In this latest episode I drive my 1986 VW T3 Syncro from the UK to the Arctic Circle during some of the most extreme weather they've experienced in 30 years.
I did your trip by hitch hiking in January 1973 and spent a lot of money on a sleeping bag. Never cold at all, tent sleeping. There was nothing on the roads back then. Actually when the temp gets down the dryness helps a lot. In 2000 took a 1978 Range Rover to Lapland, slept in -35 on the north Finnish/Russian border, same sleeping bag and that's the secret. Can't do it any more at 72, but enjoy the adventure. My first camper was a 1983 water cooled blue T3 with Sheldon hightop, loved it.
Great adventures in that VW! Wow! It's amazing what you're able to do in that van! The video was quite well made! The B Rolls gave me the chills. The geography & conditions are Epic! Your friend's band Amber Room is good too.
This is so cool. Travelling to that part of the world in such an old van. That tells me you have balls. Well done to you. My other half and I have an old ford. but would never go that far in it. Trust issue. Fantastic video. Fair play to you and total respect. Thank you . I know now where not to go . Although it looks out of this world.
Haha so true, I would love a dog so much, but I travel to a lot of remote countries so atm a dog would make things more tricky. The songs are from my mates band on RUclips: Amber Room Songs :-)
A lot of the uneducated out there really have no idea how great the t25 vans are get them kitted up right and there capable of anything you throw at them awsome vid fella
Thanks Richard and couldn't agree more. I talk about this a lot on my website. Serviced correctly the stock t3/t25s are really reliable and most importantly have arguably the biggest/best community & parts online which counts for so much. Any issue I've had is so quickly remedied and I can get most parts within days anywhere in Europe ( not to mention it's easy to fix yourself for the most part ). Preventative maintenance and servicing is key. Thanks so much mate :-)
Phenomenal and great video. The place is wonderful and the van is very good. In these conditions the oil is very important, I use Mobil 1 / 0w40 and it is 100% synthetic and is suitable for any gasoline or diesel engine. Good luck and I follow you. Thanks for the video.
Thanks so much, really kind :-). Yeah I always take servicing really seriously. I run Morris multigrade Oil 15w/40 and I can honestly say that its one of the best things I've done for the engine, it runs really sweet on that. I also change the oil/filter every 4000 miles to be safe. My van's pretty high mileage now so have to be careful. :-)
Miss my Syncro. Keep and eye on the fuel pump. Mine leaked and the van went up in flames. Nothing I could do to stop it including using a fire extinguisher. Loved the video.
So sorry to hear that mate, I know that's a big issue. I've just had a total rebuild of my WBX so this has just been changed. I also run a auto fire supression system in the back just incase. They go up so fast, really sorry to hear. :-(
Awesome video , loved that van of yours . I do over landing with a sea kayak and mt bike with a defender 110 . But When I was a kid my parents had a v w camper van and traveled every were with it was awesome , so liked seeing your van out and doing what they were made to do with a kayak and bike along to make the adventure more fun . Again great video . Thanks for sharing . From Steve stott in sutherlin Oregon u.s.a.
Thanks so much for the kind words Steve. I'm a big fan of the Defender too ( except the new one...very much dislike that.....83 ECUS...in a overlanding vehicle, what were they thinking! ). The 110 is what I'd have or perhaps a 130 modded into a camper. The defender is a more serious overlander than the Syncro for sure....but shares the same maintenance costs haha. The Syncro has been good to me regardless of its faults and it's sort of the biggest interior for a compact exterior van :-)
Stephen Rogers thanks a lot buddy. The interior has always come secondary to mechanicals so as I’m sure you’ll understand it’s forever neglected. I’m hoping to do a really nice build soon, so that will definitely have a full tour. However, I’ll also try and do a quick tour of the current interior soon 🙂🚐
I guess im asking the wrong place but does anyone know a way to log back into an Instagram account..? I was stupid lost the account password. I would appreciate any tricks you can offer me
@Thaddeus Abram thanks for your reply. I got to the site through google and im trying it out atm. I see it takes quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.
Absolutely awesome video. Really good cut and I am really jealous that you have been there in wintertime. This is a big dream of me to fishing there wintertime and to watch the snow covered mountain. I know Norway only in sommertime. By the way, I love your english accent.
Hey buddy, thanks so much for the kind words. It was incredible, a little intimidating once I got really north in such an old van, but a real adventure :-). Fishing is so huge out in Norway, they have some of the best in the world :-). Summer is very cool too and I recommend it to people in the sense that's all more accessible. Haha cheers buddy!
Thanks so much, I'm very envious of the awesome road trips you guys have out in the States ( I plan to hopefully ship my van out there some day ). Our poor vanagons rust like crazy here in the Arctic, wouldn't mind some of your warm gravel roads!
Sweet videos. I just found you channel and binged all the episodes. Content is great. I'm about to get a syncro and do the same. WOuld you care to do a video where you tour the van and show what you've done to help you vanlife. Thanks man, wish you the best.
