Beloved of hippies, full of character and very resilient, VW camper vans are currently enjoying a revival – and one Irish business is breathing new life into the old panel van, writes PADDY COMYN
BEFORE YOU rush out to buy that people carrier, stop for a second. You could spend €25,000 or more on one of the mainstream brands: the Ford S-Max, Toyota Corolla Verso and Peugeot 5008 are all superb vehicles, with sophisticated engines, more airbags than there are occupants – and they are all entirely free of character or charm.
What if you decided to spend that money on a remastered piece of history? The Volkswagen Type 2, officially known as the Transporter, was a panel van introduced in 1950 as a second car model to the Beetle.
The first generation of the Type 2, with the split windshield, sometimes called the Microbus, was produced between 1950 and 1967. The second-generation was introduced in late 1967 and was built in Germany until 1979.
The second-generation lost its split windshield and was larger and heavier than its predecessor. Over the years, these cars became synonymous with freedom. They were embraced by the hippie generation and became homes for generations of young people trying to find themselves.
In a small shed in an industrial estate in Rathcoole, Co Dublin, new life is being breathed into these historic vehicles. Joe McLoughlin started Cosy Classics five years ago after visiting Australia.
“Myself and my now wife went to Australia around eight or nine years ago and drove it around there for the guts of 30,000km. The guy we bought it from had done the interior conversion himself. I thought this was the best thing ever, so I said if I was ever in the position to start a business this is what I would do.”
McLaughin’s first car was a 1973 Volkswagen Beetle, so he had caught the bug, so to speak, early. “I bought it for £800, I stripped it in my mother’s driveway and it was never the same again. I sold it for £200.”
McLaughlin has a degree in social science and has worked in childcare in the past, so had no formal training as a mechanic. However, working in the building trade later gave him a lot of skills, including carpentry skills, that proved useful. His firm now employs mechanics, upholsterers and people to do bodywork.
We visit on a busy day. One of the mechanics is cursing in a South African accent at the back of a beautiful Karmann Ghia. “Damn DIY work,” he grumbles as he attempts to put right someone’s home-tinkering job on the beautiful car.
This isn’t a clinical, shiny-tooled work place. There is industry going on here, with sparks flying from a welder and McLaughlin barely audible above the sound of grinding metal. McLaughlin went from originally just buying and selling the vehicles, making a profit where possible, to eventually rebuilding them. “Over five years I’d say 80-100 vehicles have gone through our hands but it’s been fewer since we started rebuilding them. In the case of a full restoration I’d say eight to 10 vehicles a year would be about it.”
The vehicles are usually sourced from “rust-free environments”, such as California in the United States. It takes about six to nine months for a full restoration and the results are remarkable. We sit in a beautifully restored example, which has a double bed, sink, fridge and a cooker. Buyers can sit down and customise every detail, from the exterior colour to the upholstery and equipment. Modern conveniences such as satellite navigation and a tracker can be added too.
McLaughlin started the business when Ireland had a booming economy and there was plenty of disposable income around. It is difficult these days? “When I started, I had no customer base, I had no experience, so I didn’t know an awful lot about the vehicles. As time has passed the number of customers has grown,” he explains. “What we do has become better. The downturn has affected us, but because of what we do, we are busy, thank God.”
So who are the customers willing to spend €25,000 or more on a vehicle that, charming though it might be, prefers to cruise at below 100km/h at all times? “If people were thinking with their heads or thinking practically, nobody would ever buy one of these vans, but they buy them because they are so attractive and have such heritage. My main customers are families with young children or young couples who are thinking about the future and are holidaying both in Ireland and abroad. Having bought the vehicle they can then have a holiday on wheels and don’t have to pay for accommodation or food.”
The road tax on VW campers is €48 per year. Insurance is €330 per year. It is cheap motoring. You won’t get the type of fuel economy that you get in a modern vehicle but you won’t be in a hurry anyway.
How long does it take to restore these vehicles? “I don’t like to think about how many hours it takes. It takes way more than I am charging for,” says McLaughlin.
If you want one, a fully finished, four-berth camper, with new paint, full new mechanics, rebuilt engines, all new brakes and suspension will cost you around €25,000. Most owners tend to keep them for life, but if you do want to get rid of it, you can expect unmatched residuals.
“I offer people a guaranteed 75 per cent buy-back on any of the vehicles that I sell,” says McLaughlin. Ask for that from your local dealer when buying your next new car and watch the colour drain from his face.
All the buyer really needs, apart from the money to pay for it, is patience. A typical build will take “six to nine months”, so plan ahead if you want one in time for next year.