Above both sliding doors I have fitted a 30LED swivel strip light:
These were simple to fit, even for me. There is some other lighting going into the back of the van but this will remain 'secret' until the conversion is finished.
Sunday, 23 May 2010
Let there be light...
Just before the van goes into The Campershak, there's a few little jobs I wanted to do. One was to fit the interior lights. Lighting will be LED throughout - low power consumption, no heat given off, just a nice cool white light.
Above both sliding doors I have fitted a 30LED swivel strip light:
These lights swivel through 180º to direct light either straight down (Door step on passenger side, worktop on driver's side), or by turning towards the ceiling to create a 'moodier' setting.
Just inside the tailgate, above the 'head' of the bed is a single, shorter, 12LED version with the same swiveling function.
These were simple to fit, even for me. There is some other lighting going into the back of the van but this will remain 'secret' until the conversion is finished.
Above both sliding doors I have fitted a 30LED swivel strip light:
These were simple to fit, even for me. There is some other lighting going into the back of the van but this will remain 'secret' until the conversion is finished.
Side window - internal trim
I've had a few request about the internal finish of the bonded side windows, so here's a couple of quick pics showing the inside finish of Vansport side windows (the tailgate window is finished to the same standard).
The third image shows the amount of tint from inside. We chose to go with Vansport's 'Privacy Glass'; from outside you cannot see in the van at all unless a light is on inside.
Thursday, 20 May 2010
To colour-code or not?
A big thanks to everyone who reads the Stone174 blog. As the van goes in for interior work in a week or two, my mind is planning further down the line...
And that's where you come in. I'd love your comments on whether to colour-code or not.
The van as it currently stands with dark grey plastic bumpers:
Some vans look really well with the addition of a Caravelle front bumper (the route I'd like to go down):
Instantly it has made the van more 'car-like' and less like a plumber's van (no-offence meant to plumbers btw!).
So why does this Stone Blue colour-coded van not look quite right?
Is it the lack of alloys?
Should they have left the mirrors black?
Too much chrome?
Amber side repeaters?
Is the Sportline chin a step too far?
Or is Stone Blue just not a colour that lends itself to the 'all-over' treatment?
Your comments will be greatly appreciated, thanks.
And that's where you come in. I'd love your comments on whether to colour-code or not.
The van as it currently stands with dark grey plastic bumpers:
Some vans look really well with the addition of a Caravelle front bumper (the route I'd like to go down):
Instantly it has made the van more 'car-like' and less like a plumber's van (no-offence meant to plumbers btw!).
So why does this Stone Blue colour-coded van not look quite right?
Is it the lack of alloys?
Should they have left the mirrors black?
Too much chrome?
Amber side repeaters?
Is the Sportline chin a step too far?
Or is Stone Blue just not a colour that lends itself to the 'all-over' treatment?
Your comments will be greatly appreciated, thanks.
Saturday, 15 May 2010
The wheel saga - it's not over yet!
Just when I thought everything was coming together, things have ground to halt just in front of the finishing line. The wheels are here - they look pretty fine to me...
Everything checks out fine. I've made sure I have two lefts and two rights (directional tyres), I've checked offset, PCD, centre bore, tyre load and speed rating, everything is a-okay.
There's just no fitting kit.
BBS supply a fitting kit with every set of wheels; studs, spigot rings and anything else required to get the wheels onto your ride.
My fitting kit is somewhere between Germany and here. Fair-play to Gary at Rimstyle, he's ordered a second kit to be sent with a more reputable courier that (fingers-crossed) should mean the kit turns up sometime next week.
So, for now, the wheels are just a rather expensive garage ornament:
Hopefully I'm only a few blog-posts away from showing you them fitted!
There's just no fitting kit.
BBS supply a fitting kit with every set of wheels; studs, spigot rings and anything else required to get the wheels onto your ride.
My fitting kit is somewhere between Germany and here. Fair-play to Gary at Rimstyle, he's ordered a second kit to be sent with a more reputable courier that (fingers-crossed) should mean the kit turns up sometime next week.
So, for now, the wheels are just a rather expensive garage ornament:
Saturday, 8 May 2010
Now we're cooking...
We're just back from the final meeting with Campershak before the van gets dropped-off at the beginning of June, the final layout has been decided and measured up, the finish of the wood and worktop has been chosen, rough ideas of electrical requirements have been specified and excitement is definitely building.
To aid the process of transmitting our layout ideas to Campershak, I borrowed a tip from fellow van converter Blakey and downloaded a copy of Google SketchUp.
Sketchup is a fairly straight-forward, not too difficult to master, piece of basic CAD software. Within an hour and half I had a simple, boxy visual of our van's interior that could be quickly rotated and viwed from any angle, saved as PDF and emailed over to Campershak.
 |
| Front three-quarter view |
 |
| Rear three-quarter view |
One last job to do before June is to source the vinyl floor covering. I'll update in due-course with our final decision.
Monday, 3 May 2010
Show report - Stanford Hall 2010
Stanford Hall has to be one of my favourite shows of the year. It seems to have been running for as long as the UK Volkswagen Scene has existed, it caters for all walks of life; the purist who loves the really early cars, the cal look and resto-cal fans who sympathetically modify their vehicles, the massive splitscreen van crowd, and anybody else who loves their VWs, Audis, Porsches, you name it...
With last years addition of camping it has turned a one-day slog down the motorway into a two-day, chilled-out weekend - camping in the grounds of the stately house itself. The camping is well organised, not too lairy, and only a two minute walk to the show ground.
On the late model Transporter front, there seemed to be a great line-up from some of the forums as well as a number of vehicles from the Kerbside Kustoms Krew:
Kerbside seem to be turning out good quality, mould-breaking vans that go slightly against the conventional - and to good effect. From mild to wild, their vans are a great source of inspiration to anyone undertaking their own transformations.
Stanford Hall is also a great opportunity to get up close and personal with other German marques like Audi and (my personal favourite) early Porsche. I've uploaded a few photos here on Flickr.
If ever a show gave a great cross-sectional look at today's VW scene it would be Stanford Hall - I'll definitely be there again next year.
With last years addition of camping it has turned a one-day slog down the motorway into a two-day, chilled-out weekend - camping in the grounds of the stately house itself. The camping is well organised, not too lairy, and only a two minute walk to the show ground.
On the late model Transporter front, there seemed to be a great line-up from some of the forums as well as a number of vehicles from the Kerbside Kustoms Krew:
Stanford Hall is also a great opportunity to get up close and personal with other German marques like Audi and (my personal favourite) early Porsche. I've uploaded a few photos here on Flickr.
If ever a show gave a great cross-sectional look at today's VW scene it would be Stanford Hall - I'll definitely be there again next year.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)