Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2022 i VWT Lifestyle

Nineteen seventy-nine marked the final year of the Bay Window-based Westfalia camper. Being the last of the breed, many consider it as the ultimate iteration of the ‘old school’ Westy, as Volkswagen had made small improvements since the 1950s to please its customers. Yet by no mean does it imply that a few tweaks can’t be made… Afterall, it rolled out of the factory 33 years ago and camping kit has come a long way since, as demonstrated by the Bus belonging to Ian Hebner’s here. Furthermore, Ian wanted to open the cabin for six or seven passengers, hence its complete redesign. Ian’s passion started young, stemmed in part by his father’s 1962 Chevrolet Corvette. “The thrill, adrenaline, smell and emotion I came to appreciate from those weekend drives in…

BUS ROADTRIP UK’S BEST SECRET BEACHES PORT PADRIG, ANGLESEY Near the village of Llanbadrig on Anglesey’s north coast, this secluded pebbled cove echoes with tales of Celtic legends. The crescent-shaped bay is framed by dramatic cliffs, but it’s the inlet’s white quartzite sea stack that most easily identifies Porth Padrig. This ‘White Lady’ is named after Ladi Wen, a ghost known in Welsh folk legend, evoked to warn children against bad behaviour. The beach itself is named after St Patrick. At the rear of the nearby churchyard, a stone stile leads to St Patrick’s cave, where the saint allegedly sheltered after being shipwrecked on Middle Mouse Island. Facilities: There’s a nearby car park but not many other facilities around this remote beach, which is blissfully secluded. Dog friendly: Yes, dogs…

There’s nothing better than packing your tent and leaving civilization for a few days, going on an expedition and experiencing true African bush. I wrote about our African adventures in our previous T3 in my last article (C&B April, 2022) but as we were just borrowing that one, we’ve since purchsed a 1989 Syncro with raised suspension, three petrol tanks, dual battery system, bull bar, roof rack, canvas interior, 215R15 wheels and a 2.0-litre Golf engine (AGG) conversion. It may not be the most powerful replacement engine, but one that is very reliable – and that’s exactly what you need when going into the bush. Beefed up engines just don’t work; totally stock with good parts availability is the only way to go. I have to say, when driving the…

Having been put on hold this year, more details are emerging about 2023's much anticipated Bus extravaganza, organised by VW Commercial Vehicles, which is likely to attract more than 6000 Buses of all eras to its Hannover HQ. Touted as being the biggest meet of its kind anywhere in the world, the VW Bus enthusiast community will be given the opportunity to party together, listen to live music, talk shop and camp out for three days – "a festival as an expression of an approach to life," as VW puts it. Pitches can be booked from 12 noon on 15 August 2022 and just like at the legendary ‘Bulli Festival’ in 2007, the exhibition car parks will become a campsite for visitors from across the globe. Oh, and everyone's welcome…

Whilst COVID-19 well and truly put the kybosh on the last couple of VolksWorld Shows, it was great to be back on the hallowed turf of Sandown Park once again in 2022. Chewing the fat, soaking in the atmosphere and drinking in the sight of so many glorious Volkswagens once again. But was it just us, or were Bus numbers down? Both the Red Brick Area and indoor displays felt lighter on numbers than in recent years. Maybe the Beetle, and for that matter, the Karmann Ghia are making a well-earned comeback? Whatever the reason, Type 2s didn’t appear to be the main type of VW on display, which meant those that were in attendance found themselves under even more scrutiny than normal, both from the general public and show…

Having owned a string of great Campers and Vans over the years, Tony Bolt is no stranger to the world of Type 2 ownership. However, his interest in VWs is shared with his father, who was actually the last registered owner of this particular Double Cab. Allow us to explain… Around a decade ago Tony set off to view a couple of Bay Camper projects in Clacton, Essex and, whilst checking out the Campers, he spotted a tired and grubby DOKA parked in the corner of the yard. He enquired about the truck and was told that it belonged to an older gentleman who had owned it since new, but had let it fall into disrepair in his later life. Tony had a quick look around it, then headed off…

