My Build Thread

[ben5560]

Its been nearly a year since i started looking for a T6.1, after (so many others!) always having the dream to convert a van myself. I am currently posted to Germany, and wanted to do much of work over here. It also meant i was able to get a van VAT free, but with my sister's wedding being in April - part of the 'Personal Export Scheme' rules mean you have to stay out of the UK for 6 months, so the race was on to find the right spec of van.

I wanted ideally a T6.1 Indium Grey, Highline, DSG, Tailgate as a minimum. But i quickly found that is exactly the spec everyone wants and Grey DSGs are commonly snapped up by converters, I also had to find a dealer that had a van with VAT payable on it (not all do) and would accept the 'Personal Export Scheme'.

So imagine finding the right van, then calling from a Germany number and quoting this random scheme that no one had heard of, only to be told 'never heard of it - no sorry' multiple times. Then there was a van for sale on here in Cornwall, i paid for flights, hotels and planned it all - only for the guy to sell it days before my flight and to tell me over Whatsapp.

In the end, I was sent a message by JoshB_ who kindly found a van that ticked all the boxes, had some good extra parts (wheels.etc) except it was White and had 63k on it. But time was running out, and after messaging the dealer they quickly called back and said they had done the scheme before.... So a trip was planned from Germany, to the south of Wales...



Upon arrival, it was not in a good way. Whoever did the rear carpeting had done it terribly. Plastic window frames held in with furniture blocks. Instead of reusing the plastic clips for the panels, they used wood screws and the panels bowed out. I didn't notice at the time, but the window metal had been cut poorly and was rough around the edges. There was huge tear in the drivers seat, and a few other issues. If i was not up against the 6 month deadline, i would have walked away. But i wanted to start work through the winter, I was getting it VAT free, and i needed to get it ready for 2026....

On the ferry, limped it back with a brake pad warning and oil sensor warning going off all the time:

 

[ben5560]

First things first, i needed to change the headlights to LHD ones, so on went THQ LED headlights:



Then, it needed a rear window. Luckily, i have access to a car workshop on base where you can pay for a bay and use their tools, also has air lines. So i bought a 'nibbler' and cut out the rear opening - was easier than i thought! Alot of youtube videos and metal pieces later:

 

[ben5560]

The next stage was to remove all the carpet, this was a horrible job - it left behind so much residue and glue. I had to use rubbing alcohol, 'Goo Gone' and a rubber wheel attachment on my drill. Then came the sound deadening:



On my way back from picking up the van, i bought a single seat off Facebook marketplace, got it back to Germany, and quickly sold the double seat for 50 EUR to a German who was going to use it as a seat in his workshop:





This was great until the missus sat on the new seat, and then asked where the seatbelt was... of course, it was a drivers single seat and i stupidly had not even thought about that!



Thankfully, a UK drivers seat is much more valuable to a German as its their passenger seat. So it was quickly sold and i bought a German drivers seat (much cheaper!). However the one i bought in the UK had heated seats, and i wanted to keep that, so i stripped the seats down and swapped the bits over first. Lastly some THQ GTI Orange seat covers and they were finally in:

 

[ben5560]

Now i applied closed foam insulation panels, i used a brand called Armaflex here in Germany.



Then i bought rear single piece panels. One thing that quickly became apparent is that despite Germans loving camping, their community / market for van conversions is so much smaller with only a handful of companies offering products. Its not like the UK where eBay is littered with ply panels, or every major town has conversion companies. Therefore, things like these were more expensive than what i could have got in the UK.

 

[ben5560]

Next was to apply sound deadening in other locations, such as the scuttle panel area:




And then the doors, inside and on the outer panels:

 

[ben5560]

Another benefit of being in Germany, is next day parts in VW dealerships, so i treated the van to California dash panels:

 

[ben5560]

Luckily i have use of a wood workshop on base as well, so cut out better ply panels using the originals as a template:

 

[ben5560]

Then, i wanted to install an OEM camera, so i found one off eBay. When the kit turned up, the camera was genuine VAG - but not from a T6.1. I think someone bought the kit off Aliexpress and resold it at a profit, but hey ho... Cutting this hole was a bit nerve racking:



Then i started applying the heat insulation. Again, you can't just get this stuff in B+Q here, it seems Germans dont even use this recycled plastic stuff - so it had to come from Kiravans EU.

 

[ben5560]

Inbetween all this, i found the van had never had its cambelt changed and it was on 63k. VW in Germany confirmed it was not due yet, but i wanted to get it done.

Additionally minor background things:

• It blew a glow plug, so had those changed.
• New brakes all round
• Aux belt changed (was squeaky)
• DSG Service for piece of mind at VW
• The USBs for Android Auto never worked, after lots of fault finding, paying VW to remove component protection on the radio, it turned out the plug was upside down on the stereo... the plug to hold it was missing!
• Software update in accordance with the TPI for the Oil Level Sensor warning
• Fitted heated washer jets

 

[ben5560]

Onto some minor maintenance jobs now, December 25.

Tidied all the steps, and removed rust before applying sound deadening:

 

[ben5560]

Kiravans door store installed:

 

[ben5560]

I was missing having a drivers footrest, so i found a Jeep Gladiator also lacks on and found a metal footrest on Aliexpress. After making some kind of frankenstein bracket with parts, it bolted on easily:





I then installed Ambient lighting:

 

[ben5560]

Early stages of my seat base build:


I reused the factory mains cable for a leisure battery (which they install, but don't actually use unless you spec to have a leisure battery). I then tidied up the fusebox in there after moving it from the passenger side.

Then came the diesel heater install, into the OEM position:

 

[ben5560]

I then went further with the ambient lighting, and installed door pocket lighting and puddle lights:



Then came the Halo 9:

 

[ben5560]

I hated the gear knob, so installed an Aliexpress copy DSG gear knob - was scary twisting the plastic shaft in the middle!

 

[ben5560]

The state of the back so far, note the terrible metalwork under the window on the left:


I cut the battens thanks to a member on here sharing the cut list:


And then i applied Deadn Duo by Dodo inbetween:



Before a quick first trip away for skiing:

 

[ben5560]

Got back and started to route all the wiring ready for the conversion:





I then redid my seat base electrics, with a HELLA MIDI fusebox:





Because i am also a geek, made this splash screen:



Then back to electrics:

 

[ben5560]

I hated the Aliexpress copy gearknob, as the light bled into the other letters, so got an OEM one from a T-ROC and converted it all to a manual gaitor:



I then went back to VW for all the parts to install OEM wireless charging:



It was at this point that i also installed the Gladen T6.1 appearance kit

 

[ben5560]

Then finally onto new carpet, from Kiravans:





Tested it with some bikes:

 

[ben5560]

For the third time, reattacked the runner in the sliding door. I had removed and repainted this twice already, but it kept wearing away. I found a guy in German selling self-adhesive metal tracks, and instantly bought one and installed it. Much cleaner and smoother, and rust has never returned since. Also applied 3M gravel protection tape to the edge: