We arrived at Blackpool Sands at midday Friday to find five or six campervans already parked along the beach for the annual “Vans @ the Sands” campervan meeting. The event officially Friday and Saturday night, but some flexibility has been reached with the owner of the beach which meant poeple could rock up an extra night early, or stay an extra night Sunday night leaving on the Monday. We tried to make it for the Thursday evening, but due a late departure from home, a miss judgment of fuel requirement, and a problem with the fuse blowing for the fridge circuit, we didn’t actually arrive till late morning on the Friday.
(I had established that the whole fuse blowing fiasco was due to the toilet flush, so we decided not to use it until I could get it looked at once home.)
The sun was shining and we saw some familiar faces from the get go. We parked the van in a temporary location at the end of the line of vans. Things would settle down over the rest of the day as the visiting public exited the car park, freeing up space for the campervans to take to the line up parallel to beach.
The rest of the day was spent chilling and socialising as more vans arrived adding to the buzz of excitment. We had the traditional drink around the fire pit as the evening progressed, but nobody in the group stayed up too late.
Friends Russel and Nigel
The following day I was up early and made my way to the waters edge along the gravely beach. I took in the views and it made me realise just how lucky I was to be in this idyllic location on such a beautiful morning. I find swimming is the most exhilarating way to start the day, and with the clarity of the water twinned with the sunrise it really got the senses firing.
Saturday started pretty much the same as the day before. Great weather, early morning dip, coffee and breakfast by the beach. We were hosting an over stop for John and Sarah, Mandy’s brother and partner Saturday night and Sunday, so it was really nice to share our experience with them and let them stay with us in the campervan. We had a great afternoon Saturday, leading into another night with drinks, marshmallows’ around the firepit and numerous conversations that made us all feel like we had a great connection together.
Sunday morning I swam with Sarah who was a keen open water swimmer, and was joined later whilst treading water and admiring the iews by friend and fellow T3 owner Russell. Still as invigorating a way to start the day, but really nice to experience it with others to take in the views. We had breakfast as the Venus Cafe just a few hundred meters from the campervan, and we all agreed that the perfect view, suntrap and great food really made us feel like we were in a different country.
The rest of the Sunday was spent on the beach, and after giving a very quick lesson on how to use my paddle board, brother-in-law John spent the best part of the afternoon trying to stay upright on the waves. I would have spent more time in the sea, but for a shoulder issue that was becoming increasingly annoying the more I used it. So, I made my way back to the van for a chill and a cider or two.
We stayed Sunday evening and departed early for our next location after saying our goodbys to the remaining vans.
Due to garden repairs it was seen prudent that we got Wolfgang Junior on the road as a means of transporting some timber for our garden / decking renovation project. The T3 pransporter is like a tardis for a short wheelbase vehicle, and anybody that has had any dealings with one will know exactly what i mean. Delivery waiting times at the local timber yard meant that we would have been delayed by a week after deciding that the job really needed sorting sooner rather than later, and the good weather was already here.
Once the decking was finished it was a case of one project leading into an ever increasing list of financially escalating, and physically demanding reasons not to be at home.
So an evening away in the campervan was just the ticket we needed to give us respite after the garden work and lock down.
We found ourselves in a really privileged situation with a field to ourselves due to a great contact and friend we had from a previous campsite in Matlock. Due to the massive increase of people wanting to camp so soon after lock down there wasn’t space at the CL site, but we were just happy to be surrounded by peace and tranquility.
We found a really nice woodland walk with plenty of rocks and streams. Just what we needed.
We both stirred at around 7am after a really good night’s sleep in the £2 a day / night car park at Lyme Regis. We couldn’t have asked for a better location, and other than a little wind noise we really couldn’t fault the car park. It had plenty of parking spaces, and after hours there were very few taken up so it was a really nice open space.
The night before we were eating out, and weren’t late to bed, so we were up for 7am. After a short discussion we decided to make our way to Weymouth. Mandy had suggested West Bay and as it was only 5 miles away we thought it would be worth a look. We hadn’t had any breakfast so we were hoping to get something there, but at 8.30am there wasn’t anything open so we moved on after half an hour or so.
West Bay Marina
We moved along the coast road which didn’t initially seem like a coast road due to the lack of view. That was until we started to move parallel with Chesil Beach. Wow, what an amazing road!
Overlooking Chesil Beach
As we got nearer to Weymouth, we reflected on a conversation we had with the skipper of our boat trip a couple of days previous. He recommended The Island of Portland, and more specifically its most southerly point, The Portland Bill lighthouse. So we decided that if a local suggests doing something it must be worth a punt.
