Lloydi's VW Kombi Camper Van blog http://www.vwkombi.com/blog Just another WordPress weblog Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:15:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.3 en Some VW How-tos http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/some-vw-how-tos/03/12/2007/ http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/some-vw-how-tos/03/12/2007/#comments Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:15:46 +0000 Ian http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/some-vw-how-tos/03/12/2007/ I get asked for links to other people’s sites from time-to-time, but usually have to say a polite no, mainly because I don’t actually have a dedicated links page

and never really wanted one, and often these ad-hoc links don’t warrant a post in their own right. However, I’ve decided to make an exception for a site that I was contacted about. Kombi blog is - or will soon be - hosting some trip reports but for the time being I’m more interested in the how-to guides that the site owner is putting up. It’s one thing to refer to a service manual with grainy black and white photos, but a good walk-through with large colour photos is always so much easier. Unfortunately the site is built with frames (ugh!) which makes it difficult to provide direct links to these how-to guides, but just look at the menu options on the left for ‘Renovations’.

]]> http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/some-vw-how-tos/03/12/2007/feed/ The Dormobile Interior Restoration is Complete! http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/the-dormobile-interior-restoration-is-complete/27/08/2007/ http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/the-dormobile-interior-restoration-is-complete/27/08/2007/#comments Mon, 27 Aug 2007 22:55:57 +0000 Ian http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/the-dormobile-interior-restoration-is-complete/27/08/2007/ I’m not fibbing. See, it’s even in a comic strip, so it must be true.

Comic Strip showing progress of Dormobile restorationComic Strip showing progress of Dormobile restorationComic Strip showing progress of Dormobile restorationComic Strip showing progress of Dormobile restorationComic Strip showing progress of Dormobile restorationComic Strip showing progress of Dormobile restorationComic Strip showing progress of Dormobile restoration

]]> http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/the-dormobile-interior-restoration-is-complete/27/08/2007/feed/ Nearly done on the Dormobile Interior Resto! http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/nearly-done-on-the-dormbile-interior-resto/15/08/2007/ http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/nearly-done-on-the-dormbile-interior-resto/15/08/2007/#comments Wed, 15 Aug 2007 20:32:21 +0000 Ian http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/nearly-done-on-the-dormbile-interior-resto/15/08/2007/ With the van completely empty and looking shabby, I really needed to get on and finish the job. The interior was mostly done (well, the new doors I cut out needed routing – so that I can put trim around the edge – and hinges, catches etc) but while the van was empty I decided to give it a make-over (see previous post for the list).

The hardest job was putting new windows in (or old windows with new rubbers). I really needed a swear box, especially when the helpful leverage supplied by screwdriver slipped and scratched the freshly tinted windows! This was not an easy job, and I am not looking forward to doing it again. Ever.

Here’s a bit of the progress from that part of the refurb, done over 12 hours:

Look - no windows!Rust damage inside the windowRust damage inside the windowMasked and paintedMasked and paintedPainting done. I am high as a kite now.Painting done. I am high as a kite now.Painting done. I am high as a kite now.


On the Saturday just gone, I finally put the refurbed interior back in. It was a bit of a jigsaw, and I discovered that I was missing one piece (thankfully, not a crucial part, and one I can make up out of MDF quite easily). There are still some final bits of work needed – some trimming, floor, and a few other odds and sods, but basically the donkeywork is all done now. And here’s the (almost) finished result:

The main unitis in!The seat base starts to take shapeCupboard unit in placeBack compartments pieced togetherLooking up at the freshly jet-washed (yes!) canvasIan putting in the fold-up seatStill more finishing touches to doNearly there - still needs a table, some proper flooring etcNearly there - still needs a table, some proper flooring etc


]]> http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/nearly-done-on-the-dormbile-interior-resto/15/08/2007/feed/ Interior: Gone! http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/interior-gone/18/07/2007/ http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/interior-gone/18/07/2007/#comments Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:22:32 +0000 Ian http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/interior-gone/18/07/2007/ Well, the restoration on the units has been going pretty good. It took a couple of weeks of filling, sanding, re-fixing old joins and applying finishing touches (fablon vinyl covering and edge trimming), along with a bit of painting, varnishing and good old-fashioned cleaning. The bed/seat is recovered and everything is almost ready to go back in, although I still have to finish the cupboard doors – just waiting on finding the right router part so I can cut a groove in the doors for the trim to go in. You can see the progress in the photos below:

Seat brackets - sanded and paintedThe wardrobe unit - sanded, covered and painted insideSome buffed up hingesPainting the inside of the main unitInside of lids covered The recovered seatPutting fablon on the main cupboard unitAdding the trim to the door edgesAlmost complete - just need some doors back on here!


