Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2021 i VWT Lifestyle

I am wondering whether it's really any coincidence that Nomadland was voted Best Film this year. It seems we're all in love with the idea of travel, seeing new places and the prospect of banking memories of the people we've met and the things we've done while on our adventures. As the film's main character, Fern, finds out, stars have to align to make being a successful campervan nomad work though. For her that meant getting a lesson on changing a blowout, but for us it's about getting the right Van, having the right gear, planning ahead and stuff like roping in the whole family instead of travelling totally alone, so you can share the experience. You'll get plenty of inspiration and ideas from reading this mag, but don't be…

GOING ULTRASONIC Where from: www.sealey.co.uk How much: £227.94/£887.94 If you’re about to launch into a new project for 2021, you’ll have lots of oily parts to clean. And that can get messy. Which is why we’d get one of these new ultrasonic parts cleaning tanks from Sealey. They are available in 3-litre (SCT03) and 27-litre (ST27 – pictured) capacities and features include a temperature control, timer and a mesh basket to keep small components safe. Oh, and they both employ a soft clean mode for fragile items. They are on offer in Sealey’s spring promotion which runs until 31 May. HEAVY DUTY Where from: www.heritagepartscentre.com How much: £18.95 There’s some jobs you only really want to do once, like the front lower balljoints on a T25. That’s why Heritage Parts…

A FABULOUS CADAC STOVE Why stay inside when you can cook up a culinary delight on a stove in the open? Well, here’s your chance to win one of the very best camping cookers on the market – the Cadac 2 Cook Pro Deluxe, worth £135. We reviewed it in our May 2021 issue and were impressed with its range of top-end features such as handy Piezo ignition, ceramic flat plate and ribbed barbeque grill top which make frying and keeping food warm a doddle. What’s more, it feels like it’s built to last, all the controls are nice to the touch and the standard of finish on everything from the steel powder-coated casing to the gas fittings and sturdy twin burners is hugely impressive. To find out more visit…

What is it that’s made swamper Vans and Buses so popular of late? Is it that people just want to build something that stands out from the crowd, or is there more to it than that? Well, having owned my fair share of lowered VWs over the years, I can tell you that it probably has something to do with age, but it goes even deeper than this. If you’ve ever gone on holiday in a slammed Camper, then it’s an educated guess that you’ll have reached your destination with tension in your shoulders or sweaty palms, especially if your journey has involved an unmade road or two. The best thing about a swamper Van is that you get the best of both worlds; something that looks pretty sick, but…

As anyone reading this magazine knows only too well, one old VW is never enough, which is why most of us try our damnedest to own two, three, or as many as our space/finances/other half will tolerate. Those of us lucky enough to be in such a position might own one VW that is pretty much done (they’re never really finished though, are they?) and another that is next in line for some lovin’. We don’t as a rule have three ready to roll Split Screen Buses sitting in the garage like Andy Roberts does. And we’re not just talking your regular common or garden Split Screen Buses either, no, we’re talking the king of Buses, the absolute Mack Daddy of the Type 2 world, the Samba, three of them!…

Owning a customised Volkswagen seems perfectly normal for anyone reading this magazine. But it doesn’t always translate that way to friends and family, as Sarah Broadway is quick to testify. “I’ve loved Volkswagens since I was a little girl and I’ve had four Beetles. My dad, Bob, patiently took me to various car shows but he wasn’t really into the scene. To be honest, he still doesn’t see the appeal!” she laughs. “They were crazy times back then, hundreds of mad cars and people having fun and my father was wandering around in the middle of it saying ‘that can’t be road legal’ or ‘how can you ever drive a car that’s so low?’” Thankfully though, despite his bewilderment, he realised it wasn’t just a phase; “I was determined and…

For as long as I can remember we had promised ourselves a ‘proper’ camper. Time, our five (yes five!) children and more often than not, money, always stopped us from making a purchase. There was always something, or someone that seemed to drain the purse before we got around to it. This was my main motivation for buying ‘Joolz’ or something similar a few months after what can only be described as the worst possible event one can go through. On the morning of December 30, 2019, the absolute love of my life, my rock, my wife of nearly 25 years, Julie, suffered a blood clot to the lung, and consequently died. There was no warning this was going to happen, it just did. With the spring of 2020 looming,…

Always on the look out for something different, Danny Parker at DUB Buses has struck gold with this 1994 T4 Autosleeper Clubman GL. Although, about the only thing that remains from the original conversion by the Worcestershire-based coachbuilders is the unique fibreglass monocoque shell – just don’t ask Danny how many hours he spent prepping it for paint! Seriously, this coachbuilt camper is an incredible find. Not that it’s an overly rare beast, but to find one with just 61,000 miles on the clock, a full service history and just one owner from new is almost unheard of these days. “In all honesty, I didn’t actual have the money for it when I saw it advertised locally on eBay,” Danny admits. “I had to tap my brother up for a…

