Shiplee' s 1969 California westy

[aogrady]

Friends of ours with a little one bought a vango airbeam one last year - really impressed with it!
He puts it up on his own while she occupies little one.

^^^ this is why i got it, doesn't take long to get it up (snigger) and you can do it on your own, not worth the stress trying to fit poxy tent poles, with 2 people while trying to stopp 2 little kids running away and getting into bother......you dont need all that stress before you've even started your holiday.....

Cheers,

Alistair

 

[aogrady]

Hi,

I have a Vango Kela drive away awning, it has air beams, no poles, up in minutes, perfect if the other half is trying to look after the kids running around, not long for the tent to the up properly, this is the main reason why we bought it. Highly recommended

Cheers

Alistair

Hi Alistair,

How long have you had your air beam awning? I would love one for how easy they are to put up but I'm just worried about them getting leaks when they get older and then be pumping them up all the time :?
:mrgreen:

Hi,

I bought it last season, so have only been away a few times and used it. I wouldn't worry too much about the air beams, as you can buy replacement air bags, they are about £40 IIRC Though i am sure you could patch it if you really needed too. I think a patch kit comes with the tent, as well as a hammer, pegs, pump unit, which you can use on your dingys and other air things.

The air bags do seem like pretty thick plastic, so think they would last a long while, even folded multiple times, the have the tube surrounded by a thick outer protective cover. The actual AirBeam system has been flawless in use (touchwood) - goes up super fast and feels solid and stable. In really high winds, the beams tend to deform and spring back, rather than failing catastrophically like metal poles or fiberglass poles

http://www.vango.co.uk/gb/motorhome-campervan/289-air-away-kela-std.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

User manual

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/lib/doc/pdf/vango_airbeam_user_guide.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Cheers,

Alistair

 

[shiplee123]

Aogrady when we went to norwich camping last week I'm sure the sales man was on comishion selling the air beams?

Every time we passed him he was dragging another set of people in trying to flog it lol!
We were tempted tbh !

We have ended up buying another bell tent as we love them !

Also it only takes one person 10-15 min to put up. Very easy.
Also lovely to sit in or sleep in !



On another note : thanks alistair also for my tow bar. It's fitted and electrics fitted !
Now ready for camping

 

[shiplee123]

What a great bunch of guys you all r on here !

I needed some cab hammock brackets.

Jay71 on here not only sends me some for free but won't even take money for postage !
What a lovely chap

Got um fitted straight away and also then fitted the hammock in place

Plonked my 22 month old in ASAP to see what he thought !



He loved it until I told him he needed to get out then he wasn't impressed lol

 

[shiplee123]

Been working a bit more on my reproduction westy cupboards



I've made draws on ball bearing runners for the knives n forks etc



Extra slide out mini table for cups of t n coffee

 

[shiplee123]

Purchased a cool ice cool box.
These chaps are ment to stay cool for between 5-9 days if loads with ice n frozen stuff!



The interior of the unit not finished but u get an idea what I'm up to !

 

[shiplee123]

Here's my spice rack table
Just gotta sort brackets

 

[shiplee123]

And finally tonight here's darth vader

He's gonna be joining us at DATH ( dubs at the hall ) in 5 weeks

 

[aogrady]

Aogrady when we went to norwich camping last week I'm sure the sales man was on comishion selling the air beams?

Every time we passed him he was dragging another set of people in trying to flog it lol!
We were tempted tbh !

We have ended up buying another bell tent as we love them !

Also it only takes one person 10-15 min to put up. Very easy.
Also lovely to sit in or sleep in !

On another note : thanks alistair also for my tow bar. It's fitted and electrics fitted !
Now ready for camping

No worries, at least you are using the tow bar, it sat in my garage for ages, just the westy trailer to sell now...!

Post up pics of your tent when you go away next..

Cheers,

Alistair

 

[68_early_bay]

8)

 

[gninnam]

Interior coming on nicely :mrgreen:

 

[subheatadey]

Hi, Just wondering where you got the 'H' section plastic bits for the ply liner?

 

[shiplee123]

Thanks gninnam

The h section strips were from strongy on here , think I paid £20?

If u look in your local large DIY store I'm sure they sell it there

 

[subheatadey]

Tar, i shall nip down to Wickes forthwith forsook!

 

[trebor]

Stop posting more pictures of your gleaming van, I'm thinking of self harming myself :?

 

[shiplee123]

:lol:

Trebor yours will look lush very soon I'm sure !

It's not all fun and games ......

Today I was feeling miffed we didn't make it to alive and v dubbing at Jimmy's farm.
We were 2 or 3 days out from missing it. It was only Friday night I sorted the electrics on the tow bar and we have to wait till Tuesday for our new tent.

The weather has been awesome so bit butted to miss it.

Today I insisted we took the bus out !

As it happens I found the save my bug dip stick sensor I purchased for my last bus but lost in my garage .

Fitted it in seconds and off we trott to town !

Mile down the road the oil light comes on !

Only last weekend I traveled 4 hours round trip to mildenhall to get her lowered
Couldn't understand what's happened.

I disconnected the dipstick to make sure the oil light didn't stay on when I started the bus up ( which it didn't ) so reconnected it ( gave it a wiggle it's been in the garage for a year ! )
All seemed fine !

So off we went !

The mission was to get king prawns for my 5 year old for our BBQ this afternoon
Tesco here we come



The light didn't come on again , must have been a glitch !

There's always something with these old busses !

 

[shiplee123]

There she is in beccles tesco trebor

I love driving a vw bus

 

[Lee C]

Well done mate it's lookin 8) !!

 

[shiplee123]

Thanks lee she's getting there !

So beginning of this week was so nice we decided to get away at the weekend for a couple of nights.
First time camping out in the new bus



Loaded up the trailer and off we went

 

[shiplee123]

Went to a campsite we have used before about an hour away in campsea ash.
Lovely place
Great owners
Allow fires and good facilities