Show Report: Fueled Society 2013

The youth of today - don't you just love 'em. I guess this is a statement said by many over the generations, last weekend I found myself mumbling it. And before you think 'here we go, Stone174's on another show rant' hang on, this one was a really good show, helped no-end by the glorious sunshine.

Gates opened for camping at 10am on the Saturday morning - a really good idea as it meant a real lazy day of doing very little, bagging a good camping spot, watching cars and vans arrive and generally sitting under that sun with a cold beer.

Watching the type of vehicle and owner arriving we suddenly realised that the show had a somewhat 'split personality' to it. Hoardes of young lads in nearly new cars running static drops to the ground. Thankfully they were in 'general' camping and we were in the designated 'quiet' camping - more on that soon...

The show's appeal on paper was a mix of live music, quality food stalls and a vintage fair. Combined with a line-up of show vehicles from different scenes, it can't fail to be good. But the majority of the live music was hard-rock (not appealing to the bass-loving lads), the food was a great mix of Noodles, Chili Dogs, Brazilian street food, Beers from a local brewery etc. (the majority of punters seemed to be eating chips and drinking Budweiser), the vintage fair was really cool but retro-phones, vintage tweed and teacups aren't exactly 'scene' either.

With a more diverse crowd I feel this show could really work. But should the organisers play to the masses? Or push their promotion towards that more discerning audience?

My grumble at the youth of today started when, on each visit across the field to use the facilities (of which there weren't enough), I would find myself picking up the aforementioned Budweiser bottles - carelessly discarded on a field where the next day the youths would be driving their vehicles!
Bins and loos; the two things that should be in abundance at every show.

Quiet camping didn't really work. Of the 500 camping passes sold, 400 must have been in general camping. I was amazed at 6.30pm that a security gang would come rushing over to me to check that my barbecue wasn't in the grass - but where were they at 1.30am when there's still a noise nuisance?
The location of quiet camping just wasn't right - stuck in the middle with the live music stage in one direction and general camping in the other. One of the organising crew asked us on Sunday morning if it had been okay so we explained a few issues, he agreed pointing out an area that had been suggested for quiet camping that would have been far better, so maybe next year...

Rant over. The rest of the show was great - it's still in it's infancy and the first year of being a two-day event - so I'll happily forgive most of the negative points. And a massive well-done to the organisers who never get enough praise for putting on events like this.

We woke early, tidied up, breakfasted, stuck the van on the show field and sat in the sun.

We got some great comments for all different walks of life - even the youth of today seem to like it! The mix of cars on the show field was fantastic; everything from Vdubs and Audis to Lancia, Ford, drag cars, rally cars, American cars and trucks.

Would we go again? The jury's still out at the moment. I guess having a modern, watercooled campervan and searching for that perfect car-show, I too need a 'split personality'.

Micro Mods: Window Winder Wheels

The cab area will be one of the last parts of the van to have any sort of modification done to it. Other than the footwell lights and the cab light it is pretty much untouched.

Then I saw this mod done on the T5 forum and thought I'd give it a go. At first glance I couldn't work out how the winder handles came off, but it's dead easy once you know...

Simply squeeze the lock-ring behind the handle and pull it in the opposite direction to that which the handle is pointing - simple. Then it just pulls away from the mechanism.

Once off I simply chopped the back of the small wheel section to remove the spinning part. Then using a small cabinet connecting bolt and some loctite on the thread, add the skateboard wheel of your choice:

Before and after

Then just replace the handle in the opposite of removal. It's probably wise when choosing your skateboard wheel to keep the diameter small, a larger wheel might put too much stress on the handle - Stone174 accepts no responsibility for your own breakages!

And here's the finished thing, for now. The beauty of this mod is being able to change the wheels for something else at a later date:

  

Show Report: Deva Dubs & Rods 2013

Ask any die-hard v-dubber about their favourite show and they'll probably give you a handful of events that have been just right; where all the variables have been perfect - the planets were all aligned - so to speak...

Deva Dubs 2013 was looking to be such an event; the all important weather forecast was for wall-to-wall sunshine with light winds, the location - a showground by the river just a few minutes walk from town, a great mix of vehicles on show - the usual German metal mixed up with some great American cars which makes the show field a refreshing change from the usual format. The usual mix of camping friends all excited at the prospect of a great couple of days chilling-out, eating well, drinking well and creating the memories for the next time you are asked about your favourite show.

Packed and ready to roll, two wheels and four

The quest for show-perfection had begun. The journey down was fine if a little warm, but who's complaining? Our camping plot (that a few early-arriving friends had bagged) was surprisingly large with plenty of space to spread out without feeling like being camped on top of one another.

All the hours of cleaning certainly pay-off under bright sunshine

Friday night was pretty much perfect; lamb kebabs, a few shandys, a wonderful sunset and subsequent stargazing lead to a great night's sleep - the showground fell pretty much silent shortly after midnight.

Saturday dawned a little cloudy but with the warmth of the day came the glorious sunshine. After a lazy start we headed along the riverside walk into Shrewsbury to sample a few of the town's finer ale-houses and stock up on provisions.