Clutch related problems on air-cooled Buses range from an annoying judder when setting off (sometimes caused by the clutch cable dragging) to equally annoying drips of oil from between the engine and gearbox, which can result in eventual clutch failure. We’re showing how to fix all of these problems and more this month. One of the common sources of oil leaks on an air-cooled engine is from the crankshaft oil seal (also known as the rear main oil seal). Once the seal wears, engine oil will get through, potentially contaminating the clutch on the way. The best solution is to remove the engine, renew the oil seal, fit a new O-ring inside the flywheel and renew the clutch if it’s worn or contaminated. There’s a range of clutches available, so…

At the start of the 1950s, Volkswagen had big ambitions. The war had only been over for less than a decade, but in that time, Wolfsburg had restarted production in a bomb-ravaged factory that many thought suitable only for demolition, started exports to neighbouring European nations and the USA as well, and introduced a brand new model, the Type 2 Transporter. It was promising stuff. But, far away on the other side of the world, there seemed a challenge too great for even the ever-optimistic boss of Volkswagen, Heinz Nordhoff, to contemplate. And that was Australia. It was a huge country and a tough one as well. Unlike well-developed (if war-ravaged) Europe, vast tracts of Australia were inhospitable and untamed by civilisation. Outside of the cities and towns, Down Under…

Love a prank? Well, it seems you are not alone because Volkswagen tried to carry off an audacious April fool’s stunt of its own when it announced the new name of its US operations, ‘Voltswagen’. The rebranding was revealed in a hastily withdrawn press release that appeared on its website on Monday 30 March. The name change, stated the release, was in recognition of its commitment to electric vehicles and was reported widely as a fact by a number of media sources worldwide. The statement went on to confirm that the new ‘Voltswagen’ badge would henceforth appear on all of the firm’s electric vehicles, while fossil-fuelled cars would continue to carry just the VW emblem. A source familiar with the company’s future plans confirmed its authenticity, stating ‘this is not…

PACK IT IN! Where from: www.campervantastic.com How much: £24.99 Here’s something for all the young Bus fans out there – a compact version of the classic VW T1 Bus backpack which includes one main compartment, a padded breathable back panel, adjustable straps, two mesh side pockets and a zippered front pocket. Mini-VW Bus zipper pulls add a special touch. It would be perfect for school, overnight excursions and those impending camper adventures. It’s available in red, blue or green. CALL ME TILLY Where from: www.justkampers.com How much: £40.46 With the Kampa Tilly Cupboard you can keep organised and tidy and keep your camping space clutter-free with no trip hazards. It’s a doddle to assemble, compact, lightweight and also easy to store. The cupboard features two internal shelves, a…

Arjen Dalebout is a 100% bona fide VW enthusiast. Having worked for 18 years as a mechanic at a VW/Audi dealership in his hometown of Ede (in the Netherlands) since circa 2006, Arjen went on to become an engineer at Pon’s Automobiel Handel. Pon’s is the exclusive VAG group importer/dealership in the Netherlands and, in short, Arlen is the guy that fixes the problems other dealerships can’t solve. He also works on special order and VIP vehicles, as well as police and military-spec projects, too. However, he is also responsible for preparing vehicles for shows and special occasions... and this just happens to be the reason he first became interested in becoming an Early Bay owner. Said Arjen: “In my first year at Pon’s, I was asked to provide roadside…

It’s no coincidence that the star of the 2006 Oscar-winning comedy Little Miss Sunshine was a yellow Bay Window. Chosen for the fun and freedom associated with VW Campers, and being sunshine yellow, you don’t need to watch the film to get the plot. So, when Matt Bartolo from Hampshire found this mellow yellow Van it was a done deal, before he’d even driven it. But as it turned out, he didn’t need to worry... “I took a bit of a punt, but as soon as I got in I was realieved to discover she was a joy to drive – plus she’s got a great ’70s vibe about her, which I suppose is my era,” says Matt. “I was looking for a Camper for ages, as I didn’t really…

Owner info Name: Ian Cushway Job: Editor Car: 2006 T5 Multivan Work this month: Turbo and DPF swap Just to recap, I bought my SWB 2.5 Multivan from Germany a few years ago when it had a meagre 106,000km (65k miles) on the clock and have made pretty good use of it since. A habit its been harbouring, and something I’ve generously overlooked from day one, however, is an intermittent rough idle. It runs fine for ages, pulls strongly, and basically does everything a 170bhp 2006 van should. Then, for no obvious reason, ocassionally it splutters like an unfit hound on 40 a day at tickover. Oh, and this coincides with a pungent unburnt fuel smell from under the bonnet which soon works its way into the cabin. It’s the…