Custom Caravette

I first photographed Andrew and Sam’s bus way back in 2014 when they won an award at the Bus Stop VW Show, since then the bus has undergone an amazing refurb and it was a pleasure to meet up with them and their son Ben again for this shoot.

- DAVE WARREN / DAVID ECCLES

The story starts back in 2011 and Andrew recalls, “On August the 2nd 2011 I clicked “buy it now” on an eBay advert for a campervan, based on a handful of pics. I knew nothing about them at all apart from I liked the look of them. The collection went great until I braked for my first roundabout and scared myself half to death. A steep learning curve on how to drive a classic followed!”

The bus is a 1969 Early Bay Devon Deluxe, a UK RHD conversion that from the paint code was originally finished in Pastel White and first registered in June that year. However, when Andrew brought the Bus it sported a Fiat metallic red/matt black paint finish, which had clearly been done some time ago and now had the usual rust bubbles coming through in various places. Andrew did the best he could at patching up the bus and immediately started a savings pot for full body restoration and respray (though it would be seven years before this was done!).

A replacement 1641cc twin port engine with Engle cams had been fitted in back in 2005 by BBT engines, which certainly gave the bus plenty of additional power, and Andrew mated this to a JK stainless steel quiet pack exhaust to give the bus, named ‘Merlot’, even more power and sound cool.