Now, it just needs somewhere to go, right? This weekend I bravely took to the existing interior. Once I’d pulled up the first bit of laminate floor, well, I was committed to it then. Over the next hour and a half or so, I unscrewed and pulled out the various fittings until the back of the bus was completely empty. It looks positively cavernous in there now!

Removing the old interior, ready for re-furbed Dormobile interiorRemoving the old interior, ready for re-furbed Dormobile interiorRemoving the old interior, ready for re-furbed Dormobile interiorRemoving the old interior, ready for re-furbed Dormobile interiorRemoving the old interior, ready for re-furbed Dormobile interior


Before the refurbed interior goes back in I’m going to get a few jobs done on the inside, namely:

  • Wire brush all the floor and re-paint with a black rust-proof paint
  • Sand all the bodywork above the suage line on the interior from the bulkhead back
  • Remove the windows with the knackered seals, also replace the pop-out windows for new (non-leaky) windows
  • While the windows are out, re-tint them all – easier to do on a flat surface, and can actually put the rubbers over the top of the tinting, woohoo!
  • Paint the interior above the suage line white
  • Lift up the pop-top, blitz the inside with a range of toxic chemicals to remove damp spots and what have you!

Sounds like a lot, but nothing too troubling really. Can do it all myself, the only question is how quickly? Watch this space!

]]> http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/interior-gone/18/07/2007/feed/ The Dormobile interior resto project begins! http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/the-dormobile-interior-resto-project-begins/21/06/2007/ http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/the-dormobile-interior-resto-project-begins/21/06/2007/#comments Thu, 21 Jun 2007 11:58:21 +0000 Ian http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/the-dormobile-interior-resto-project-begins/21/06/2007/ Long time no blog post. About time I did something about that and I have just the reason – a long overdue refresh of the interior of our VW Camper (aka our Ethel).

Last week I collected an old Dormobile (D 4/6) interior from a guy in Slough . Originally he wanted just £50 for the units and the fold-out bed, then it went down to £30 but when I actually collected it he had a change of heart and decided not to take anything for it. Perhaps, in removing the units, he realised just how much work would be involved to put them right.

So, for the next few weeks I’ll be cleaning and sanding the units, re-screwing all the joints (with counter-sunk screws that I’ll fill over and sand for a flat finish), covering entirely with new Fablon (sticky vinyl covering) in Beech finish, and putting new hinges on everything. The only hurdle I’m expecting, to be honest, is finding some trip to apply to the edges of the doors – I may need to improvise somewhat!

Old Dormobile units that need *serious* restorationOld Dormobile units that need *serious* restorationOld Dormobile units that need *serious* restorationAll edge trims are damaged/worn and need removing (and hopefully replacing)All hinges are damaged/worn and need replacing Partly restored boards (sanded, cleaned, covered in fablon)Very worn seat fabric (original colour was black!)Rusty looking seat brackets


Once all the units are in good shape inside the house, I’ll take out the existing interior and start plumbing in the new ones. I’m hoping that will be the easy part.

So, I’ll update the progress on the blog, partly for my own records, and partly in the hope that someone searching for door trim for Dormobile units might chance upon this site – and if they do, please let me know where I can get some!

]]> http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/the-dormobile-interior-resto-project-begins/21/06/2007/feed/ If Ethel were in the Film Cars http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/if-ethel-were-in-the-film-cars/15/02/2007/ http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/if-ethel-were-in-the-film-cars/15/02/2007/#comments Thu, 15 Feb 2007 14:51:25 +0000 Ian http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/if-ethel-were-in-the-film-cars/15/02/2007/ … she would probably look a bit like this:

Ethel as an extra in Cars

So, I don’t have a split-screen bus, so I can’t do a proper job of recreating Filmore from the film, so the Photoshopped version will have to do!

]]> http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/if-ethel-were-in-the-film-cars/15/02/2007/feed/ My New Toy - A Remote Control Samba! http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/my-new-toy-a-remote-control-samba/05/12/2006/ http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/my-new-toy-a-remote-control-samba/05/12/2006/#comments Tue, 05 Dec 2006 23:53:52 +0000 Ian http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/my-new-toy-a-remote-control-samba/05/12/2006/ Heard about this just a couple of days ago, saw it on the Maplin web site today, had to have it this evening!