Thanks a lot Denis, really appreciate the kind words. Funnily enough this will be the last longer journey video for a while so I can focus on some shorter videos of the build and interior so I'll try and get one live in the next couple of months mate. My set up is pretty basic right now inside as I've focused on mechanicals, but still some interesting pointers that may help :-)
Hey Mike, nice to hear from you and sorry for the slow reply, glad you enjoyed it! As always inspired by your videos, which are superb. Let me know if you head that way, I'll be there til the end of August and will be heading back afterwards :-)
Hey Jordan thanks so much for the kind words ( I actually just posted a new one ). I really enjoy making the videos it's just my work is so time consuming that i do all my articles/video work in my free time and I get so little of that haha. I will really try and do more next year when Im back in the Arctic :-)
That's really cool and though experience. I'm living in french alps doing this king of stuff with my doka (lots of freeride ski touring, enduro MTB, SUP)... but never dare that!
Thanks buddy! Love the Dokas, I think they're the most versatile T3 for living on the road considering you can put a demountable camper on the back. Sounds like you're having a great time, keep it up! :-)
What about modifying the heat-source with a hose that goes up oner the comforter, wherein you just turn on the heater for 5-10 mins as needed through the night- thinking, after you are settled and enough heat is stored underweight, that your need to leave the heat on is not a compromise.. ? A thought..
Very interesting ideas, thanks for the suggestion. I fitted an all new Victron battery charging set up with two huge new leisure batteries and solar this xmas so I'm hoping that will allow me to run the petrol heater all night no issue :-). One thing I do really want to do, which is sort of linked to your point, is instal a seperate outlet to pre heat the engine in the morning!
Incredible video. Love the van. What an amazing trip. Really enjoyed watching. Just subscribed too! Ive got a few videos of my family trip to Cornwall in a VW Bay back in 2016 you might like. Not as good as your vid though I hasten to add! Nice one mate.
Excellent trip. music was a bit much at times. I've done most of what you did, but in the spring time. Don't the Northen Light appear in late September to December? When did you make the trip?
Thank you and appreciate the feedback, always learning how to improve :-) . The Northern Lights are present from late September through to early April. :-)
Just a tip. Don't idle the car to warm it. Give the engine a steady load by driving it for warming it up. Keep the rpm between 1000 - 3000. Idle is bad.
Hey buddy thanks for the advice really appreciate it, always learning. The only issue I had with the extreme cold is that the van actually won't get warm in -24 and I'd let it idle for around ten mins just to get any heat to the engine before the wind chill when mobile drove it back down. I could probably block up the side air vents in future to help the engine but it was ok after a few hours. Poor old van haha :-)
@@JackMac Actually block the whole front. You can use cardboard as a quick and cheap fix. But use it only if it's -10 or less. You can leave the side vents open. Also the usual checks for coolant to be suitable for this weather and the oil viscosity is suitable. Small tricks for the artic. :)
@@Viskibasso Good idea, I've actually seen some of my friends with the LT MK1 4x4 do the same. I'm definitely on point with the correct coolant and I'm running Morris Multigrade 15w/40 which has performed well :-)
im a truck driver in Norway and Sweden. One of our biggest problem in the winter is camper vans driving to slow. We need the speed. And yes its mostly campervans....
Interesting! I just stick to the speed limits tbh so don’t really have an opinion. I was just impressed by how fast they can travel on such slippery roads with studded tires and the like ☺️
Oo.. man... that LOTR scene at the end... i've been a few situations like that... eating what was left in the middle of nowhere... i laughed my as#$ off... (nice trip... /envy))
Haha another LOTR fan. I salute you good sir. I've been in that situation too many times, the van tends to consume my income so I consume ' MAGGOTY BREADDD '. Thanks buddy :-)
I have a lovely T25 1.9 Petrol hightop, and I adore it. But the Synchro is NEXT level beast! That's a beauty mate - and its a right hand drive too. RARE. How much did you pick her up for, if you don't mind me asking?
Hey mate, I'd rather not discuss the value if that's ok but what I will say is it cost me five times the initial purchase to upkeep/upgrade. The Syncro especially is expensive to maintain if you do big miles. They say that a Syncro in Europe will cost you £15,000 whether you get a rough one for £7k or a nice one for £15k....in other words if it's cheap you'll end up putting a lot in to make it reliable...I would say £20k is what it takes to have something in good shape :-)
@@JackMac No problem, and thanks for being so frank. They do strike me as money puts - mine is bad enough, but I suppose once they're in your blood you can't let em go! I'll probably just be content to watch others use them if they're that expensive! Haha! Great van though. Enjoy your time in it.
matthew bissinger hey mate, thank you. Yes it’s made up of two Thule High Top racks and a rhino Top rack. I had to combine it all myself, but works well 🤗
In olden days, you would spray oil to the underside of your car. There are now better products out there. But it's a no brainer if you are traveling in a snowy place that salt their roads.
