T6 Tailgate (conversion)

[xpfloyd]

I paid £60 for my tailgate, although had a tiny bit of damage. The internals seem to be around £300 form TPS. Most doors I've seen are around £300 bare, Had I not got such a good deal on the tailgate, I would have tried to find one complete.

Ads_Essesx thats an absolutely fantastic tutorial/guide.

I've got most of everything, Its just committing to doing it now!

Thanks! Food for thought. I’ve seen a few bare doors for around £350. And now a complete door with wiring and glass for £750. Going by your post though I would still be best buying a bare door and then buying the missing parts

 

[M444TCC]

Thanks! Food for thought. I’ve seen a few bare doors for around £350. And now a complete door with wiring and glass for £750. Going by your post though I would still be best buying a bare door and then buying the missing parts

I’d keep an eye out for a slightly damaged door, Most likely you will paint it anyway.

I’m ordering the internals today, the list that’s been posted is a massive help, il try and confirm the costs later.

 

[Ads_Essex]

Does £750 seem like a good price for a tailgate from a caravelle with all the inner parts, rear trim panel, etc?

If it’s mint and in the colour you want, it’s reasonable in terms of price - on top of that I’d estimate you’d then spend anything between £150-£400 on a tailgate bumper, £60 or so on the D-pillar covers, £150-£350 on taillamps, £30 on gas struts, £150 on the Vagnostics kit and £150 on wiring/coding. So it adds up.

I paid £500 for my tailgate but sold my doors for £380, paid £330 for tail lamps and a threshold but sold my lamps for £85, paid £300 (+ £125 paint) for a new bumper (with sensor mounts) and sold mine for £100. The internals were roughly £400+ (I lost count after returning some bits and replacing some bits) paid something like £60 for the D pillar covers and £30 for a new bumper protector.

So it all adds up.
To put it in to perspective -
I’ve been asked why i didn’t buy a tailgate van to start with; when i was looking, our can came along at a good price and I would most likely have paid £1000 or so more for a tailgate model -
so whilst it’s taken me time to do, it’s almost balanced out cost-wise.

Prices have come down now so you’ll probably be able to do it for less than I did.
A replete tailgate panel with internals will save you time, but they are probably aimed at the ‘crash-replacement’ market hence the cost.
So if I were in your shoes (and one had come up whilst I was looking) I’d buy a tailgate from a Cali so it included the chairs and the rear roller-blind (T5 Cotswold parts had one for sale).

Your other post mentions wiring concerns - if you are talking it wiring it yourself, the forum can supply you with wiring diagrams. There is a cable which needs running back to the BCM but other than that you simply plug the loom in to the corresponding components.
And if you pay someone to code it for you, trust me, you won’t have any concerns then: it took Edd a couple of hours to do what appeared to be a fairly straight forward job in terms of fitting - he pinned out my tailgate loom where it comes in to the van, removed the nearside poptop fascia panel, ran a cable along that and down the A-pillar and plugged it in to the BCM - he made no mess and the fascia board went back on just like it did when it had the roof fitted.

 

[M444TCC]

If it’s mint and in the colour you want, it’s reasonable in terms of price - on top of that I’d estimate you’d then spend anything between £150-£400 on a tailgate bumper, £60 or so on the D-pillar covers, £150-£350 on taillamps, £30 on gas struts, £150 on the Vagnostics kit and £150 on wiring/coding. So it adds up.

I paid £500 for my tailgate but sold my doors for £380, paid £330 for tail lamps and a threshold but sold my lamps for £85, paid £300 (+ £125 paint) for a new bumper (with sensor mounts) and sold mine for £100. The internals were roughly £400+ (I lost count after returning some bits and replacing some bits) paid something like £60 for the D pillar covers and £30 for a new bumper protector.

So it all adds up.
To put it in to perspective -
I’ve been asked why i didn’t buy a tailgate van to start with; when i was looking, our can came along at a good price and I would most likely have paid £1000 or so more for a tailgate model -
so whilst it’s taken me time to do, it’s almost balanced out cost-wise.

Prices have come down now so you’ll probably be able to do it for less than I did.
A replete tailgate panel with internals will save you time, but they are probably aimed at the ‘crash-replacement’ market hence the cost.
So if I were in your shoes (and one had come up whilst I was looking) I’d buy a tailgate from a Cali so it included the chairs and the rear roller-blind (T5 Cotswold parts had one for sale).

