What a quiet week - not much bus-wise to report really. Off work from Tues pm with cough/cold/sore throat/The Fear and if you're too ill to go to school, you can't play out so I've done Jack Shité.

Found out that bus was built as a delivery van but with factory fitted rear windows. This means that there should be seatbelt mounts already fitted but to get to these, I'm going to have to remove some of the interior trim panels. Previous owner has covered these in stick-on grey fabric & did a really good job so I'm a little gutted that I'm going to have to disturb it all. So be it....

Will make time one night in the week to work out an approx MPG so will brim the tank up, drive round the M60, fill up again once home & divide my miles travelled. Expecting 20-30 mpg - we'll see.

Bought the engine bay unit from RCC. Was intending to pick up yesterday but too much going on to justify a trip out so will get it delivered. Also "won" the overhead cupboard on eBay so expect that to arrive later this week. Intending to cover this with the same grey material used for the rooflining etc & will fit a couple of swivel downlighters in it too so I can junk the big clumsy plastic jobs mounted over both doors.

Went to see Cal this afternoon. Much teasing from Ann (my lovely wife) about the "Bus Club" that held an exclusive meeting in the kitchen - priorities, My Dear & besides you have honorary membership as a spouse of one of the committee members. Cal refuses to attend any event that has "Freeze" in the title so DubFreeze in Feb looks like me & the boy only. Carly/Big Stu are up from Perranporth for the weekend but their suggestion of attending Run To The Sun might be a little too far away. Driving to Newquay on a Friday after work sounds beyond us!

Targetting the week between Christmas & New Year as time to get on with stuff. Too dark/cold at night & too busy at weekends at the moment to do anything practical so imagination only until then

Back from the garage

Picked the bus up Sat am from Pauls. Seats are great, gear change less so but at least first is now a negotiable option. To be fair, years of modern cars have dulled the senses and I shouldn't really expect a 26 year old van with an 2 foot gear stick to be as precise as a 2007 Zafira. New battery will take the uncertainty out of starting up each day and a functioning heater motor couldn't have been more welcome given the cold weather recently.

Got home & grandkids were round for the day. Not seen them for a few weeks so got to show off the new toy. Made lots of promises about days out in the bus once we get warmer weather (& rear seatbelts) which went down well. Roll on spring...............

Finance now dictates the way forward. The loss of Anns car last weekend to a combination of freezing weather & little or no engine oil means that throwing a wodge of cash at Camper Shak for a flash interior is a definite non-starter. Will now concentrate on just getting a new full-width back seat/bed/seatbelts and a leisure battery set up installed by Paul. Selling off the old bed, seats & hob/oven should provide funds for the awning & we've got all the other essentials already as part of the tent/camping set-up. The tent will be sold in Spring too & should pay for the purchase of lowering springs/shocks. Other than that, saving up or getting a part-time job to raise more funds are the only options.

Have seen a couple of second hand storage units on eBay while looking for bargains. One of these is the bedbase unit needed for over the engine bay from a T25 breakers in North Wales called RCC Imports. Have heard & seen some strange things about this company on various forums, usually along the lines of them asking absolute fortunes for old crappy wheels & seats but this unit is priced at £18.75 & looks in really good condition. Will call them Monday am & see what they're about. The other unit is an old Westfalia cupboard that fixes on the ceiling over the engine bay. Not the most exciting colour but think I could cover it with stickers or some carbon-fibre effect vinyl. Will fire in last minute low bid & see what happens.

Picked up a few other bits and will fit light guards and intermittent wash-wipe tomorrow, but the new passenger mirror from eBay was a shocker. A listing that said "some small marks to mirror" turned out to mean "the top third of the mirror is totally unusable because the silvering has all broken down". Fired off an e-mail & the seller refunded immediately & told me to just throw the mirror away. Fair enough but makes me think that the guy knew he was selling shité and was chancing his arm that people wouldn't complain.

Off now - it's 5am & the cricket is coming back on. England giving Australia a slapping & me owning a bus - what strange times we live in..............

Seats & heater motor arrived so took them to Paul. Seats look & feel great. Sent a picture of the fabric to a rock n roll bed supplier so they can best match the cover for the back seat cushions so progress there even if probably New Year before actually getting bed fitted. Read up on seatbelt fitting on the Brickwerks forum & website - all seems straightforward enough.

