Innholdsfortegnelse for February-16 i VWT Lifestyle

25 years of the Show We have been running the VolksWorld Show for 25 years now and many things have changed over that time, but the one thing that remains the same is our aim to bring you some of the very best VWs in the world displayed indoors and out. If you have not been for a few years, make 2016 the year you return – it promises to be our biggest and best event ever, so put 2-3 April 2016 in your diary now. The cars are the stars The cars are always the main attraction at the VolksWorld Show and 2016 sees us premier a whole host from around the globe, some competing for a Top Twenty or Best of Show award, others just in attendance for…

’67 Type2 Splitscreen, Chris Garth While the restoration of Chris Garth’s 1967 Split (a California import) was very nearly complete when he bought it around three years ago, all that was required was for him to complete the interior. Sounds easy enough… With the exterior paint colours being a custom mix of blue and white, Chris naturally wanted to continue this colour scheme on the inside and chose to trim the seats using white covers with blue centre sections, blue piping and blue side bolster cushions at the rear which looks a treat. In keeping with the blue and white theme you’ll find blue curtains, but in order to add a little contrast to those colours, the door cards in the cab, plus other side trim features plywood panelling that…

Glen Bowler from Folkestone, Kent, bought his first VW Camper 21 years ago and has been hooked ever since. He’s 38 now, but in 1994, when most 17-year-olds were hankering after hot hatches and the like, Glen had his heart set on owning a Bay Window… None of that may sound strange to you, as you’re reading a magazine devoted to Campers, but you need to bear in mind that back then, even in VW circles, Bay Windows didn’t enjoy anything like the kudos they do today. Few people thought they were cool and they could be snapped up for very little money, even the really good ones. To give you an idea, the most expensive one advertised in the December 1994 issue of our sister mag VolksWorld [there wasn’t…

Thursday 6th August and Friday 7th August Luxembourg to Guignicourt, near Reims in France – Bord De l’Aisne campsite. Nearing the end of the touring part of our trip and both Vans had been great so far on the road, with no breakdowns, and apart from weak brakes and dodgy steering we were getting along pretty well. Of course, this was all done at medium-to-slow speeds as we were in no hurry, which helped. We had a pool of spares between us: brake/clutch cables, fuses, fuel pipe, points, fan belt, clips and even spare petrol. Today though, we had our first minor mishap of the holiday. Soon after leaving the campsite in Luxembourg we stopped for fuel. Mike filled his tank to the brim Suddenly petrol was pouring out of…

Last month we showed how to lower the rear of a Bay. The reason we showed you how to do the rear first, is because you need to know where the rear sits before you bring the front down the correct amount. As we’re only going for a mild drop to suit the one spline rear drop, we are just going adjust the lower beam tube, rather than both. If we were going 3-4 inches or more, then I would recommend doing both tubes. For the purposes of this feature, we are going to leave the beam in the Bus. It is pretty easy and quick to do it this way, meaning it is possible to lower a Bus, front and rear, inside one day, if all goes to plan,…

SHARE THE LOVE Dear C&B, I’ve been reading your magazine for a few years now and love it, but recently I saw a couple of letters (in particular December’s letter of the month “Safety First?”) which have really irritated me. They focus on the “old”vs “new” VW saga, or the air-cooled versus water-cooled or the original versus modded. Having owned both a lightly-modded ’77 air-cooled Panel Van and now an largely-stock ’86 water-cooled Westy, I can honestly say the whole thing is a massive heap of nonsense. Both have their pros and cons. I loved restoring the Panel Van, from a full engine rebuild in my garage (see photo) – a definite high, to the cramped living (in the completely-aftermarket interior) – a definite low! Likewise I love my Westy.…

Jason Creswell started out on his Camper journey with a Ford Transit that his dad had owned from new. A painter by trade, Jason tidied up the Trannie and used it. A lot. However, he always had a yearning for a VW and when a new work colleague turned up with one, the VW bug bit hard, the Transit was sold and Jason began his search for a Bay Window. Keith Winstone was the work colleague responsible for this state of affairs and not only did he help Jason find a Bus in the first place, he also lent a hand with much of the stripping down and fitting up during the restoration. Jason’s Bay came via Simon Hall in Torquay in Devon, and was a relatively rust-free, running-and-driving ’69…

SHOW INFO When: 13-15 Nov 2015 Where: The NEC, Birmingham, West Midlands, B40 1NT Cost: £23 per adult (Saturday or Sunday) Great for: Checking out every make and model of classic car under the sun, buying tools, parts and ephemera, and a good selection of classic VWs too Next year’s dates: TBC…

Big Bang April 22-24 Three days of drag racing, VWs and music? What else do you want from a VW festival? How about a show ’n’ shine, rust ’n’ rat, club camping, family camping, kids’ entertainment, autojumble, trade area and more? A stalwart of the VW scene that’s way more than just a Volkswagen show. www.big-bang.co.uk The Bus Stop Over June 17-19 Get yourself over to the Newark Showground in Nottinghamshire for a family-friendly VW gathering that’s known for its live music, club displays, cooking-in-a-Camper competitions and more. www.busstopover.co.uk Vanwest May 6-8 Now in its 11th year, this popular gathering in Somerset has a real holiday vibe to it, thanks in no small part to its campsite location and cruise to the beach (and BBQ). If you’ve dreamt of picnicing…

There’s an expression regularly heard in my house – the Pilkington effect. I’m not sure whether it’s in the mainstream, or if it’s just us… The term comes from TV presenter Karl Pilkington describing his feelings as he gazes on the ancient City of Petra. “It’s nice to look at, but if you live inside it then you don’t get to see it, so what’s the point? I’d rather live in a hovel and look at a palace than the other way round.” That’s true of many things. Buckingham Palace, for example, is a grand, imposing place to look at [the clue’s in the name, it’s a palace! JP] but what do you see from the inside looking out? A bunch of gawping tourists and The Mall, tree-lined and arrow…

“The 2007 unit is pretty much a T2D trademark; we use it in a lot of our builds” When you’re in the enviable position of living in two different places and commuting back and forth, but you have a penchant for old VWs, what do you do? Well, if you’re Phil Loader, you have a Bus in each location. Phil already had a Late Bay in Australia when he asked Paul Medhurst and Mark Fulton at Type 2 Detectives (www.type2detectives.com) to manage the build of the ’55, one-time ambulance you see here. Phil’s Split originally hailed from South Africa, where it’s still possible to find fairly-solid, right-hand drive VWs if you are prepared to put your life on the line to go and get them and have the will and…