As we left the mainland and drove across the link road, Chisel Beach was on our right and a very choppy stretch of sea was on out left. The sun was out which gave the sea a divine turquoise blue, but the wind was gusting which was the main contributing factor to the white crests on the tip of each wave. Large cruise liners could be seen in the distance, and the vivid coulours of the sails and wings of the kite and windsurfers danced the foreground. We had a good feeling about this!
Kite Surfers on Portland Beach Road
We collected a few supplies at the well situated Lidl, it being the first building as we crossed the causeway. We then proceeded to cross the island some five miles to the lighthouse. The road had a few steep switchbacks as we climbed through villages, but as we got closer to the lighthouse it became more open and remote. We arrived at the carpark next to the lighthouse and immediately made the decision to stay for a night. At £8 for 24hours we felt it suited our budget as long as we didn’t get ticketed.
The wind was still blowing, but the temperature was still quite pleasant. We didn’t rush to look around. We had a nice parking spot on the edge of the car park overlooking a large grassy area, after which was the sea. We were content to people watch, but it was only a matter of time before I got my kite out. As the kite got higher and higher I moved my position towards the lighthouse in the hope I could get a nice photograph of the kite dancing above the tower. I moved closer to the edge of the field I could see the amazing rock formations that made the transition between land and sea.
The geology of the island was such that it made the sea a treacherous place as two bodies of water met at the peninsula, roughly 45 degrees opposing.
We took a few photos as the sun went down then retiired for what we both agreed was a challenging nights sleep. The wind buffeted the van, and we could hear it almost none stop whistling against the skylights and roof bars. The following morning was still gusty, but the forcast was for stronger winds, so I got up to see the sunrise, and we moved back to the mainland. A wonderful place to visit, and we really enjoyed our stay…but check the weather forcast before you go!
We brought the Westy Florida in October 2019 and used it for a good number of weeks between then and March 2021. So we had certainly gotten used to the luxury of a larger van and all that comes with such a well thought out interior by this time. Our camping for 2021 had been thrown into turmoil as the COVID pandemic altered the way we lived, and we found ourselves in a situation where our holiday money was just sitting in a bank account with no real means to embark on another Euro trip due to the resrictions on travel. So we decided to spend some of the money on upgrades that we felt would take this already capable campervan to the next level.
One of our big bug bears with the LT was that we were still having to make do with a cassette toilet which meant we had the awkward task of taking the lower part of the cassette, and all its contaminated materiel through the living area. Not ideal!
So during one of our camping trips earlier in the year we started to think about our options. The community for the Westfalia Florida is really great on social media, and it didn’t take us long to realise that the fixed toilet with the waste removed from the rear of the van was a realistic, and do able option, as it had been done before by a few people.
We chose the latest incarnation of the Thetford toilet which had the larger capacity waste tank.
A high quality Cassette Toilet for use in caravan, campervan or motorhome with their own onboard water tank, the Thetford C223CS Cassette Toilet features a waste tank capacity of 18 litres and comes with the convenience of electric flush.
Thetford UK
This came with the additional complications of having to create a spacer to move the toiler further into the wet room as the cassette protuded too far outside the shower cubicle that the rear door would hit it, and could not be closed as a result. As said previously, I had plenty of help with pictures and spacing dimentions which took most of the head scratching away from me. All I had to do was “follow the instructions provided”.
Although I was told that the toilet should have come with an installation template, there was nothing in the box. So I had to create one myself. The first thing I needed to do was measure the dimentions of the cassette holding shelf. This was so I could cut the first hole so that i could slide the toilet up against the inside of the shower room cubicle. After establishing these dimentions I created an oblong template out of cardboarb. I offerd this up on the inside of the shower where the wall met the base and marked with a sharpie. I drilled a small hole at each corner then moved to the outside of the shower via the rear door to join the four holes with a ruler and a sharpie. Next was to cut out the hole. The joining cuts were performed with a combination of angle grider with a very fine cutting disk, and a dremmel.
Next was to start working with the template I had made out of carboard for the rest of the install.
The position of the holes I decided to use lined up with the position of the holes that I assume were meant for the rear flush unit which was an optional extra not included with my toilet. If you read the installation instructions for the toilet they suggest screwing self tappers into three locations in the mouldings which didn’t really seem to make sense when there were six perfectly good designated self tapping mouldings on the toilet already. Two at each side, and two at the top. To accuratly identify the location of these on the rear of the toilet, i put some paint on each hole and carefully offered up my cardboard template to transpose accuratly.
Once established, this in turn was offered up to my wooden spacer, clamped so as not to move and the holes were drilled through the cardboard and wood. Once done I offered the wood up to make sure each self tapper hit the screw moulding. Perfect.
