 

[timster66]

Leaked fixed, panels were carpeted and fitted and final fix of the 12V and 240V electrics done. Used CBE sockets throughout except one extra triple set which included a volt meter

 

[timster66]

The above pics were taken much later on in the build obvs

 

[timster66]

Floor was next, I had already stuck 9mm ply battens down

And floor cut using the gel backed carpet as a template using 12mm ply

Layed this on top of 6mm thermal van liner for insulation

 

[timster66]

So, flooring laid

Ceiling panels then cut using the original panels as templates (which I had taken down months before)

Covered with suede liner and using hidden fixings and LED lights fitted

Got a bit of help to fit these as it’s a 3 pairs of hands job to find I had been a total muppet and used the front section original as a template which was for the van in it’s original state out of the factory with a bulk head. To bloody short!!

Oh yeah, the Mrs had bought a squidgy rubbery thingy for the van as it was the same colour Like a great big hairy rubber bollock...😂

Made a section from some left over ply, carpeted and fitted

 

[timster66]

Also carpeted the central plastic ceiling strip, fitted the rear section and quite happy how it turned out

I also fitted LED lights to the lower tailgate panel and made a section for the window section with an embossed VW logo on it

 

[timster66]

I decided to make a door storage panel as I was to tight to spend on the moulded plastic one

 

[timster66]

Next job was to tidy up the back of the seat bases

After getting carpeted and inlaid an LED light and switches and made another panel for rear of driver seat it was time to fit flooring, I used Tarket Safetred in grey oak, and then fitted the new seat panels

 

[timster66]

Black out curtains were fitted earlier too

 

[timster66]

Then it was time for seating/bed

 

[timster66]

Table and leg arrived last week and fitted

 

[BitterandTwisted]

All looks good so far mate 👏

 

[timster66]

Last job to do is to get seat cushions made up but that’s gonna have to wait now during the lockdown
I did find some old sofa cushions in the attic so they can do for now!
Plugged the mains hook up to the house supply and had my first brew in it today, on the drive... not as planned but due to lockdown...

Oh, and fitted higher step which I’d luckily bought a few weeks ago

 

[timster66]

So that’s about it really!!

Hope it didn’t bore you too much 🤣 It whiled away a few hours for me in the current climate!

Can just dream of going somewhere nice in it now... 😎

Stay safe...