Red Ven

[DG-Unit]

You'll need a seatbelt to stand any chance of staying seated in the stool

Just another way my van is trying to f*** me


So current rate is 4 ply panels in 3 days 4 more to go (roof and 3 doors).

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Fingers crossed for a quick one tomorrow so I can cut a big hole in my roof.

[Altransit]

You'll need a seatbelt to stand any chance of staying seated in the stool

Knobby has been looking for one of those 'oopside doon' ones

[ned]

Ply board you must be a millionaire

[DG-Unit]

Ply board you must be a millionaire

Found a guy on Facebook selling 4mm boards at £20 each. Nice stuff as well, not that 30% wood filler crap from Wickes (which my floor is made of). Thankfully got them before the recent personal financial crash. I’ve used 5 boards so far and will probably need another for the rear doors as I’m doing them top to bottom.

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Will hit it with a jet washer next weekend to test it doesn’t leak before putting the ceiling board on. As it’s from a boat it’s designed to face the other way around (hatch opening forward) - so hopefully 70mph winds and small debris doesn’t mess up the seals and hinges from the front. Will also be repainting the roof and the lovely brushed aluminium frame so you can’t tell it’s there from the street. It locks from the inside but I might modify the outside tabs so it can’t be opened from the outside even if it’s not locked.

Anyway. Best thing i’ve done to the van so far. Lid opens 180 degrees so I can stand up and have a cuppa using the roof as a coffee table.

[MinorMatt]

You could always fit a spoiler/shroud around it if wind speed proves to be an issue....

[DG-Unit]

You could always fit a spoiler/shroud around it if wind speed proves to be an issue....

Good idea. I'll have a look. It would have to be low enough to clear the hatch being opened 180 degrees. Otherwise I'm going to have some kind of rack on the roof again (just got 3 sets of rhino bar brackets for cheap) - so could have a spoiler earlier on.

[loot]

I'm not a fan but would a sun visor on the front do?

[DG-Unit]

I'm not a fan but would a sun visor on the front do?

I'm not a fan either. Would mess with the 'nothing to see here' look I'm going for. Anyway, had that little storm yesterday and no rain coming in. Been running it at 70mph and no increased wind noise. Will just keep an eye on the sealant at the front if it picks up hits from debris/ insects/ seagulls.

[ned]

You could if you wanted to make it look neat and tidy (hide the gap between roof and window) use that self adhesive flashing then paint it red, just a thought.

[DG-Unit]

Bit of a slow weekend for me this time. Just one day on the van. Discovered my bonnet lock is on its way out. Need to sort that somehow. Checked the turbo and zero play in the shaft that I can feel but the air intake impeller is trashed. Need to work out the underlying cause.

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Took a moment to appreciate the progress:

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Enjoying the low key look from the outside

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Working on this extraction vent. All the off-the-shelf options seemed compromised and expensive. I’m using a silent 120mm computer case fan with IP67 rating. Just did the outside of the vent today but excited to see how it works out:

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[DG-Unit]

1 year, 31 days

So there's a quirk to my remote locking. Sometimes (like this time) if you have the fob in your pocket the locks go mad because you've sat on all the buttons. Then (like this time) if you put the key in the ignition to try out your new fog lights and step outside of the van and shut the door, when you go to get back into the van you work out whether or not the last button you mashed was to open or (like this time) lock the doors.

Another quirk is that I only have one key. I do however, have a second remote fob. But sometimes (like this time) it's not where I am but an hour away. No so much of a quirk but if there is no battery power, the remote fob won't work and it's bounce a brick off the window time... This brings me to the most stressful drive of my life. A 2hr round trip in my dad's car calling frantically to make sure someone is in at the other end to let me into my own house to get the spare all the way hoping there's enough battery to make it work. In the end, success. The battery was too flat to start the engine but just enough to open the doors before collapsing into a long overdue panic attack.

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Anyway. This weekend I left/avoided the endless work in the back of the van to fit the fog lights and couldn't just leave them hanging through the stock bumper. With anything I do outside the van I want to improve the aerodynamics and counter balance all the extra weight since I've been replacing rust and foam with metal. I think the stock front bumper/fog lights on a Mk6 are the biggest thing letting it down with the styling. I had a sheet of ABS lying around that I through I'd get out of the way by using. Like most jobs on a Mk6, this took longer than I thought with questionable benefits.

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I ran out of time so did a quick spray. Next weekend I'll keep going back to it, filling and sanding until it's decent before texturising (so it doesn't look like a toy car bumper anymore). Will put some recess shrouds around the fog lamps and the intercooler intake. Also need to sort out the drivers wing mounting point as this has been bent at some point causing the bumper to sag down under the headlamp. Oh and the fog lights have transformed night time driving!

[Nordic Blue]

Hi DG-Unit.

I've replied 3 times to your PM but my messages are saying they are in my Outbox and not in Sent messages.

I will stop trying in case you are getting them and I just sound like a crazy stalker, but the reply was "yes please" if you didn't....

[Altransit]

I've replied 3 times to your PM but my messages are saying they are in my Outbox and not in Sent messages.

If they're still in your "outbox", then they haven't been read. Once read, they appear in your "sent messages"

[Altransit]

if you put the key in the ignition to try out your new fog lights and step outside of the van and shut the door, when you go to get back into the van you work out whether or not the last button you mashed was to open or (like this time) lock the doors.

Years ago. this happened to me with a car with central locking that I was working on; as I re-connected the battery under the bonnet, the doors locked, with the key inside the car. Ever since, the first thing I do when working on a vehicle, is to open the drivers window

[DG-Unit]

if you put the key in the ignition to try out your new fog lights and step outside of the van and shut the door, when you go to get back into the van you work out whether or not the last button you mashed was to open or (like this time) lock the doors.

Years ago. this happened to me with a car with central locking that I was working on; as I re-connected the battery under the bonnet, the doors locked, with the key inside the car. Ever since, the first thing I do when working on a vehicle, is to open the drivers window

A top tip and honestly the only time I have forgotten to leave the window open! I’m thinking about solutions. Maybe a relay from the door sensors that cuts out the remote locking when any door is open? I do have a full set of central locking door locks collected from all the new doors but not sure how much work it is to get these coded in and what else I need (receiver unit?).