Shadow Blue(?) Caddy MTB Van

[Facian]

As I've gradually got fed up of putting muddy MTB's on/in my daily, and realised how much more convenient a van is after hiring one to go to Morzine this summer I've been scouting around and ended up collecting this cheap little SWB caddy at the weekend.
The pictures are fairly flattering, all the panels have plenty of 'character' and the cabin is pretty rank currently but it's a good base as I'll be ripping most of the inside apart anyway and perhaps if it looks a bit tatty that might make it less appealing to have a look inside when I'm out with the bikes
The initial plan is to give it a good scrub and fit some nicer seats and steering wheel as they're pretty nackered, then insulate, ply line and carpet the rear. I've been looking at everyones builds for inspiration, and aiming to build a single extendable bed/bench down one side in the rear with integrated storage and leave room for my MTB alongside that with a fork mount. It may evolve from there (things always do!) but the general plan is comfy on the inside, tatty on the outside! I will probably ditch the Skoda alloys for some steelies once it needs tyres, but that's about all exterior-wise. Anyway, Pics!
Current daily/MTB transport:


Caddy initial photo's, if anyone can identify the colour that could be handy. I will have a look for the code next time I'm having a rummage about;

[Facian]

Actually something I want to do mechanically is refresh the suspension and maybe lower it a bit. I can't access the tech forum yet, but can anyone give me an idiots guide to lowering this model caddy? Ideally uprated springs and shocks rather than coilovers, I just want to firm it up and maybe lower it 20-30mm nothing crazy.
Thanks!

[Facian]

So having said I wouldn't get carried away, arriving this week/already collected I have:
Audi S3 Seats & Touran Bases
Mk5 Golf GTI flat-bottom wheel
Rear View Mirror (Exciting!)
Full pre-cut Ply kit and carpet/glue
Sound Deadening/Superliner Etc. for the rear
Wing mirror caps (existing ones have broken clips and rattle like mad)

That just leaves on the "nice to have" list:
Some tidy 16" or 17" Steelies with better quality tyres to replace the Skoda alloys with budget tyres (but plenty of tread, so not a priority).
Rear flooring to go on top of the insulation/ply liner.
Rear roof lining of some description, if I have enough left over I might just do a carpeted ply panel as a temporary measure.

These few bits will probably be once I've figured out my MTB mounting/storage solution and any electrics I want to add so I don't end up putting in a floor that then needs ripping back out or modifying again.

Pic of seats below, I've also started cleaning 15 years of builders grime out of the cabin which has been pretty rank but also satisfying

[Sengh]

Great start, I’m on the hunt for mk5 gti mfsw too.

All those little interior upgrades will make a massive difference!

[Facian]

Well I got a little impatient and fitted the seats last night, bolted straight in on the Touran bases and look/feel great!

Hopefully fit the wheel at the weekend, and clean up the headlining fabric as that's now the last thing letting the cabin down really. Then look to get a loom made up to run the seats heated for winter

[stu_b]

It's coming up nice
There's a few MTB threads here for inspo
Btw, what are u planning to clean your headlining with ?

[Facian]

It's coming up nice
There's a few MTB threads here for inspo
Btw, what are u planning to clean your headlining with ?

I've actually just bought some Autobrite black trim dye, so I'm going to drop the plastics out the way and die the fabric/board sections black initially. If that doesn't work/looks naff I was planning to remove it and possibly re-cover it with some nicer material/find some replacement pieces to re-cover.

I gave it an initial clean with some interior cleaner and a cloth which improved it a bit, but it's so stained that I didn't want to end up soaking it in too much cleaning liquid and have it go soggy/lose its strength.

[stu_b]

some people / caddy's / roof linings get so stained, god only knows how
sometimes you don't want to think about it !!!

fortunately mine isn't too bad so I might try and give it a bit of a clean first
I as thinking of covering it with the same 4 way stretch that I use in the back so at this stage not too worried

if that fails or potentially first I am considering colouring mine, so interested to know how you go
post up some before and after pics if U have

[raitis]

Lovely seats. Would be nice to know what is required to get the heating working. I've heard VW's have a control module for that, whereas Audis don't (?). I can confirm it is Shadow Blue Metallic as I used to have a SWB Life model in the same tone. The colour code should be on the sticker listing all the options the van came equipped with and in the same year Caddy brochures you can look up online.

[Facian]

Lovely seats. Would be nice to know what is required to get the heating working. I've heard VW's have a control module for that, whereas Audis don't (?). I can confirm it is Shadow Blue Metallic as I used to have a SWB Life model in the same tone. The colour code should be on the sticker listing all the options the van came equipped with and in the same year Caddy brochures you can look up online.

Does look to be a 6 or 8-pin plug for the heating so I have a feeling it might need to go to a module or multi-stage switch rather than just the Hi/Lo/Off simple switch I was hoping for, but I'll do some research!

Thanks for the colour info, the van options sticker is missing which is useful. I was going to ping the chassis number to a mate that works at VW and see if he can run off a report on it.

[Facian]

some people / caddy's / roof linings get so stained, god only knows how
sometimes you don't want to think about it !!!

fortunately mine isn't too bad so I might try and give it a bit of a clean first
I as thinking of covering it with the same 4 way stretch that I use in the back so at this stage not too worried

if that fails or potentially first I am considering colouring mine, so interested to know how you go
post up some before and after pics if U have

The van does smell faintly of smoke so I think it's nicotine stains as well as general grime which is fairly rank...

Once I've finished lining the back this week I'll finish off the cabin trim and steering wheel swap, need to get it ready for transporting bikes as the priority!