Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2023 i VWT Lifestyle

GET THE VIBE If you want a modern head unit but don't want to spoil the classic looks of your Bus, then RetroSound's Hermosa ought to be on your shopping list. Despite its vintage look, it has a range of modern features including Bluetooth connectivity, hands-free capability, DAB+ and even a USB port at the rear enabling you to play MP3/WMA music files. Also at the rear are two rear mounted auxiliary inputs for portable devices such as iPods/iPhones for maximum connectivity. Oh, and if you really want to up the anti when it comes to retro looks you can add a vintage overlay to the screen which simulates the appearance of a classic radio while letting you see the digital readout at the same time. How much: £292.96, overlay…

2023 DIARY DATES January Fun Dubbin January camp outDate: 20-22 Jan Location: Croft Farm Water Park, nrTewksburyContact: www.ticketsource.co.uk/fundubbincampouts February Veedub ShowDate: 26 FebLocation: Stafford County ShowgroundST18 OBDContact: www.veedubshow.co.uk March Ultimate DubsDate: 12 MarchLocation: Telford International Centre,Telford TF3 4JHContact: www.ultimate-dubs.co.uk The VolksWorld ShowDate: 18-19 March Location: Sandown Park, Esher April Alive & Kickin Date: 21-23 AprilLocation: Haughley Park, Suffolk Stanford Hall VW ShowDate: 30 AprilLocation: Stanford Hall, LeicestershireContact: stanfordhallvw.com May VanwestDate: 5-7 MayLocation: Taunton RacecourseContact: www.vanwest.co.uk European Barndoor Gathering & VintageVW Show (see top photo)Date: 20-21 MayLocation: Enschelde, NederlandsContact: www.benpon.nl June Bristol VolksfestDate: 9-11 JuneLocation: Birches Farm, Bristol BS48 3RNContact: www.bristolvolksfest.co.uk The VW Bus Festival Date: 23-25 June Location: Hanover Fairground, Germany Contact: www.vw-bus-festival-2023.com September BusfestDate: 8-10 SeptemberLocation: Malvern ShowgroundContact: www.busfest.org Note: please be aware all dates and venuesare subject to…

We first came across Tony Grant’s 1959 Split Screen Panel Van when it picked up a well-deserved trophy at Leeds VW Festival a few years ago. Parked amongst the other trophy winners in their special display in front of Harewood House, the amount of attention it received was unthinkable. It didn’t have the usual patina’d sign writing, it wasn’t festooned with period-looking accessories and there wasn’t a monster engine out back. No, instead Tony had focused on stance, reliability and keeping things straightforward – and it’s an approach that seemed to go down a treat with the throng of people that encircled it. Best of both worlds For the previous decade Tony had ran a Mercedes camper, modified with blacked out windows and large alloys. “I started going to shows…

BUS HOW TO Let’s face it, when the roads are salty and the weather’s cold and damp, there’s less of a temptation to venture out every weekend in your Bus. The weeks can turn to months and before you know it, your VW hasn’t been used for a few months, the battery’s dead, mould has taken residence inside and things have taken a definite backwards step. So our guide to winter storage aims to ensure you avoid the aforementioned problems if you intend to lay it up. At the same time, if there’s a break in the weather and you did fancy a winter adventure, it will feel spruced up and ready for the road. The preparation work can be as involved as you want it to be, depending on…

BUS STOP One of the industry's most iconic automotive designers and custom builders, Kenny Pfitzer, is set to steal the show at this year's SEMA in Las Vegas with two wide-bodied Split Screen Buses which have been built in collaboration with clothing brands FB County and The Original Cascade. The wild creations began construction in late August with two early 1960s VW Buses, a 1963 Single Cab and a 1961 15-Window Deluxe. Both were completely stripped and scanned in 3D to design the different body panels which included front and rear arch flares, roof wing, front splitter, rear roll pan and rocker panels. All the bits use a special composite material and were created via CAD software. Meanwhile, the insides were stripped and custom interiors were designed and built from…

COVER STORY? Hi Camper&Bus, frustratingly I haven't got a garage for my Bay which is worrying because I think it's going to get ruined stood outside all winter. I've been thinking, therefore, of buying a cover. Which one is best, do I need one that's specially fitted to the Bay? Thanks for any help, Clive via email The jury's out regarding car covers. Most owners say it's best not to have one at all because they trap moisture. And to be honest, a good, regular wax and polish is a safer bet. The only instance where we'd fit a cover is if your van is parked under a tree where it's likely to be victim to bird poo and leaf debris falling on it which will wreck the paint and…

