Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2022 i VWT Lifestyle

BUS STOP ‘T is (almost) the season of goodwill, and to celebrate and ensure maximum joviality Heritage Parts Centre has announced the return of its annual Santa Cruise on Sunday 11 December. If you are partial to fancy dress, don’t take things to seriously and like to help others and good causes within your community, this event is for you. Once again, the charity of choice is The Children’s Trust, who provide children and young people with brain injury and neurodisability the opportunity to live their best life possible, providing specialist rehabilitation, education and community services across the UK. Entry is open to all Porsche, VW and classic vehicles, and owners are encouraged to arrive at Heritage HQ in Shoreham-by-Sea (BN43 6PB) for midday on Sunday 11. In exchange for…

You can trawl the classifieds daily searching for the perfect project. But almost every time, the prime candidate is never found through the regular channels – and this Savannah Beige 1972 Crossover is the perfect case in point. The path that led it to the doors of Leon Spanos and its current owners is an interesting one. Leon’s Poole-based Concept Pop-tops and Upholstery workshop is next door to a motorbike MOT centre. “We normally have something cool parked outside the unit and it often attracts the motorbike guys waiting next door,” he says. “On this particular day a chap came in and began telling me about a barn full of VWs that his dad owned. Apparently they had been there for 20 years at a cost of £1000 per year…

BUS HISTORY Like ‘Beetle’, ‘Fridolin’ was never an official name for Volkswagen’s rather eccentric and little-publicised small van of the 1960s and 1970s. Its formal title was the Type 147 Kleinlieferwagen (small delivery vehicle). Translated, its nickname approximated to ‘little toddler’, which seemed a much more suitable description for the gawky but cute and diminutive appearance of what, in many respects, was a truncated Transporter. Production was strictly limited, with sales almost entirely confined to local postal authorities. It was only after the model’s demise that it escaped into the wider enthusiast world, becoming a cult air-cooled favourite in the process. Boxing clever The Fridolin wasn’t Volkswagen’s first foray into small vans. During WW2, a one-off prototype Beetle-based van was created during 1940/41 and designated the Type 81. Up to…

We were at a reindeer herders’ convention near Jokkmokk in northern Sweden, watching a lassoing competition in the early autumn dusk. Hearing us speak, a fellow spectator turned our way. “You must be the English people with the red van.” Mentioning one of our favourite pull-ins near a lake a few miles to the south, this Sámi reindeer owner told us her family lived a little farther up the same dirt road. “We always look out for you at the end of July. It’s good to meet you at last.” Over 2,000 miles from home, at least in one broad pine and birch covered valley, it seems our VW Transporter, like the returning swallows, had become a small part of the changing seasons. Mind you, the van we’d parked that…

BUS STOP Hagerty's Classic Index, which monitors insured values, sale prices and auction results throughout the UK, is reporting an average value increase of three per cent for 50 of today's most popular classics over the last 12 months. But amongst the findings, some vehicles have actually dropped in value during the last year – including, shock horror, the much-coveted Split Screen Camper. Indeed, Hagerty's price guide editor, John Mayhead, reports that Splittie values have fallen by a dramatic-sounding 18 per cent in the last 12 months. According to Mayhead, this is likely to be a market 'correction', following on from post-Covid price rises "when buyers may have been looking for 'staycation' opportunities." The news comes as something of a double-edged sword for Split Bus fans; it's great for potential…

BUS STOPYOUR BUSES Hi Camper&Bus, this is my 1974 Campmobile – it was built with US-spec and was sold by Shipside taxfree cars in Amsterdam to an American couple. In those days, the USD was sky high compared to European currencies which is why a number of vehicles, including VW campers, were supplied in US-spec and sold to US residents living on the Continent. They were cheaper and tax free. As far as I am aware, the client would order their car from Shipside and it would be ready for delivery with the Dutch tax-free registration at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. The Dutch tax-free registration was valid for 12 months and most clients shipped their cars to the US after they'd enjoyed a European roadtrip, a service offered by Shipside at…

