Winterizing your vehicle

Yes, it is that time again, winter is very much heading our way. For anyone with a vehicle, VW or not (apparently other vehicles are available!), winter in the UK is the worst time for metal on the roads.

Some suggestions:

Inside

Water

If you have anything containing water, drain it all out. Water tanks, boilers, kettles. Don’t just empty the tank, drain the whole system including the pipes. Remember that water in pipes still expands when it freezes, not just in the tank. It also goes stale after a period of standing. If possible take the tank indoors to keep it above freezing and/or clean it thoroughly.

We use a mild Milton solution to thoroughly clean ours including the impeller that sits in our tank and its associated pipe and electric cable. Then we rinse everything and air dry it all. Other options are available too!

Power

Leisure batteries like ambient temperatures and extreme cold will reduce their operational life. Keep them above freezing by removing them and keeping them in the garage or similar. Remember to keep the electrical contacts in the van safely insulated if applicable.

Keep those batteries charged using a trickle charger that is fit for purpose, which will also prolong their life.

Gas

Butane or propane tanks and bottles should be removed from your vehicle and stored safely with their openings closed properly – don’t leave the regulator open relying on the gas tap on the cooker as these can fail. Now is a good time to weigh them against their empty counterparts to know when you need to change them!

Boring cleaning

Now that you have opened up your van, removed the relevant tanks and bottles, you can get all misty eyed and miss the peace and tranquility of your van by getting in there and cleaning it all. It gives you a great sense of personal achievement as well as going into the winter with a nicely clean kitchen area, the fridge has been bleached and rinsed, and if applicable the bathroom, the shower and maybe the hot tub are all clean. Leave internal doors slightly ajar to keep mould and mildew at bay.

Soft furnishings

If possible, remove curtains, bedding, that emergency woollen blanket from Granny and take them indoors for a good wash or airing.

Ingress

Don’t be tempted to leave doors open or windows more than cracked open. All sorts of miscreants can get in and eat your lovely interior.

Outside

If possible store your vehicle in a garage. If that is not possible, a car port will do a similar job. A breathable cover can be good but make sure it is listed as fully breathable otherwise moist air gets under the cover, rises when things warm up and the vehicle will get wet, holding that wet against the bodywork. Avoid a heavy cover for sure!

Tyres

Tyres degrade from extreme temperatures and long periods of standing still. Winter does that very well! Inspect the tyres, check the pressures and consider putting the van on axle stands if you are not using it for a very long time, taking the wheels into the garage or shed. It also makes theft more difficult!

Moving parts

Lubricate everything. Hinges, moving parts, sliders, mechanical parts. Check the oil level. Use the right lubricant for the part in question. It will pay dividends next year and will keep water away, which is good for the life of the part.

Boring cleaning

Again, give the outside of your vehicle a proper clean, ideally by hand. Dry fully including the fiddly bits inside doors and between panels. Give it all a good quality wax polish. This also keeps water away and prolongs the panels and parts. It also makes you happy as you pass over the cold season when you don’t want to be away.

Underneath

If you are an advocate of underseal and waxoil, get the old visible stuff removed and apply new underseal to dry clean parts. The jury seems out on the benefits of underseal against the downside of it trapping moisture but waxoil or similar applied hot into cavities must be better than not applying it?

Engine

Some texts state to start your engine once a month and run it on idle for 30 minutes. More than that is not necessary and I don’t touch our air cooled engine at all.

An oil change just before the winter alongside a fuel-storage additive in the fuel tank if you like that sort of thing.

Main battery

We leave the main battery connected and the solar panel bolted to the roof of a van in a car port for the leisure battery. If that was not the case, we would trickle charge the main battery once a month over the winter. Again, this just makes sure that you don’t degrade the battery and end up having to replace it all of the time.

 

 

The id Buzz

If you thought that the T6 was not sufficiently different to the T5, well the next incarnation (or should that be in-van-ation) of the Volkswagen camper van is the id Buzz. Due to launch in 2022, this all electric van has been the talk of the VW world for many years with a lot of rumours.

Destined for a 110KWh battery pack, this promises a range of over 350 miles.

Behold, the camper van of the future!

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/first-drive-volkswagen-id-buzz-concept-review

I.D Buzz ready to be charged

The interior can be configured many ways

Notice the family resemblance…

id_buzz_release id_buzz_specifications

I.D Buzz ready to be charged

Contemporary with a nod to the past

Contemporary with a nod to the past

At home in the city

The interior can be configured many ways

The interior can be configured many ways

The interior can be configured many ways

The boots in the front!

