New fishing van

[Marker50]

Hi.ime ready to buy a new van i have a 05 transit connect swb at presant.
Nice van miles ok but fancy a new connect.
I use for nipping to work and fishing .
I have the luxury of using next doors garage as they dont drive and no windows in garage so its grab my flask and go.
My connect as no bulkhead but my holdalls go past where bulkhead would be.
My dilema is if i buy a new one with bulkhead would my holdalls go in maybe katy corner.
I could get a lwb version but it would not fit in garage then but i could leave on my drive as you could not see in back with bulkhead.

 

[Trogg]

I'd cut a section out for the rod bags to go through...rivet a hinge to it at the top so it hangs down and then you can fasten it down when the rodbags aren't in!

 

[Marker50]

Thanks mate.
There is a load through hatch on new ones but it aint very wide more for pipes etc.
On the new ones i think the seats are in way on cab side of bulkhead.
I want to keep bulkhead this time as new one as aircon etc

 

[Marker50]

Like your idea though.
Ile pop to van place and see if it could be made wider.

 

[dry nets]

Bulk heads are only screwed in. Remove it if you don’t want it

 

[Marker50]

Yes mate.
I did want to keep in.
For heating .aircon etc.

 

[Marker50]

As it would be new i would like cab to be like a car

 

[Tinca Steve]

It's called a tape measure, try using one to find out if rods will fit askew. Only saying like ??

 

[Nicky Dodds]

I had an 06 connect without a bulkhead. I made some internal roof bars out of an old kiddies swing so the holdalls were carried in the roof. Amazing what space and carrying capacity it created and the holdalls stayed safe. They did come through into the cab area but a hinged trapdoor/flap like trogg suggests would solve that problem. I assume the bulkhead would cut down road noise too. The newer ones look very nice, Im sure they'll have soundproofed the doors and put decent speakers in this time round.

 

[Marker50]

Thanks .
Yes the new ones are very nice.
I thought a few would have had connects on here.
My presant one as a new hifi in.
Funny you get used to having a van.think its a men nd shed thing

 

[Nicky Dodds]

The problem was the speaker apertures in the doors prohibited the speaker upgrade and limited it to very few choices. The originals were at the best useless and any bass was lost straight through the tin foil doors. Tarmat or the like stuck on the inside of the door skin helps a little.

 

[Maesknoll]

I’ve got a 65 plate LWB Connect, nice van, I use it for work (just commuting to/ from) and fishing. I’m sure a rod hold-all would go through the bulkhead aperture, but with the LWB there is no need. Previously I had a high top 08 Connect, the rod bag would only go in diagonally or using the height of the high top. The LWB gives you that bit more room, I leave all my kit on the trolley and put it in and out of the van with a ramp.

Even your gear isn’t visible because you have a bulkhead, I still wouldn’t risk leaving it in overnight, I live in a area where we (luckily) have a very low crime rate, but I still take my gear out of the van every night.

 

[Marker50]

Cheers mate.
Do you use the van like a car.
How do you go on in supermaket carparks etc with it being lwb.

 

[Maesknoll]

Cheers mate.
Do you use the van like a car.
How do you go on in supermaket carparks etc with it being lwb.

Fits in car parks etc. Not too long, it’s not massively longer than a SWB, but the extra room and ease of putting rod hold all’s in make it worth having.

Why not hire one for a few days and see how you get on with it?

 

[Marker50]

Thanks for that.
Yea bet lwb is much better .
I drive a large luton size for work parking that at hotels is a pain.
I notice matrix do 1.75 holdalls not sure if they would just fit in.
Is yours the limited version

 

[Mr Barry S]

I had an 06 Tranny Connect SWB and could comfortably fit my Pike rods in a holdall in with the original Ford bulkhead fitted, corner to corner... I have a 15 plate Combo / Doblo at the moment, again rods in holdall fit fine corner to corner. Its SWB but a tad bigger than my Connect was, dunno about the current Connect

 

[Maesknoll]

Thanks for that.
Yea bet lwb is much better .
I drive a large luton size for work parking that at hotels is a pain.
I notice matrix do 1.75 holdalls not sure if they would just fit in.
Is yours the limited version

Not sure which version to be honest. Electric windows, heated screen, aircon, usual stuff nowadays. It’s nowhere near the size of a Luton type van, I really have never had an issue with parking it, I don’t have a car, so only use the Connect as my day to day runabout. I also have a SWB VW Transporter, that’s a nice drive and just as easy to park.

 

[Peezartiste]

I have a Connect LWB High Roof. It has a metal mesh bulkhead and I can drop the passenger seat down, then open a hinged door in the mesh on that side. I have a pair of ramps and because of the high roof, I can load my HGV trolley with all my kit on it straight in to the van. The rod holdalls go through into the passenger side. Only downside is I cannot ever take a passenger at the same time.

 

[G0zzer2]

I am looking to get a van into which I can wheel my soon-to-be-obtained Preston shuttle, loaded with my tackle. I will probably be asking for advice regarding which vans to look at, later, probably next year. But first I will have to measure my loaded trolly. I know nothing about automobiles but guess it will have to be a "long wheelbase" van, and high.

 

[BTMS]

GOzzer2

No need for a LWB look at the Vauxhall Combo with swing cage bulk head could get trolley, rod bags and a lot more twin side doors as well