1975 Volkswagen T2 Westfalia Camper

Nicknamed ‘Moby’, this is a genuine Westfalia Campmobile conversion that has spent the best years of its life in the mid-western states of America, a happy state of affairs that has left it remarkably well preserved.

A left-hand-drive model, it was first sold by Tony Romero to a chap in the town of Mechanicsburg in Pennsylvania. Almost 33 years later to the month, it was imported by a Mr. Kirton, who remains the VW’s only UK owner.

With an indicated 94,000 miles on the clock, we think the Campmobile’s condition is more in line with a vehicle that has covered only a third of that mileage; still only very lightly patinated and fitted with five seatbelts, it would make the ideal family transport for beach holidays in the UK later in this troubled year, or would suit an adventurous couple for longer-term jaunts further afield.

The Clementine Orange paintwork is delightfully period and in great shape. Wonderfully offset by the white wheels, bumpers and roof, few colours are more cheery - or photogenic, for the Instagrammers amongst you. Panel fit is very good, and the doors all open and close easily. Its life has clearly been an easy one.

The trademark, rear-hinged Westfalia roof opens and closes easily, and the fabric sides are in a good condition thanks to having been replaced shortly after Mr. Kirton bought it. It’s a well-proven system, giving security with the roof closed and significantly more headroom when it is open, making the camper much easier to get changed in, or to cook in. Raising and lowering it is easy, and a one-person job.

The pop-up roof also provides another extra double bed; used in conjunction with the rear seat, which converts into a double bed, the campervan could sleep four adults, or a family of two adults and three smaller children. The front of the ‘van’s roof is fixed, and serves as a roof rack for the storage of extra equipment and gear outside.

We’ve spent a long time crawling under and over it and haven’t yet found a single rust bubble. Sure, it’s obviously had some paint in the past, and some of the panel colours don’t match exactly (the nearside sliding door is an example of this) but it’s utterly solid and free of all the usual rot, which makes it almost unique in our experience. It is also missing the usual wibbles and wobbles that we were starting to think were ‘standard’ on the flanks of these buses…

As a rock-solid base for further work it will take some beating, and while you could spend a lot more on buying a restored example, you’d need to do your homework to make sure you weren’t buying a tarted-up dog; the rising market and growing interest in classic VW campervans means there are an awful lot of sharks out there circling and ready to take advantage of the unwary. So, we think the smart money should go on buying a solid, unmolested original example with the odd car-park dink and stonechip and then fettle as you enjoy it.

The steel wheels are fitted with huge, domed chrome hubcaps and they’re shod with whitewall tyres, all of which have good tread.

The front steel bumper is straight, true and in great shape, while the rear is almost as good bar the odd ripple and small patch of rust.

Aside from the rear bumper, the only issue we can see is the offside mirror, which is a bit loose and wobbles. That that is the extent of the work that is required is remarkable given the model’s propensity to rust.

The black plastic dashboard is in an amazingly good condition, being free of the sort of cracks and damage that they’re prone to. Even the original ‘pop-top’ warning sticker is still in place sitting below the, frankly gorgeous, factory-fitted twin-spindle radio, and while the latter doesn’t appear to work, there are plenty of specialists out there who could restore it for you if you wanted period-correct crackly radio to accompany you on your travels.

The huge, almost flat steering wheel is present and correct and in good shape, the front headlining is taut and clean, and the seats are still firm and supportive, even if the covers have wrinkled a little over the years. The door cards are fabulous too, and wear their years as lightly as the rest of the interior.

The rear rock-and-roll seat/bed is trimmed in the same orange plaid fabric as the front seats, and is fitted with two three-point shoulder belts and a central lap belt.

Remarkably, even the upholstered stool is still present. These tend to go missing over the years as they aren’t bolted down, so to see this one still present and in great shape will be a real bonus for all you Westfalia fans out there. Toning curtains give the occupants some privacy, and orange cushions add a nice touch.

The sink unit, which is fitted on the nearside behind the driver’s seat, has a stainless-steel bowl and a single tap. A 12-volt pump supplies cold water from the specially shaped plastic water tank located underneath that uses every spare inch to accommodate as much water as possible. The sink unit’s wooden carcass and veneer trim have weathered the years well, and are in a good condition.