My van was undersealed but needs to be done again really. I'm having the lower sections raptor painted next week funnily enough. THanks for the tips you're so right! :-)
Thank you and appreciate the feedback. I'll be changing to more mellow stuff next time :-). Heater runs off petrol and I do run a leisure battery too :-)
Subscribed! Awesome stuff mate, its on my bucket list to do a snow trip up through Norway. The Syncro did well. Did you have any major breakages along the way other than the wear on the alternator? And can i ask whats the band and song in the background at the start and from 3:11 or so onwards? Stay safe and keep doing what you’re doing! Cheers mate 🤙🏻
Hey Rhys, thanks for the kind words! I'll add a load of info about the journey etc to my website www.jack-mac.com over xmas that includes some things I learnt along the way that might be worth considering if you plan a trip there :-). Yeah it's a great van, although I still get nervous before big drives whether I'll make it haha. The van was spot on, only issue was brakes actually freezing to the discs and then burning which was mad. The T3's and WBX engines are very good. However, servicing and preventative maintenance is key. Moreover, the worst part is not knowing how a vans been treated before which is why so many get a bad rep for being unreliable when in reality they've just not been serviced properly. Sure it's my mates band and they have a RUclips channel ' amberroomsongs ' :-). Thanks again and will do!
Hey buddy, the Eberspacher is really good in the mountains when I'm off grid ( although I just wrap up and switch it off during the night ). I do sometimes use hook up when I can get it at work, I sometimes borrow a oil radiator and that's ideal :-)
I'm into land rover I have 2 90 200tdi and a 197 and a disco 1 300tdi iv just got a transporter t5 high roof Iv put rock'n'roll bed in back. But its smoking its head off its getting work as we speak. Soon as its running sweet I'm doing full coast of England me and me pall its vids like yours that inspire me. But I do love the landy life we go all over in them. But if got the VW campervan bug ✌
@@jamesbeaumont1202 I'm a big fan of the Land Rovers too, a lot of my friends have them. The Syncro is a great 4x4 but it's not in the same league as a Defender in terms of off road capabilities. I'm sure some people would argue the case for the Syncro but ultimately they only come close to a Landy if they're an empty panel van with twin lockers. Love both! Have a amazing trip mate and good to hear you're focusing on servicing now! :-)
@@JackMac nice speaking to u mate. It's all about getting out and having fun just wish we could all do more big adventurers in campervan or landyies iv just done nc500 in my discovery 1 it was mint I had little trailer with 12 tubs red diesel in it lol goin Wales soon in defenders can't wait.
Beautiful photography. The cold makes me think of your foreskin. Weenie shrinker. I was in Jasper this last weekend. It was -19C cold but not epic cold. It’s cold for November but above zero this week. I was in the Northwest Territories years ago. Woke up to -37C in March. That’s cold driving. Vehicle didn’t heat up for an hour. 3 vehicles on 3 hours. I think people who live in Britain South or the USA think anything below zero is cold.
Haha yeah it was bloody cold, got down to almost -30c at points. The van did amazing considering the temps, but like you said, it just wouldn't warm up for hours if I started driving....too much cold wind! I know we're a bunch of wimps, schools are closed when it even drops below freezing.....which was great as a kid, but kinda funny when kids in Norway are walking to school in -20!
I have a standard 1.9 WBX ( currently being completely rebuilt ). The 1.9 is arguably a little better for big miles than the bigger 2.1/2.5 as it doesn't run as hot. Moreover, there's less to go wrong as its just a carb and not fuel injection :-). Thanks for the kind words!
Yeah I only had a small leisure battery at this point. I've recently upgraded to 220 ah leisure batteries and a victron charging system that ensures the starter battery and Leisure batteries are always full :-)
just stumbled on to your channel. wow, that looks cold. How did the drone fair in the minus temps? Also what engine are you running in the synchro? Welldone Mate. keep up the great footage.
Hey Tim, thank you :-). The drone was ok, but it did freak out a few times in -24 and not record footage. I'm running a 1.9 DG ( I'm currently rebuilding )....if serviced properly they're pretty long lived :-) Cheers man really appreciate it!
I watched the clip and enjoyed it so thank you . For improvement purposes, I would suggest: cut the music out of it, demonstrate a bit more about the van’s equipment, how you have done your cooking and generally keeping warm during night time.
MrGreatpersian thanks for watching and really appreciate the constructive feedback. I make these on the side of full time work/expeditions so they’re just a bit of fun but want to improve. I’ll do another one in January and focus on these points 😊
maybe not that well prepared if you cant keep yourself warm inside your van? Extra battery and gasoline is a must i think and i have a sleeping bag with a comfort tempreture of -18 from Thermarest look at that maybe
@@jackob9658 yes it's nonsense although the climate is changing but its natural... when all the ice melts it will finally be the end of the ice age we are just finishing... it's totally natural for the cycle of the earth ... climate change is not manmade... we 've only been pumping out toxins for a hundred years or so.... that is like sniffing a cigarette and saying smoking caused your to get cancer...
Hey buddy, it's petrol. I have heard the same recently funnily enough. I guess the only thing is in Norway at that time of the year it is extreme around -20/25 and as soon as you get moving the wind chill just makes the temp plummet so I figure it's best to let it have at least a little time to idle and warm up before It starts hauling itself up mountains. I'm always learning of course, just seemed to make sense in such cold :-)
@@JackMac and I just found your channel, but the last video is a bit ago so I was wondering, did Corona get in between your 2020 plans? Some borders are open still...
