Last week, we had the pleasure of working on a Volkswagen T25/3 with minimal miles and had been kept in its original condition.
Most of you know Leigh has a soft spot for the T25/3 and is almost verging on an ambassador for VW for the shape. I, on the other hand, have never seen one I actually like…. until now.
So how did we get to the point where I am now re-evaluating every decision I have ever made? Farley, a 1989 Volkswagen T3 Caravelle with 12,700 miles, that's how!
We had the van in for some maintenance jobs to make sure he stays up to standard and as we spent more time around Farley we realised how special this Caravelle really is.
The first job was to strip out the old exhaust as it was looking a little dated. Between the customer and ourselves, we agreed to go for a full stainless steel kit to really bring back some shine and a new rumble from its 2.1 fuel-injected engine.
Next on the list was gear linkage; the owner had expressed that although not a major issue, it had become a little harder to find 1st and reverse gear. We decided to replace not only the linkage but also the selector. This made a huge improvement and was a task that had instantly satisfying results.
On to the messy bit; the main reason for Farley coming to Combe Valley Campers was to be undersealed, and anyone that has worked in this environment will understand that it is essential to a vans lifespan, it's also really nasty stuff to work with.
To get the underside ready, we decided to clear the workshop and get the jet wash involved! The van (and workshop) were left to dry overnight and then the following morning we applied the van’s protective skirt and got started!
Additionally, whilst Farley was with us we also upgraded the headlights, replaced the heater matrix, tied up some old redundant wiring and made the sunroof surround look original.
A stunning example of a T25/3 and a pleasure to work on. The only issue I have is that I am now finding myself browsing for sale pages for T25/3......
Ryan