Purchasing a VW Campervan changed my world..
The story of the abandoned hidden gem
One evening, I went to my dad's and stepmum's house and chatted about VW Campervans. They owned one themselves, and I mentioned I had always liked the look of them. They had a great cult and seemed to have a big following; you see them everywhere!
A friend of mine owned a VW T4. We had been out and about in his, often on camping trips. Before owning my campervan, I had a "Teardrop Caravan" called a GlampaCampa, where I also had some incredible adventures, but not many. It was a super cool-looking thing but not very practical. He towed it a few times. T4 owners, I noticed, waved to each other, driving in the opposite direction. VW campervan owners always seemed to be proud of their wagons!
I have always liked the boxy shape and how people have customised their pride and joy. A lot of them looked terrific on the road!
I must have said, "I've always wanted one!" And my dad said, "The neighbour has one on their driveway. And I have never seen it move in 10 years?!"
Naturally, this picked up my interest right away!
I said to my dad, "Please, can you ask if they want to sell it and find out about it?"
After a month or so of odd negotiations, the neighbours decided to sell it. Apart from one picture (from the back of the van) and knowing it was converted inside, with a low 36K miles on the clock and a 12 plate!), I knew nothing else but thought I needed to go for it!
It was a gamble that paid off! It needed cleaning from years of grubby paintwork andt a jump start, but luckily, it fired up the first time! The interior was in excellent condition, with bespoke leather seats and a rock-and-roll bed that smelt brand new! I doubt it had ever been slept in. This VW had money well spent on it, and everything had been thought about and designed to a very high standard. Inside and out.
There were obvious mechanical issues where it had been sat for so long. The brakes were sticking (one was stuck on). The engine went into "limp mode," presumably because the old diesel had sat in the tank for a while and had never had a good runout for years. I sorted out all the issues, and the van ran beautifully.
Things that needed to be changed/sorted before going on adventures:
*tyres (All four perished throughout the whole tread, where it had been sat.)
*Front brakes (stuck on)
*Vehicle and leisure battery (not holding any charge)
*MOT
*Service.
Little did I know that buying this little gem opened up a whole new world of friends, adventures, walking, paddleboarding, and great ideas. I have never looked back.
And I want you all to join me and this lovely life adventure.
Lew x
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