Lukas Budde yeah it certainly did. I was back in Norway at the start of 2020 but as things worsened I returned to the UK as I wanted to quarantine with my family. The uncertainty of how long all this will last was unnerving so seemed sensible to head back to somewhere familiar 😊
@@Sean-lv6fx Thanks John, I appreciate everyone has different tastes. I like a lot of genres but a sucker for grunge like this haha. Plus it's my mates band! :-)
Haha yeah I learnt since making this video that the stuff they spread is artificial salt and I'm sure like you say a lot of that stuff is caused by spiked tyres. Thanks for the info :-)
Wow! Motivating! Building my gutted TDI Dehler Syncro. Cant wait! TY for sharing your journey.
Wow. North America doesn't even come close. What beautiful scenery. Thanks for sharing.
I did your trip by hitch hiking in January 1973 and spent a lot of money on a sleeping bag. Never cold at all, tent sleeping. There was nothing on the roads back then. Actually when the temp gets down the dryness helps a lot. In 2000 took a 1978 Range Rover to Lapland, slept in -35 on the north Finnish/Russian border, same sleeping bag and that's the secret. Can't do it any more at 72, but enjoy the adventure. My first camper was a 1983 water cooled blue T3 with Sheldon hightop, loved it.
Amazing trip well done on your accomplishment.
So so so cold
This are very nice picture from the wintertime. I know this unbelievable landscape only from the summertime.
Thanks mate, it's magical in the winter! Although summer is also beautiful and more accessible to explore :-)
Great adventures in that VW!
Wow!
It's amazing what you're able to do in that van!
The video was quite well made!
The B Rolls gave me the chills.
The geography & conditions are Epic!
Your friend's band Amber Room is good too.
Oh hi lol
This is so cool. Travelling to that part of the world in such an old van. That tells me you have balls. Well done to you. My other half and I have an old ford. but would never go that far in it. Trust issue. Fantastic video. Fair play to you and total respect. Thank you . I know now where not to go . Although it looks out of this world.
It's a kind of story better with one dog but very nice choice of music from Paris with love !
Haha so true, I would love a dog so much, but I travel to a lot of remote countries so atm a dog would make things more tricky. The songs are from my mates band on RUclips: Amber Room Songs :-)
Fantastic video. Beautiful views :-)
Thanks so much :-) NOrway is incredible!
Living the life to the full ... !!! Terrific ! I'll do this soon ... Thanks your your inspiration
Thanks mate, always throw these videos together and hope that they'll at least inspire people to get out there and explore :-)
Awesome trip! Really loved the panorama and the music
Thanks a lot buddy :-)
A lot of the uneducated out there really have no idea how great the t25 vans are get them kitted up right and there capable of anything you throw at them awsome vid fella
Thanks Richard and couldn't agree more. I talk about this a lot on my website. Serviced correctly the stock t3/t25s are really reliable and most importantly have arguably the biggest/best community & parts online which counts for so much. Any issue I've had is so quickly remedied and I can get most parts within days anywhere in Europe ( not to mention it's easy to fix yourself for the most part ). Preventative maintenance and servicing is key. Thanks so much mate :-)
What a van and what a journey 👌🏼
Phenomenal and great video. The place is wonderful and the van is very good. In these conditions the oil is very important, I use Mobil 1 / 0w40 and it is 100% synthetic and is suitable for any gasoline or diesel engine. Good luck and I follow you. Thanks for the video.
Thanks so much, really kind :-). Yeah I always take servicing really seriously. I run Morris multigrade Oil 15w/40 and I can honestly say that its one of the best things I've done for the engine, it runs really sweet on that. I also change the oil/filter every 4000 miles to be safe. My van's pretty high mileage now so have to be careful. :-)
@@JackMac great. All the best.
Miss my Syncro. Keep and eye on the fuel pump. Mine leaked and the van went up in flames. Nothing I could do to stop it including using a fire extinguisher. Loved the video.
So sorry to hear that mate, I know that's a big issue. I've just had a total rebuild of my WBX so this has just been changed. I also run a auto fire supression system in the back just incase. They go up so fast, really sorry to hear. :-(
Cold but nice picture your old van looks good be safe
Very cold haha, thanks for the kind words :-)
Excellent video and really like the Music.! Subscribed!
Thanks so much :-) It's actually my mates band, they're on RUclips ' Amber Room Songs '
Awesome video , loved that van of yours . I do over landing with a sea kayak and mt bike with a defender 110 . But When I was a kid my parents had a v w camper van and traveled every were with it was awesome , so liked seeing your van out and doing what they were made to do with a kayak and bike along to make the adventure more fun . Again great video . Thanks for sharing . From Steve stott in sutherlin Oregon u.s.a.
Thanks so much for the kind words Steve. I'm a big fan of the Defender too ( except the new one...very much dislike that.....83 ECUS...in a overlanding vehicle, what were they thinking! ). The 110 is what I'd have or perhaps a 130 modded into a camper. The defender is a more serious overlander than the Syncro for sure....but shares the same maintenance costs haha. The Syncro has been good to me regardless of its faults and it's sort of the biggest interior for a compact exterior van :-)
Surreal - great video and thank you.
