So thought I'd might as well join and say hello. Hello. Hopefully a 2003 Brazilian air cooled is acceptable - not seen many on here, but I'm sure someone will put me right if not............... It's purple, hence the name.
Thanks for the welcome - seems a friendly enough place with a good mix of dry humour and sarcasm............. A bit more about the van I suppose - bought on impulse having sold my 78 panel van in the summer and sworn that I'd scratched the itch once and for all. The latest addition came with an awful lot of naff paraphernalia, Halfords heated seat covers and LED tube lights around the underside of the van. Got some rot to sort on the seam that joins the battery tray with the rear arch and I've had to sort the steps as well. The good bits being a Webasto cab heater and front and rear heated windscreens - all work provided you don't try them all at once - the alternator screams if you do.
From the outside yes, but driving a panel van with no interior lining or windows ( I drove it 170 miles home on the hottest day of 2015) was unforgettable.
Ha, yes - seems that the steps and arch seams are still the same - I'm taking comfort from the fact that I'm the first to have to deal with it, so hopefully wont be finding any panels filled with Brazilian newspaper.....
Although I do wonder how the people who have purchased the newer £40k imported conversions will react once they start to go..............
Welcome Purple. Nice van You might have to take some of the banter with a Brazilian, but worth sticking it out for the craic. We may learn something too?
First impressions are that its got a bit more poke than my 78 panel van had - certainly from the way it maintains speed on inclines. The Brazilian definitely pulls better. I'm still unsure about the steering - all of the Brazilians were LHD, then converted to RHD on UK arrival using a steering box conversion, mine was done by BeetlesUK which are now part of Danbury Conversions. For some reason the previous owner fitted a smaller diameter steering wheel which you had to wrestle with to get it around corners. I'm a short-arse so I literally had to stand up and force it to turn. Thankfully the original steering wheel came with the van and its now back on. I've had it SORN'd for a few weeks but will be out in it again soon.