Meet Paul and Sue Rockett who are, in their own words, ‘autumn chickens still with a spring in our step.’ If nothing else, at least we all have something to aspire to in our middle years! After spending many of their ever-so-slightly younger years running around in a 1974 Bay Window camper, the adventurous couple from Somerset decided it was time for a change. “We had many happy holidays around the south west, also attending festivals in the Bay whenever we got the chance,” says Sue. “But, due to the age and size of the Bus (Olive) we felt we needed a newer and larger vehicle to take on longer journeys, and in particular drive the coast roads of the UK.” Once this realisation had been made, the ’74 was…

Many people can relate to the desire to own a coveted classic car one day. There’s just something about vehicles from a bygone era that imbues them with a certain character that seems to have been lost on more modern machinery. However, as rose tinted as the idea may sound, there are compromises you need to be prepared to make that go hand-in-hand with the ownership experience of classic motoring. Under-powered, unreliable engines; heavy, imprecise steering; outdated ergonomics and little regard for safety systems are just the start. Add in elements such as a scarcity of spare parts and the constant threat of corrosion to deal with and you can see that owning and running a classic car is not as peachy as it might sound. “I’d always fancied owning…

HOW TO ‘Flipped’ drop spindles on the front of a Split Bus (or link pin beam equipped Bay) allow you to drop the ride height approximately 3.5in and will narrow the track by 9mm per side. As well as lowering the front of your Bus, the best thing about drop spindles is the ride quality will be the same as stock. Indeed, over the years drop spindles have become a staple in lowering a Split Bus and paired with a narrowed beam, will allow you to go really low too if required. This is a guide for those who are pretty handy and want to save a chunk of money by building their own drop spindles. If you can’t yet fathom out how to do an oil change though, it…

LAVANDA HOB/SINK COMBO Looking for a great alternative to Dometic's MO9222? Then check out this twin gas hob burner and sink combination from Lavanda. With its compact and efficient design there's no wasted space, making it perfect for VW campervan conversions. The heat-resistant tempered glass top is split into two, so if you're cooking you can leave the sink cover down for more work space. Clever, eh? The unit is made from durable 304 grade stainless steel with enamelled burner caps, meaning it will last a lifetime. Oh, and you can choose to have the sink on the left or the right and even add in a tap and water pump when ordering from Transporter HQ. How much: from £269 Where from: www.transporterhq.co.uk KONI SHOCKS FOR T2 Finding it tricky…

2023 SHOW GUIDE March The VolksWorld ShowDate: 18-19 MarchLocation: Sandown Park, Esher April Alive & KickinDate: 21-23 AprilLocation: Haughley Park, Suffolk Stanford Hall VW ShowDate: 30 AprilLocation: Stanford Hall, LeicestershireContact: stanfordhallvw.com June Bristol VolksfestDate: 9-11 JuneLocation: Birches Farm, Bristol BS48 3RNContact: www.bristolvolksfest.co.uk The VW Bus FestivalDate: 23-25 JuneLocation: Hanover Fairground, GermanyContact: www.vw-bus-festival-2023.com September BusfestDate: 8-10 SeptemberLocation: Malvern ShowgroundContact: www.busfest.org Note: please be aware all dates and venues are subject to change so always check the website, contact the organiser or look at social media before setting out. GET IN THERE! If you've got a gathering going on next year, tell us about it via camperandbus.ed@kelsey.co.uk…

Volkswagen had a huge following in California during the 1960s and early ’70s, hence many local folks in their 50s and 60s will joyfully tell you about their experiences growing up with these vehicles. A resident of Rancho Cucamonga near Los Angeles, Kevin Belk, is no exception. He remembers: “My love for VWs started when I was four years old – my first memory is of riding in the front seat of my grandfather’s 1963 Volkswagen Pick Up. I grew up in a VW family. My parents had a ’63 Camper and my aunt a ’60 Bug.” With such an upbringing, it should not come as a surprise to see Kevin behind the wheel of his first Beetle whilst in high school. “I worked at a bakery and saved the…

I've a confession to make. I've never previously been to Busfest. So, having made the decision to go this year, I was full of anticipation – and caffeine – as I left home on Saturday morning at 4am for the three-hour drive from my home in Brittany to the ferry port at Caen. After a kip in my cabin, and further fuelled with a generous serving of (much-missed in France) fish and chips on board at lunchtime, I disembarked at Portsmouth and set off on the the next leg of my journey – a two and a bit hour drive to Malvern. Naturally, I would have loved to have been in my T25. But having run out of time investigating an oil leak and with a top speed of barely…