I.D Buzz dimensions

Location of the batteries

Location of the batteries

Practical and versatile interior

Drivetrain conceptualised

Picking a camper van for a UK holiday

Originally published at http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/news/general/800023662/picking-a-camper-van-for-a-uk-holiday/

 

There’s been a lot of talk about people taking a ‘staycation’ rather than going abroad for their holidays. Put off by the increased hassle of ever-tougher airport security checks, would-be holiday makers could be forgiven for not wanting to make a trip abroad.

Besides which, there’s plenty to see in the UK, and while many might be familiar with the Costa Blanca or Costa del Sol, know nothing about the UK, and all it has to offer. After all, Chancellor George Osborne has made great play of his UK camper van holiday, so its popularity extends to the great and the good.

It’s surprising more classic enthusiasts don’t consider a classic camper van for a great way of seeing more of this country. There’s the opportunity of getting to different places, not being tied to one hotel or self-catering location, and being able to pack more into a week.

The classic camper movement might be dominated by Volkswagens, but there are many more models out there that are worth looking at – and possibly considerably cheaper too. While it’s not uncommon to see VW Type One ‘splitties’ busting the £20,000 mark and later Type Two ‘bay windows’ easily commanding £10,000 to £15,000, a Mark One or Mark Two Ford Transit won’t be anywhere near that, and Bedford CFs trail behind Transit prices.

Then there are the more unusual – a 1970s Fiat 850T camper is small, but it’s highly rare and that bodywork can suffer from terminal rot – hence the reason so few have survived. Luckily VW models are very well supported which makes ownership easier, although not necessarily cheaper, but when it comes tod riving a Mk1 and Mk2 Transit probably drives better while the Bedford CF trumps the Ford when it comes to performance and car-like all-round capabilities.

For one-upmanship in the classic camper stakes something American takes some beating, especially for fixtures, equipment and ‘furniture’, although fuel economy might not be quite so easy to stomach.

But for ease of use, good spares support but a great practical quirkiness, the Citroen C15 Romahome is one of the best all-rounders, and it’s old enough to be considered classic. With a well-fitted camper body, the C15 is relatively pokey too, and no matter how hard it’s driven, won’t deliver less than 40 to the gallon. It’s as near to a car as driving a classic camper can be, and it’s not too expensive – yet – although increasing interest will soon put paid to those pleasingly affordable prices.

Member’s motor – Neil and Kirsty Pattison, Nellie

Growing up in South Devon, the VW T2 was iconic and it was a dream of my wife to own one. We  were campers anyway (with our two sons and dog) and on a trip to the New Forest we were
lucky enough to come across some T2s that were pitched up in the park. After looking around a few, I was hooked; a solution to more space when camping (we had been towing a trailer)
and a project for me to work on (little did I realise then just how much work!)


Once home from our trip, we began our search
for our very own T2. After travelling to view a
couple advertised on eBay I spotted this one
and arranged a viewing. I arrived to find the
van was called Nellie – surely an omen as it
was the same as my nickname at school! The
interior was basic – two buddy seats, a rock ‘n’
roll bed, some mismatched foam pads on the
seats and bare wooden panels on the interior
sides, but the body seemed solid with no visible
rust. After some negotiation the deal was done
and the wife received a phone call telling her to
keep the following weekend free; we had a new
family member! This all happened in 2011 and
she has been a labour of love ever since.


The first thing was the interior; we replaced
the foam which we covered, made matching
curtains and covered the bare wood panels
with vinyl. This was closely followed by a major
overhaul of the Dormobile roof after we found
that parts were still available. We ordered the
replacement bellows and removed the roof!
Night after night was spent together (what a
bonding experience!), sanding, spraying (yes
we decided that the roof needed a complete
makeover) and trying to figure out which way
up to fit the bellows.

We even replaced the
roof vents. Over the years, the work has never
stopped and I have now taught myself to paint
using a spray gun and compressor and also how
to weld, which is much needed to keep ahead
of the rust, even though she is garaged. The
biggest challenge to date has probably been
to replace the engine from a 1600 to a 1641
with twin Webber 34’s. A necessary job after a
few disastrous trips last year when we travelled
more on a low loader than the road!

This has
been followed by an engine bay automatic fire
extinguisher as we are really not taking chances.


The hard work and (at times) heartache has
been so worth it for the many happy memories
that she has given us so far and will no doubt
continue to give; the camping trips, the
weddings for friends, the prom, picnics and classic car shows.

This is what you invest in
when you purchase a VW, that and becoming a
member of a huge family of like-minded people
who wave whenever you pass on the road and
will go out of their way to help a fellow Dubber.