My new toy

So, that’s my Xmas present from Manda come early then!

Check out the other pics here ….

]]> http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/my-new-toy-a-remote-control-samba/05/12/2006/feed/ Travelling around South America in a Kombi http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/travelling-around-south-america-in-a-kombi/15/09/2006/ http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/travelling-around-south-america-in-a-kombi/15/09/2006/#comments Fri, 15 Sep 2006 13:05:20 +0000 Ian http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/travelling-around-south-america-in-a-kombi/15/09/2006/ I was sent a link a little while back and it’s taken me a while to get around to posting something here. I don’t understand the text on this site but that doesn’t matter - it’s good enough that there are loads of pics of a hard looking camouflaged Kombi making its way through various South American terrain:

Heading into the rainforest

And I think there may have been an engine repair or two along the way …

Kaboom - the engine needs a bit of work

Go check out the site for yourself - this is one well-travelled bus.

]]> http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/travelling-around-south-america-in-a-kombi/15/09/2006/feed/ Filmore from Cars is alive! http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/filmore-vw-split-screen-is-alive/14/09/2006/ http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/filmore-vw-split-screen-is-alive/14/09/2006/#comments Thu, 14 Sep 2006 11:34:50 +0000 Ian http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/filmore-vw-split-screen-is-alive/14/09/2006/ FilmoreI knew it would happen. Just a couple of weeks ago I was having a discussion at our monthly VW meet-up about the film Cars, specifically about the VW split screen bus called Fillmore and how it must surely only be a matter of time until someone painted up their bus to look like Filmore, stuck a couple of card inserts in the windscreen for the eyes and then make a few pennies off Disney/Pixar or the local cinema for promotional purpose. Just a matter of time, I said …

Apparantly the kids love the Filmore lookalike (can’t imagine why … I jest) so the owners might well keep it like this for some time to come. Now, if they could only work out a way of keeping the eyes on the front while driving - and staying legal - that would be so cool!


]]> http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/filmore-vw-split-screen-is-alive/14/09/2006/feed/ I missed Vanfest http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/vanfest-2006-which-blimmin-well-missed/13/09/2006/ http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/vanfest-2006-which-blimmin-well-missed/13/09/2006/#comments Wed, 13 Sep 2006 11:02:31 +0000 Ian http://www.vwkombi.com/blog/vanfest-2006-which-blimmin-well-missed/13/09/2006/ Letter from Vanfest organisers informing me I'd won… so don’t go telling me how gosh-darn jolly good it was otherwise I’ll use much stronger language in my reply! Seriously, though, this was the year that I really should have been there but forces conspired against me. Why should have I been there? Because:

Vanfest programme cover design
  1. I own a Volkswagen. And it’s a van/bus/[your pet term of choice here]
  2. I haven’t been to nearly enough shows this year - Bristol Volksfest was basically it! (I can’t count Wroughton Classic - that was a stone’s throw away for me)
  3. A book called Campervan Crazy was launched there on which Manda (the wife) appears - front cover, no less, and which features a piece that I wrote for the book, along with a two-page spread inside the book (p132). It even includes a full-page photo I took back at an early Bug Jam (or was it Beetle Bash?) of Dubhenge that includes me brother
  4. A design that I did for the Vanfest printed programme - one that I knocked together, to be honest, based on some photos taken at earlier shows - ended up being chosen as the winner by the organisers. So, not only was the bus on the front cover of the book to be launched at the show, it was also on the front of the programme handed out to everyone on their way in … but not me. (I also missed out on the opportunity of free camping all weekend and entry to the show - a tidy little saving I never made use of)

So, why wasn’t I there? Because:

  1. People insist on having weddings. 3 in one month for me - 4 in a 6-week stretch. Crazy … Anyway, that took care of my Friday and Saturday.
  2. People insist on having birthdays. It was the wife’s in the previous week and the Sunday evening was reserved for her folks to buy her dinner somewhere out of town.
  3. Volkswagens insist on having ‘issues’. In the week before Vanfest, the alternator went and needed fixing. I managed to get the van on the Friday night - so I was in time for the show - but with just a small window of opportunity on that Sunday I didn’t think it was worth it.

So, did I miss much then?

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