Replacement Grille With Built-in 230v Socket

[Lowlec]

I’ve gone for a black flush fitting EHU socket, which I intend to trim down to suit. It offers decent front plate mounting options.
I’m gonna look at grafting on part of the GTE grill to provide the original mounting points too.

Bumper?

Grill I meant lol

 

[Wills]

I bought it off @Tourershine last December.

 

[Wills]

Mk1 has begunView attachment 55422

@Alan Walsh Does your mk1 proto have the GTE unit centred in the badge aperture or offset?
I believe I understand why VisionTech have there’s so offset. The positioning is critical in ensuring the hinged badge mech doesn’t fowl the outer grill badge housing. Does that make sense?
Have you worked out how best to ensure there’s a sufficient gap in door / grill to enable the door to be pushed in to release it?

 

[Alan Walsh]

@Alan Walsh Does your mk1 proto have the GTE unit centred in the badge aperture or offset?
I believe I understand why VisionTech have there’s so offset. The positioning is critical in ensuring the hinged badge mech doesn’t fowl the outer grill badge housing. Does that make sense?
Have you worked out how best to ensure there’s a sufficient gap in door / grill to enable the door to be pushed in to release it?

Morning @Wills When I get dressed I will send you a few pictures if you want.

 

[Wills]

Cheers @Alan Walsh , more pics the better please. I’ve a piece of shiny black Perspex, enough for 1 attempt so need to get it right 1st time.

 

[Wills]

Are you still not dressed @Alan Walsh ?

 

[Ann3x]

Are you still not dressed @Alan Walsh ?

lie in.

 

[Wills]

So I cracked on into the unknown yesterday. I can understand 1 of the reasons why VisionTech use a standard grill as the Caravelle is a lot more “complex” in construction. Beggars can’t be...
Having prepared the grill to accept a mounting template. I made the mounting plate out of black Perspex. As it was too thick to enable the door to push / click open, I routed the mounting area thinner.
Some pics as we all love them.
I just need to tidy a few areas up and Sika the unit into into position. Then finally cut the original badge face off level and graft the T6 VW badge mount on.
The electrical and waterproofing looks straightforward.

 

[Alan Walsh]

Are you still not dressed @Alan Walsh ?

Sorry, by time I remembered it was dark and my phone was flat! Looks like you have cracked it though. Good job. I found the origonal perspex Itried was too thick and just bought thinner as I am no good with a router!

 

[Wills]

Yes, I’m nearly there @Alan Walsh , there’s fine tolerances involved in the mod.
I prised the Golf badge and backing plate off today so it’s a flat surface to bond the T6 badge to...

 

[Wills]

i was bored today so made up the shortened mains plug

 

[Wills]

Well I’ve made decent progress on the MK2 version in 5mm plastic
Pics:
Grill prep’d
Routed template insert
GTE housing fitted
Housing securing plates. These will screw to the routed template to secure the housing in place
Mod’d stumpy plug
Plug securing backplate.
I plan to use Sika and hot glue to secure the routed template to the grill and countersunk SS M4 to ensure good mechanical fixing else where

 

[Wills]

A few pics assembling and loose fitting.. It’s more of a mechanical solution rather than cosmetic. The GTE component is not the best to work with as there’s more rubber that plastic in the body to work out the mounting
I’ll play with it for a while to see what improvements are required.

 

[Wills]

You can buy a premade grill with the hup behind the badge from VW Campervan Conversions | VisionTech Automotive | United Kingdom. That's what I've got.

Looking at it it looks like it's a standard grill with a golf gte mechanism grafted on with Sikaflex. It's very well finished though and looks like it'll be solid. Doable by DIY for sure but probably not easy to get it as good as they have done.

Have you had an opportunity to fit the grill yet @Ann3x ?

if you have time, could you take some pics of the grill etc please?
Does the plug fit proud enough and is there sufficient room to use a standard socket? The standard socket has a sprung cover and is quite deep / long.

 

[Ann3x]

Have you had an opportunity to fit the grill yet @Ann3x ?

if you have time, could you take some pics of the grill etc please?
Does the plug fit proud enough and is there sufficient room to use a standard socket? The standard socket has a sprung cover and is quite deep / long.

Yes i have fitted and it works great. The plug on the engine side looks pretty standard. At the front it fits fine and is not too proud but the HUP cable's plug needs the cover flap removing to be compatible - there is nowhere for it to sit.

Fitting was fine but i took some care with cable routing as the cable runs pretty close to the radiator (I sika'd it into the grill to stop it moving).

 

[Wills]

Thanks @Ann3x . Any nice pics to view?

 

[DXX]

Although there is a cover flap it isn’t ideal mounting an electrical connector at that angle as it could fill with water. Personally I would drill a small drain hole in the casing at the lowest point.

 

[Ann3x]

Although there is a cover flap it isn’t ideal mounting an electrical connector at that angle as it could fill with water. Personally I would drill a small drain hole in the casing at the lowest point.

Same as on the GTE. I have a GTE and it never fills.

 

[Ann3x]

Thanks @Ann3x . Any nice pics to view?

A few pics, not much to see from inside the hood unless grill removed.

 

[Wills]

Same as on the GTE. I have a GTE and it never fills.

But doesn’t the GTE Plug have a rubber cover? I assume the VT doesn‘t come with a waterproof cover?

Do you have any pics of the back prior to fitting?