New battery also needed so Pauls's going to put a new one in once the old seats are removed & he can actually get the old one out. Will pick up on Saturday am so we can have a weekend driving about with a cheesy grin on my face.

In other news (& real life) - Ann (my lovely wife) needs a new car. The Fiesta expired on the motorway on Sun am as Phil was driving god knows where. Engine is seized solid & as a reconditioned engine + fitting is upwards of £1200, it's time to let Doris go. We'll get to New Year on one car + bus and see where we are then. I'm not insured to commute in the bus at the moment but will see how reliable he starts between now & then - might yet be my daily driver. Tape measures out to see if I can get through the barrier at work without tearing the roof off. Should be ok though - someone at work uses a T5 from time to time & I can't believe that Arthur is any taller

Off to Trafford Centre now for "Christmas Shopping Day" - if it isn't bought by 14:30, it isn't getting bought & that timescale includes lunch & at least 2 coffee stops. Pip Pip.........

Update

New heater motor needed so ordered one from eBay to be delivered straight to Paul. Needless to say, the chimps I ordered it from sent it to home & as I was not in (at work offering a quality service to a deserving public), I need to re-arrange for Monday. Seats are coming Monday too so can take motor & seats to Paul once received as off Monday & Tuesday.

Looking to go to Camper Shak next Sat am to talk to them about the interior. I've costed my "wish list" with them at £2500ish when I've got £1100ish left. Hmm, might need to use my flexible friend (anyone else remember the old Access credit card advert with his sidekick "Fat Wallet"?" No? Just me again then...............) Anyway, not too bothered about carrying a smallish (?) balance on the credit card so we'll see

Progress

A little drama Monday am. Bus started first time so took a little drive round the block to warm up. Managed to stall round the corner & wouldn't re-start resulting in flat battery. Father-in-law to the rescue with jump leads & off to Pauls for the start of the job list.

Drove there fine, hardly any problems getting into first - ain't that always the case? Dropped off anyway - he seems like a great guy & can do pretty much any job we need so have revised plans to throw large amounts on money at Camper Shak & will be sourcing bits myself for Paul to fit.

First major purchase - a pair of Captains seats off eBay with a swivel base for the passenger seat. £375 delivered. Will truck them up to Pauls as soon as received so we can take the old ones out. Whoever welded them in put the runners too far back so you can't get the batteries in or out. Will throw the old ones on eBay asap along with the cooker, fridge & hob that came with Arthur - all goes towards the awning/lowering fund!!

Paul called later on Monday - needs a refurb kit for the gear stick so ordered one from Just Kampers to be delivered straight to him. Asked him to sort the heater too - cold weather on the way - & a general once-over. Will call him later in the week to see where we're up to

Which way?

Two issues about directions today. First was a recce to find Pauls garage for Monday. Didn't really want to be having to find somewhere "cold" whilst fretting about whether I could find first gear or not. Quick call on the mobile on the way (Ann, my lovely wife in the passenger seat, not me the responsible driver) to Cal pointed us in the right direction and we found it easily enough.

The second direction we have to decide is this: is it simply a case of forking over a wedge of cash to The Camper Shak and getting it done right in one place all at the same time, or do we take it in stages, putting less cash but more of "ourselves" into the project? I've always been a little sniffy about people who get "their" van featured in Camper & Bus but when you read the piece, they've just waved a chequebook at it. Not saying that I'm after a feature level Bus or I could ever afford one, but at the moment I'm a little seduced by the romance of doing stuff myself. Suppose it will depend a little of what Paul finds on Monday. If Arthur really is as solid a bus as I think he is, it may be worth the investment in a truly professional job. If he's not, I won't have the money to play with after repairs are done. Let's see................

Now the battery is fully charged & all engine bay electrics are slathered in WD40, he starts first turn. Runs sweet enough once warm too. Roll on Monday

Progress of sorts

Slow week after all that went on last week. It's been mostly spent planning what to do next & grinning like a loon at my purchase, be it on the drive or looking at the picture on my phone when feeling a little dull at work. Work being what it is, this seems to happen most of the time. I can remember when my happy place at work was a beach. Now it's a bus driving towards a beach.

