Popular Post cobblers Posted August 14, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted August 14, 2021 Right so! I was looking to lease an EV through the business, but completely failed due to hating new car dealers, hating touchscreens and eventually settling on a hybrid which is out of stock until mid-late 2022. So I gave up and decided to get a Land rover. I failed at that too, after my mate sent me a link to the advert for this on ebay, at about 9pm. Ten minutes later I had arranged to drive down to see it the next day. I'm a glutton for punishment, and I really miss my last t25 so it was pretty inevitable that I'd buy it. It was more money than I'm used to spending on these, but overall I was pleased with the deal. A dawn raid by our very own @worldofceri had it delivered on Friday morning: It's a Swedish van originally, and was imported in 2006. Incredibly solid, never been painted and a fantastic "worn in" look. It's a 2.1 "DJ" engine which is pretty healthy but as usual is weeping coolant from various places, they all do that sir. A friend has a rebuilt engine on his shelf so I budgeted that into the purchase - We'll see how it goes. Totally original other than someone put some mega Fox/Gowesty suspension on it, proper mega bypass shocks with external reservoirs and stuff, so I reckon I can probably take it off jumps or something. I won't. My plans are to (after cleaning the filthy interior) to just run it about, more or less as it is. It would benefit from a set of tyres - these are worn very ridged on the fronts that makes it even more noisy and harsh to drive, and has no spare wheel. I've rotated the tyres so now the front ones are smoother, we'll see how I get on. I do need to source another matching wheel for a spare as these are full time 4wd so you need to keep the tyres rotated regular and within a very similar tread depth. look - there's even a sticker telling you to: I really need to get some new number plates for it! If anyone knows a place who could make some OE style ones with that font all the VW dealers seemed to use in the 1980s, that would be grand - I want some with the dealers logo putting on the bottom: Dick Longbridge, 500tops, cort16 and 54 others 57 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuvvum Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 That is fantastic! Should be reasonably nippy with the 2.1 engine too. I've never owned a vehicle with a Monsterdjupsdifferens before. You'll have to let us know how you get on with that. cobblers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobblers Posted August 14, 2021 Author Share Posted August 14, 2021 It goes OK - not as fast as my previous 2.1 engined T25s but I presume the drag of the knobbly tyres and 4wd are causing most of that. It's perfectly adequate. These often lack power due to a worn out airflow meter - I'll have a bit of a look at that one day, maybe that'll per it up a little bit. Tickman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dyslexic Viking Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 This was sold new in an area in Sweden where until recently at least they did not salt the roads in the winter. And the climate is dry inland climate so cars rust little there so this is a good buy! Østersund, Sveg and Strømsund are towns and villages where the dealer Berners had branches. cobblers, Joey spud, Low Horatio gearbox and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobblers Posted August 14, 2021 Author Share Posted August 14, 2021 5 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said: This was sold new in an area in Sweden where until recently at least they did not salt the roads in the winter. And the climate is dry inland climate so cars rust little there so this is a good buy! Østersund, Sveg and Strømsund are towns and villages where the dealer Berners had branches. Thanks for this info! - I had presumed it must have been something along those lines as it has no right to be such a solid van for something that had been used for 260000km. mk2_craig, Tickman and Low Horatio gearbox 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dyslexic Viking Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 And have a little more for you. ångermanålvens vattenregleringsföretag was the first owner and gets it in translation to and become a water regulation company. And it was stationed i believe in Strømsund. Hope you understand place names and such as I write as we Norwegians and Swedes have letters that are the same, but different in appearance. DVee8, Isaac Hunt, CGSB and 5 others 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobblers Posted August 14, 2021 Author Share Posted August 14, 2021 Fantastic! thanks so much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sporty-shite Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 This is ace, however, I feel that the money these types of things now command will certainly exclude me from ownership! Low Horatio gearbox and cobblers 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobblers Posted August 14, 2021 Author Share Posted August 14, 2021 Yes, they're getting quite silly now - seeing the way the values are going it was definitely a case of now or never. I sold my Caravelle GL a few years ago for (iirc) £3k. Similar vans are approaching 5 figures now. When I started seeing them on album covers and stuff I realised that they were no longer the "only vw van I could afford" which is how I've always viewed them. BorniteIdentity and Coprolalia 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunglebus Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 That's a nice crew cab. Always fancied a syncro panel van if I could find one. They're pretty capable off road cobblers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BorniteIdentity Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 This is absolutely ace. Really really like it. cobblers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HMC Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 Fantastic, old vws can end up being a bit predictable but his is very left field and with genuine patina as well, fab-u-lous! cobblers, LightBulbFun and Low Horatio gearbox 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave j Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 Nice! I love how you started off as looking to lease an EV but ended up with this! spike60, LightBulbFun and cobblers 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownnova Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 That looks awesome. Two fingers firmly raised to the eco-car brigade with that purchase! cobblers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Bell Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 That's looks so badass that I've taken up smoking big cigars. cobblers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HMC Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 Presumably this body design is more refined than a “normal” T25 as the