First caddy, basic to brilliant? We'll see!

[Dextersaurus]

Hi folks.

Been after a caddy for years, so finally just hit the button on a 2009 poverty spec SWB with a BLS engine still fitted.





Plans for it are to lower it a touch, eventually get a full PD130 (or an ARL swap if I can find one) with all the gubbins and a whole list of interior stuff I want to do.

It's pretty much a blank canvas at the moment. So far I've put a set of 18" wheels off an A6 on, and in the process of swapping over the manual windows for electric windows. Got the driver's side done yesterday, just waiting on the plug & play wiring kit to arrive to add the live to the A pillar block.



Funny one for those that have done it - I was so confused about the little cogs that drive the window regulator last night. I couldn't figure it out for the life of me
It wouldn't match up with the motors whatsoever and I was convinced I had bought the wrong bits


Then I realised


I'll get some more photos up as I progress through it just in case there's anything that could help anyone

[snuffegull]

Nice!

I have never seen a window regulator break like that and i have done loads

[Dextersaurus]

Yesterday's task was to add an auxiliary fusebox behind the driver's seat. The plan is to eventually have it behind the panel but for now I'm just sticking it there. Also fitted the vibe subwoofer (all in one type deal)



Yes I know it's not a tidy job but it's just temporary, I'll change the routing and tidy it up when I'm mounting properly.

Wired in a couple lengths of speaker wire to the back of the head unit so at some point if I end up upgrading at least I have wires there for rear speakers and can route another set of RCAs in.

Waiting for replacement front speakers as the ones on the door cars are totally wrecked. Tweeters are fine though!

[Dextersaurus]

This was the bit I was struggling with (but that might just be because I don't have access to the how to section yet)

Anyway, took some photos along the way which might help someone, might not.

For the electric window conversion, once the motor is in place on the door card and the loom is all plugged in and good to go (worth noting you should check you have the thick red/yellow wire in your door loom - mine didn't so I replaced with the touran loom I had)

First of all it's worth buying the plug and play loom you can get on eBay for under 25 quid. Looks like this


Then you want to remove all the trim til you can get your mitts on the fuse board under the dash, and specifically the two torx bolts on the upper left and right side.


Once you've dropped it, flip it over and you'll see 2 thick wires. One red, one black. Those power the separate sides of the fuse board. Red is permanent power, black is switched power (I.e. on with ignition).

Doesn't really matter which side you put it on as it works via a relay anyway but I'd suggest on the red side as that's where it would be fitted from factory.
To add the wire, pry the little purple square on the end out and pull it till it stops. Shouldn't be much movement, which opens up the port and allows you to slide your wire in.

This is the perfect time to add any additional connections you want to your fuse board, which I clearly didn't do hence the piggyback fuse powering my aux fusebox relay in the back

Next step is adding the wire to the door loom connector. It's up there on the A-pillar. Disconnect on the other side and push the two tabs on the upper end of the connector, and it pushes inward then up.


Then all you need to do is unclip this bit and pull the purple section out a tiny bit, insert your wire, and bish bash bosh chuck it all back together


25a fuse size by the way, I had a nightmare trying to find that

[snuffegull]

Man those speakers were knackered!

good progress!

[Dextersaurus]

Man those speakers were knackered!

good progress!

The other side was exactly the same. No idea what was done to them but they must've had some abuse. Absolutely wrecked.

I picked up a cheap set of JVC 6.5" ones that I've fitted for now. Much better. Will see about upgrading them all at some point and adding in some rears, along with a decent head unit but that can wait for now.

Got the passenger side electric window hooked up and working today as well. Task for tomorrow is to tint the rear windows.

All back together now after having pretty much the entire dash out today. It's annoying that it looks no different to when I started other than the addition of the android auto unit on top of the dash


And it's amazing what you find behind the dash of old cars/vans. A GPS tracker and a TomTom telematics unit. Still flashing away so theyve been delicately removed

[Surfndan]

What android unit do you have there bud? I’m also looking for one I can fit up on the dash and can only find the standard ones that fit in the normal car radio slot..

[Dextersaurus]

What android unit do you have there bud? I’m also looking for one I can fit up on the dash and can only find the standard ones that fit in the normal car radio slot..

It's just a cheap £40 one from AliExpress. 10.26" screen, hooks up either via aux cable or via FM which is what I use.

It's just a Bluetooth audio and android auto/apple carplay unit, it doesn't have any built in features but that's all I wanted it for. If you want an all singing all dancing one then go for the 2din units. Since I only ever use android auto though it's spot on for me.

[Surfndan]

Cheers man, pretty much what I’m looking for too, don’t need all the bells and whistles, just something to play Spotify and read Google Maps really

[Dextersaurus]

Switched away from electrics this week when I got a chance to start chipping away at the van.
Realised I'd put the passenger door card on but forgot to attach the bloody door handle so I'll need to take that back off again

I went to pick up a replacement panel since someone had removed the rear seat conversion before I got the van, and hadn't put the panel back in. Yes it's yellow but it's fine. All secured back in place and a new rubber mat to cover it all.


Still undecided about ply lining though.

Next I tinted the rear windows. Not my best job if I'm honest, my decent heat gun broke so I was trying to do it with a hot air solder machine and managed to melt a bit on the bigger one


Next up will be fitting this and it's going to be a nightmare. Can't wait.


If you're wondering why I've blanked out the plate, it's because not too long ago I put a car up for sale and 2 weeks later received 12 ANPR fines from Birmingham council because my plates had been cloned. It does happen and if it hasn't happened to you, then you're just lucky

[Dextersaurus]

I told the Mrs a porky pie today and disappeared for an hour's drive to pick up some bits and pieces

My haul today consisted of:

- v1 Touran front bumper (blue)
- pair of 4 pot headlights
- jack
- rear shocks
- bulkhead blank panels
- replacement panel

So got home and decided to fit the two bulkhead covers first since that's an easy enough job.



I do need to paint this grey to match the others so I'll do that before I fit it.


And finally I decided to move the subwoofer to under the driver's seat now the floor panel is in and covering the footwells. I won't be accessing this one at all so figured I might as well put it to use.
Need to re-do the wiring though so I'll hit that soon, need to find some thicker wiring in the shed to extend it all to under the driver's seat. Shouldn't be too difficult though!

[ampz]

Great progress!
I'm picking up an exact same one today so will be following you for inspiration!

Cheers
Nuno

[Dextersaurus]

Great progress!
I'm picking up an exact same one today so will be following you for inspiration!

Cheers
Nuno

Honestly I'm not planning on going crazy with this. Maybe insulate and carpet the back, lower it with better looking alloys, and I'll probably end up painting it NATO Green with a roller once the bumper is on

But I'm doing it because this will be my daily rather than a show piece or anything. Comfort and useability overall

[ampz]

Mine is a budget build as it's a beer money purchase (I'm not drinking beer for the next 6 months, lucky it's cold here in Australia right now) so your plan is about all I can afford!