Fresh-food seller Matthew’s car history is an interesting mix of classic and modern classic

VOLKSWAGEN TYPE 2 (BAY WINDOW) CAMPER

‘Bought from a friend, who’d left it on his driveway to rot, for £600. Had the sills done, sprayed it Rover Cream and Black, fitted BRM wheels and a cream-and-black check interior. Upgraded 2.0-litre flat-four engine on twin Weber carburettors and a big Thunderbird exhaust meant everyone in my street hated me. Got married in it, family holidays, etc – perfect.’

ALFA ROMEO GTV V6

‘I was looking for a VW Corrado or a Porsche 944, when my barber said I should try a GTV; initially I considered a 2.0-litre until I drove the V6 and I had to have it just for the glorious noise – standout styling is a bonus. Now for sale at £4k to make way for another project.’

MAZDA MX-5 MKI

‘A recent buy for just £900, it wasn’t even listed for sale. I got chatting to a gardener at a restaurant I deliver to, said I fancy one and he said he was about to reluctantly put it up for sale. He wanted £1100, but I knocked him down and it’s now a project for my son Ben and I. It’s his starter for car shows and tuning.’

VOLKSWAGEN SCIROCCO GT2

I’ve always had a Scirocco thing; my first car was a Scala, then I had a GT. This was my last one, and came up for sale on the market where I work – it cost a couple of hundred quid. I loved it, bit of a bird-puller and, as it wasn’t an XR2 or XR3, a little bit more exclusive. Not particularly fast, but sounded great and handled beautifully.