For the last three years, Lee Porter and his team at JC Vans have been busy converting new wave Vans into go-anywhere, do-anything Campers. We catch up with them to see how things have changed in that time
Working as a fire fighter at a gold mine in the Sahara Desert, Lee Porter worked shifts – six weeks on, three weeks off. In one of those spells at home, he decided to convert his VW Van into a Camper. When he sold it and built another one, word started to spread amongst friends what a noteworthy job he was doing in the garage on the side of his house.
That’s when people started calling him to have basic jobs like windows and carpet lining done. Not long after that, fire fighting was but a distant memory and JC Vans was born, in an 800sq.ft workshop that could squeeze two Vans in.
Having learnt CAD in a previous job as a signwriter, and with an engineering background, Lee was well placed to broaden the range of services he offers and, a year and a half later, moved to new premises double the size. The company outgrew those in less than a year, and now JC Vans is sitting pretty in a lush, 5,500sq. ft workshop.
There’s a definite in-house spirit to JC that means paintwork is the only job the company farms out. Now a Pendle Performance agent, and with a MaHa rolling road on the way, things show no sign of slowing down on the south coast…
VWt: Hi Lee, how’s it going? It’s been a couple of months since we popped down, keeping busy we trust?
LP: Always busy James, always busy. Occasionally, the workshop seems to calm down and we see a bit of space in there, then the next day it’s full up again! I’m not complaining as we love to be busy, and it’s really good for business, but it would be nice to be able to stop and sweep the floor every so often.
As we now have larger premises, we have started to buy used, low mileage stock Campers to convert and sell on our forecourt. We are delivering one to Exeter on Friday and then will head straight up to Bridge water Van Centre to pick up a brand new one up on
This story is from the Issue 52 edition of VWt Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Issue 52 edition of VWt Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Cinema paradiso
VisionTech Automotive is well known for its high-end Camper conversions, but a mobile cinema is a new one from the Essex boys
High Impact
When the wonderfully named Kevin Snuggs wanted a Van to double up as a work promo vehicle and family Camper, only a T5 would do
Altitude adjustment
Hi VWt, I wanted to share my pride and joy with you.
The big 3-0-0
Not too many people start with a horsepower figure when they begin a Van conversion, but James Sharp wanted something different out of his Transporter
3-day itch
Building promo Vans is a joy. You get to create what you want to showcase your vision. For a short while…
On the road again
A couple of months ago we were involved in an unfortunate incident. This month we’re happy to say it’s all fixed and looking good
Making Memories
Naming your Camper conversion business after a part of the brain might not sound very sexy, but when it’s the part that deals with motivation and memory, it starts to make more sense
Pete's meat
This isn’t our first rib rodeo, but here’s an alternative method of pre-BBQ prep for equally delicious baby back ribs`
Letting off steam
When the missus announced she was heading for a university visit with our eldest, Oscar and I decided to put the two-berth T5 through its paces in north Norfolk
System PORSCHE
If VW and Porsche worked together on a T6 we suspect it would have a little more power but, looks-wise, we reckon Jamie Colley has nailed it
