My Calivelle - A Caravelle Executive/California Ocean hybrid

[capt kirk]

Transformer

 

[kave]

Strand = Beach in swedish

 

[Catbus]

Surf? Tide? Dune? Shore? Bay? Island? Cove?

VW already due models the Dune name for the off-road look for the Beetle and Polo, but so far Surf and Shore are current contenders.

for those with genuine Ocean/Coast/Beaches, could you look at you logo and tell me it they are just use a plain colour for the font or do they have a thin white outline around each letter?

 

[Catbus]

Hi Gary /Catbus

great looking Calivelle

was yours one that got the Alcantra head lining ?

was the original panel over covered with the Alcantra or do they remove the factory covering and replace with Alcantra ?

can you post some photos please, including the front leading edge where the Hatch pushes back into & the sides where it wraps around the profile ?

 

[Perfectos]

VW already due models the Dune name for the off-road look for the Beetle and Polo, but so far Surf and Shore are current contenders.

for those with genuine Ocean/Coast/Beaches, could you look at you logo and tell me it they are just use a plain colour for the font or do they have a thin white outline around each letter?

Does this help

the Beach sticker has a silver foil edge (Appologies about the specs of dirt)

the Cali letters are purely chrome.

similar font (chrome letters) can be bought from a well know auction. Site & probably a large on line shop.

 

[Perfectos]

These make a “Beach“ sticker which looks like the original, (not sure it has the foil edge) they do custom to order stickers for £5 extra,
obvs they have the Original font, so they should be able to make up a sticker if your choosing to replicate the original VW Beach / Ocean / Coast text

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[soulstyledevon]

The Quasi-Velle.
Finish looks good. Did Kernow Transporters carry out the work?

 

[Catbus]

Does this help

the Beach sticker has a silver foil edge (Appologies about the specs of dirt)

the Cali letters are purely chrome.

similar font (chrome letters) can be bought from a well know auction. Site & probably a large on line shop.


View attachment 94831

View attachment 94832

View attachment 94833

Yeah, it was the side ones. Looks like there’s a chrome outline

 

[Catbus]

These make a “Beach“ sticker which looks like the original, (not sure it has the foil edge) they do custom to order stickers for £5 extra,
obvs they have the Original font, so they should be able to make up a sticker if your choosing to replicate the original VW Beach / Ocean / Coast text

Sunset Graphical Stripe Side Sticker for Volkswagen, Campers and motorhomes

3-colour Sunset Graphical Stripe Sticker Decal for Volkswagen T4, T5, T6 campers and vans created by designers for your lovely VeeDub!

www.beatnikdecals.com

Thanks, I was thinking it will have to be a custom job due to that chrome outline on the font.
I wasn’t sure if it was just white, but the picture clearly shows it’s some type of chrome or silver foil as you say.

 

[Catbus]

The Quasi-Velle.
Finish looks good. Did Kernow Transporters carry out the work?

Yes.
I only found only about 4 or 5 converters willing to take on a Caravelle and still retain the rear climate controls using a normal poptop and only 2 in the country who were offering a conversion using a original California roof.
Both were miles away, but after doing a lot of research the one I had found up North had some real horror stories with both the quality and customer complaints, while Kernow in the South seem to always have very positive feedback from other people that had this conversion done.
It was a massive leap of faith to give somebody your pride & joy to rip apart, and also a lot money than a normal fibreglass poptop would of cost but I after picking it up I was 100% confident I completely made the right choice as I would of always regretted in not going with what I had originally envisioned as my perfect dual use car/camper.

 

[Perfectos]

Having seen your pictures, I would agree that you made the correct decision.
it looks fantastic, 100% factory with a few additional upgrades.
you should be proud

 

[da_murphster]

I assume you are not going further and looking at the beach window blinds, table rear chair pod etc?

I'm in the same situation as you - I cannot find a beach in a spec that matches the caravelle I have.

 

[Perfectos]

A pair of Vanessa bags (or similar ) create very good black out for the two rear side windows.

you could then just replace the roller on the tailgate.
front side windows / slider passenger / driver and front screen use internal silver screens (the Cali sliding door screen obstructs the door entry when in use, I.e pulled down from the ceiling. (All other Cali blinds pull up)

the chair stowage and table are great to have but not essential

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Indeed I do, although not applied yet.
Mainly due to when I purchased the van it had been completely debabaged by the previous owner, so my first job was to restore all the badging back.
At the moment it feels a little wrong to remove a badge I had not long applied and I’m still liking it that really confuses people when the see the cali roof and then notice the caravelle badge or when the see it’s caravelle but then notice the California roof.

i was originally thinking on getting a custom model name vinyl made for the rear sides in the same font as Ocean/Beach logo. I thought I had it nailed down with “Coast” keeping it related to the Sea, then dam VW came out with their own California Coast model and I’ve been completely stumped for a new name since. The closest I can think of is Gulf or Shore, but still not 100% convinced on either.
If anyone else can recommend a similar name to Ocean/Beach/Coast I’d love to hear them.

