Preparing the vehicle (2)

There were some things that were obviously going to need attention.

Firstly, the rear brakes were not performing properly, so the complete rear hubs were dismantled, new brake cylinders, shoes, drums and handbrake cables fitted. Also the rear wheel bearings and CV joints were replaced.

There were a couple of minor water leaks evident, particularly around the thermostat housing, so this was removed, cleaned and reassembled with new seals and hose clips.

The interior of the van was a bit spartan for the planned journey, so a Westfalia interior was found (unfortunately the brown/cream version not the grey/white that would have suited the existing fittings better). This was fitted over a period of a few weeks but has been in and out several times since as other ideas are implemented.

A water tank was fitted beneath the rear sliding door to help balance the higher loading on the drivers side, and a hot water tank is a later fitting in the position of the standard Westfalia water tank in a drivers side rear cupboard. This is a little experimental as it is heated by the engine cooling system and may develop as the trip progresses.

Tyres with a mild off-road tread pattern have been fitted, in anticipation of some unsurfaced roads in several countries.

The Google search turned up some concerns about the expected life of engine and gearbox. The expected engine rebuild time is around 130k to 150k miles, and Bertie has covered 136k miles. The symptoms seem to be declining engine oil pressure so an oil pressure gauge was fitted, and thankfully the pressure seems to be in line with the VW manual. The gearbox appears OK, no problems with gear changes, but a precautionary oil change will be done before departure.