What an amazing trip! I invite you to know the beauties of Brazil in a unforgettable trip.
Thanks so much :-)
Hi Jack just came across your site, & loving it so just subscribed.
Would love a full tour of both vans one episode.
Enjoy the travelling.
Stephen Rogers thanks a lot buddy. The interior has always come secondary to mechanicals so as I’m sure you’ll understand it’s forever neglected. I’m hoping to do a really nice build soon, so that will definitely have a full tour. However, I’ll also try and do a quick tour of the current interior soon 🙂🚐
Our Syncros must be closely related as our reg is D85 PHR!! Just stumbled across your channel, Subscribed!!
Haha that's so close! Nice to meet another Syncro owner. We share the bond of blood, sweat, tears and number plates!
Great video great music 🤘
Thanks so much Gino :-)
Damn I loved this vid!! Stunning scenery man and a good chuckle at the end, subbed 👍
I guess im asking the wrong place but does anyone know a way to log back into an Instagram account..?
I was stupid lost the account password. I would appreciate any tricks you can offer me
@Aryan Alijah Instablaster :)
@Thaddeus Abram thanks for your reply. I got to the site through google and im trying it out atm.
I see it takes quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.
Great video kid... keep it up
Thanks a lot buddy :-)
Excellent vlog, loving the LOTR quotes too
It's basically the bible I live by haha. ' all we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us ' ;-)
Absolutely awesome video. Really good cut and I am really jealous that you have been there in wintertime.
This is a big dream of me to fishing there wintertime and to watch
the snow covered mountain. I know Norway only in sommertime.
By the way, I love your english accent.
Hey buddy, thanks so much for the kind words. It was incredible, a little intimidating once I got really north in such an old van, but a real adventure :-). Fishing is so huge out in Norway, they have some of the best in the world :-). Summer is very cool too and I recommend it to people in the sense that's all more accessible. Haha cheers buddy!
What accent|?
Wonderful scenery and cinematography, thanks for the share. Enjoy our T3 here in California :) Fun gravel road hat haha 😂
Thanks so much, I'm very envious of the awesome road trips you guys have out in the States ( I plan to hopefully ship my van out there some day ). Our poor vanagons rust like crazy here in the Arctic, wouldn't mind some of your warm gravel roads!
I’m on the Humboldt Coast, right on the ocean! I feel the pain! 😔
Sweet videos. I just found you channel and binged all the episodes. Content is great. I'm about to get a syncro and do the same. WOuld you care to do a video where you tour the van and show what you've done to help you vanlife. Thanks man, wish you the best.
Thanks a lot Denis, really appreciate the kind words. Funnily enough this will be the last longer journey video for a while so I can focus on some shorter videos of the build and interior so I'll try and get one live in the next couple of months mate. My set up is pretty basic right now inside as I've focused on mechanicals, but still some interesting pointers that may help :-)
Hey, nice trip and video. I just thought that scenery shots could have been longer, wanted to enjoy the atmosphere more.
Thanks for the input I'll be sure to add more scenery next time, just hard being outside too long when it's pushing minus 30 haha :-)
My Mitsubishi L300 Van, 1985 model still has the original alternator after 400.000 kilometers.
Haha I actually have a L300 4x4 , long story, love it though! Arguably a more reliable vehicle than the ole syncro :-)
@@JackMac I thing those t3 and t3 syncros having the engine at the back have an advantage in traction even in two wheel drive.
How have I only just seen this! Great video. The scenery looks epic! We're planning on heading that way next summer 👍
Hey Mike, nice to hear from you and sorry for the slow reply, glad you enjoyed it! As always inspired by your videos, which are superb. Let me know if you head that way, I'll be there til the end of August and will be heading back afterwards :-)
Hey Jack! I just started following you and would love to see more videos! Please post more, more often haha!
Hey Jordan thanks so much for the kind words ( I actually just posted a new one ). I really enjoy making the videos it's just my work is so time consuming that i do all my articles/video work in my free time and I get so little of that haha. I will really try and do more next year when Im back in the Arctic :-)
This is awe inspiring
Thanks buddy, glad you enjoyed it :-)
That's really cool and though experience. I'm living in french alps doing this king of stuff with my doka (lots of freeride ski touring, enduro MTB, SUP)... but never dare that!
Thanks buddy! Love the Dokas, I think they're the most versatile T3 for living on the road considering you can put a demountable camper on the back. Sounds like you're having a great time, keep it up! :-)
What about modifying the heat-source with a hose that goes up oner the comforter, wherein you just turn on the heater for 5-10 mins as needed through the night- thinking, after you are settled and enough heat is stored underweight, that your need to leave the heat on is not a compromise.. ? A thought..
Very interesting ideas, thanks for the suggestion. I fitted an all new Victron battery charging set up with two huge new leisure batteries and solar this xmas so I'm hoping that will allow me to run the petrol heater all night no issue :-). One thing I do really want to do, which is sort of linked to your point, is instal a seperate outlet to pre heat the engine in the morning!