What hasn't actually happened is any driving - have booked Arthur in for a service & for the gear linkage to be sorted with a guy called Paul in Otterspool. He comes recommended by Cal (sister in law & lhd Bay owner) & sounded like a decent bloke on the phone so we'll see what he's about. Lots of surfing done though - there can't be a VW parts site or eBay seller I've haven't looked at. Once gears are sorted, progress will be swift even if Arthur won't be. The world still turns at 55mph........

Day one as an owner

Feel a little nervous today - what have I done? Budget seems a lot smaller (aside: what did you expect, numbnuts. You spent £1700 yesterday) and dreams will have to be balanced against reality, credit card balance, capability to do work myself and being willing to do so. Will feel much better once the gear linkage is sorted & we can get to know Arthur on the road (A...RFO therefore Arthur, cheesy I know but a bus needs a name & my sister-in-law Cal said that T25s are masculine.)

Took out the fridge, cooker & hob unit - eBay for those - & dismantled the Heath Robinson-esqe bed frame that had been lashed together using about 60 feet of 4x2. Kindling for the firepit is sorted for the next 12 months. Engine started fine but, forgetting it's not a modern engine, I flooded it when trying to start it a second time and then ran the battery flat when I tried and tried and tried again. Jump leads needed tomorrow.

Got a couple of numbers for local VW specialists - will call them tomorrow with a small to-do list now: gear linkage, rusty brakepipe & general once-over and to get idea of price for leisure battery set-up, dropped suspension & fitting a heated rear screen.

Will need new seats too - the bucket seats in the front aren't very comfortable & I'll be looking for a pair of captains chairs with armrests & a swivel base of the passenger side. Plenty of e-mails sent off on eBay - will see what tomorrow brings..................

Harrogate - there & back again

Cash - check

Cover note - check

Sat Nav - check

Ridiculous story so that Stu doesn't know we're off to buy a bus - check

Told him that we were going to Harrogate for 2 reasons: 1, we wanted to see the ceiling in the Town Hall ballroom and, 2, it was a Strictly Come Dancing day on where we could have a go. Not sure which is saddest really - that he believed we (his cool hip with-it parents - yes, I know) would be interested in a day out like this, or that he's so easily deceived. It's entirely possible that he saw through my bullshit and he just played along - whatever. We crossed from Lancashire onto the dark side and made our way to Harrogate. Pretended I was lost as I turned into the correct street, parked up, "Oh I'm lost, I'll knock on this door & ask directions", "Stu - this guy wants to show us something"......could this sound any worse?

Anyway, I can't describe how good it felt to see his face when he saw the bus. Sometimes the years fall away & he's a toddler again - like I say, I can't explain it.

Bus was just as advertised, solid as a rock, runs great, inside rough & ready but that was the bit that was always going to be changed. Bought it & set off home, Ann (my lovely wife) leading the way with Zafira & Sat Nav. Picnic in first lay-by we could find, sandwiches, coffee, plans & dreams

Adventures on the way home. To say first gear is challenging to find is an understatement. Could be me not having the knack yet, we'll see, but I think we'll have that looked at as No 1 on the job list. Next thing was fuel - how entertaining was it to manoeuvre an unfamiliar bus that I couldn't find 1st gear in around Skipton on market day trying to find a petrol station. I'd also left the Sat Nav set to shortest route so, following Ann (my lovely wife), we set off on a magical mystery tour over moorland roads that stretched my patience/competence with the gearbox to the limit but eventually we made it home. The front door is half blocked by the great red beast on the drive, and as I type this, Stu is sat in it with his mate playing tunes on his iPod. Thanks Stu - you make everything better. Ann - you're the one who turned me round & everything that is good about me started with you. You're going to like this bus but not as much as I will.

So that's it, 13th November 2010. The day a dream started to become real. One day this will all be 10 years ago & I'll wish for the time again but for now I'm glad today is over if only because there is so much to do and look forward to tomorrow

Insurance & Cash

Sorted the insurance last night - £233 fully comp. A lot less than was expected & 14 day cool-off period so if it turns out to be a lemon, can walk away at no cost.

Cash will be in account today & will be out tonight.

