Back in Black

Whilst most people convert a bus into a camper, Dave O’Brien has taken a very different route, opting for a custom interior for his T5.1 based on a Caravelle.

- DAVID ECCLES

The bus left the factory in 2011 as a Panel Van, finished in Black Magic Pearl (C9X) with the added options of electric mirrors and windows and colour coded bumpers. It had been used by a Bridgend (South Wales) TV satellite and aerial installation company before being sold on in 2016. The new owner had the side windows fitted, along with roof bars and side bars, replaced the front bumper with a Sportline version and added 20” Vito Black Alloys with 275/40/20 tyres. He also had the 2 litre TDi engine remapped to 115 bhp, giving much more oomph and pull. Unfortunately, after just six months into the project he had to move it on and Dave spotted it for sale at a West Yorkshire car sales company in. He had been looking for a T5.1 and tells us, “The van was in good order generally; there were a few marks on the side door and back doors which I suppose is to be expected on a 5 year old works van ,and the interior was basically broken ply panels and some random bits of carpet on the floor with standard twin passenger seat and driver’s seat. I had had a T4 and then a Caddy but it just didn’t feel the same as owning a Transporter so when I saw this I knew my search was over.”