Incredible video. Love the van. What an amazing trip. Really enjoyed watching. Just subscribed too! Ive got a few videos of my family trip to Cornwall in a VW Bay back in 2016 you might like. Not as good as your vid though I hasten to add! Nice one mate.
Hey Marcus, thank you for the kind words :-). I'm going to open them up now in a separate tab and check them out, do love the Bays!
Jack Mac aww thanks man. Don’t get to excited, they aren’t as good as yours!
Ваше видео шедевр!!! super!!!👍👍👍
Excellent trip. music was a bit much at times. I've done most of what you did, but in the spring time. Don't the Northen Light appear in late September to December? When did you make the trip?
Thank you and appreciate the feedback, always learning how to improve :-) . The Northern Lights are present from late September through to early April. :-)
Epic adventure, hats off, nice van :-)
Thanks so much Andrew :-). It's a labor of love! :-)
Jack Mac I know I have one, trying to change the glow plugs right now..ouch!
당신의 험난한 여정에 신의 축복이 함께 하기를 ~~~~!!
Just a tip. Don't idle the car to warm it. Give the engine a steady load by driving it for warming it up. Keep the rpm between 1000 - 3000. Idle is bad.
Hey buddy thanks for the advice really appreciate it, always learning. The only issue I had with the extreme cold is that the van actually won't get warm in -24 and I'd let it idle for around ten mins just to get any heat to the engine before the wind chill when mobile drove it back down. I could probably block up the side air vents in future to help the engine but it was ok after a few hours. Poor old van haha :-)
@@JackMac Actually block the whole front. You can use cardboard as a quick and cheap fix. But use it only if it's -10 or less. You can leave the side vents open. Also the usual checks for coolant to be suitable for this weather and the oil viscosity is suitable.
Small tricks for the artic. :)
@@Viskibasso Good idea, I've actually seen some of my friends with the LT MK1 4x4 do the same. I'm definitely on point with the correct coolant and I'm running Morris Multigrade 15w/40 which has performed well :-)
Idle is not bad. where do you have that from?????
Nice Video. Buddy
Thanks a lot mate :-)
I have a t25 the same colour as yours but mine looks less badass lol i need the roof rack n the back rack swing arms
Loved the filming, I thought the music was great. Would like to know the track listing?
Thanks Carl, the music is from my mates band on RUclips ' amberroomsongs ' :-)
im a truck driver in Norway and Sweden. One of our biggest problem in the winter is camper vans driving to slow. We need the speed. And yes its mostly campervans....
Interesting! I just stick to the speed limits tbh so don’t really have an opinion. I was just impressed by how fast they can travel on such slippery roads with studded tires and the like ☺️
Oo.. man... that LOTR scene at the end... i've been a few situations like that... eating what was left in the middle of nowhere... i laughed my as#$ off... (nice trip... /envy))
Haha another LOTR fan. I salute you good sir. I've been in that situation too many times, the van tends to consume my income so I consume ' MAGGOTY BREADDD '. Thanks buddy :-)
Cool video Jack 👍🏼🚐
Thanks mate :-)
Awesome I subbed up
Thanks buddy really appreciate it :-)
So cool! What’s the music? Love it !
Thanks Tony, it's my friends band Amber Room, they're on youtube ' amberroomsongs ' :-)
I have a lovely T25 1.9 Petrol hightop, and I adore it. But the Synchro is NEXT level beast! That's a beauty mate - and its a right hand drive too. RARE. How much did you pick her up for, if you don't mind me asking?
Hey mate, I'd rather not discuss the value if that's ok but what I will say is it cost me five times the initial purchase to upkeep/upgrade. The Syncro especially is expensive to maintain if you do big miles. They say that a Syncro in Europe will cost you £15,000 whether you get a rough one for £7k or a nice one for £15k....in other words if it's cheap you'll end up putting a lot in to make it reliable...I would say £20k is what it takes to have something in good shape :-)
@@JackMac No problem, and thanks for being so frank. They do strike me as money puts - mine is bad enough, but I suppose once they're in your blood you can't let em go! I'll probably just be content to watch others use them if they're that expensive! Haha! Great van though. Enjoy your time in it.
Hey Jack, love the van! Do you happen to know what type of roof rack you have. I have a high top vanagon too. Thanks!
matthew bissinger hey mate, thank you. Yes it’s made up of two Thule High Top racks and a rhino Top rack. I had to combine it all myself, but works well 🤗
Thank you! Greetings from Canada :)@@JackMac
In olden days, you would spray oil to the underside of your car. There are now better products out there. But it's a no brainer if you are traveling in a snowy place that salt their roads.
My van was undersealed but needs to be done again really. I'm having the lower sections raptor painted next week funnily enough. THanks for the tips you're so right! :-)
Sounded like a cool place to travel in my 84 Westphalia till you said -salt,
I actually found out since that they largely use artificial salt so you should be ok :-)
Love the video, hate the loudness of the music. Your heater runs on petrol or gas-oil ? And no leissure-battery ? loved it.
