How do you use your Delica?

[Green1]

Read someone indicated that they used a garbage-picker thingy to pass money to toll booth attendants.

Lucienne just batted her big brown eyes and the attendant came round to the other side of the van to get her money..

ok... I'm tall... but still, I just reach over, don't even have to stretch.... (helps if you're good at knowing exactly where he left side of the vehicle is so you can get really close)

[konadog]

My wife and I are new to the fold only driving our new Delica (Hazel) home for the first time this afternoon. And while I don't have any pictures or adventure stories to share, YET, I do have plans... We have a small (just us two) gardening service and bought our Deli in part to replace our faithful though ageing Nissan truck as the heart of our business. Just need a trailer hitch and a roof rack and we will be driving to work in style. And don't worry, our work is light duty - we won't wreck her doing it. I am an active cave explorer and the Deli is the IDEAL vehicle for transporting cavers and gear up and down the rugged old Vancouver Island mt. logging roads that lead to the caves we explore. The Nissan was a great 4x4, but could only carry 2 people and gear was outside in the weather. I can sleep in the van in way more comfort than pitching a tent - esp. in the inevitable west coast rain. It's a perfect combination between the camping comforts of my old 71 VW bus and the tough 4x4 capabilities of the Nissan truck. My wife has not travelled through very much of our beautiful province so that is yet another use for our magic bus! We also plan on getting set up with a wvo system so we can use it to reduce our environmental footprint. And finally, we plan on using it to enhance the joy in our lives - like a VW the Deli is clearly a lifestyle and connecter of people. We hope to use it to meet new friends and to go more places and to have more FUN! Pictures and adventure tales to follow...

[delicat]

Nice to hear about your 71 VW Van. Throughout this forum I've met quite a few owners and previous owners of VW bus. I think to own an old VW is a quest to have something different and practical. That's probably why we are all drawn to the Delica. They are similar in many ways to the old bus, they don't have the cool factor of the camper interior but they have the same wow factor and unique look.

There's not that many vehicles out there that wave to each others as they cross path, have you ever seen Honda civic doing it? Old VW and Delica do...

OK, I'm partial, sorry!

[SpyderCS]

Yes, Truely incredible pics Bruce!! I love the beach meet idea!!

[Mystery Machine]

I do have to ask... you show the bed setup in the Delica (presumably on top of the folded flat seats) with your heads towards the front of the vehicle... I can't do that in mine, as the forward end of the bed ends up noticeably lower than the rear of the bed (and I can't sleep with my head below my feet), do you have something else under the mattress to level it? or is there something else weird going on here...

AHA! You are right - we do sleep with our heads at the tailgate end but in the mornings we tend to swing around to get a good view out of the sliding door while brewing a cuppa and chomping on some brekkie. I have to say that I haven't really noticed much difference in height front to back with a thick air-mattress on...but then again I have never tried sleeping with my head at the front end anyway?

When I am on my own, I always just sleep in my captains chair. Sit in it like you would normally - facing the back of the car. Slide it as far as possible towards the bench seat, recline it fully back until the headrest touches the engine compartment and put your feet up on the bench seat. Uber comfortable and I've never had a bad nights sleep like this! I know there is a gap somewhere under your knees, but your feet still stay on the rear seat and all is good

Oh and one more thing.... in your sign-off photo with the mounted bobby (doesn't that just have all sorts of sexual connotations?), that's either a really big horse or one gets a sense of how small these 'trucks' really are.

Believe me - that was one BIG mofo horse!! My motor stands 2.6 metres tall to give you some idea of how big that horse was! Unfortunately 'mounted bobby' doesn't really translate into anything particularly sexual over here - but I can kinda imagine where you are coming from with that one....

Yes, Truely incredible pics Bruce!! I love the beach meet idea!!

Thanks Dude, apprecaite it! I've got SO many more pics now - mainly of the Mud Monkey up to its axles in dirt! I will add some more in this section soon - but here is one to keep you going for now:



If you like the beech meet idea, just find a beach, pick a date and post it on here. "Arrange it and they will come!" (said in the dodgiest attempt at a Ray Liotta-esque accent! )

[Green1]

I have to say that I haven't really noticed much difference in height front to back with a thick air-mattress on..

it may partially be my vehicle, I have yet to follow your excellent torsion-bar instructions, so the vehicle is still a little nose-down....

When I am on my own, I always just sleep in my captains chair. Sit in it like you would normally - facing the back of the car. Slide it as far as possible towards the bench seat, recline it fully back until the headrest touches the engine compartment and put your feet up on the bench seat. Uber comfortable and I've never had a bad nights sleep like this! I know there is a gap somewhere under your knees, but your feet still stay on the rear seat and all is good

I agree, I always sleep that way on my own as well, the one thing I have noticed though is that it's definitely worth putting my "therm-a-rest" camping mattress under my sleeping bag, it doesn't add any more padding, but it does amazing things for keeping in some heat! (without it I always end up waking up cold in the middle of the night... then again, anywhere I sleep in it it is unlikely to be above 0c at night even mid summer....)

[delicat]

This is totally off topic but I couldn't resist! Yes, it's a VW video but it made me laugh my head off. If one of us can do the same in their Delica then they are the KING or QUEEN!!!



God love crazy people!

[konadog]

Brutal, just brutal! I wonder how that poor old bus worked after that stunt. Poor thing.

[TAIT]

Mother of God!!! I used to own a Westy, and can honestly say that guy/gal was in for a world of hurt...in terms of repair bills! Those vans have NO FRAME!! Sheesh.

[westy]

Actually they do here on the east coast after the rust takes hold its the only thing left besides the windows and roof! buddy probably screwed his back up though