Roll on Saturday

In Limbo

Nothing much to report today. Did a couple of insurance quotes on-line but they both said they needed to call me back and needless to say they called back while I was at work providing assistance to the underclass........Bought a Haynes manual though from Just Kampers - good old days are here again, where is my feeler gauge & grease gun?

No funds in bank yet - will leave panicking until Wed night

What happened next?

Bank taking a little longer than I thought to sort out funds so had to e-mail the seller & tell him it will be next weekend (13/11/10). Not best pleased & rightly so bearing in mind the number of dreamers & time wasters on eBay. Offered a PayPal deposit but he didn't take me up on it. Next steps are insurance quotes.........Yes, I know I'm doing this a bit arse about face but all will be well in the end.

Got the address & postcode for the seller & ran it through Google StreetView hoping to catch a glimpse of my purchase - the guy must have been out. Not sure that this covers all the points listed in the Club 80-90 advice sheet on how to buy a T25 but I'm really sure all will be well in the end.

You will have noticed that this blog has been written and published "in arrears". If you're reading this, I got the bus & all might be well - skip forward to Sat 13/11 & Sun 14/11 to find out. Of course, if it's all gone tits up, I won't have published this so you don't need to.........it's been a long day

The Money - the truth

Truth be told I got the money over 12 months ago from the Bank of Mum. However, following true trickle down economic theory, a good chunk of this went to the middle son so I could use his Zafira. The rest of it has been frittered away on ivory backscratchers and such like.

A mini audit ensued and a joint decision was made to restructure various bit of over-priced credit onto the mortgage realising about £3500 so I can pay for the bus I've already bought & the rest to put my stamp on it. Ann (my lovely wife) is not keen on camping but is willing to try (must be why we bought all that camping gear this summer that we haven't used). Her input to the bus project is to insist on a refurb for the interior and for a drive-away awning with a porta-potty in it thus negating the need to cross a wet field in the night to use the bogs. Sounds ok to me - will proceed on that basis and speak to the bank asap

The Next Day

Sunday dawned bright & clear - not me though. A strange dread/excitement woke me early while it was still dark. eBay & LiveMail confirmed the deed was done. £1700 to find & a bus to collect from Harrogate.

First things first - coffee & a quick e-mail to the seller. "Sorry, can't get over today. Next weekend OK?" Col (seller) was ok with that. More coffee next & the morning spent pondering exactly how to broach the subject with Ann (my lovely wife). No clear path emerged so I fell back upon the classic male strategy of "wait til she's smiling the most & then ask "do you really love me?" This elicited the expected response "what HAVE you done?"

The telling of the tale came quite easily & was better received that I could have hoped. "Show me then" combined with a weary sigh was a positive result all things considered. I didn't even have to embelish reality by too much.

"Don't tell Stu until we know we're getting it" was the final word. Stu is the 11 yr old & may be the one person around who approaches my level of VW bus nerdiness - I blame the parent. To be continued..............will leave the simple facts of money we've not got yet for a bus I've not seen yet for another day

The Beginning

Time to come clean I suppose. I've been on about getting a bus for about 18 months, boring everyone senseless with the incessant wanting & planning. Even the 2 yr old grandson accepts the inevitability and joins in with "buses & cars Granddad". The 4 yr old granddaughter picks out the pink buses & chooses them for herself. "Ratty" & "Pop-top up" aren't usual phrases for such little ones. My work there is clearly done.........

Anyway, last Saturday night brought the fateful combination of a bottle of Rioja, a large Smirnoff & Cranberry juice, Ann (my lovely wife) going to bed early & me on eBay - a perfect storm really. A quick look at the Watch list showed a red T25 Tin-top for £1650 with 10 minutes to go, only 1 bid too. Looked like a Caravelle conversion with just a rock n roll bed in the back, recon engine 13000 miles back, new clutch, new radiator, new starter, new fuel & water pipes and gas-burner wheels & I've got a real soft-spot for gas-burner wheels (see above).

None of this matters really as I've already talked over buying a bus with Ann (my lovely wife) and we've decided that we need to get Christmas paid for & I'll start looking seriously in the New Year so no bidding on this one.

My bid of £1700 was the winner - quite unexpected really - I'll tell Ann (my lovely wife) in the morning