Volkswagen T2 Camper

The vehicle seems to drive well and pulls strongly enough. The 1.6-litre engine means that this VW will touch 60mph eventually. No-one ever bought one of these for their handling, but this example seems well set-up. The steering doesn’t feel sloppy and the brakes are reassuring, bringing the VW to a stop readily and in a straight line. The clutch shows no signs of wear, the gearchange is a little clunky but engages precisely enough, and there are no nasty creaks or rattles.

BODYWORK CHECK

Much money has been spent here, with a new front panel, replacement front wheelarches and rear corners added. There is evidence of filler in the side panels, some rippling and a small amount of orange peel paint. All looks perfectly acceptable unless you go in for a detailed scrutiny. The owner is a professional bodywork repairer and has resprayed the vehicle to an acceptable if (even by his own admission) not perfect standard, and the front bumper is black rather than the white this T2 would’ve left the factory with. The chassis rails show a couple of small welding patches but look extremely sound, and the floor appears to be in excellent order. The sills have received some welding too, but all looks solid. It’s fitted with Minilite wheels clad with new Federal tyres.

HOW’S THE INTERIOR?

This T2 looks great inside, if not quite how VW intended. The Saab-sourced front seats are extremely comfortable, and are in good condition, and behind is a further seat from a Chrysler Grand Voyager. Four original front seats are part of the sale, which could make two good ones. Further storage for overnight accomodation is included, along with a neat sofa-cum-bed and two bunk beds. All are in good order, as is the headlining, original floor covering around the cab area and recently-fitted carpeting. There are stick-on panels to go over the windows if you are sleeping in the vehicle. Most importantly, the roof elevates as it should, the mechanism working properly and there are no leaks. All instruments function as intended and there’s a Bluetooth Bush sound system.

UNDER THE BONNET

Running in is needed for the recently fitted reconditioned engine, after which it may need a final tune. A four-branch ‘quiet’ manifold has been installed, along with a K&N air filter and electronic ignition. The engine bay looks extremely clean.

THE CCW VIEW

On one level the filler in some panels and non-originality might put you off, but the vehicle is great value, looks smart and appears very solid. There’s not a lot of service history but the camper seems to be excellent mechanically – although we confess to not testing its gas cooker facilities! Nick Larkin