Quality is pretty good from the usual supplier; CMC/The Bra Factory.
Wednesday, 27 June 2012
New Bra fitting
In a token gesture towards the failing front-end paint, here's a trial-fit of the new half-bra shaped for the T5.1 front end.
Quality is pretty good from the usual supplier; CMC/The Bra Factory.
Quality is pretty good from the usual supplier; CMC/The Bra Factory.
Monday, 25 June 2012
Beddgelert: highs and lows
With the recent facelift done it was time to get back in the van and get using it again. A trip to Beddgelert was on the cards for my birthday, to do a spot of mountainbiking, bbq'ing, and generally chilling out in the forest.
Cue the worst rains in June for a long time! Not that it would put us off.
Camped-up the van looks even more at home on the campsites now it looks less like a tradesman has come to fix the plumbing!
We'd had the worst of the rain on the journey down, a quick walk in the woods (and in the drizzle) had made up our minds - pub.
The next day dawned bright so a trip was made down the valley for a clamber over Caernarfon Castle - a great recommendation for big kids as well as small:
Overnight rain then brought out those seeking damper hobbies:
Great to watch but it looked cold. These guys were paddling down stream through the spectacular Aberglaslyn Gorge; a gap between slate hills barely wide enough for the river, road, a footpath, and the railway to all fit through. Seeing the Welsh Highland Railway train come through was a bonus.
From here it was down to Porthmadog to stock up on provisions (we managed two barbecues during the break) and then a trip on to the beach at Black Rock Sands.
So those were the highs, what about the lows you ask?
Well, on first arriving on the campsite I quickly took to the van with a cleaning cloth and almost dropped to my knees... STONECHIP!
Surely not? Wait, and another, and another... this can't be right?
A quick email and photos to Alex at Merseyspeed (and a couple of beers to calm down) to arrange calling in on the way home. It seems that the VW factory-primed section of the bumper hasn't taken the paint at all well. The top coat of stone blue paint can be scraped away with a fingernail - fair play to Merseyspeed, a date has been set to put things right.
No doubt more will follow on this in due course.
Cue the worst rains in June for a long time! Not that it would put us off.
Camped-up the van looks even more at home on the campsites now it looks less like a tradesman has come to fix the plumbing!
We'd had the worst of the rain on the journey down, a quick walk in the woods (and in the drizzle) had made up our minds - pub.
The next day dawned bright so a trip was made down the valley for a clamber over Caernarfon Castle - a great recommendation for big kids as well as small:
Overnight rain then brought out those seeking damper hobbies:
Great to watch but it looked cold. These guys were paddling down stream through the spectacular Aberglaslyn Gorge; a gap between slate hills barely wide enough for the river, road, a footpath, and the railway to all fit through. Seeing the Welsh Highland Railway train come through was a bonus.
From here it was down to Porthmadog to stock up on provisions (we managed two barbecues during the break) and then a trip on to the beach at Black Rock Sands.
So those were the highs, what about the lows you ask?
Well, on first arriving on the campsite I quickly took to the van with a cleaning cloth and almost dropped to my knees... STONECHIP!
Surely not? Wait, and another, and another... this can't be right?
A quick email and photos to Alex at Merseyspeed (and a couple of beers to calm down) to arrange calling in on the way home. It seems that the VW factory-primed section of the bumper hasn't taken the paint at all well. The top coat of stone blue paint can be scraped away with a fingernail - fair play to Merseyspeed, a date has been set to put things right.
No doubt more will follow on this in due course.
Tuesday, 19 June 2012
Back home
I'll let the pics do the talking:
Needless to say I'm over the moon with the results, as is Mrs. Stone174 who wanted the colour-coding doing more than me.
The ride on the ProSport coilovers is a vast improvement over H&R springs and standard struts, less crashy and a more forgiving in ride.
Right, on with the hunt for an ageless plate - you could all help by taking a look at my Parts for Sale section and buying my old van bits, thanks.
Needless to say I'm over the moon with the results, as is Mrs. Stone174 who wanted the colour-coding doing more than me.
The ride on the ProSport coilovers is a vast improvement over H&R springs and standard struts, less crashy and a more forgiving in ride.
Right, on with the hunt for an ageless plate - you could all help by taking a look at my Parts for Sale section and buying my old van bits, thanks.
Monday, 18 June 2012
Ready to collect
Just over a week has passed and the transformation is done. I've just had these pics sent and can't wait to see the van tomorrow.
Friday, 15 June 2012
Thursday, 14 June 2012
Another rear shot
My initial fears about the van looking 'too blue' have been alleviated with this shot. If we'd have had the number plate light cover and handles painted it would've been overkill. As it is, with just a black VW bumper protector to add (don't want to scuff the bumper when the bike rack goes back on), I think we've got just the right amount of black vs. blue.
Mirror, mirror...
Well we couldn't do the facelift without updating the mirrors. Swift progress by Merseyspeed, great work!
And is that a new bonnet I spy...?
Rear end looking fresh
Lights fitted, bumper and corners colour-coded, looks like the new mirrors are on too:
Tuesday, 12 June 2012
Pulled apart
New bumper bracket fitted (no corner-cutting Facelift job here), coilovers being fitted later today and then a roll around the corner and into the paintshop...
Deleting Dings
A quick update from Merseyspeed. It made economical sense whilst a batch of Stone Blue is made up for the bumpers that we have a quick once around the van and rectify all those little dings, scrapes, scratches and knocks that accumulate over the years.
You'll notice the door handles are off - this seems to be a real common problem of T5's around this age; the underside of the handle seems to catch on the paintwork (and Stone Blue isn't the hardest of paints) and eventually starts to rust out from underneath. Don't worry, we're not having the handles colour-coded - that would be a step too far! - I still want to keep the 'blue and black' theme going.
You'll notice the door handles are off - this seems to be a real common problem of T5's around this age; the underside of the handle seems to catch on the paintwork (and Stone Blue isn't the hardest of paints) and eventually starts to rust out from underneath. Don't worry, we're not having the handles colour-coded - that would be a step too far! - I still want to keep the 'blue and black' theme going.
Saturday, 9 June 2012
Surgery begins
Only hours after dropping the van off at Merseyspeed and the pics start to appear. Here's a quick 'teaser' shot with the front bumper and replica Sportline chin offered-up to an already half-disassembled van.
More to follow soon...
More to follow soon...
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