First trip - Tick

[joncorry]

A friends birthday camping weekend was the perfect opportunity for us to try out the camper for the first time. Now, we’re not complete newbies having owned campers for 15 years and having converted 24 T5/T6’s and restored 2 T3 Westfalias (Atlantic & California) and having the joy of a Karnann Colorado 600 (yes it‘s lush).

Our T5 California is a 2009 SE in reflex silver and has the auto box which I think suits camper travel quite nicely. The 120 mile drive down the M6 was painless (as a trip down the M6 can be) and the aircon front and rear was superb for my wife and our 3 hounds.

Set up was nice and quick but I managed to snap one of the awning leg locking levers (new one ordered) but it snapped in the locked position so no real drama.

Observations from the first nights sleep; downstairs even with an ikea mattress topper is bloody uncomfortable but upstairs was great. New 5cm mattress topper is on order. The fridge is great and as we had hook up, I managed to freeze a bottle of coke but the gin was lovely and chilled!

I chucked one of the solar camper solutions 100w kits on it on Friday in less than 25 mins and that should keep the leisure battery topped up nicely when we dont have hook up.

Future improvements will be drawers for the kitchen cupboards as our shelves are missing and having stuff just stuffed in simply doesn‘t cut the mustard. Aside from that, it’ll make a nice little camper for the trips where we need something a little smaller than the Colorado.

 

[kurienp]

converted 24 T5/T6’s and restored 2 T3 Westfalias (Atlantic & California)

Now of all things in that post - this above caught my attention. Sounds very interesting. If you don't mind, please do enlighten us more

PS: Agree with all you've said on the post - the beauty of the Cali is the "effortless-ness" esp with the auto 'box.

Enjoy your adventures.

 

[joncorry]

Now of all things in that post - this above caught my attention. Sounds very interesting. If you don't mind, please do enlighten us more

PS: Agree with all you've said on the post - the beauty of the Cali is the "effortless-ness" esp with the auto 'box.

Enjoy your adventures.

Well the Camper conversions started as the first camper we bought was already converted but didn’t really tick the boxes of what was needed but it did really start the journey for us. I got to meet lots of folk from the VW community, many of whom either fitted pop tops or supplied conversion materials so I thought I’d have a go at building our next one.

We started a rental business called RentaKampa and hired two T5’s out for a while but wound it up when we found they were coming back damaged more often than not. I then just built a few vans a year as a hobby to keep me out of the pub! Each one was better than the last one in terms of components and stuff I’d learned on how ergonomic I could make it.
In the end, despite the demand, I just didn’t want to build them anymore.

The Westy restorations has been both painful and expensive as the parts are hard to source, especially post brexit. The Atlantic is awaiting its second paint job as the first was, and I’ll be polite here, poor… It’s just the wait to find a decent painter with a slot and a booth big enough for it. However a chance meeting to collect an awning strip from another forum member may have helped with that, watch this space!

 

[kurienp]

Well the Camper conversions started as the first camper we bought was already converted but didn’t really tick the boxes of what was needed but it did really start the journey for us. I got to meet lots of folk from the VW community, many of whom either fitted pop tops or supplied conversion materials so I thought I’d have a go at building our next one.

We started a rental business called RentaKampa and hired two T5’s out for a while but wound it up when we found they were coming back damaged more often than not. I then just built a few vans a year as a hobby to keep me out of the pub! Each one was better than the last one in terms of components and stuff I’d learned on how ergonomic I could make it.
In the end, despite the demand, I just didn’t want to build them anymore.

The Westy restorations has been both painful and expensive as the parts are hard to source, especially post brexit. The Atlantic is awaiting its second paint job as the first was, and I’ll be polite here, poor… It’s just the wait to find a decent painter with a slot and a booth big enough for it. However a chance meeting to collect an awning strip from another forum member may have helped with that, watch this space!



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Wow! love that @joncorry . Awesome. that is hardcore stuff. Love to hear more stories ... and thank you for sharing.