Your other post mentions wiring concerns - if you are talking it wiring it yourself, the forum can supply you with wiring diagrams. There is a cable which needs running back to the BCM but other than that you simply plug the loom in to the corresponding components.
And if you pay someone to code it for you, trust me, you won’t have any concerns then: it took Edd a couple of hours to do what appeared to be a fairly straight forward job in terms of fitting - he pinned out my tailgate loom where it comes in to the van, removed the nearside poptop fascia panel, ran a cable along that and down the A-pillar and plugged it in to the BCM - he made no mess and the fascia board went back on just like it did when it had the roof fitted.

So is the Tailgate Loom form TPS is a simple plug and play, except for the locking, (Either coding or timer relay route?)

I only ask as I'm off to Belgium first week of august, I was hoping to do it before I leave, If need be I don't mind having to open it from inside for now...

 

[Ads_Essex]

I’d keep an eye out for a slightly damaged door, Most likely you will paint it anyway.

I’m ordering the internals today, the list that’s been posted is a massive help, il try and confirm the costs later.

Here was my initial shopping list with TPS for the internal parts - some bits I didn’t need so they were returned (lock strikers spring to mind, along with some bolts. Watch out for the bracket that secures the handle on the inside - it took me three visits and a lot of googling - see this thread). Sorry but I didn’t mark off what I eventually did not need, so don’t use it as a definitive list - use the thread instead. But It’ll give you an idea at least.

TPS were really good to be fair - I told them what I was doing and they were helpful with diagrams (I initially thought that I would be small fish for them and I’d be fobbed off, but any sale over a few hundred £ seems to get you some sort of clout with them).

 

[xpfloyd]

Seriously @Ads_Essex thanks for posting all this! Saves a lot of head scratching. I’ll keep my eye out for a tailgate. This job has went straight from ‘might do’ to the ‘to do’ list. With the vagnostics relay that gives 15 seconds of power to the catch does that mean that if I’m parked up camping and want to open the tailgate all I need to do is press the unlock button on the fob to get the power for 15 secs each time? I could probably live with that.

Stupid question time - where is the BCM located in the van if I’m going to run a cable to it for someone to code that knows what they are doing?

 

[Ads_Essex]

So is the Tailgate Loom form TPS is a simple plug and play, except for the locking, (Either coding or timer relay route?)

I only ask as I'm off to Belgium first week of august, I was hoping to do it before I leave, If need be I don't mind having to open it from inside for now...

Ah balls, I forgot about that - no, I bought the loom second hand from Pauly.
It came with plugs for a few ancillaries (rear wash/wipe, internal handle, childlock, heated screen) that I didn’t have but didn’t cause any problems.
It won’t actually plug in to your van loom because the plugs are different. That’s where you either splice the looms together or you make up a small loom by buying the opposing connector plugs and pins along with several metres of wire.

I ran my van for months with no loom - you have no third brake light and no numberplate lights, but never got a pull.

 

[Ads_Essex]

Seriously @Ads_Essex ..With the vagnostics relay that gives 15 seconds of power to the catch does that mean that if I’m parked up camping and want to open the tailgate all I need to do is press the unlock button on the fob to get the power for 15 secs each time? I could probably live with that.

Yes.

Seriously @Ads_Essex
Where is the BCM located in the van if I’m going to run a cable to it for someone to code that knows what they are doing?

Roughly where you plug Carista in - near the OBD port that’s under the steering wheel cowling.

 

[xpfloyd]

I’ve found a ‘lightly damaged’ tailgate from a van that got rear ended at a really cheap price . The seller says it opened and shut fine but was replaced due to the cosmetics on the outside. Just waiting to find out if he will arrange shipping from London. My mate owns a spray shop here in Glasgow so can do the repairs and re-spray for me

 

[Ads_Essex]

I’ve found a ‘lightly damaged’ tailgate from a van that got rear ended at a really cheap price . The seller says it opened and shut fine but was replaced due to the cosmetics on the outside. Just waiting to find out if he will arrange shipping from London. My mate owns a spray shop here in Glasgow so can do the repairs and re-spray for me

You’ll find the same for rear bumpers - loads with light cosmetic damage.
I ended up going new just so I could have it spray-painted and then bolt it on (I was having other parts sprayed too).

