Just wanted to say a big thank you for all the advice given from this forum - 18+ months on and my bay van is almost finished in terms of the bodywork and engine. Many many hours later........and still many to go........ Having fitted and run the T4 engine in the van for a couple of months, it was clear the engine needed attention! It has now been rebuilt and coupled with a recon 6 rib gearbox - both were bought second hand following hours of internet trawling. Pleased I bit the bullet and replaced the existing T1 1600 engine now - big decision at the time. Although I’ve owned T2’s for 15+ years, there’s a minefield of information out there that can be confusing when embarking on a project of some scale and cost - especially when not having attempted anything like this before. Nothing beats personal recommendation and 9 times out of 10 that’s the safest bet. It’s surprisingly difficult to find VW trades who really know their apples - but the good ones are very good. I’ve learnt that each job takes double the time you think it will (sometimes much longer), costs much more than you think (especially jobs you can’t do yourself) and my biggest bit of advice for any ‘newbie’ embarking on a similar project, is to ensure you learn as much as you possibly can about each job before doing it! All too easy to jump in feet first and wish you hadn’t later! Knowledge really helps when discussing jobs with specialists too, so you can make a good, informed decision, which will save you money in the long run. I’ll post some pictures in the coming months and probably spend most of 2018 finishing the van (or may be longer ..........., Thanks all.
