Cheating really ?? But be nice to me

[DAVE54]

Hi all , Ive not got a Cali , but Ive just purchased my baby a New 18 plate SWB T6 150 T32 Highline DSG , dogs do-dars !!! With comfort dash, good wolfbrace alloys and all highline bells and whistles , going to change the interior bit by bit, will I be welcome at Cali meets, I prefer honesty ? Dave

 

[MattBW]

I can say without a doubt you will be welcomed at any meet of this club. I've seen all kinds of vans at the meets and yes the majority are california's but not all.

Even at the weekend we had a lovely Coach built T4 and a few non Cali T5's. It's more about the way of life than about the exact spec.

 

[DAVE54]

Cheers Mate I appreciate the message, I will look out for meets . I see you have a beach , thats what Im aiming at a Beach type van , can I pick your brains ? Have you a portable cooker of any kind, Ive heard there are "slide out rear portable units for under the tailgate and Im thinking about that rather than cooking in the van ( on the very odd occasion we might have ) Dave

 

[Steve39]

Hi Dave, I havent made it to a meet yet but would echo Matt's comment about it being more about the way of life.

Your follow up question was well directed as Matt and a few others have a Slide Pod for their Beaches.

On a selfish note, if you stick around I'd be interested to hear/see how you get on with the changes you're planning, especially if you're going for a Beach/day van style conversion. Something I seriously considered before I went for a Beach, and as you're coming from a slightly different starting point you might come up with some fresh ideas for cooking/washing/storage etc.

Good luck with the project.

Steve

 

[DAVE54]

Thanks Steve < I will let you know , Dave

 

[Hotel California]

Sorry only Cali's here....

Don't mind me ...your welcome with or without a Cali .
@MattBW , sure got a slide out pod in his beach , have a look thru the forum and you'l find lots off threads on this .
I have an 2012SE and as we are just two with a dog and don't use ours as a daily driver happy with the build in kitchen but this not works for everyone as has been discussed here frequent
Anyway , you will find lots of usefull info on the forum and we are all friendly ....

 

[Ocean Spirit]

You'll find many people here including myself were close to going down a conversion route so we know where you are coming from. So would be very silly to be snobbish about even if we now have a bias

In actual fact, personally saying 'yes lets do it' was on the tip of my tongue on the very last phone call I had with one dealer and the model was a 17 plate LWB T6 DSG comfort dash Highline 150.
It hung in the balance and I'd pretty much decided it was the one but dealer got too pushy and said that they had someone else waiting but they would rather I had it!! somehow that had a negative effect and I bought some more time and went the other route.

 

[MattBW]

Cheers Mate I appreciate the message, I will look out for meets . I see you have a beach , thats what Im aiming at a Beach type van , can I pick your brains ? Have you a portable cooker of any kind, Ive heard there are "slide out rear portable units for under the tailgate and Im thinking about that rather than cooking in the van ( on the very odd occasion we might have ) Dave

Absolutely feel free, it's what we are about.. As Hotel California mentioned I have a slidepod. I did a big review of mine here which you may find handy. Feel free to add to the thread with any questions. Slidepods who make that pod are also the UK distributor for another similar product which you may like too. Im hoping to see one when Im down in Devon soon.

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/a-weekend-with-our-beach-and-slidepod.17948/

 

[parrot2]

Welcome to the forum I would not be bothered with whatever the van is/was like its been said its the way of life that matters.

 

[motacyclist]

Sounds interesting, would like to see some photos!

 

[Hotel California]

Sounds interesting, would like to see some photos!

Plans of swapping your brand new two tone Colin ?

 

[WelshGas]

Hi all , Ive not got a Cali , but Ive just purchased my baby a New 18 plate SWB T6 150 T32 Highline DSG , dogs do-dars !!! With comfort dash, good wolfbrace alloys and all highline bells and whistles , going to change the interior bit by bit, will I be welcome at Cali meets, I prefer honesty ? Dave

As long as you don’t look down on us California Owners

No concessions though - pictures of your pride and joy are obligatory.

 

[sapto]

Welcome DAVE54!
Look forward to see some pictures of your Highline T6

 

[Velma's Dad]

As long as you don’t look down on us California Owners

Yes let's not forget that a lot of the 'Built Not Bought' camper crowd out there regard us as over-privileged, more-money-than-sense w***ers who couldn't change a wheel.

(And who's to say they're wrong??)

 

[Borris]

Welcome Dave,
All clubs are really only vehicles for meeting other friendly soles with similar interests. So yes you've picked the right one and will be very welcome indeed. You could have posed your question to a Ferret Fanciers Club and they probably wouldn't have been quite as interested in your new van. They stick them down their trousers you know!

It would be great if you could share some photos of your new purchase and especially your fit out.

 

[cbdubs]

Hi Dave, I'm the same as you! I actually have a 2014 T32 Highline Kombi with twin sliding doors and several other great options. I'm a member on here as my parents own a Cali and as I do some of the work on it for them I thought it may be useful (and it is!!).

I am planning to slowly convert my van into a "Beach" spec van over time. I already have the Cali door card with the table built in (great idea that!) and a matching one on the nearside out of a shuttle. Next plans are to fit a leisure battery and EHU so all the wiring will be done in one go. I currently use an Exploria bed in the back, under which I plan to add a fridge of some kind and perhaps a pull out sink unit and a gas hob. I have a Fiamma F35 awning fitted which is great and used a lot.