Have we gone back in time?

Bathed in sunshine, Shrewsbury looked like a place worthy of further exploration. As time was ticking on we headed back to the showground ready for more barbecue and to sample the party atmosphere that Deva Dubs has become renowned for.

But at the end of Saturday night things went a little downhill - and this is where, for me, the planets fell out of alignment...

I'll admit I'm no spring chicken. At the age of 39 I've done my fair share of partying, but have also learnt when to stop; hangovers are harder to recover from and there's too much to see at the show on Sunday to be lying in the van with a pounding head. I also need a good night's sleep.

Nobody would be so naiive as to attend a Volkswagen show without thinking their would be a little noise intrusion from those campers that are having a good time. Many shows, Deva included, have a designated Family (or quiet) Camping area where there is a loud music curfew of 10pm. These areas tend to fill up really quickly and in this instance we were camped in 'General' camping which has a similar curfew on sound systems and stereos at midnight. As it says on the Deva Dubs website - this isn't Bug Jam!

So why at almost 3.30am am I still lying awake listening to a group of inconsiderate campers screaming at one another and shouting over the top of loud music? I vividly remember 3.30am as that was the time on the clock when I was about to get dressed and find either security or organising staff to do something about the situation. At that point someone with the same thoughts as me must have done exactly the same as I could hear the group being told enough was enough and it was time to call it a day.

Given the time I think security went in fairly serious as I could clearly hear them saying turn it off or we'll throw you off site. This was then met with 'you can't throw us off site, we've had a drink, it's your duty of care, you can't throw us off site, we know the law'.

Thankfully the music stopped at this point. But the shouting continued for another half an hour or so about how they couldn't be thrown off site, duty of care, we know the law, etc, etc.

And this got me thinking - what's the point of a noise curfew if it can't be controlled? It really annoys me that some people; fellow show-goers with a common interest, should behave in such a manner with complete disregard for those around them and the rules of the show.

What could or should be done in such an occasion? They can't be moved as vehicle movements would be far too dangerous around tents etc. They can't be walked out of the show and left at the roadside. Could registration numbers be taken and then be asked to leave first-thing the next day? Excluded from buying tickets for next year's event?

It's always a small minority that causes these issues but it's now me, the regular punter, that is thinking twice about attending in future - and not just this show, any weekend show - would it be easier to camp close-by at a campsite and then visit for the day on the Sunday? It means missing out on many great elements that go in to making those perfect-show memories, but if there are many more of these negative experiences I'll call it a day on VW shows.

Anyway, rant over. It was a great show, just not as perfect as it could have been.

Sunday dawned and the sunshine certainly helped with my lack of sleep - as did a nice curry lunch from one of the food vendors - yet another plus point of this show over others. A meander around the show field and those great American cars rubbing shoulders with Volkswagens really is a refreshing format. It's great to see vehicles from a different 'scene' to see how others modify, restore and care for their vehicles.

Size difference is just one of many contrasts.

Some awesome German metalwork on display

So the quest for the perfect show goes on - it will happen, it's happened before - maybe that's what keeps us all going. I tip my hat to all the show organisers; you've one hell of a job to do and doubt you get the thanks you really deserve, it's such a shame you have to deal with those that have no respect for their camping neighbours.

Perfection? Almost.

Campervan TV

As a die-hard 'camper' I used to frown upon fellow campers that were sat inside (usually in caravans) watching the soaps, whilst the sun was shining in the early evening. I still do... but have grown to realise that just sometimes, usually on a wet and windy evening, something other than the local paper or a book might not be a bad idea - if only to watch the weather forecast for the next few days!

I'm not keen to have a flip-down monitor in the van or a screen on a bracket that can be folded away. The route I chose to go down was to simply watch TV on the laptop. After-all, the laptop is nearly always with me, I can use it for checking emails, blogging on the go, editing photos etc.

A few months ago I picked up an Elgato EyeTV DTT dongle. For a little under £60 it comes with an easy setup disk and a magnetic-mount aerial. Simply arrive on site, plug in and set the dongle to auto-tune - it usually finds between 20 and 50 free-to-view channels within a couple of minutes depending on whereabouts you are in the UK. There's also space to record programmes to the dongle for later viewing - just like a modern set-top-box.

The size of a small USB stick - the dongle takes up next to no space in the van

Great results from such a tiny aerial, it even works inside the poptop

An instant, pin-sharp, full screen picture

Plus the whole thing is portable, can be hidden away and plays DVDs and music too. With the addition of an old iMac remote control I can change channel and adjust volume without getting out of bed! Whilst die-hard campers might scoff at the thought of never being away from the television, I feel this is the perfect half-way solution without having anything permanently fitted in the van.

Celebrating 100,000 hits...

Many thanks to every single reader of the Stone174 blog. It's you guys and your kind comments that have kept me blogging.

There is more to come; the modifications might not be as large as previous but there is a continual refinement in progress and a few unique touches on the cards this year. Not to mention more trips to shows and weeks away camping.

Thanks again,
Richard (Stone174)

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.