Now I’m ashamed to say that there was one stage of frame spacer i didn’t document. This was the captive nuts and corresponding bolts i decided to use to secure the frame to the shower wall from the outside. Basically I had drilled two additional holes in the hardwood on eash side, and one in the centre on the top of the frame. Once drilled to the M6 thread size I drilled a slightly smaller hole than the diameter of the nut, but just deep enough to recess it on the outer facing of the frame. I then positioned the nut above the recess and pulled it into the frame with the M6 bolt.
The next thing to do was to extend the apature in the shower cubicle upwards for the cassette. I positioned the toilet and dropped the hardwood spacer in between the inner wall of the shower cubicle and pencil marked around the outside of the spacer once i knew it was seated correctly.
I slid out the toilet, made sure the spacer hadn’t moved and then marked the inside of the spacer with a Sharpie marker. After this it was just a case of attacking the line with the angle grinder and fine cutting disk as per the first hole.
Due to the thin nature of the fiberglass shower wall I needed to create a means of sandwhiching the inner parts of the fixings with the outer to spread any load evenly. I used a piece of 8mm plywood for this.
The apeture was cut to match the hole in the shower wall, and as you can see i deliberatly left a border along the bottom for a little ridgid strength. I then positioned the hardwood frame on the inside and the plywood on the outside and clamped in place making doubly sure they were exactly where they needed to be. Knowing the holes had already been drilled in the hardwood frame, all I needed to do was run the drill through each one to create holes in the shower and continue through to exit the plywood at the rear. This was also the case for the bolts to screw into the captive nuts to hold the frame to the plywood. So in total 11 drill holes were ran through
Obviously the hardwood spacer was going to be subject to very damp condiotions that would inevitably have a detremental impact on the material in time. So to offer protection i decided to seal the whole thing in fiberglass and epoxy resin. This should entombe the wood and stop it getting wet.
Once dry it was sanded to a suitable finish. I chose to cover it in a slate grey effect,glue backed tiles I found at a local outlet in the UK called Dunelm (Although I am sure they are not unique to this outlet).
So now things are really moving forward because this is where stuff starts getting bolted together. Below you can see that the frame has been pulled into the toilet apeture from the back which was done with a liberal application of silicoln sealer. Any excess was wiped away and white bathroom sealant was added to finish off.
Below you can see some of the stainless allen bolts securing the hardwood frame from the outside using the captive nuts, but also the build up of various rubber sheets making up a sandwhich layer to level the toilet as the wet room has a slope towards the plug hole. Each one of these layers were bonded to either the floor, or each corresponding layer to make one imovable platform.
With the very congealed mess from the glue it was now time to fix the toilet in place. The back of the toilet has a thin rubber sealing strip that commes proud of the plastic casting. I am sure this would have sealed sufficiently, but i felt the belt and braces approach was not going to do any harm, so a thin smear of clear silicoln sealer was applied before carefully offering into place. The rest was done from the outside by the way of the correct length stainless self tappers being screwed into plasic casting of the toilet to pull the three layers together snugly.
Its difficult to see in the picture above but I made sure to mask off the area around the toilet with broad so as not to get any of the nasty glues / sealants on the shower cubicle floor. I know that these can be pretty aggressive and really difficult to get rid off should a stray blob get in the wrong place.
Next was to make a fixing for the electric flush unit. This consists of a small single press flush button, but again it needed to be fixed securly to the thin wall of the shower. I decided to use the same plywood used for the mounting the toilet, but utilised the cut out fiberglass sections of the shower cubicle so that its front facing matched perfetly with the rest of the shower.
Fortunatley the button came in two parts. There was the front facia with electronic gubbings, but also an extuded plastic member that was clearly designed to protrude into the various camoervan and motorhome interiours. This was the part i used to creare a template for the plywood, making sure there was enough around the apeture for the extended bezel of the button facia. This was done as a pair knowing that I would need one at the back of the shower to mate up with the one actually in the cubicle itself. As you can see from the image below, the internal face of the shower cubile has been countersunk for the screw heads.
After sealing the plywood the front facia was drilled using one of the plywood blocks, there were in turn offered up to an appropriate location next to the shower controls and the holes were drilled through the shower wall. After application of silicoln sealer on both sides they were bolted in place. The same was done for the front facia, and the button. All sorted! 🙂
As with many things of late, none of our planning had been done in advance largely due to the uncertainty with Covid. So the general area of interest around Whitby only started to be investigated the Sunday before we were set to leave on the Tuesday.
We used an app called ‘Park for a Night’ to flesh out a few campsites and wild camping areas in and around the Yorkshire moors, and it’s coastline. We had paid for the professional version of the app and at £8 yearly, it seemed to be worth it.
