My T4 Project...

[Malam]

Just thought I'd post some pics of my latest project, a 1997 VW T4 Transporter.

21st August- The day after I collected it...




First job on the list was to sort the cab area out as it was absolutely filthy!
Before..



After a bit of a shampoo, clean and an attack with satin black rattle cans..




Painted the steel wheels to make it look a little cleaner...


Lovely faded paint...


After machine polishing..


Here you can see the beaten sliding door which was refusing to shut properly due to a worn bottom roller..


Luckily a new door in the same colour came with the Van, so I bought a new bottom roller and fitted it..


New VW Badge and clear indicators fitted..


Inside was a complete mess!...


So stripped it all out...


I bought and cut new ply lining for the sides and used the old lining for the floor...




Found myself a bargain set of alloys on ebay- 19" RS4 Replicas with nearly new tyres..


Today's job was to lower it..


It's going into the bodyshop soon to have some bits done, I'll post more pics as and when things happen

[5potTurbo]

Out of interest, how much did you pay for the van, and what engine's in it?

I quite fancy getting a T4 just for transporting all the gear to Le Mans and other races throughout the year, but they seem to be a heck of a lot cheaper in the UK than they are on the continent.

[anonymous-user]

Spot on! I really like these subtle vw van mods, a few of my friends have done this to their t4s and t5s.

[ManOpener]

5potTurbo said:

I quite fancy getting a T4 just for transporting all the gear to Le Mans and other races throughout the year, but they seem to be a heck of a lot cheaper in the UK than they are on the continent.

Me too. I remember seeing one somewhere that was running a 2.7 Biturbo motor from an RS4 and home-made AWD. Bet that shifted.

[Malam]

5potTurbo said:

Out of interest, how much did you pay for the van, and what engine's in it?

I quite fancy getting a T4 just for transporting all the gear to Le Mans and other races throughout the year, but they seem to be a heck of a lot cheaper in the UK than they are on the continent.

Thanks for the comments everybody!


It's a 1.9TD, ABL Engine with 5 Speed Box. I'm quite pleased with the way it performs, it will happily cruise at 80-85mph (on a track) and I get about 40mpg, sometimes more on a long journey. I paid £1250 for the Van with just under two months tax and mot.

Cheers!

[soad]

Malam said:

New VW Badge and clear indicators fitted..

Looks much better now.

Nicely lowered too, was sitting too high

[joshicus]

very nice, always had a thing for these vans

[Malam]

Cheers

[ALfooy]

looks good, will look great when its done =) what are the plans mate, camper conversion?

[Malam]

ALfooy said:

looks good, will look great when its done =) what are the plans mate, camper conversion?

Thanks mate. The plan is to fit a full width rock 'n' roll bed and a decent sound system. I'm going to build a removable unit which will house a cooker and a cool box. I'm not really into the full on camper thing, too much pointless weight!

[CinqAbarth]

soad said:

Malam said:

New VW Badge and clear indicators fitted..

Looks much better now.

Nicely lowered too, was sitting too high

Looks good - but I think it needs higher profile tyres.

[Louisa911]

myself and the boyfriend have been looking at these for a long time for biking and camping, just haven't found the right one yet. looks like a lovely project you have yourself there!

if you don't mind me asking, whats the mileage like? the only transporter we have come across for sale for that price region had more rust than yours and over the 200k mile mark :s

please keep us updated, love watching the progression of these!

[Malam]

Louisa911 said:

myself and the boyfriend have been looking at these for a long time for biking and camping, just haven't found the right one yet. looks like a lovely project you have yourself there!

if you don't mind me asking, whats the mileage like? the only transporter we have come across for sale for that price region had more rust than yours and over the 200k mile mark :s

please keep us updated, love watching the progression of these!

This van has done 189k. I wouldn't be put off by high mileage vans, buy purely on condition. The engines are extremely robust and will last for a long time if looked after properly! Mileage doesn't seem to effect resale value either, two vans similar to mine as it is now- 190k on the clock and a nice set of alloys have just sold on ebay for £3500+. If you look in the classifieds on here, there's a lower spec'd van which has sold for £4250 with similar mileage.

T4's are trendy at the moment, lots of people are buying standard vans, putting a shiny set of alloys on and lowering them and selling them on for easy profit. Buy a standard van if you can, they're cheap enough to convert depending on how far you want to go...

By the time I've finished this, it won't have cost me more than £2250. That includes the initial purchase of the van, lowering kit, alloys, clear indicators, new badge, new driver's mirror, centre exhuast, de-cat pipe, various bits for it's MOT, ply lining, carpet, flooring, rock 'n' roll bed and paintwork- which is to include colour coding the bumpers and mirrors, bonnet repainted and lower half respray. I'll be doing everything but the paintwork myself and that's only because I don't have a garage to have a go myself

[ALfooy]

Malam said:

ALfooy said:

looks good, will look great when its done =) what are the plans mate, camper conversion?

Thanks mate. The plan is to fit a full width rock 'n' roll bed and a decent sound system. I'm going to build a removable unit which will house a cooker and a cool box. I'm not really into the full on camper thing, too much pointless weight!

thats a good idea, guess at least you can use it as a normal van. i'd love to buy a t4 and convert it, no way i can afford a splitty or a bay or even a t25, but it seems t4s are goin the same way =(

[matc]

Great project, looks like a good way to make some money!

[Supernube]

I know this is an old post... but I thought you might like to see this...



Your old van is now my old van

Edited by Supernube on Tuesday 20th July 14:54

[DanG355]

Any idea what happened to this project between 2010 and 2021??
Like the idea of a project like this but van prices aren’t quite as cheap as they were.

[Jimmy No Hands]

Supernube said:

I know this is an old post... but I thought you might like to see this...



Your old van is now my old van

Edited by Supernube on Tuesday 20th July 14:54

It's looks like it's doing well.

[edspolo]

Great vans, best of luck I've had ours for 5 years now and still love it, use most weekends in summer and completely bullet proof despite 280k miles on the clock

[Supernube]

Jimmy No Hands said:

Supernube said:

I know this is an old post... but I thought you might like to see this...



Your old van is now my old van

Edited by Supernube on Tuesday 20th July 14:54

It's looks like it's doing well.

That's where it was for five years... but its back on the road now... still going strong 🤠