Thank you and appreciate the feedback. I'll be changing to more mellow stuff next time :-). Heater runs off petrol and I do run a leisure battery too :-)
Nice van same year of manufac
ture as mine
Thank you it's a constant labor of love as I'm sure you'll appreciate haha
Subscribed! Awesome stuff mate, its on my bucket list to do a snow trip up through Norway. The Syncro did well. Did you have any major breakages along the way other than the wear on the alternator? And can i ask whats the band and song in the background at the start and from 3:11 or so onwards? Stay safe and keep doing what you’re doing! Cheers mate 🤙🏻
Hey Rhys, thanks for the kind words! I'll add a load of info about the journey etc to my website www.jack-mac.com over xmas that includes some things I learnt along the way that might be worth considering if you plan a trip there :-). Yeah it's a great van, although I still get nervous before big drives whether I'll make it haha. The van was spot on, only issue was brakes actually freezing to the discs and then burning which was mad. The T3's and WBX engines are very good. However, servicing and preventative maintenance is key. Moreover, the worst part is not knowing how a vans been treated before which is why so many get a bad rep for being unreliable when in reality they've just not been serviced properly. Sure it's my mates band and they have a RUclips channel ' amberroomsongs ' :-). Thanks again and will do!
Carry a small electric heater. Truck stops , hotels, hunt around find a power point use your shoreline power cord pug in.
Hey buddy, the Eberspacher is really good in the mountains when I'm off grid ( although I just wrap up and switch it off during the night ). I do sometimes use hook up when I can get it at work, I sometimes borrow a oil radiator and that's ideal :-)
Can I ask what's the situation if you break down in these places ..is this sound track Soundgarden sounds similar
Super Geile Bilder und Video
Every one should do something like that
James Beaumont i definitely would recommend it! 😊
I'm into land rover I have 2 90 200tdi and a 197 and a disco 1 300tdi iv just got a transporter t5 high roof Iv put rock'n'roll bed in back. But its smoking its head off its getting work as we speak. Soon as its running sweet I'm doing full coast of England me and me pall its vids like yours that inspire me. But I do love the landy life we go all over in them. But if got the VW campervan bug ✌
@@jamesbeaumont1202 I'm a big fan of the Land Rovers too, a lot of my friends have them. The Syncro is a great 4x4 but it's not in the same league as a Defender in terms of off road capabilities. I'm sure some people would argue the case for the Syncro but ultimately they only come close to a Landy if they're an empty panel van with twin lockers. Love both! Have a amazing trip mate and good to hear you're focusing on servicing now! :-)
@@JackMac nice speaking to u mate. It's all about getting out and having fun just wish we could all do more big adventurers in campervan or landyies iv just done nc500 in my discovery 1 it was mint I had little trailer with 12 tubs red diesel in it lol goin Wales soon in defenders can't wait.
Nice Video, really nice shots! Whats the Name of the awesom song starts at 15:40-16.36?
Thanks so much :-). So all the songs can be found on their youtube channel ' amberroomsongs '. Great band :-)
More Van, less selfies.
Thanks for the feedback, always take it on board! 😊
@@JackMac Enjoy your vids mate. Great job
Ребята вы супер
My hat's off... WOW!
Thanks so much, the van does all the work poor thing! :-)
Where did you get the headlight protectors?
Beautiful photography. The cold makes me think of your foreskin. Weenie shrinker. I was in Jasper this last weekend. It was -19C cold but not epic cold. It’s cold for November but above zero this week. I was in the Northwest Territories years ago. Woke up to -37C in March. That’s cold driving. Vehicle didn’t heat up for an hour. 3 vehicles on 3 hours. I think people who live in Britain South or the USA think anything below zero is cold.
Have u ever been to the us??
Haha yeah it was bloody cold, got down to almost -30c at points. The van did amazing considering the temps, but like you said, it just wouldn't warm up for hours if I started driving....too much cold wind! I know we're a bunch of wimps, schools are closed when it even drops below freezing.....which was great as a kid, but kinda funny when kids in Norway are walking to school in -20!
@@kevinpearson3820 I have yes, but not in the van. I plan to though. It's just a case of timing and cost :-)
dont you have a diesel heater
Very nice video! Which Engine do you have in yout T3?
I have a standard 1.9 WBX ( currently being completely rebuilt ). The 1.9 is arguably a little better for big miles than the bigger 2.1/2.5 as it doesn't run as hot. Moreover, there's less to go wrong as its just a carb and not fuel injection :-). Thanks for the kind words!
Куда?...в такую ,,жару,,!!!Чокнутые !!!однозначно,-лайк !!!
you Need an extra battery for the heater and a charger that charges it while you drive
Yeah I only had a small leisure battery at this point. I've recently upgraded to 220 ah leisure batteries and a victron charging system that ensures the starter battery and Leisure batteries are always full :-)
What's the heater used for?
I run a Eberspacher Night heater so you're able to keep the van nice and warm with the engine off :-)
just stumbled on to your channel. wow, that looks cold. How did the drone fair in the minus temps? Also what engine are you running in the synchro? Welldone Mate. keep up the great footage.
