VOLKSWAGEN T2 CAMPER
Year of manufacture 1978 Recorded mileage 72,000
Asking price £27,995 Venue Arun Ltd, Pulborough, West Sussex; 01798 874477; arunltd.com
WHEN IT WAS NEW Price £1459 (Devon Moonraker, 1972) Max power 67bhp (all figs for 1970cc) Max torque 101lb ft 0-60mph c20 secs Top speed 81.5mph Mpg 25
For just one month I’m stealing art ed Cogman’s role of advocating beige VWS. It really isn’t a colour I can usually get on board with, but I am prepared to make an exception in this case. And if I think of it as ‘putty grey,’ all the better.
It’s been a weird 18 months or so, and with international travel still in doubt and staycations very much in vogue, why not holiday in style with a T2 VW camper? My view is doubtless skewed by the fact that I’m writing this as my little corner of England is enjoying day after day of gorgeous, sunny weather, making an on-the-road, outdoor lifestyle all the more appealing. A few days of cold and rain might make me revert to bricks and mortar. I’ve got form, though, having grown up caravanning and driven a Toyota Proace camper conversion to Le Mans, much to the displeasure of my other half, one of his many complaints being the lack of space. Maybe I can charm him with the obvious classic seductiveness of this T2, which also has a pop-up roof – voilà, instant headroom! That’s the problem with tall people…
This ’ 78 ‘bay window’ camper is described by vendor Arun Ltd as being in fabulous condition and ‘amongst the very best available in today’s market’ – which account for that whopping price-tag. For that you get a recently replaced 1750cc engine, which alone cost £3000. Inside, the striped facing seats can be converted into a rock-and-roll double bed, and with two further bunks in the pop-top this is, believe it or not, a four-berth. Add an awning and you could up that capacity yet further. When it’s time for the morning fry-up, the kitchen has a two-burner gas hob, fridge and the classic sink with fold-down tap. Central heating for when the nights close in should keep you cosy, while the carbon monoxide alarm is good for peace of mind. There’s also 12V/240V hook-up.
It’s easy to picture the adventures this classic camper has already enjoyed in its 72,000 miles, and to imagine adding more yourself. And this van is sold with a chunky history file, so you can see how it’s been cared for to date.
There’s surely never been a better time to be inspired to explore the hidden gems closer to home, and with this family classic you can do it in serious style, too. Fancy a dry run? Arun Ltd also has a strawberries-and-cream-coloured left-hand-drive example you can hire, to see if you enjoy the lifestyle.