My Transfornia, definately not a California!

steadyeddy · Jun 14, 2015

Hi,
Its taken me about three years to do but know Id like to show you a Transfornia. It was a LWB shuttle but after getting hold of a Cali Kitchen, seats and trim etc. A lot of modifying its almost finished.

Went for a side opening pop top.

Side Bars added and 20" Tyres

A few Modifications made:
Insulate and sound deadening.
Cali Floor with Rail system. Fitted by Colin at Oxford T5. Colin was absolutely awesome and gave me lots and lots of advice.
Carpeting.
Adapt Cali kitchen and overhead locker to fit LWB!
Seating, Cali bed system, Captain Chairs and 5th Seat.
Electrics. Great work and help from Martyn at Travel Volts.
LED lighting.
Curtains.
Removable table in Sliding Door
Side opening Pop Top by Stew at West Dubs. Awesome
App Radio.
Dash Cam.
Tow bar.
I know its not a factory fitted top notch California (Wish I had the money) But its been an interesting challenge, and I Still have a list of stuff/detailing to do. However, she is know useable and have managed four holidays so far this year. Lovely.

Martin · Jun 14, 2015

Great work, thank you for sharing. I am always seeing Cali interiors for sale, nice to see one that has been fitted.

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calikev · Jun 14, 2015

Great work :thumb

van looks ace

rippers · Jun 14, 2015

Looking at the space you have, you have to wonder why VW never made a LWB Cali

Maud · Jun 14, 2015

Looks great, and I love the name on the back! Is that an extra little drop-down locker with the glasses attached to the front? That's a great idea if it is; must be very useful!

Thanks for sharing the photos. :thumb

barry · Jun 14, 2015

Rippers' post reminds me of when two years ago I came across a UK guy in a campsite in France who had fitted out a new lwb vw van (with some input from a local firm) in the style of a California. It was amazing as compared with my own Cali and I wished I had one. I do realise that the swb Cali was designed to 'look' like a car for ferries, tolls etc but the extra feet in the one that saw made a huge difference. Oven, grill, solar power, shower too. Manual winder roof and roof bed.
He was training up for a trip to the far east which I guess would be ill advised now if not impossible.
But his was a van I would seriously love.

teeboy · Jun 14, 2015

Nice van. Does the long wheel base allow you keep the 5th seat in and use the downstairs bed?

Hotel California · Jun 14, 2015

Nice work , the extra space we do sometimes mis on a Cali .
Afther the hard work....
Let the fun begin!

MCh1777 · Jun 14, 2015

Congratulations - I think it looks brilliant and I hope you now enjoy some leisure after all the hard work.

snowy55 · Jun 14, 2015

Hi there Steadyeddy

Awesome job you have done there, looks fantastic.
On the gas bottle is that an inline quick release connector? I was thinking of fitting something different on my Cali because the original supplied setup in my opinion is a pain in the @rse.

sapto · Jun 14, 2015

totally wow! great work! i like the letters on the tailgate! have fun with your optimus prime transfornia!

steadyeddy · Jun 14, 2015

snowy55 said:
Hi there Steadyeddy

Awesome job you have done there, looks fantastic.
On the gas bottle is that an inline quick release connector? I was thinking of fitting something different on my Cali because the original supplied setup in my opinion is a pain in the @rse.

Hi, Yes it is. Got the idea of someone on here. Seemed an easier way to change the bottle. Thanks for the kind word

steadyeddy · Jun 14, 2015

teeboy said:
Nice van. Does the long wheel base allow you keep the 5th seat in and use the downstairs bed?

I tend to remove it and use it as a chair on the camp site in my trailer tent. But, yes you can use the bed as well as keeping the 5th seat in there... but its tight!

steadyeddy · Jun 14, 2015

Maud said:
Looks great, and I love the name on the back! Is that an extra little drop-down locker with the glasses attached to the front? That's a great idea if it is; must be very useful!

Thanks for sharing the photos.

Hi, my original plan was for it to be a drop down locker but I could not get it to look right. I do intend to revisit it though.
Thanks

Paul Lavery · Jun 14, 2015

Looks great, Colin at Oxford T5 will be fitting a Cali floor & beach seating to my Sportline Kombi in a couple of weeks, can't come soon enough.

Barryjm · Jun 15, 2015

Stunning!

Dottie · Jun 21, 2015

Where did you get the VW look-alike lettering? I am wanting to put my van's name on the back. However I was advised that it is nigh on impossible to get the letters on straight enough to look professional.
Any thoughts?

Hotel California · Jun 21, 2015

Putting your van's name on the back ....
Thats a no go....

You can buy those letters online , just google a bit .
I bought mine in Germany and had them deliverd by post.

steadyeddy · Jun 21, 2015

Dottie said:
Where did you get the VW look-alike lettering? I am wanting to put my van's name on the back. However I was advised that it is nigh on impossible to get the letters on straight enough to look professional.
Any thoughts?

Hi Here is the item number on ebay:- 110421232165. Lots of other ones on eBay as well.
As for getting them straight. I just used a wax crayon to draw a level line and then followed it. After each letter I used a spacer - Piece of card to get the gap right.
Hope that helps