Description
This beautifully maintained VW Type 2 (T1) Camper was originally delivered to Houston, Texas, as an 8-seater Deluxe Microbus. Although little is known about its early years in the United States, a Certificate of Title shows it was registered to a Mr. N. Howard in San Diego in 1990. The vehicle was then exported from Los Angeles to Antwerp, Belgium, in 2002 before making its way to the UK in 2004.
Upon arrival in the UK, minor work was carried out to secure an MOT and UK registration, which was finalised in early 2005. Over the following years, the camper was carefully maintained and eventually purchased by a passionate enthusiast in 2010, none other than former Gladiators contestant Dean Hart. During his ownership, the camper was extensively upgraded and transformed. Mr. Hart commissioned improvements such as refinished paintwork, a functional ‘Safari’ front windscreen, rear pop-out frames, JBW wheels, Samba trim, and new chrome fittings, among other enhancements. By late 2011, it was reportedly in "A1 condition," according to correspondence with his insurer.
Mr. Hart enjoyed the camper for several years, covering an additional 5, 000 miles before embarking on further mechanical upgrades. In 2018, he enlisted the renowned VW specialists Fellows Speed Shop to perform a highly sought-after Subaru 2. 0 engine conversion. Alongside the engine upgrade, Porsche 944 disc brakes and four-pot Wilwood calipers were fitted to handle the significant boost in performance. This extensive work, costing over £10, 000, completely transformed the driving experience, enabling the camper to keep pace comfortably with modern traffic while offering equally impressive braking capability.
After the upgrades, the camper covered a few thousand more miles before I purchased it in 2021. Since then, it has been sparingly used, clocking just over 1, 500 miles. In May 2024, we retrieved the camper from storage for an event in June. Prior to this, it was serviced by the highly respected classic vehicle specialists at JWORX, where any little niggles were addressed and sorted. They noted that the engine conversion had been done to an incredibly high standard and that Fellows Speed Shop had done some really clever engineering to allow the car to be water cooled. It needs to be said the condition of the car is reflected in the photos, the car remains solid underneath thanks to the majority of its life living in the dry climate of Texas and California however, to bring the car back to the A1 condition it’ll need touching up in areas.
We have cherished our time with this iconic vehicle, but with other commitments taking priority, it no longer feels right to leave it in storage, unused. With the 75th anniversary of the Type 2 being celebrated at this year’s Goodwood Revival, it's the perfect opportunity for the camper to be part of what promises to be the largest gathering of Split Screens ever.