After working a full day on Tuesday, we left for the first location at 5 PM. At approximately 7.30pm and with no real traffic to contend with we approached our first camping spot . It was a steep climb and we had to drop to first gear for best part of half a mile .The moorland was green, but peppered with an abundance of purple flowers from the heather. Well worth the stress of thinking he wouldn’t make it up the hill.
Very steep for such a large van. Still, he did well 🙂
We arrived at Danby Beacon. an old radar station, high in the moors with 360 views across amazing countryside as far as the coast. The first leg of the journey was complete.
We both had an early night, but were awoken by what we both thought was somebody trying to get into the van. I jumped from the top bunk and slid the side door open, convinced I would be confronted by youths or hooded criminals. How far could I have been from the reality.
Two black faced horned sheep were semi startled when I slid open the door. Not too much I would hasten to add. Just a couple of quick steps away, then a glance round to see what had rudely interrupted their grassy feast. They were obviously used to humans, but as a human I wasn’t used to the horns of sheep scraping against the side of my van early morning.
Over the period of an hour or so Mandy and I had a coffee, shower and decided to have breakfast at the next location, which would be another Park for a Night freebie….Staiths.
The app has an “itinerary”, which basically uses Google Maps to take you directly to the location others have suggested as a place to stay. We arrived without issue in a small car park with very unremarkable views.
However, after breakfast we began to explore we realised that the real gem was hidden in a beautiful harbor cove which sat at sea level a steep walk from our parking spot. Wow.
After a few hours we had a look round, and coffee and an ice cream. We made our way back to the van and both agreed we would move on further north to a place called Saltburn-by-the-Sea. It only took half an hour, and we managed to park on a road called Marine Parade with amazing views of the beach.
Even better we were next to a small well tended garden, so our was a double whammy.
Again, this was found using the camping app, and it seemed too good to be true. Free parking overnight. We were obviously apprehensive at first, but there were no meters or signs regarding limited parking, and there were a fair few campervans dotted around. This was mid afternoon, and it was a little overcast, so we just had a wander around the town. The walk down to the beach was a steep one, so we decided to leave that for the following day. The sunset that evening was epic.
We both slept pretty well. The road wasn’t busy in the evening, the lights along the street didn’t cause any problems during the dark, and what’s more surprising is we weren’t woken up by the din of seagulls, which were really expected being so close to the Sea.
The following day we started the day with coffee, and cereal follows by a warm shower once the boiler had gotten up to temperature. We then set off for the beach down the long path. From there we walked to the pier, chilled for half an hour, then headed round to the Ship Inn.
Mandy and I always joked about the amount of pubs called the Ship Inn on the coast. Almost like the land lords couldn’t be bothered to think of something more creative. I’m sure there is a perfectly good explanation.
At just before midday, we had to wait outside the car park in a small que to be offered into the outdoor seating area. This was our first served meal since before ‘lockdown’, so our first real experience of being hosted with the stringent restrictions that the Covid virus had forced upon the hospitality industry.
To be fair, it was a bit odd being handed a disposable menu from a waitress wearing latex gloves and a visor, but the meal of fish, chips and mushy peas was exceptional. Washed down by Old Mout cider, in the warm sunshine next to the sea, it was one of those moments that we just thought life doesn’t get better! Then we took a meander along the beach before heading up to our campervan.
We stayed a second night at Saltburn, the sunset was equally as epic, and the evening was quite, so we both slept well. We agreed that this place was pretty close to perfect as far as camping on a budget is concerned! Stunning seaside views, handy shops, nice pub serving great food. And no parking fees….. !
After, a coffee and a shower we decided to depart for Whitby just before 9am. We only had half an hours drive, but we weren’t sure how busy it got, so didn’t want to find ourselves having to park too far away from the main attractions as we only planned for a couple of hours browsing.
We parked in the quayside and there turned out to be plenty of spaces so there was no real need to rush. We had breakfast in the van and started our own tour of the popular areas. We had a coffee in Sherlock’s Coffee Shop which was amazing and far from the usual cafe, and cheaper restaurant options.
From this point I would say that mind’s eye perception of Whitby as a place to visit was one of commercialization, and not particularly the thing that ticked a box for me as a seasoned traveler. That said, I must confess, it was quite nice. I wouldn’t rush to go back there again (the last time we went was the week before the the Tour de France started in Yorkshire)! So based on that, once every six years seems to be the acceptable duration.
Our next camp over was at a campsite called Chester Villas in Thornton Dale, Pickering . We struggled to find the site at first but used the what3words app to get there in the end by putting in january.treaty.travels . The campsite was basic, but offered a separate price for EHU (£15) or just a pitch (£12). This suited us perfectly as all we needed was to empty the toilet and fill up the water tank.