Küstenstrand
OceanBeach in German

 

[Catbus]

Electric tailgate, so not sure it would take the extra weight on the hydraulic struts. Electric tailgates are tempromental at best of times if they think they going to trap a body part so I probably won’t attempt it to find I made an expensive mistake and it wouldn’t lift the weight of the chairs)
Thinking about the door side table if the plastics are available in the same colour, but not a massive fan of the chairs anyway (I love Helinox chairs as I can carry them in a backpack and hardly weigh anything)

 

[da_murphster]

I know what you mean about the California chairs not being my chairs of choice (I actually like the boggo £10 fold up style as my kids wreck everything else) - it is a pain storing these, and various other longer tubular type things (my tent light, camping table etc).

I do like the idea of the california rear blind though - I have never had much joy with the stick on ones on the tailgate - opening the gate always makes it fall off.

From pictures it does seem like the california rear blind does let in a fair bit of light around the edges?

 

[da_murphster]

The work on the electrics has started (ignore the filth, as it was straight after a week in Cornwall were the kids always seem to bring back half the beach with them, so there’s no point cleaning it I was making more mess with a Dremel)

Completed the cutting and fitting the 3 socket Berker panels on the backs of each front seats & added dual USB-C/USB3 socket to the blank space on the drivers side seat.
Probably won’t keep this configuration, but had to fit something in the Berker panels to make sure all the hole were in the right place.

View attachment 94455

I assume you do not have a leisure battery behind those?

I wanted to fit mine like that but ran out of clearance behind the plugs.

 

[Catbus]

A pair of Vanessa bags (or similar ) create very good black out for the two rear side windows.

you could then just replace the roller on the tailgate.
front side windows / slider passenger / driver and front screen use internal silver screens (the Cali sliding door screen obstructs the door entry when in use, I.e pulled down from the ceiling. (All other Cali blinds pull up)

the chair stowage and table are great to have but not essential

To be honest I managed to get hold of a Caravelle Good Night Kit, it’s been one of my best 2nd hand buys as I was very surprised how well they work in blocking all the windows out. (They just clip onto the internal Caravelle blinds)
Although if I see a pair of Vanessa bags come up for a sensible price I’ll will probably get them.

 

[Catbus]

A pair of Vanessa bags (or similar ) create very good black out for the two rear side windows.

you could then just replace the roller on the tailgate.
front side windows / slider passenger / driver and front screen use internal silver screens (the Cali sliding door screen obstructs the door entry when in use, I.e pulled down from the ceiling. (All other Cali blinds pull up)

the chair stowage and table are great to have but not essential

To be honest I managed to get hold of a Caravelle Good Night Kit, it’s been one of my best 2nd hand buys as I was very surprised how well they work in blocking all the windows out. (They clip onto the internal Caravelle blinds)

At Glastonbury at the moment and there doing a great job blocking out the baking sun and keeping the van cool.

 

[da_murphster]

To be honest I managed to get hold of a Caravelle Good Night Kit, it’s been one of my best 2nd hand buys as I was very surprised how well they work in blocking all the windows out. (They clip onto the internal Caravelle blinds)

At Glastonbury at the moment and there doing a great job blocking out the baking sun and keeping the van cool.

View attachment 94974

I have never seen or heard of those!! Looks like a much better solution than my bulky stick on ones. Assume you can still use the doors too?

What do you do about the rear tailgate?

 

[Perfectos]

Electric tailgate, so not sure it would take the extra weight on the hydraulic struts. Electric tailgates are tempromental at best of times if they think they going to trap a body part so I probably won’t attempt it to find I made an expensive mistake and it wouldn’t lift the weight of the chairs)
Thinking about the door side table if the plastics are available in the same colour, but not a massive fan of the chairs anyway (I love Helinox chairs as I can carry them in a backpack and hardly weigh anything)

Hazzy days (VW approved retro fit co.) will not / cannot fit electric tailgate struts to a Cali. I assume for the weight reason.

sliding door card and table = look for parts from 2017 > beach (MY17) the anthracite /Black lower trim panels were an option with the Kutamo seats and dark floor & carpets,on a Beach, mine is identical lower internal trim panel colour to a similar year Velle inside. = Easy upgrade (apart from the wallet)

 

[Perfectos]

From pictures it does seem like the california rear blind does let in a fair bit of light around the edges?

The rear blind only lets a sliver of light in at the edges, certainly not enough to wake you, it is great at stopping prying eyes and reflecting the sun when trying to keep the van cool.

 

[da_murphster]

I have never seen or heard of those!! Looks like a much better solution than my bulky stick on ones. Assume you can still use the doors too?

What do you do about the rear tailgate?

For anyone interested there are a few sets of the Night Kit on german ebay.

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Is the rear screen one any good? How does it attatch?

 

[66tim99]

At Glastonbury at the moment

Well jel - have one for me
What is the black netting inside the window blind?

 

[Perfectos]

Well jel - have one for me
What is the black netting inside the window blind?

It’s a Velle, they have sun screens not black outs, keep up Tim ^^^^^^^