Hey Tim, thank you :-). The drone was ok, but it did freak out a few times in -24 and not record footage. I'm running a 1.9 DG ( I'm currently rebuilding )....if serviced properly they're pretty long lived :-) Cheers man really appreciate it!
Where can one get that Make Gravel Roads hat?
These are made by a small bikepacking artist called ' Get Wild Matty '...hes on insta :-)
Jack Mac thanks dude!
I watched the clip and enjoyed it so thank you . For improvement purposes, I would suggest: cut the music out of it, demonstrate a bit more about the van’s equipment, how you have done your cooking and generally keeping warm during night time.
MrGreatpersian thanks for watching and really appreciate the constructive feedback. I make these on the side of full time work/expeditions so they’re just a bit of fun but want to improve. I’ll do another one in January and focus on these points 😊
Epic!
whats the song?
Hey buddy it's my mates band and they're on youtube ' amberroomsongs ' :-)
Brilliant
The music cutting in and out so loud is ruining this...sorry to say. If I want music I'll put on spotify...!
s oma thanks for the feedback. Definitely take all the critique on board for future videos 🙂
maybe not that well prepared if you cant keep yourself warm inside your van? Extra battery and gasoline is a must i think and i have a sleeping bag with a comfort tempreture of -18 from Thermarest look at that maybe
I thought the ice caps melted in 2013.. :)
Its certainly still very cold in the Arctic Circle but they are experiencing dramatic change, it's scary tbh.
@@JackMac It was a joke.. I am not buying the climate theory. Although to be fair to you, I used to believe it passionately.
@@jackob9658 yes it's nonsense although the climate is changing but its natural... when all the ice melts it will finally be the end of the ice age we are just finishing... it's totally natural for the cycle of the earth ... climate change is not manmade... we 've only been pumping out toxins for a hundred years or so.... that is like sniffing a cigarette and saying smoking caused your to get cancer...
Wow! 😎😎😎👍👍👍
Bravo !!!!!!!
Thank you :-)
Brother...I'm from India....I need this vw t3
Haha cheers man, amazing country!!!! :-)
what tires do you use?
I'm running BFG All Terrain. They're not the best in the snow but acceptable :-)
What is the Hightop Roofrack system you have on the van? Thank you……🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🇺🇸
Hey, this was my old rack, which was made up of two Thule Hightop racks, which were great. They come up for sale used from time to time. Best, Jack
6:40 … is it a gas or Diesel engine though? Because running diesel for just short times I think is not exactly beneficial . . .
Hey buddy, it's petrol. I have heard the same recently funnily enough. I guess the only thing is in Norway at that time of the year it is extreme around -20/25 and as soon as you get moving the wind chill just makes the temp plummet so I figure it's best to let it have at least a little time to idle and warm up before It starts hauling itself up mountains. I'm always learning of course, just seemed to make sense in such cold :-)
@@JackMac and I just found your channel, but the last video is a bit ago so I was wondering, did Corona get in between your 2020 plans? Some borders are open still...
Lukas Budde yeah it certainly did. I was back in Norway at the start of 2020 but as things worsened I returned to the UK as I wanted to quarantine with my family. The uncertainty of how long all this will last was unnerving so seemed sensible to head back to somewhere familiar 😊
I wouldn't even come out of the van
Harbour Cycles haha it was brutal at points, you couldn’t touch the exterior metal or your hand just stuck to it 😂
Great video minus the tunes 😞
Thank you and appreciate the creative feedback, I'll be changing the music next episode :-)
@@JackMac - I liked your music choices personally, you can't please everyone.
@@Sean-lv6fx Thanks John, I appreciate everyone has different tastes. I like a lot of genres but a sucker for grunge like this haha. Plus it's my mates band! :-)
Thats not salt mate, norway uses no salt. Its dirt and dust from small stones that is coming from the tires with spikes!
Haha yeah I learnt since making this video that the stuff they spread is artificial salt and I'm sure like you say a lot of that stuff is caused by spiked tyres. Thanks for the info :-)
Sorry to say, that dirt he sprays off is salt. But mostly used in and around cities. Factory undercoating is no good.
I've been all the time with the hands on my headphones volume because...loud music and tiny voice ! sorry...nice video by the way!
Sorry about this Adrian, I'm pretty new to all this . I'll definitely take this on board and improve next time :-). Thanks for the kind words!
Songs?!?!
My mates band, check out on youtube: Amber Room Songs :-)
Gotta chill with that intro.
Haha fair enough, I'll take this into consideration in my next episode and chill it out :-)
Cool video. Subscribed
Just waouh !!!
Haha thank you! :-)
Buy new Coles !!
To the bosh
💪молодцы
what happened towards the end? were you two possessed ??
Haha I'm going to say yes. That way it's not a direct reflection of my everyday mental state ha!
@@JackMac were you guys tired?
I'm always tired. But on this occasion we were doing stupid impressions from LOTR ha @@itrstt66
@@JackMac i am not that into lotr to understand it, and it sure was really funny
Lost the background music...way too LOUD.😳
Sorry about that I'll work on getting my audio levels improved :-)
What month was this ?
July
This was mid november, no snow during summer.
Wooow