The electric pitches were near the farm building just off the road. The none electric pitches at the far end of the field near a stream. Suffice to say it was really idyllic and peaceful. The couple looking after the campsite were really friendly and lived in their campervan. Usually they travelled to the continent to look after campsites abroad during the summer season. However, due to COVID they couldn’t do that this year, so were helping a friend out in the UK at Chester Villas. So the following morning we sorted the van out and waved goodby to our hosts.
We had a brief stop at Thornton by Dale village, but due to the inclement weather we just had a coffee and headed off to Filey which was only a 40 minute drive away. During which time the weather took a turn for the better and the rain cleared.
We parked at a council car park on the top of the hill with great views of the coastline and had a walk down to the seafront after a bite to eat. On the Park 4 a Night app it gave us the impression we could camp there overnight if we paid the £9 for 24 hour parking.
However, later on that afternoon we were approached by a security guard who said we would be ticketed if we stayed. Another couple that were camping close to us in a VW T25 came over to see what the issue was. They were steadfast in their resolve to camp overnight with the same argument we had that you shouldn’t be able to pay for 24 hour parking if you can’t stay for that duration. also the signage wasn’t as obvious stating no camping. The security guard said that the people camping on the campsite close to the carpark had complained that they were paying a lot more and it was unfair that we were paying less. We both got up in the morning with a parking ticket, which we decided to appeal with Scarborough Borough Council. Watch this space.
Once we had gotten over the excitement of getting a ticket we decided to have a wander into the town centre. The weather was glorious and we were both in high spirits. We walked down to the beach and found a nice restaurant called Downcliff House. Cafe Del Mar was playing in the background and it really felt like we were abroad. Even though it was just before midday i decided to have a pint of beer.
We got back to the van early afternoon and headed for our next destination after consulting the oracle, the Park 4 a Night app. This was a at South Moor Farm in Dalby Forest. We were beset by similar issues to the campsite at Chester Villa inasmuch as the postcode took us initially to the neighbours farm a mile or so up the road, but we eventually made it to the correct location. This was only £10 per night and we were staying really just to get rid of our waste and top op the water tank. But the location was pleasant and there and we were just happy to chill and enjoy the views.
The following morning we left for what would be the final location of the holiday. This was at Pocklington lock, owned by the Canal and River Trust. The drive there was amazing as it took us from the campsite straight into the Dalby Forest with some of the best roads I’ve driven on in the UK.
The last night was another free camp over. Really nice location at the end of a section of canal that were in the process of raising funds to get the locks restored. We had no issues with staying there as we were members of the Canal and River Trust and there are places you can stay if your a member of the Trust. This pretty much concluded what was a really nice week away.
This bike was spotted on Facebook Marketplace for the princely sum of £150.
This was an offer I couldn’t refuse. My thought process is a classic, and it needed saving! But the Corona Virus lock down happened a day after i agreed to collect the bike. However, confident I would be able to save the bike from the scrap heap, i committed to purchase to show my commitment. Long story short, it took a further week to get the bike collected.
Trying to piece the project together…
So then the next process was to establish exactly what parts were there and usable, and what parts i needed to order.
It soon became apparent that the engine, wiring loom, tyres were all shot. So this meant it was going to be a propper ground up restoration. The wheels have been stripped back to just the alloys and these have been sent away to be powder coated. Bearings and seals have been ordered, along with a new set of Bridgestone performance tyres.
I am rapidly refurbishing the parts I can can do myself with elbow grease, patience, metal polish and paint. I have sourced an engine, wiring loom and a few other parts, along with an exhaust. I don’t thing I am going to be selling this bike short term, but I have to be mindfull that this is probably never going to be worth a fortune. At least i know when its finished, it will be lacking a lot of the issues bikes of this age tend to have due to the fact it will have had a complete overhaul.
After a pretty shocking xmas for me having had the flu, i was really looking forward to the New Year excursion in the LT. However, Mandy came down with my infection so just as I was on the mend, she became ill. Suffice to say the holiday was marred in some way, but we mage the most of it.
We stayed for four nights at Bath Caravan Park at Bath Marina . This proved to have excellent access to the City with regular busses running on the nearby road a couple of minutes walk away.
We had a really relaxing stay at Bath making a point of not trying to do too much due to the fact we were both a not feeling our best. We generally chilled out in the morning and headed into the city for lunch and a stroll. We could have extended our stay, but chose not to as we felt we had seen as much as we wanted to and were getting a little restless.