I would be very interested to share any ideas you have too.

Thanks

Chris

 

[Borris]

Hi Dave, I'm the same as you! I actually have a 2014 T32 Highline Kombi with twin sliding doors and several other great options. I'm a member on here as my parents own a Cali and as I do some of the work on it for them I thought it may be useful (and it is!!).

I am planning to slowly convert my van into a "Beach" spec van over time. I already have the Cali door card with the table built in (great idea that!) and a matching one on the nearside out of a shuttle. Next plans are to fit a leisure battery and EHU so all the wiring will be done in one go. I currently use an Exploria bed in the back, under which I plan to add a fridge of some kind and perhaps a pull out sink unit and a gas hob. I have a Fiamma F35 awning fitted which is great and used a lot.

I would be very interested to share any ideas you have too.

Thanks

Chris

Hello Chris,
I've probabably misunderstood your post but do you actually have two sliding doors with two folding picnic tables? Is that correct? Or is the matching shuttle trim that you have mentioned, without a table? Sorry I've never looked closely at a Shuttle so don't have a clue about it's features. If does have the extra table then that sounds great to me providing that the door mounted folding picnic table can still be attached to the inside of the N/S sliding door in the same manner as it currently can to the N/S rear trim panel on the Beach. Personaly, the second table and sliding door would be more useful than the odd N/S plastic cubby hole trim on the Beach.

 

[cbdubs]

Hi Borris,

My offside sliding door has the standard Cali door card and table and a pull up blind I modified out of a shuttle. My nearside door card is a standard shuttle door card with a blind but no table. There is, however, a company that manufactures one to fit a nearside door, link:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-T5-T6...nia-n-s-sliding-door-trim-table-/263415317202
but I don't need two really.

Hope this helps

Chris

 

[Borris]

Hi Borris,

My offside sliding door has the standard Cali door card and table and a pull up blind I modified out of a shuttle. My nearside door card is a standard shuttle door card with a blind but no table. There is, however, a company that manufactures one to fit a nearside door, link:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-T5-T6...nia-n-s-sliding-door-trim-table-/263415317202
but I don't need two really.

Hope this helps

Chris

Thanks Chris,
Please keep us all informed on how you get with your conversion. Very interesting.
Paul.

 

[Blackberry]

Cheers Mate I appreciate the message, I will look out for meets . I see you have a beach , thats what Im aiming at a Beach type van , can I pick your brains ? Have you a portable cooker of any kind, Ive heard there are "slide out rear portable units for under the tailgate and Im thinking about that rather than cooking in the van ( on the very odd occasion we might have ) Dave

Hi fella. I have got a Vangear pod.
Small. Easy to remove when not needed and not to expensive.
http://www.vangear.co.uk/mini-campervan-unit-92-p.asp

 

[DAVE54]

WELL a big thanks to everyone, I was waiting for alerts on my i-phone after the first couple of times when the first messages came thru as alerts, Well blow me, I saw today top threads of the week and my title " cheating really" and theres loads of replies, I will get back to those who asked questions and I will when I can get the technicals right put and some pictures of the bus up. I cant wait for the summer and interior or not we are drivning to Palafrugell on the quiet nice part of the Costa Brava in |June as our first foreign trip , 1000 each way stopping at friends in France on the way down , might be a futon in the back if the worse comes to it, with a cool box, a portable cooker and a portapotty !!!!!! Thanks all for the welcome

 

[DAVE54]

Welcome to the forum I would not be bothered with whatever the van is/was like its been said its the way of life that matters.

thanks Mate, I appreciate the message,

 

[DAVE54]

Yes let's not forget that a lot of the 'Built Not Bought' camper crowd out there regard us as over-privileged, more-money-than-sense w***ers who couldn't change a wheel.

(And who's to say they're wrong??)

Listen Im not one of those, I am as mechanical minded as village idiot, hence Ive bought a new van < I just wanted to be a little different , not boy racer or purple and orange or any milarky like that just a bit difo

 

[DAVE54]

Hi Dave, I'm the same as you! I actually have a 2014 T32 Highline Kombi with twin sliding doors and several other great options. I'm a member on here as my parents own a Cali and as I do some of the work on it for them I thought it may be useful (and it is!!).

I am planning to slowly convert my van into a "Beach" spec van over time. I already have the Cali door card with the table built in (great idea that!) and a matching one on the nearside out of a shuttle. Next plans are to fit a leisure battery and EHU so all the wiring will be done in one go. I currently use an Exploria bed in the back, under which I plan to add a fridge of some kind and perhaps a pull out sink unit and a gas hob. I have a Fiamma F35 awning fitted which is great and used a lot.

I would be very interested to share any ideas you have too.

Thanks

Chris

Chris ,thanks,I am going down the "due dilligence route " at the moment < I spent a couple of moths before I got organised for the van purchase , Ive seen some companies I am going to visit

Sounds interesting, would like to see some photos!

Sounds interesting, would like to see some photos!

 

[DAVE54]

Dear all I just posted a picture of the van on the car park of gods own acre Bescot stadtium


Chris ,thanks,I am going down the "due dilligence route " at the moment < I spent a couple of months before I got organised for the van purchase , Ive seen some companies I am going to visit a number of convertors , I might go day van now and pop top if I think I need it next year, I will keep you informed , hope you do likewise


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