Front splitter wanted...

I'm currently on the look out for a slim-profiled front splitter to sit under the Sportline chin.

Must not be the popular Seat Leon Cupra R splitter that many others have fitted (too rounded). So far, I've looked at Mk2 and Mk3 Golf, Renault Espace, various Vauxhall splitters and plenty of eBay-specials!

The look I'm trying to achieve:

Just enough to visually lower the front a little further. All ideas and recommendations will be gratefully received - I'm quite happy to break out the Dremel and junior-hacksaw if required.

19" BBS CH For Sale - again

Due to the previous buyer backing-out, the BBS CH are back up for sale.

UPDATE: NOW SOLD

They are 19x8.5 with offset ET35. PCD is 5x120 - bolt straight on to your T5 without needing adapters. They come with spigot rings, a full set of bolts and a set of locking bolts.

Genuine BBS centre caps and logo valve caps will also be supplied.

Tyres are all Kumhos, 245/40/19 rated at 98Y* XL. Two of these have done a little more than a thousand miles, whilst the other pair have done around 5k.

Tyre condition:

2x Kumho Ecsta SPT - approx 4.5mm of tread before the wear indicators

2x Kumho Ecsta LE - approx 5.5mm of tread before the wear indicators

They aren't perfect... but they aren't bad either. The stainless steel rim protector ring can be removed and replaced; they've had a couple of minor dings but nothing that stands out from three feet away.
A couple of spokes have the odd stonechip but nothing major. But they are genuine BBS alloys with good tyres, not cheap repros. No welds, cracks or repairs.

New this wheel and tyre package cost £2,250. So I'm asking the fair price of £1,200 for the quality German wheels and tyres

I can deliver depending on distance or meet at a convenient location or bring to a VW show. I'm based in Leeds Mon-Fri or Skipton, North Yorkshire, at weekends.

*Please note: 98Y is a borderline rating for T5 - ideally these should by 101Y minimum. At this price you're really buying just the wheels with free tyres.  

 Thanks for looking.

Edit: PRICE DROP - NOW £850 Open to sensible offers to move these on. And I'll deliver if the distance isn't mega-miles.

UPDATE: NOW SOLD 

Show Report: Bustypes 2013

I'm going to start scaling-down the show reports on here; I feel they're getting a little 'same-y' - talk about the weather, whinge about the food on offer, etc, etc. Whilst I enjoy giving you a 'punter's-perspective', I think it's time to knock them on the head.

Maybe I'll continue them in the future with just a few pics from my Instagram feed:

I'm hoping to be submitting images and words on a freelance basis to Volksworld's VWT Magazine in the not too distant future so my writing up of shows will 'hopefully' be seen there instead.

The show itself is still, year on year, very good. A tried and tested formula that doesn't need messing with. The weather played ball and after what has been a fairly rough Winter, it was great to be able to sit outside our vans and get together with friends from last season. Camped by the entrance there were a couple of thoughts running through my mind on the Friday afternoon; the first was 'where are they going to put everyone?' - an almost constant stream of campers came in from 3pm until around 7pm! Secondly, it was great to see so many T4's and T5's; later model vans have been truly embraced by the scene with many people selling-up their old vans in favour of the newer varieties... but why so many non-VW campervans (or motorhomes to give them the correct title) this year?

I've already seen a few negative comments on the forums from people that couldn't arrive until Saturday and then struggling to find a space - should the camping be VW only, or limited numbers of tickets available to non-VW's? I'm not sure it could be possible.

Finally the food. Many camper-owners (ourselves and friends included) love our food. I enjoy nothing more than a good social barbecue with everyone dipping in, buying and cooking their own food, sitting around talking, drinking and grazing on what's available. But come Sunday morning after maybe a few too many shots the night before it's time to see what the show's food-court can offer...

A 'speciality' coffee van with no hot water telling us to go and get coffee from another seller - instant coffee!!! Over-priced and borderline-under-cooked burgers and hot dogs being sold at ridiculous prices. I just don't get it. Are the organisers putting the contract out to the highest bidder or the highest quality? This year's selection was dire.

Surely a few hours research could source some local independent caterers - the type that attend farmer's markets and food-fayres? It's not that people aren't willing to pay but as a show-goer we shouldn't be expected to pay for poor quality food. It might cut in to the show's overheads but surely the positive feedback and increased sales would enhance the show's reputation and add another reason for visiting year after year - just my thoughts...

I'll definitely be there again next year. Maybe I'll be brave enough to put the van in the show'n'shine. Either way - I'll be bringing enough food for the whole weekend!

This year's big thing - Airride

Just before heading off on our Volksworld Show roadtrip, Iain at iKustoms asked for a couple of photos of the van aired-up and aired-out. I was thinking they would be for a new advert for his company, turns out they were for a full feature on airride in this months Volksworld VWT magazine!

It's a great article, written by Iain, which answers many of the questions that we are both being bombarded with at the moment!!! Although the majority of those questions still seem to be 'how much?' I'm hoping that this article will dispel some of the myths, rumours and heresay that surround airride as a viable, useable and practical suspension solution. Go out and grab yourself a copy - it's a good read.

Volksword Show 2013 Highlights

You're probably thinking why does a staunch modern-van fan go to the Volksworld Show? There's no T5s in there... no T4s (except one being given away as a competition prize) and no T3s. Most of the traders and all the swapmeet stalls are selling stuff for older VWs, why go?

It's all to do with VW's heritage. As a die-hard Volkswagen fan, the Volksworld Show will never disappoint; it's the show that many new, restored, discovered, rare and original cars are first debuted. This year was no exception.

I checked my Instagram feed early on the Saturday morning long before the gates opened, to find that just a few hours earlier the Volksworld crew were still adding the finishing touches to one of this year's surprises - a recreation of a fifties dealership - filled with early and rare coachbuilts.

Great attention to detail and filled with cars from Karosserie Rometsch and Beutler, to name a few. Simply jaw-dropping. I've always had a soft-spot for the Rometsch Beeskow, to see this 1951 example in the flesh was fabulous.

Other vehicles of note; the 1952 Barndoor painstakingly restored by Status VW:

The body-dropped Split by Type 2 Detectives with flawless body and paint by iKustoms:

The Lightning Bug. Found, restored and shipped to the UK. This should be racing again at the European Bug-in later this year:

Outside, this gorgeous Audi 100 was displaying this year's trend of going lower than most:

Back inside, this Notchback with stunning body and paintwork - another area where many people have upped-their-game this year. Some of the paintwork and finishing levels were just off the scale.

Will I be going again next year? More than likely. The weather could have easily put people off but it really wasn't that bad - with the pop-top roof staying down and the diesel heater ticking over, we were quite comfortable... or was that the drink keeping me warm? Here's another pic of that cold camping:

See you there next year, hopefully it will be warmer!