BUS ROADTRIP UK’S BEST SECRET BEACHES ST NINIAN’S TOMBOLO, SHETLAND With pristine sands and blue waters just as vivid as those found in Barbados, Shetland’s very own St Ninian’s Isle never fails to capture the heart of beach-goers. It’s regularly compared to the tropical beaches of the Caribbean, and deservedly so! St. Ninian’s Isle beach is a large tombolo (a natural sand causeway with sea on either side) on the west coast of Shetland, linking the South Mainland with the Isle. The beach itself is picturesque and found in the heart of a rural farming region, with an archaeological chapel site located on St. Ninian’s Isle. Facilities: Car parking and public toilets are available. Dog friendly: Dogs are welcome to explore this scenic landscape with visitors. SANDWOOD BAY, NORTHERN HIGHLANDS…

HOW TO I’ve always been a fan of symmetry, that complete look where everything is finished and fitted just so, no odd panels and definitely nothing looking like it’s missing. With this in mind, fitting rear side windows to your T5/6 will complete that camper van look. But as most will immediately identify, there are some drawbacks to windows. First of these is the obvious heat fluctuations; extra heat in the summer and heat loss in winter. The second not so obvious is most camper interiors will have a wardrobe fitted towards the rear offside meaning that a window is a bit of a waste as you won’t ever get to look out of it. Here’s where fake windows are just the job. Completely blacked out these will match a…

BUS INFO You’ve seen everyone else doing it, and it looks amazing. You’ve got your Bus, chosen a kettle for the stove, and you’ve even gone as far as checking the long distance weather forecast just in case. So, for your first night in a campervan it’ll be a case of packing up and going, right? Well, not exactly because if you’re not careful things can quickly go belly up if you don’t do a bit of planning beforehand to make your first adventure a total success. Bare essentials Given the compact size of VW campers, less and light is the way to go so leave the kitchen sink behind. A stove for cooking outside, cutlery, some pans, bedding, folding chairs and a table are must-haves in terms of equipment.…

Remember the feature we ran on Nick Harding’s Pure Grey T6, creatively converted to a fully equipped camper by SK Campers near Leeds? Well, Scott Keegan and his team have been busy working their magic on more vans so we were invited back to take a closer look at one of their latest conversions. Morley-based SK Campers started in 2014 when Scott made the switch to camper conversions full time. “I’d worked in the building trade previously then when that trade went downhill, I decided to convert my work van into a camper,” said Scott. “I enjoyed doing it so decided to turn it into a trade.” Initially Scott offered conversions on a wide range of vans from his garage at home, but as popularity grew for VW Transporters he…

BUS ROADTRIP UK’S BEST SECRET BEACHES RUNSWICK BAY, YORKSHIRE Situated between Whitby and Staithes, the beauty of Runswick Bay is hidden behind the crest of a hill. The picturesque village features honey-coloured cottages with red-tiled roofs, sheltered under the crag of Lingrow Knowle. At the beach are rock pools and wooden huts, as well as plenty of golden sand. Kettleness, just along the coast, is renowned for fossil hunting, while the beach is a short distance from the Cleveland Way, a 109-mile walking route that meanders its way through the region’s spectacular scenery. Facilities: Parking, public toilets and a café are available. Dog friendly: Four-legged friends are welcome throughout the year. BRANCASTER, NORFOLK Stretching for miles along the Norfolk Coast, Brancaster Beach is a vast expanse of golden sands accompanied…

BUS SHOW After an enforced absence, due to the Covid crisis, the VW Show at Stonor Park made a welcome return to the calendar this year, albeit at the slightly later date of June 26. Organised for several years now by the Association of British VW Clubs (ABVWC), the event combined the picturesque beauty of a country house venue in the Chilterns with sunshine all day long, providing a memorable day out for VW enthusiasts. Run since the early Eighties, the event traditionally caters for an eclectic mix of all types of VW, old and new, classic and custom, as well as the occasional Porsche and Audi. It also has to be said that VW Buses and Campers of all types were particularly prevalent, whether in the club displays and…

What Buses have you owned, do you have one at the moment? I currently own the famous T6x6, six-wheel T6 camper van [featured in our August issue – Ed]. I also had a T4 but I’ve just sold that to make room for a new baby, the first toys to go are always the men’s, lol. The joys of owning a camper van company is I get own and enjoy a lot of vans we build and trade so if I had to guess I have owned a few hundred T6 vans. Originally my van journey started with an old Vivaro I built at home. But I am always on the lookout for an old T2 as I have never had the pleasure of owning one. So what was your…