Screwing around with a Eurovan!

[Cole]

Well, I have always loved the VW vans, especially the Vanagon syncro Westfalias. Unfortunately, they are getting old, expensive for a nice one and can't fit a motorcycle in the back:lol3

With my first kiddo on the way I figured I should start nesting by building a family camper:clap

I really wanted something that I could park in my driveway in an HOA controlled neighborhood that doesn't allow "Commercial" vehicles or Campers. Which kinda eliminated just doing a slide-in in my pickup or a Sprinter Van. Both would have been cool, but this is going to be fun for now too!

Over in the UK they build these T4 vans into campers all the time. At some point in this built I will figure out the 4x4 conversion (probably with a diesel swap:drool

First off I found a deal on a 2002 GLS, hardtop 7 passenger van, diagnosed with needing a timing chain tensioner. Original owner van. Well cared for but he did not want to spend the $5k they quoted to do the timing job:deal I offered him $1,350 and he took it:Wow1:


So here is the project van !

I also stumbled on a wrecked 1993 "Weekender" Poptop. Picked this one up for $1250:coffeedrink:

Now ll I had to do was make the first one run and convert it to a pop top:sombrero:




I couldn't store the parts van more than a few days without causing issues with the HOA so I posted it up for parts on TheSamba and Ev_Update. I put the extra parts out there for "any reasonable offer"! I literally took anything people offered and did zero negotiation just to get the parts gone and off to a good home!

Within 3-4 days I had the van stripped and $1400 back in my pocket:victory:

Took the empty shell off to the recycler.

Now for the rear fun!

 

[Cole]

The next step was to tear down the 2002 and figure out the issue.

.....and clean up some parts while I was in there:victory:

Take apart two 7 passenger vehicles and you will have plenty of seating for the next garage party:sombrero:

Gotta love a design where the timing chains are on the back side of the motor so the transmission has to come out to change them.

Long story short, the chains, tensioners and guides were fine:huh So this part of the job ended up being preventative maintenance since these vans will eventually need chains.

The real issue turned out to be this tiny steel screen jamming the cam adjuster. (Only had to take it apart twice to figure this out

Engine was Sea Foamed and all of the crud inside it is now gone too!

 

[Cole]

First test drive went well:victory:

A buddy of mine came over to help me put the transmission back in the Eurovan and fell in love with my wife's F650 Dakar:lol3 He had (and hasn't ) ever ridden before. But fell so in love with the idea of riding something like the Dakar that he went out and bought one:Wow1:Of course, I was happy to put the van project on hold and go help him pick it up. (Notice the lack of headliner as I was just about to cut the top open)

Josh is now a member of advrider.com and waiting to go take his MFS course in a few weeks:snorkel:

 

[Cole]

Slight problem after picking up his motorcycle. :ylsmoke:I apparently didn't get one of the axle shafts torqued enough and dropped it on the way home in 10* weather. Abandoned the van in favor of margaritas for the night and came back and fixed it in the day light:friday:

This is where the real fun is! Nothing quite as fun a cutting a giant hole in the top of a van you just bought:sombrero:

Now through the power of the Internet I'm going to skip lots of boring details and TA DA!

One of the big things I was able to do with this build so far was retain the rear AC unit that GLS vans came with and factory pop tops did not! :victory:

This right now is a giant AC blower. I will duct it up to the trim pieces later:victory:

I currently have this set up like a stock Weekender with the 4 person sleeping and a table. I will now start converting it to a true camper. :wings:

 

[Cole]

Current interior set up is fairly close to a stock Westfalia Weekender. The rear seat folds to a bed, there is a food out table in the wall, bed in the Poptop. I'm not going to install the rear facing jump seats in favor of some seat swivels on the front seats.



The goal is to build something like this!

 

[Cole]

Okay, I have to share this.


While I was searching for my Eurovan I would save all sorts of cool photos of Eurovans and Vanagons I found along the way. Mostly just to remember ideas of builds, mods etc.

I stumbled on a cool cartoon sketch of one and saved it. This is it!

After I found the black 2002 van online it started a long email conversation with the owner while we were negotiated the price and discussed the condition of the van.

In our exchange of emails he sent me this sketch below through email.

I replied and said...."Hey, that's pretty cool" and shared the one I had found earlier. His reply was "yeah, I drew that one too" :shock:

Really? Sweet!

So we have continued to talk and I have been emailing him updates on the van. At one point I kinds mentioned doing a "Transsyberia " theme like the Porsche Cayenne Transsyberia race cars.

He then emailed me this.

This showed up in my mailbox!!!!

Think I may need to finish the framing and find a place to mount it in the van when its done!

 

[copescobra]

VW Conversion

Un REAL !!! What an incredible undertaking and incredible score. WOW- is all I can say.

FYI- there are plenty of UK web sites that will sell and ship cabinets and such for exactly what you are doing in case you want something pre-built to specs
of your VW. Keep us posted on the build.

I just sold my 1999 Eurovan Camper and loved every minute in it. Sorry I sold it looking back now!!!

 

[bknudtsen]

Now for the rear fun!

:Wow1:

 

[Sempertoy]

Awesome van! Very jelly.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[d67u57]

great project.

cutting out the top, how did it affect(or not) structural integrity?

 

[Cole]

great project.

cutting out the top, how did it affect(or not) structural integrity?

Thanks.

In this particular case I was able to reuse all of the factory Westfalia reinforcement pieces. So there is a large metal frame that fit in the hole and matched up with all the angles of the factory rain gutters and interior mount points. I found it kinda hard to capture in pictures because its so integrated it just looks like the open hole, even though the frame is in place.

I may add one extra support bar myself later to tie the sides together. There is an existing piece there but I think it could be improved upon.

If you were to build your own "frame" for the hole it would be fairly easy to add one of these tops to another van! I actually considered doing it to a full size van or Safari. Just have a taste for "Euro" things so I figured I would start there.

 

[Cole]

Did a little strategic window tinting today. I wanted a bit more privacy than the factory tint offered and I wanted to keep it cooler inside for my dogs and soon to be born daughter.


The front windows were clear. Now they are at 30%.

Since you look back through the slider and rear window when driving we only did 20% darker man those.

The rest of the windows that you can't/don't really look through when driving were limo tinted.

Here is a good before and after shot of the side window.

 

[Cole]

Hmmm......not quite enough room for the wolf with the car seat in the middle. :Wow1:

Hmm......not sure moving it helped :coffeedrink:

Hmmm.....maybe the front seat? :Wow1:

Nope.......
Finally figured out a spot he fits:sombrero:

 

[bknudtsen]

That's pretty funny right there!

 

[Cole]

A little photography humor.......


Just had our first daughter two days ago and was at the park and taking family pictures.

....no.....not VW family pictures...... :sombrero:

These....


So first picture......DOH....wrong light settings....but got both dogs, (note the happy Australian Shepard :wink but wife and baby are too dark.

...adjust the settings....use a little flash. Got the wife...CRAP...Aussie laid down

Walked around th van, "Whipped out the training commands and MADE the Aussie sit where I wanted :victory: "

....not very happy with me is he? :coffeedrink: