Caddy Crew Bus

[herbalskateboards]

Hi guys,

Going to start my thread now as i have got a fair bit done and keen to share!

She is a 1.9TDi with just under 100K on the clock. Came as a standard van with some crappy ply-boarding in the back.

I was always intending on putting some seats in the back to convert to a crew-bus as i need to carry people as well as product. I got my hands on a full crew conversion kit from eBay and got that fitted pretty pronto.



They also fold flat...



And up out the way



I went on a surf mission last Saturday - 5 guys, 5 boards, 8 suits and 400 mile round trip. The van just ate it up! Averaged out just under 40MPG, which i thought was pretty reasonable considering the hills and weight in the back!

I have been working on the interior mainly, having not really touched the exterior, bar some wind defectors!!


(ignore the poop - it was clean a week ago!)

With all my interior mods, I wanted them to be reversible, or at lease to a certain extent. I have never been a fan of screwing straight into panels and leaving a nasty hole just for ply-boarding.

I also liked the idea of leaving metal on show - rather than covering the whole lot. I feel it creates more space and a 'roomier' feel to the back.

I decided to use Riv-nuts and bolts (Philips Head), rather than screws. So the original holes that are there for holding the grey panels have to be drilled another mm to 9mm for the riv-nuts to fit.





I then fit the template-cut ply with penny washers to allow room for error in the bolt holes.



Once the panel is test fitted with the washers, the washers are marked as to there place and the whole lot taken off. I then glue the washers in pace on panel before wrapping in carpet and re-fitting;



I was going to use little plastic caps on the bolt heads, but they didn't fit and i decided that i actually quite liked them on show!

Before replacing the panels back on, I went round with this stuff (http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/silent- ... -pack.html) and probably covered about 70% of the back (100% on the arches). Was doing a 'flick test' as i went - flick the panel to see how much it rings out! Then fit some of the deadening until the panel 'flicked' dead.

I then filled all accessable cavities with Sheeps Wool home insulation - smells like a farm (rather nice actually!), not itchy, organic, British and eco-friendly. Also only £12 for a roll from B&Q which did the whole lot! Remember to really tear it up when your putting it in as it wont go a long way if you leave it in the compact 'sheet' that it comes.





Kind of looks like a big ol' haul of weed in my roof... unfortunately its not!





Also wrapped my arches - was quite easy. The hard part was the finishing line as its really hard to cut and harder to scroe with a blade - could co with some edging if anyone has any ideas for that!?





Still got the rest of the panels to do - some will be chocolate-block ones with regular wood screws, but i will just have to live with that!

So that will be the interior. Exterior-wise - i will be lowering all round and sitting her on a set of these; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120811517225? ... 1438.l2649

Also give her a facelift with a touran bumper and full respray in the deepest gun-metal you have ever seen Then vinyled logoing around the whole van.

Cheers!

[OzCaddy]

Where do you surf ?

Van is looking very tidy

[herbalskateboards]

Where do you surf ?

Van is looking very tidy

Cheers mate - In the UK! haha - North Devon for a day trip. About 4 hours each way to a place called Croyde. Also has Saunton, Puttborough and Woolacombe within 20 minutes.

[jamesjackso]

Hi im new to the forum, planning to do something similar in the back of mine with the insulation etc, just a quick question....did you also insulate the floor and wheel arches?, also its the first time iv heard of the flick test on the panels???

Thanks

j

[herbalskateboards]

Hi im new to the forum, planning to do something similar in the back of mine with the insulation etc, just a quick question....did you also insulate the floor and wheel arches?, also its the first time iv heard of the flick test on the panels???

Thanks

j

Im pretty sure i made up the 'flick test' haha - i was basically flicking each panel to see how much it run out. If it was a lot, it needed more deadening!

I didn't do the floor, although i am sure you could. The wheel arches just had the deadening (100% coverage), which does do some insulating. If they were being boxed off, you could insulate better.

[northern8019]

now then

liking the rear seat conversion, what kinda money did that set you back? easy to install?

cheers

[vinnie]

Sweet caddy mate.

Heres a couple o pics of my old surfbus/day van, i sold it in dec last yr to make way for my caddy.




And 1 with my mates caddy. He does more surfing than me. Probably use my vans more for the mountain bikes.

[rubikzcube]

dont see that every day your m8s caddy number plate is almost the same as mine mine is wr54 xtv and they are both white