With no previous booking arranged, and with some deliberation, we decided to head over to a Caravan Club CL campsite near Devizes about 20 miles away. However, upon arrival, as it was New Year’s Day we struggled to find or contact the owner. So as a last minute option we headed to a Canal and Waterways trust car park at the historic Caen Hill Locks . Information on the internet said that camping was allowed overnight for a small fee. Fortunately this proved correct, and we stayed three nights for the princely sum of £10 and just a short walk along the canal path into the town centre.
We had been to Devizes a couple of times in the past and stayed in the Bear Hotel which was really nice. But this time the stay was just as nice and at a much reduced budget.
Devizes is a historic market town with a colourful Medieval past, wealth of history and architectural heritage with more than 500 listed buildings and a large Market Place in the heart of the town. This can all be enjoyed as you discover the wide range of traditional independent shops or peruse the Thursday market, therefore whatever your reason for visiting Devizes, there is lots of to explore.
For as long as we both can remember we have made a special effort to do something special on our birthdays. We were both born in the colder months of 1968, Mandy February, and Myself in November. In the early days we appreciated a city break in a car, with a budget bed and breakfast, or a hotel for a couple of nights.
As time moved on we both found that we really love the flexibility of our little T3 campervan. But I guess this birthday getaway with the inclusion of the LT Florida was really the first move towards a luxury life on the road, with large bed, central heating and a hot shower without having to rely on campsite facilities.
We set off from Derby mid morning in dubious weather conditions. Large areas of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire were hit by unprecedented rainfall causing all sorts of disruption. However, we were directed towards our campsite with no real issues. Although it started raining again as we go to our campsite early, so we chose to have a coffee in a farm shop just a stone’s throw away.
This turned out to be a hive of interest. The restaurant was amazing, with a nice open fire, but the local produce on sale, and the delicatessen was out of this world. We spent best part of 2 hours chilling and perusing the goods. Well worth a visit.
We eventually drove round to the campsite and set the van up for the what turned out to be an amazing autumn afternoon. This was a little bazaar. All I had to do was reverse the van onto some levelling chocks and that was it! Wolfgang Junior (the smaller van) needed lots more tweaks, but Senior was a breeze. Chocks leveled, heater on, job done!
Van levelled, heater on, enjoy the views
The rest of the afternoon was chilled beyond belief. We had little mobile phone signal so we couldn’t really keep tabs on anything in the outside world.
Time seemed to expand and after an early evening meal, we both retired to the sound of rain on the roof as we climbed into the king sized bed upstairs. I think at this point we both realised that this campervan was genius in its design, on the footprint it had!
On Remembrance Sunday, as the sun came up, I looked out of the window and saw the rays breaking through the trees and lighting up the orchard in vivid red, amber and yellows. I dropped down from the top bunk into the living quarters, sparked up the central heating and shower heater, and put the kettle on for a brew. In a few seconds I was back in bed, and the warmth rose up as the 30 year old German Eberspacher heater did what it was supposed to do! We were still finding our feet with our new roaming accommodation, and would have to alter our routine from what had become the norm in the smaller Westfalia T3. But, we were confident that the LT would offer much more comfort during the winter months.
We chose to head the three miles from our campsite into Stratford Upon Avon for a look round. We had visited a few times in the past, but this time had a nice xmas feel to it. The rivers were high and this had started to cause some issues in the town centre. This was apparent as we entered a car park where entrance was under water causing the exit to become two way.
We headed back to the campsite late afternoon and chilled. We were really enjoying the vans extra space and retired early. That night we both slept really well and the Monday morning I repeated the routine again… heater on, kettle on, back to bed for a few mins before climbing down for coffee feeling truly revitalised.
Leamington Spa was only 8 miles away from our campsite. Again this was somewhere we were familiar with, but we always enjoyed a visit. The day followed a similar format to the previous day in Stratford, coffee, a meal, and shopping. Then back to the campsite to enjoy the warms, watch some downloaded Netflix content and chill.
We returned home on theTuesday morning and we both felt like our batteries had been recharged. We were buzzing that we had been at a campsite with limited amenities, but felt we had not been left short as a result of the van being so well equipped.
The weekend wasn’t looking great weather wise as we approached our first two nights of camping in our new VW LT Westfalia campervan. The forecast was correct with long spells of rain.
The first night was a night of confusion as we tried to establish a practical working solution in foreign territory. What came second nature in the smaller campervan, became a challenge in the larger van. We are seasoned campers now, and can quickly ascertain what may be a long term working proposition, and what will not stand the test of time. The second day we had a list of things to move or alter. Everything else will be minor tweaks as we work towards a long term package that will make time in this vehicle as seamless as can be.