The Mechanic – Issue 154 – Dog restraint

Dogs and campervans go hand in hand. From day
trips and short breaks to holidays and touring, a
large portion of campervan owners are also dog
owners. A recent survey conducted by the Dogs
Trust, showed that half of dog owners who take
them along in their vehicle didn’t know that dogs
need to be restrained, by law.
Rule 57 of the Highway Code states:
“When in a vehicle, make sure dogs or other
animals are suitably restrained so they cannot
distract you while you are driving or injure you, or
themselves, if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness,
pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of
restraining animals in cars.”


If you don’t secure your dog properly, not only
could you invalidate your insurance and lose your
license, but you could also risk their life and yours.
Car insurance companies may even refuse to pay
out on incidents where an unrestrained dog is
involved, as it’s likely that the dog was a distraction
and that the driver was in breach of Highway Code
Rule 57, as above.
The police also seem to be clamping down on
unrestrained dogs in cars, as it’s a real danger to
the dog, the driver and any passengers. Being
caught with an unsecured animal in a vehicle can
result in up to 9 penalty points and a £2,500 fine.
As stated in Rule 57, a seat belt harness, pet carrier,
dog crate or dog guard are ways of restraining
animals in your van legally and they are readily
available in pet shops, car accessory shops and of
course online.


A dog guard fits between the boot area of your
van and the rear seat and creates a safe place for
your dog to spend the journey whilst you travel.
A dog crate or carrier could be placed in the boot
area in your van or inside the main interior. Some
people may favour this option as it also gives their
dog a secure place to sleep at night but can be
troublesome to store when not in use.
We have tried these options in cars and campers
and have found that the easiest and hassle free
method is to use a harness (personal choice). They
are simple to use and take up little or no space
when they are not in use.
It doesn’t take long to set up the harness to fit your
dog securely and once you’ve got it done once
you’ll likely never have to change it.
There’s a simple, five-step process for getting your
wet-nosed friend ready for an exciting trip in your
van using a harness;
1. Unlace the webbing from the alloy buckle.
2. Adjust the webbing to the right length for
your dog.
3. Secure any excess webbing under the
storage tabs.
4. Lay the harness out on the floor and have
your dog step into it with its front paws
then secure the clip.
5. In the car, ensure that the harness is
secured correctly to one of the seat belts
and that any slack is taken up.
Just Kampers now stock a range of harnesses
which are ideal for all VW Transporters from T2’s
right through to T6’s and are available for all sizes
of dog. They have also been fully crash tested, so
you can rest assured that your dog will be safe and
secure.
Here are some more tips for travelling with your
dog to ensure that they and you enjoy the journey;
• Ensure they’re properly restrained as detailed
above.
• Give them one of their favourite toys
or blankets, so they feel at home when
travelling.
• Don’t let them hang their heads out of the
window. We all know they love doing it, but
it is potentially really dangerous and will
signal to the police that they’re probably
unsecured.
• If you can avoid it, don’t feed them for a
couple of hours before going out to avoid
travel sickness.
• Carry water with you, in case they overheat
and need cooling down.

Only 20 minutes in a
hot vehicle can prove
fatal to a dog. Within a
matter of minutes, as
the temperature rises,
your dog’s suffering will
become evident through
excessive panting, whimpering or barking. This
will then develop into a loss of muscle control and
ultimately their kidneys will cease to function, the
brain will become damaged and their heart will
stop.
To make everyone aware of just how quickly your
dog can be affected, the Dogs Trust has given
some top tips;
• Don’t leave your dog in a parked car or
van, even for a few minutes – even if it
seems cool outside it can become very
hot, very quickly. Parking in the shade and/
or keeping the windows down does not
make it safe!
• If you see a dog in distress in a parked car
or van, please call the Police on 999. If the
police are unable to attend, please call the
RSPCA 24-hour cruelty line 0300 1234 999.
• Make sure you keep your dog as cool as
possible when driving. Avoid travelling
during the heat of the day, use sun blinds
on the windows and consider opening
a window to allow a cooling breeze to
circulate in the vehicle.
• Make sure you have a supply of water and
know where you can stop off on the way
for water breaks. Dogs are not able to cool
down as effectively as humans, so can
suffer from heat stroke and dehydration
very quickly.
• If you are present at the rescue of a dog
that is clearly in distress, seek immediate
veterinary advice. The very first priority
is to prevent the dog from getting any
hotter, attempt to provide shade from
the sun and move to a cooler area.
Dampening the dog down with cool
(not freezing) water will help start to
bring the body temperature down.