Safe

[BirgerI]

Hi!
As a new owner of a VW California, I naturally thought about the risk of burglary in the car, when parked on a public road. In the new T6 there is no room for a safe deposit box under the passenger seat due to extensive electronics, and the bottom of the large closet, in the cabin, is impractical because everything must be taken out of the room before entering. I made a homemade solution in the cabinet above the gas-cylinder/water tank. A common mailbox lock, and a U-iron in the rear, provides an excellent enclosure that easily contains a few tablets, mobile phones, wallets and passports. It's not Fort Knox, but will perhaps prevent a "quick in" "quick out" thief from his business.

Best regards
Birger

 

[BerndRos]

That's a good idea....I like it....maybe cover it with a view bits n bobs to hide further ?

 

[Hotel California]

That seems nice , i got my own place to hide stuff like the original car papers , extra cash , ....but certainly will not trow it on a public forum.
Also why i don't belive in the "safe" on the bottom of the wardrobe. A screwdriver opens it in 10sec.
The one you creaded is indeed less obvious so good find . But think you best put smaller stuf in a bag or so , if your wallet slips aside it falls all the down between the body and the watertank impossible to reach.

 

[andyinluton]

I wouldn't even bother with the lock on that, its not obvious to a casual observer that there is space under the shelf.
To access that area the boot lid would have to be opened which means either the van has been left unlocked or the boot has been forced open.

 

[motacyclist]

Excellent idea! Especially with the price of a 907 GAZ bottle, it needs a lock on it!

 

[Hotel California]

I wouldn't even bother with the lock on that, its not obvious to a casual observer that there is space under the shelf.
To access that area the boot lid would have to be opened which means either the van has been left unlocked or the boot has been forced open.

Exactly what i meant saying i got my own places to hide stuff , there are so many hiding places one not familiar to a Cali never think to look ....
Theres in fact no need to put a lock on that shelf ....it only brings more "attention" to it , there could be valuble things underneeth when you see a lock.
But sill a nice DIY ! and if he find peace of mind with hiding his stuff underneeth there , all that counts.

 

[Loz]

I wouldn't even bother with the lock on that, its not obvious to a casual observer that there is space under the shelf.

Put a gas warning label on it so it just looks more like a locked gas compartment.

 

[Hotel California]

Put a gas warning label on it so it just looks more a locked gas compartment.

Good idea!

 

[Kmann]

@BirgerI nice work, do you put the items down to the gas bottle? Or do you have som sort of container under the lid? I am thinking of the items sliding into the closet when driving/braking?

I might copy your solution for extra safe space ;-) Where did you get the lock?

…

I also needed a safe, so I mounted one of these in the large closet, on the sidewalk towards the fridge. The screws for the fridge are holding it, so no need for new drilling. A plug'n'play solution.

You simply mount the frame, and slide the box inside from the top down. Locking the box, its all secured and the screws are no longer accessible.

It quite easy to access and no need for removing anything in the closet. Its not big, but spacious enough for passports, extra cash, jewelry and other small stuff.

Does anyone actually have the VW safe? How does it work? Is it worth the money?

 

[jts46]

@Kmann
We had one of these in our Bilbos Nectar, can you please supply purchase details?

 

[Hotel California]

@Kmann
We had one of these in our Bilbos Nectar, can you please supply purchase details?

I have exact the same fitted "somewhere " in the Cali.
It cost me only 10euro here in Belgium.
It does what it needs , holds a back-up phone (older model) , and some cash while we travel .
The original papers of the verhicle i stash elsewhere keeping just a copy in the glovebox , then i got a " door key " hidden on the verhicle somewhere i can reach if i lose mine or we get robbed while walking or out and about. So we always can give ourselfs acces to the Cali....whitout the original key . Or when we should lock ourselfs out opening the sliding door when all doors are locked from inside ....if you than close the sliding door....lock-out

 

[jts46]

I have exact the same fitted "somewhere " in the Cali.
It cost me only 10euro here in Belgium.
It does what it needs , holds a back-up phone (older model) , and some cash while we travel .
The original papers of the verhicle i stash elsewhere keeping just a copy in the glovebox , then i got a " door key " hidden on the verhicle somewhere i can reach if i lose mine or we get robbed while walking or out and about. So we always can give ourselfs acces to the Cali....whitout the original key . Or when we should lock ourselfs out opening the sliding door when all doors are locked from inside ....if you than close the sliding door....lock-out

Where in Belgium please? or the manufact

 

[Hotel California]

@Kmann , VW sels a lockable bottem shelf in the large wardrobe , where you putted your safe.
And there is a safe fitting under the right seat ( ours passengers LHD) that bolts in the point the seat is fixed. The plasic cap on the rear of the seat gets moderated and tears off by velcro revieling a safe.

 

[DominicR]

@BirgerI
Does anyone actually have the VW safe? How does it work? Is it worth the money?

View attachment 15904

The VW 'safe' is in fact just a hinged sheet steel lid for the lower part of the wardrobe, with a cheap lock barrel. It's held in with six rivets.

I got one as it gives the wardrobe a flat floor, making it easier to organise and store stuff, but I leave the key on a hook right next to, it as I don't want a thief to think there's anything valuable in there, and destroy the kitchen/wardrobe unit by forcing entry (not that it would take all that much effort to open, frankly). I think mine was about £100 - pricey for what it is, but it does do what I wanted it to do...

 

[Hotel California]

Where in Belgium please? or the manufact

Don't know the manufactuar , i bought it in a " cheap store" as we call it here called AXION .
Many campingshops i been in Holland got the same but sels them doubled the price.
Will try and look things up for you later....this should be a nice item in the forumshop.

 

[jts46]

Don't know the manufactuar , i bought it in a " cheap store" as we call it here called AXION .
Many campingshops i been in Holland got the same but sels them doubled the price.
Will try and look things up for you later....this should be a nice item in the forumshop.

Thanks but found it on Amazon

 

[motacyclist]

The VW 'safe' is in fact just a hinged sheet steel lid for the lower part of the wardrobe, with a cheap lock barrel. It's held in with six rivets.

I got one as it gives the wardrobe a flat floor, making it easier to organise and store stuff, but I leave the key on a hook right next to, it as I don't want a thief to think there's anything valuable in there, and destroy the kitchen/wardrobe unit by forcing entry (not that it would take all that much effort to open, frankly). I think mine was about £100 - pricey for what it is, but it does do what I wanted it to do...

Our first Cali didn't have a safe and when we changed to our current one, which does have one, SWMBO complains that she has lost the storage space. It's still there, of course, but not easy to get in to when the wardrobe is full of our stuff.

I find that a 13" Macbook fits in fine, but when it's in there I can't be bothered getting it out, so might as well have left it at home!

As others have said, there are plenty of hiding places in a Cali so the jury is out an whether the safe is worth having.

 

[Kmann]

@Kmann
We had one of these in our Bilbos Nectar, can you please supply purchase details?

Sorry for the late answer ;-) I got it from here (are links allowed in here?): http://www.campingpriser.dk/shop/vaerdiboks-4265p.html?key=2C5329997&track=searchdbprodukter

 

[WelshGas]

I use my safe, not to stop items being stolen so much as to know where I put them. So when travelling car papers, currency etc: stored there. To be honest, it will only stop the opportunist thief, someone who is prepared to smash a window and grab something. A professional is more likely to take the vehicle.