It’s very strange to find ourselves in this position after feeling that Wolfgang Junior was the be all and end all of campervans. We know that the T3 camper is one of the most versatile and coveted campers to have been produced in Wolfsburg, Germany under the VW marque. It’s internal space has never been matched by any van with its footprint (old or new), because of its rear engine format and 1970 design.
Our T3 was made in 1990 but there was another offering at the time by VW as a factory conversion that offered more space. This was based on the LT chassis and the coachwork was still undertaken by the very well respected partner for all of the factory VW installs of the time, Westfalia. More in depth information can be found at the following link…
Both mandy and I would be lying if we said we hadn’t cast the occasional eye over an LT Florida, more out of curiosity than anything. We have been impressed with what we have seen with the layout and quality, still apparent after 30 years or more. But it seemed like owning one was for the future, and in no way anytime soon.
First view of Wolfgang Senior :0
That said, and by a total fluke, we ended up collecting a part for a friend from the owner of this Florida. We saw it, showed some interest, and It turned out they were just about to put the van on the market. This was just one of those “right place right time” kind of moments. After some discussion regarding our ability to finance such an investment, we decided that this opportunity was too good to miss.
3.1 meters high
I know from experience how much it costs to take a van that has been neglected for years, and turn it into something that has the reliability of the original vehicle. Wolfgang Jnr has had the best attention to make sure it is just about as reliable as it ever could be. The thought of taking on another project that required that degree of time and investment wasn’t something I wanted to get involved with. It’s the unknown, and when your hit with a failed holiday because the gearbox has packed up, and a £2,000+ bill for a repair, that always takes longer than it should, you tend to err on the negative side of things!
So no way would consider buying a van that would effectively put me back into a situation where I was chasing my tail financially, just to have a vehicle that we would one day believe in. On reflection I feel that those negative experiences have given me a reality check.
But if we go back to the chance meeting, this Florida had been owned by the previous owner for 2 years. He is a trained mechanic by trade, has a love for VW vehicles, and has left no stone unturned in making sure this van is one of the best and most reliable examples of a VW Westfalia, Florida.
Truly awesome! We are very lucky!
Fully rebuilt engine including brand new cylinder head in 2017 (including new injector nozzles and new turbo CHRA)
• Factory Power steering • Opening front quarter lights • Full engine undertray • Westfalia Towbar • Double glazed windows • Factory fitted curtains and blinds • ISRI captains high back front seats • Electric windows • Full roof rack with ladder access at the rear • 4 Berth Camper (2 double beds) (can be 5berth with a bunk in the cab if needed) • On board LPG tank for cooker and hot water boiler (around £5 to fill from empty) • Truma Gas hot water boiler, supplies hot water to kitchen tap and shower • Wet/ shower room with hot shower (absolute blessing when camping!!) • Eberspacher diesel night heater with timer • 2 ring burner • Vitrifrigo compressor fridge • 100L fresh water tank on board • 70L waste water tank • Porta-potti in bathroom (included in the sale) • Large wardrobe with shelves • Under seat storage • 220ah leisure battery and solar set up for off-grid camping (CTEK equipment used) • 2 lap belts in rear and there is included in the sale a 3-point belt which was fitted to the centre bench for use with a child’s seat (I removed due to only being my partner and I using the van) • Fiamma F45 wind out awning • Large roof top box for extra space and storage included with the sale of the van • Included in sale is pair of LHD headlights as well • Cab window thermal screens included with sale • Original VW owners manuals (in German) also Have translated version in english Below Details the work carried out in my ownership Mechanical work • Complete Engine Rebuild carried out by AW Engineering including: Complete Brand-new cylinder head, brand new pistons and rings, brand new Bearings throughout, Re-Bored and Honed, new oil pump, new water pump all new Gaskets (See receipt for proof) • All 6x Injectors Rebuilt with Brand New Monark Nozzles and Pressures set correctly (155Bar) • Turbocharger Brand new Mellett Core Fitted and turbo charger rebuilt • Brand new radiator fitted • Replacement Header tank fitted • Brand new WAHLER 87degrees thermostat fitted • Brand new Mocal oil cooler fitted • Brand new exhaust silencer and tailpipe fitted with new hardware as well • Brand new clutch kit fitted at the same time as Engine Rebuild • Brand new viscous fan unit fitted • Timing belt, fuel pump belt and water pump all brand new at time of engine re-install • New Starter battery 2017 • New alternator voltage regulator All Above work carried out Winter 2017 • Complete new brake pipes throughout out in copper • Brand New master cylinder • Brand new rear brake