It’s not big news that there are thousands of people out there who would love to get their hands on a Split Screen camper van. With the spiralling costs over the last 20 years, the reality is becoming less likely for many. Even the window of opportunity for importing one from the USA has steadily closed, impacted by global shipping costs, the value of the pound and a notable jump in asking prices over the pond. Yes, folks, I’m afraid they’re on to us! That being said, there is still the occasional glimmer of hope of finding a bit of a project under £20,000. Insert roll-eyes emoji here. If you’re high on self-confidence and don’t care what a majority of other Split owners think, you could always pick up an…

Bought as a project in need of a major makeover, John Elmore and his wife, Dee, certainly had their work cut out when it came to transforming their 1972 Type 2 into the stunning and unique campervan it is today. “We’d both wanted a camper for years, but could never find one at the right price,” said Dee. “Because John had restored vintage cars and bikes previously, our plan therefore was to buy a project we could rebuild to our own spec. A suitable candidate appeared on ebay and although it looked a bit rough and ready, it was within our budget,” she continues, “and following plenty of nail biting, we secured the winning bid.” Although the couple knew their latest purchase would require a lot of work, the freedom…

Sitting down to write this show report I must confess to still feeling a rosy afterglow long after the van has been unpacked and normal service has been resumed. Skeg Vegas really is one of those shows that warms the cockles and nourishes the soul. The last time of visiting was prelockdown and was but a fleeting visit on the Saturday. I vowed to return and camp the next year, but Covid ruined play and kept us all at bay until 2022. This was our first weekend away without any children since forever and my girlfriend made several jokes about how she thought going to Skeg was just a cover story and I was actually whisking her away somewhere exclusive for a romantic weekend for two. Wrong! Truth be told…

Fancy an opportunity to get free tickets to the 2023 VolksWorld Show on 18-19 March and a space on one of Just Kamper’s stands at the event? If so, then take advantage of the firm's Winter Resto deals which will save you up to 10% on the parts you need to get your big conversion project finished this winter and send them photos and updates as you go for a chance to take pride of place on their new display stand at the Sandown Park venue in Spring. You can scan the QR code (right) to see the full details of JK’s Winter Resto Deals. The 10% off is going to be a massive help for those looking to patch up your rides while everything is dark and gloomy over…

BUS STOPYOUR BUSES We’ve only had the ‘Mystery Machine’ (because you don’t know what will go wrong or we will find out next) for a few months. I'd wanted a T2 for 30 years, but somehow never got the chance. The prospect of finally buying one arose when my wife Lesley and I were considering taking our bikes to cycling (and other) festivals, but came to the realisation that we were getting tired of camping on roll-up matts and blow up mattresses, etc. So, having seen one locally, with a bike rack, we considered getting a T4 or T5. During a training ride out, as part of my prep for RideLondon, I had spotted a VW campervan dealership near St Ives, Cambridgeshire called Needingworth Campers. A few weeks later Lesley…

While walking the aisles of Southern California’s famous VW Classic event last June, team VW Camper&Bus had the great fortune of meeting two genuine Volkswagen enthusiasts with a passion for T3s – aka Vanagon in the USA. Our conversation with the couple in question, Ed and Sonja Bostwick, soon turned to a Westfalia they recently purchased. And not any Westfalia, mind you, but an ’89 that had covered just 2,100 miles! The vehicle could not be in better hands. Both Ed and Sonja started loving Volkswagens as teenagers, with Ed later helping a friend open and run a VW repair shop for five years. Ed thereby owned several Vee Dubs during the 1980s, including a right-hand drive Oval Window Beetle with a highly tuned motor, which he drove daily. After…

BUS HISTORY One of the more famous Volkswagen adverts, from 1964, ponders the eternal question “Have you ever wondered how the man who drives the snowplough, drives to the snowplough?” Well, funnily enough, what with it being a VW commercial, he uses a Beetle. But what if the snow is really deep and drifting? In that case, he (or she) would probably be better off using a Snow-Trac instead. And there would still be a certain familiarity for, despite the rather funky appearance, these Swedishbuilt, caterpillar-tracked winter warriors were pretty much Volkswagens under the skin, comprehensively pilfering the Wolfsburg parts bin. Around 2300 were made between 1957 and 1981, which might not sound like too many, but in snowcat terms, that’s pretty impressive. It’s probably fair to say that if…

OUR BUSES It’s been a while since I last wrote a project piece for Camper&Bus and I’m sure my blasé approach to sensor warnings lighting up my Caravelle’s dashboard like a Christmas tree horrified some, but it appears (touch wood) I was totally justified. The dreaded Glow Plug Warning Light was the apparent ‘fault’ I was most concerned about and with the T5’s first MoT under my ownership looming, I really needed to do something about it. After a great deal of internet research, I kept reading how a fault with the brake lights can make the Glow Plug Warning Light come on. That sounded like total madness to me, but for a couple of quid, I thought it was worth trying, so bought a replacement brake light switch and…