Daily drive work and play van

ChrisPR

New Member
The daily drive work and play van is almost complete.
It is a 2019 1.9 Kombi Highline in candy white with single sliding door and tailgate.
I started by removing all the lining panels and sound deadening with Silent Coat then added Dodo Thermal Mat Liner. The void spaces were then filled with Thermo Fleece.
The lining panels were then carpeted in grey four way stretch. I have enough to carpet the remaining exposed metalwork but will save this job for another day.
Currently the floor has the factory rubber mat which during the build is a sandpaper like killer on the knees. Motorpoint prepped the van by liberally spraying tyre shine everywhere so the floor has been an ice rink too.
The cab footwell and the mid floor has been carpeted with mats from Vanstyle. I may add sound deadening to the floor in time.
I also fitted grey blackout curtains to the tailgate, side windows and a cab divider.
So I can edit photos and videos whilst out and about I fitted a table and sliding bracket to sit behind the drivers seat. This can be easily removed when not needed but remains in place most of the time. The table is half a snowboard as it is the perfect depth.
The wheel arches after sound deadening and insulation have been boxed and the lids removable to allow for additional storage within. Like the panels the box has been carpeted in Grey four way stretch.
A Kiravans seat swivel has been fitted to the passenger double seat which has a surprising amount of storage in the base. As this is an echoing metal box I added deadening to this too.
A disappointment was the standard head unit which although had bluetooth connectivity did not have Apple Car Play. As I can photograph up to ten different houses each day around the South West sat nav is a must. An RCD330 head unit from Travellin Lite was a very simple swap out.
I am totally deaf in my left ear so any unnecessary noise hitting my right ear affects my senses acutely so Hiko wind deflectors were fitted to the driver and passenger doors together with an additional rubber seal, both significantly reducing wind noise. In another bit of down time I will also apply deadening but currently dont fancy removing the door panels.
Some rubber pocket liners have been added to the doors and dash to ensure nothing rattles around too much.
A sunglasses holder fitted where the drivers grab handle would be keeps my shades to hand.
In the back I can carry quite a bit of kit during the day including interior camera and lighting. exterior 10m pole camera, drone and safety equipment. Plus mobile office kit. This is stored safely below a Van King Kombi bed platform which during the day acts as a large parcel shelf and dog platform should Sam, my Greyhound want to come out for the day.
The final things to do are design and build some permanent storage below the Kombi seats for camping stuff. the kitchen box lives under the seat by the sliding door for easy accessibility. Presently only a brew up kit is required.
A leisure battery and split charger will be fitted under the drivers seat eventually but for now however I can get by with an inverter and charge whilst on the move.
Roof bars and side rails have been fitted. Not as fiddly as I expected.
My last van was a 2008 T30 Sportline with twin sliding doors and tailgate in black. It had a 6th gear which in the new van I am constantly trying to change into. I will eventually get used to topping out at 5th but it will take some time. I am sure my first van only had four gears.
This new van is my 4th transporter. It is the first time I have not had a car too. We are going to have some fun and exciting journeys together and those more mundane work related ones have just got a bit more interesting.

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just removed the Kiravans seat swivel as it has been a palaver to rotate and passengers have remarked on the unusually high seat. The reduced weight in the van will make a slight difference too.
 
Great work! I’ve been thinking about a Kombi bed and curtains next. Which curtains did you install? Was it simple? Did you consider shades rather than curtains?
 
Hi, shore Vans for tailgate and Vanstyle for everywhere else. Easy to fit. Curtains are cheaper than blinds. Cab to rear curtain is most practical and worth trying first. Good luck.
 
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