passenger compartment is more isolated from the engine compartment, if you follow me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worldofceri Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 It’s a lot quieter than my 2.0l air-cooled camper, but that may be because it doesn’t have two kids bickering in the back. wuvvum, scruff, Low Horatio gearbox and 6 others 2 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_Fearn Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 Great buy! I had one of these in Syncro flavour a few years back. Did a nice trip up through Norway in it. cobblers, worldofceri, Jim Bell and 4 others 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobblers Posted August 15, 2021 Author Share Posted August 15, 2021 10 hours ago, HMC said: Presumably this body design is more refined than a “normal” T25 as the passenger compartment is more isolated from the engine compartment, if you follow me. The body design does lend itself to being a bit quieter than a panel van, but the tyre design puts paid to that! It's a noisy old bugger, and the syncro drivetrain does seem to transmit a bit more driveline whine into the cabin too. These flat 4 engines are actually really smooth and even in a panel van, on idle you'd often be excused for not knowing it's running, and once you're moving it's quite a strange noise that I could only really compare to a large fan or something. It's actually really hard to judge the engine RPM while driving, to the point where I am making serious negotiations into buying a set of clocks with a revcounter, for a predictably extortionate price. Lacquer Peel, BorniteIdentity, Coprolalia and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkyarddog Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 That's really nice,I've a huge soft spot for the VW transporter as my late uncle and aunt had several camper versions over the years,starting with a split screen and ending up with a T25,before eventually buying a small car. Many happy childhood memories involved a VW transporter 😊 Low Horatio gearbox and cobblers 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat_the_cat Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 On 8/14/2021 at 6:22 PM, cobblers said: the "only vw van I could afford" which is how I've always viewed them. That's how I always saw the LT, and even they are creeping up. Although I was never specifically after a VW, just tempted by the sound of the engine! Seems like they're accepted as part of the T25 'scene' now as I always get a wave (rarely from Bays or Splits). cobblers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabergé Greggs Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 Amazing! Don’t forget to drive it like this everywhere rainagain, BorniteIdentity, Twiggy and 6 others 7 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobblers Posted August 15, 2021 Author Share Posted August 15, 2021 I went on some "off roads" today for a bit, and have got used to driving LHD stuff to the point where it only feels a little bit like I'm either having a stroke or in that episode of red dwarf where everything is backwards The fox suspension does seem to be quite tolerant of leathering it through big potholes and whatnot. Joey spud, Dyslexic Viking, CGSB and 14 others 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cort16 Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 This looks great cobblers I'm not a huge fan of older VW stuff but this is all just right. LightBulbFun and Joey spud 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coprolalia Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 I bloody love these syncro T25s. Top buying. What's the braking performance like? Didn't think these were much cop, and with added all terrains I could imagine it being skittish? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobblers Posted August 16, 2021 Author Share Posted August 16, 2021 I've never had a gripe with t25 brakes, they've always seemed plenty. IIRC the synchro brakes are even smaller than the normal ones for some reason, but it stops perfectly well. The tyres probably help if anything - they've got such a lot of rolling resistance that you barely need the brakes at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghosty Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 On 8/14/2021 at 12:52 PM, cobblers said: If anyone knows a place who could make some OE style ones with that font all the VW dealers seemed to use in the 1980s, that would be grand They won't be cheap, but speak to retroplates on FB/Instagram, they do top drawer work. cobblers and bunglebus 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobblers Posted August 16, 2021 Author Share Posted August 16, 2021 2 hours ago, Ghosty said: They won't be cheap, but speak to retroplates on FB/Instagram, they do top drawer work. Thanks mate, job done. His work looks cracking, check these beauties out: Hubba hubba! I want some just for the wall in my house CGSB, Coprolalia, Isopon and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobblers Posted August 18, 2021 Author Share Posted August 18, 2021 I thought I'd have the ECU apart on this (because that's my thing, I suppose) and make sure it's healthy, plus add an immobiliser. It was a bit corroded on the end and had just the beginnings of water ingress: Someone has been here before: That's the transistor that drives the idle air control valve, if I remember correctly. I had to replace it on the last T25 I owned. The aly casting was a bit grotty: So I spent a few minutes in the media blaster and cleaned it up nice, before etc prime and some nice grey paint No major horrors inside, a few minor dry joints and one very bad one: I went over anything suspect looking, and added a remote immobiliser Not my neatest work, but it's very much a case of "Cobblers's kids shoes" when I spend all day making a real nice job on other peoples stuff (that they will never ever look inside) and then rush my own stuff because I've only got half an hour to get it finished. Anyway the immobiliser just cuts power to the ECU internally after the ignition key has been off for more than about 20 seconds. A remote control button re-enables it. Jobs a goodun: Also I've been looking at truck bed cover things for this, so I can use it to go camping with some ease if it snows a lot ever again. There's just one for sale, it's £730, the pictures are shite, it's missing all the fitting hardware, the latches and hinges are fucked and it needs quite significant fibreglass repair and complete repaint I'll give it a miss. I'll see if I can measure up to find one off something else that'll fit. Isaac Hunt, Coprolalia, worldofceri and 13 others 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mintwth Posted August 18, 2021 Share Posted August 18, 2021 Thought of making a cover? Bfg's trailer tent thread might give you some ideas cobblers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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