drums and brake shoes • Brand new rear wheel cylinders • Front brakes fully stripped and rebuilt with a new TRW fitting kit • Brand new Monroe LT35 Heavy duty front springs fitted • Brand new Monroe Van-Magnum shock absorbers fitted all round • New tie rod bushes and hardware • Wheeliams 3” lift kit fitted • Full wheel alignment after suspension lift fitted (including camber and castor) • All oils in axle and gearbox changed for brand new correct grade oil • All gear linkage bushes replaced with genuine VW items (precise gear change now) • VDO gauges installed to monitor oil temperature, oil pressure and boost pressure while driving and a VDO rev counter fitted as well • Turbo downpipe heat wrapped for engine bay heat management • 4x New rear leaf spring buffers Wheels and Tyres • Full Set of 5x (4+1 spare) Ford custom 15” Steel wheels fitted with correct wheel bolts • Full set of brand new Hankook Dynapro All Terrain Tyres fitted 235/75R15 Camper Conversion Repairs and Improvements • Onboard Propane tank removed and stripped and checked and then repainted correct colour with red identifying stripe and pressure tested • Stainless steel LPG valve cover with key lock as well • All waste pipe replaced with fresh re-enforced pipe • Brand new Whale Elite kitchen tap installed • Both sink and kitchen hob removed and resealed to worktop • Original Westfalia fridge removed and replaced with a vitrifrigo C50i Compressor fridge for better refrigerating and increased battery life • Brand new 150Watt solar panel mounted on the roof • 2x Brand new 110Ah Leisure batteries fitted • CTEK Smartpass120 fitted alongside a CTEK D250sa to give a complete leisure/ off grid power system
CTEC solar battery charger
• New fuse panel fitted to allow fitment of blade fuses as compared to original ceramic fuses • Original Eberspacher D2L re-commissioned with all new fuel pipe, new heater ducting pipe externally and internally of the van and new exhaust pipe • Truma 10L water heater removed and checked for condition and thoroughly cleaned prior to re-installation all working correctly (red hot for showering!) • New Micro Heki Skylight fitted in the bathroom due to the original westfalia item being previously damaged • Bathroom sink removed to make more room for showering • Brand new Reich shower fitted for better showers than the original westfalia item
New Shower
• Brand new Oceanair dry roll toilet roll holder fitted in the bathroom • Brand new Hansgrohe shower hose • Brand new TRUMA boiler external vent fitted to roof • Brand new 12v and USB sockets fitted using high quality CBE parts • Genuine VW westfalia control panel repaired with 2x new fuse holders fitted • All interior lights converted from fluorescent tubes to LED lighting • Shelving made for the wardrobe to utilize the space the best • 2x brand new fire extinguisher installed • 1x fire blanket installed • Front bench seat latches repaired to aid correct operation • Carpet matting custom fitted one piece in the rear of the camper • Bathroom/ wetroom completely re-sealed • Brand new fresh water tank drain valve installed • Internal blinds fitted to roof side windows with flyscreen’s and blind • New clips on seating area blind External body • All front panels replaced with genuine VW panels in winter 2018/2019 and front end resprayed original white with all new decals (common issue on LT’s around windscreen, all rot cut out and repaired with new metal. • New right-hand side cab step welded in place, all rot removed • New windscreen seal fitted after respraying (original VW windscreen re-fitted) • Wheeliams Spare wheel carrier fabricated, and powder coated to fit the rear door using the hinges and allow proper use of the door and rear window • Brand new Hella Rear fog light fitted into rear bumper and re-wired to original VW switch located on the dash • Pressed aluminium plates fitted • Roof mounted 150Watt solar panel fitted • Dubflecta wind deflectors fitted • Pressed aluminium number plates fitted showing correct UK markings • RHD Genuine VW headlights fitted for UK roads (Also have LHD headlights, included in sale with van) • Brand new genuine VW front indicators fitted all with new seals • 2x new 3 jet windscreen washers all with new pipe work behind dash • Headlights all re-wired to now run through individual relays and fuses for optimum lighting when driving at night • Fiamma F45i wind out awning fitted (winding handle clips internally inside the camper out the way) • New pair of wing mirror lenses to replace old units • New rear mud flaps and brackets Cab Area • VDO gauges mounted in dashboard to monitor engine performance while running (RPM, oil temperature, oil pressure and boost pressure) • Sony CDX-G1200 CD player fitted (can run from starter battery or leisure battery when parked up) • Blaupunkt windscreen mounted amplified aerial fitted • Additional 12volt and USB sockets fitted in dashboard all powered from leisure battery • All dash lighting replaced with new brighter bulbs • Drinks holders mounted to dash • Lower dash section fitted from facelift model LT Florida • Heater matrix removed and back flushed, and heater box rebuilt with new insulation for better heating during those winter months • Heater rheostat replaced and modified to use an Audi 80 unit rather than the problematic LT rheostat, so now has all working fan speeds