 

[Littleblackflash]

1st post

I've had my T6 van now for 2 months and it's great. My old T5 had a tailgate and I wanted one on my T6, but they all seamed too expesive so I brought a van which was specification I wanted, but without the tailgate.
I always planned to get a tailgate but one turned up on Ebay this week in good condition and in the right colour so we've done a deal and I'm collecting on Saturday.

I'll have the compelete tailgate with all the internals, locks. glass. wiper etc, and the D-post lower finishers and bumper. I don't have the new rear lights. I would like LED lights, but I can't afford them this month. Can I continue to use the existing barn door light? I know the gapping around the lights won't be right, but could it be assembled and open/close?

I have VCDS so I'm hoping to recode the van to have a tailgate. I've read about adding an additional wire to the BCM which is easy done. Does anyone know the pinning information?

I'm also hoping to add some led spot lights in the tailgate and a camera. Is there wiring already for this or will I need to add this at the same time?

Thanks in advance. This forum is full of good information.

 

[Ads_Essex]

1st post

Welcome

Can I continue to use the existing barn door light? I know the gapping around the lights won't be right, but could it be assembled and open/close?

I think the barn-door lights will fit - I never actually checked, but they do appear smaller.

I've read about adding an additional wire to the BCM which is easy done. Does anyone know the pinning information?

I don’t know which wire was run back to the BCM - wiring diagrams appeared to show that the pin numbers were the same for both the tailgate and the barn-door looms, but I found that I couldn’t get the latch to power up nor could I get the number-plate and brake light to illuminate properly (lights would come on when the latch was pressed). If you can read wiring diagrams then you may be able to work it out - for me it looked double-Dutch.

I'm also hoping to add some led spot lights in the tailgate and a camera. Is there wiring already for this or will I need to add this at the same time?

The camera will require additional wiring that you most likely do not currently have, and I imagine the same will be said for the tailgate load-area LEDs (@Loz has a Cali and may be able to shed some light on this)

 

[Littleblackflash]

Thanks. I'll check the lights on Saturday and feedback. I think they should fit but not look right.

Reading wiring diagrams is easy for me, I like that sort of stuff. I've recently put a civic type R engine in my elise, and managed to wire it all in including the drive-by-wire throttle, traction control and launch control. All I need is the wiring diagrams. Do you know where I can get them from?

I'll need some brackets for the gas rams. I've seen someone selling them but they included the wiring relay which I don't want. Is there another option?

Has anyone added the electric opening to their van?

 

[Ads_Essex]

Thanks. I'll check the lights on Saturday and feedback. I think they should fit but not look right.

Reading wiring diagrams is easy for me, I like that sort of stuff. I've recently put a civic type R engine in my elise, and managed to wire it all in including the drive-by-wire throttle, traction control and launch control. All I need is the wiring diagrams. Do you know where I can get them from?

I'll need some brackets for the gas rams. I've seen someone selling them but they included the wiring relay which I don't want. Is there another option?

Has anyone added the electric opening to their van?

The kit does indeed come with the relay - you’re best speaking to Vagnostics (via Facebook messenger) and asking whether he sells the brackets minus the relay.
You could look at OEM brackets, but I don’t know how they’re fixed to the body.

Nice work on the Type R / Elise.. I bet that was fun to drive

 

[ChrisM1973]

Yeah I have to hand it to Ads - he helped me like you would not believe on my conversion. I still have the wiring to do, but yeah, the rest of it, eg: parts list, is insanely good! Thanks Ads!!

 

[Littleblackflash]

Collected my tailgate today. The barn door lights don’t fit. By the look of them, the tailgate lights won’t fit barn doors.

The new door has heated glass and a wiper which my solid barn door didn’t. Does anyone have the wiring diagram for it? I’m now looking for a new heater control unit with switch and a wiper stalk.

 

[ChrisM1973]

Yeah the tailgate lights are a different shape for the T6s. There's an awesome ebay seller from Germany called AutoTeile Paul who often has the pair you need for much less than I've seen in the UK or from TPS: autoteile-paul on eBay

 

[Littleblackflash]

Thanks. I speak German so I've been searching the ebay.de and tx-board/t6.de forum, which isn't as useful as this forum.

 

[Ads_Essex]

Saw this on eBay, if anyone else is contemplating the conversion:

VW T6 Transporter Caravelle Rear End Conversion Kit Candy White LB9A | eBay

 

[t6 soon]

if any member wants the above I have complete tailgate- bumper with protector and led lights all in good condition some discount to forum members cheers