71 Dormobile Spruce Up........

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So, now that the weather is improving its time to get Ruby out of storage and start thinking about some shows and camping expeditions for 2015. Fancying Spain again if only the ferry wasn't so dammed expensive!!
 
Hi - quick question, do your kids have car seats/use seatbelts in the back? If so, what layout/system have you got? Trying to plan out the rear seatbelts for my 7 and 6 year old while retaining the Dormobile bed system.

Cheers
 
VeeDubMan said:
Hi - quick question, do your kids have car seats/use seatbelts in the back? If so, what layout/system have you got? Trying to plan out the rear seatbelts for my 7 and 6 year old while retaining the Dormobile bed system.

Cheers


Hi yes we do have seat belts fitted in the rear, 3 lap belts which are bolted to the floor, we do not use a booster etc. when kids were younger the youngest would travel up front in a car seat. Our kids are now 11, 9 and 5 and all still fit in the bay
 
71Dormobile said:
Hi Steve,

Thanks for the kind comments, just the weather to be using the van right now!!
The bunks are easy enough to split pop riveted, keep the plastic parts and don't drill these, just the head of the rivet, they can be used again.

I'll dig out the names detail where I got the bunks done, dormobile also do them @ £100 a pair

Hi - did you recall where you got the bunk material from?
 
VeeDubMan said:
Hi - did you recall where you got the bunk material from?


Hello yes I bought the bunk covers from pop top-parts.co.uk. 01684 592199 ask for Chris. The covers themselves were very well made indeed and come in a range of colours.
 
So splashed out and treated Ruby to a new exhaust as I realised this is our 10th year together!! So ordered from Dan and was very pleased when it pitched up today, thought it may have taken a tad longer. Started fitting progressed fairly well just need time to tighten and refit everything, here are a few pictures of progress to date, all very straightforward to strip and fit....



















Just popped rear valence back on pleased with progress and the look, hope it sounds nice


 
That time of year again, fitted new fuel filter, entire new fuel line.

Bought a new Empi Tru Spin top pulley and fitted this much better build quality than the previous version. Although the woodruff key was a poor fit had to lightly sand down to get it to fit at all

I've also bought some manifold gaskets and fitted these, glad I did the existing gaskets were holed under the clips.

I've also had the steering column off fitted a new earth wire and connectors down the middle of the tube and fitted correctly to the underside of the donut, touch wood the horn isn't now beeping when we steer around hair pins so fingers crossed that is sorted.

Ruby has also been into Whitchurch MOT for a full check over of brakes, steering etc. Ade is a whizz with all VW's and was very complimentary of our van. That got me to thinking that we really should use her more so booked the Ferry to France, soon be off for our summer hols.













 
Flew through another MOT today with no problems or advisorys thank goodness as were in the holiday season. Got a few new parts on the way, gear shaft bushes and boots to fit hoping it's straight forward.
 
Another little job to have a go at is the gearshift rear coupling which I've bought and then on noticing the rear boot was split figured I needed to buy a few more bits and pieces so got this little lot and plan on fitting over the next few weeks hoping it's all straight forwards. Think I got all I need other than the 1 boot which is AWOL.

 
Also with a little help from a friend finally managed to get the file up to date all services, previous owners and loads of old MOT certificates going back to 1977 nice to read though all the old docs well I thought so anyway....







 
Having a great time down in the Vendee region of France. Van is getting so many admirers...
Had one rainy day which allowed time to fit the heater levers I've had for the last year. Daren't start tinkering and trying to fit new gear linkage parts though!!










 
Always nice to get back without a mechanical so very pleased that ruby got us down around and back to the Vendee without a single mechanical covering over 1200 miles. Here are a few more pictures of our 2015 holiday














My 9 year old boy aced ( had a hole in 1) can't believe he beat me to it, hear is is on the hole a dot on the hill



Celebration photo





















Recommend Le Defi Forset if you get a chance to visit awesome for kids and adults alike

















Welcome sight after a long journey



Got home awning off the roof and the heavens opened, a nice welcome home....
 
So after the 1200 mile trip down around and back to Vendee region of France. Found time on my return to fit a new gear change coupling, wish I'd sorted before !!. Read up and used new urethane bushes In the old cage and what a difference this makes. The wear on the pin was noticeable and could have generated some of the play. The old cage is a rhombohedral rather than the square as supplied when you buy a replacement, removal a bit fiddly nothing to complex just wear glasses to save getting crap in your eyes...

The new



The original



New vs Old note shape



Check the wear on the pin, reckon this generated some play!!



Refit



Still need to wire rather than split pin and I also need to sort a new gearbox boot as noted this was also perished. Had the replacement for the gear change rod but not this one so will all have to come off again....
 
Had a great time at Busfest meeting up with old friends and looking round the show at rusty old bits and vans both old and new. We like the new T6 would be great if we could afford one as a family vehicle it would be ideal as the three kids get bigger, sadly just dreaming...

Managed to get some new parts a couple of spare couplers and was also chuffed to get some new bushes. Despite being stamped with the ordinal part numbers the size is slightly smaller which is a little odd...

On getting home decided to carry on fitting the new gear linkage bushes, changed the front bush below the cockpit. Removed the gearstick and to my surprise the gear shifter bracket was completely toasted. Thankfully I had a spare in the garage so fitted this and the new bush and hey presto gear change is now a doddle. May get an empi shirt change bracket but not sure




The new spare parts aquired old cages in good nick and original bushes



The cracked bracket no wonder the gear change was sloppy!!




 
Aha, thought i'd been deleted for a mo couldn't log in but i'm back ;0))

Family growing and filling the van now, have been thinking about a rejig on the interior or even dare i say moving to a caravan or Hymer motorhome!!

Over the last year we've made huge changes to the house, extending, fitting new kitchen and making kids bedrooms bigger so Ruby has been tucked up in doors, that time of year to get her out again though just had a lovely trip to Pembrey and were booked to go to France and Spain again in the summer.
 

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