The two-burner ‘Trav’ler’ gas stove sits on the offside behind the front passenger’s seat, and while it might give only basic cooking facilities you’re going to be cooking outside when the weather’s good anyway, aren’t you?

The unit that houses it - and the small electric fridge - matches the sink unit, and is in a similarly good condition. Cleverly, a small table folds out from it to give an al fresco food prep area - or somewhere to place you G&T as you watch the sun go down…

The gas tank is underslung and safely out of the way; we haven’t tested any of the gas system and would recommend getting it serviced and certified as being safe before using it. As a bonus, it looks like it can be refilled from the LPG pump on a garage forecourt, which makes it the cheapest method of cooking possible - bar a wood fire, of course.

A swing-away table in the rear offers a place to work and eat, while mesh-covered rear windows offer bug-free ventilation during hot weather.

A split-charge electrical system gives you an off-grid electrical supply without the risk of running down the engine’s starter battery and an external plug-in power point has also been fitted for use when you’re staying on a campsite that provides power.

The carpets are good, and lifting them shows bright, clean metal floors without even the slightest trace of rust. Nor are there signs of water ingress or damp, either from the pop-up roof or condensation from its time being cooked, slept, and generally lived in.

The T2 is thought to be fitted with the same 1.8-litre, air-cooled American-market petrol engine it left the factory with. It starts well, and runs and drives as it should. More of a vehicle to potter around in, the engine is famously long-lived and reliable and plenty torquey enough to pull you all along at a decent lick once it’s wound up. The gearchange is fine, but not like a modern ‘box; to paraphrase Morecombe & Wise ‘you can select all of the right gears, just not necessarily in the right order’.

The engine bay is very neat and tidy bar a stray green wire. Still, tidying that up would be a moment’s work and reap an almost instantaneous improvement.

The underside is clean and neatly undersealed, an important move to protect it against road salt and other contaminants. This work, which was done as a precautionary measure by Mr. Kirton when the car was imported in 2008, is standing up well to the British climate, and was supplemented by injections of Waxoyl behind every body panel at the same time. There’s a reason why those sills, door bottoms and panels look as solid as they do.

Moby’s MOT runs out in March 2021, and was gained with no advisory points. The online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever and the campervan comes with a number of expired MOT certificates plus a sheaf of invoices and bills in a file to confirm the recent work that has been done to it while it has been in the UK.

It also comes with the original owner’s handbook for the vehicle as well as a separate handbook for the ‘Campmobile’ element. It also still has the instruction manual for the cooker and the original service history booklet. Moby was also the subject of a magazine article, and a copy of that article is included in the sale.

It is correctly registered with the DVLA as a motor caravan and an historic vehicle.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to the very highest standard.

NB. We know that many of you will be limiting your social exposure over the coming days and weeks, so please give us a call and we can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like us to concentrate on. Or, even better, contact us with your mobile number and we can set up a WhatsApp video call, where you can direct us in real-time.

There has been a resurgence of interest in classic campervans recently, partly fueled by nostalgia but mainly because they’re so practical; this example is stuffed full of clever little features that maximize the space available to give sensible living and sleeping space for up to five people in a tiny footprint.

That practicality makes itself felt in other areas too; as a much-sought after genuine Westfalia T2 campervan it has probably finished depreciating, which might make the cost of ownership much more reasonable than you think given that there is always a strong market for genuine, well-cared-for examples - and this one is as good as any we’ve seen.

They’re also tough and reliable and can be repaired by a chimpanzee with a multitool and a hammer, an important consideration if you intend to wander off the beaten track and away from the main dealer network.

As to what it is worth, we think this one will sell for between £17,000 and £20,000, which is staggeringly good value: Remember, the true cost of owning a vehicle can only be accurately measured after you’ve sold it, and we’d be surprised if it didn’t return a small profit in the long-term given regular servicing and a modicum of care.

As a left-hand-drive example, we can see that it will attract interest from Europe as well as domestically. With this in mind, we would remind bidders that we are happy to facilitate a one-to-one video call to demonstrate the vehicle, and the vendor has stated that he can arrange delivery to a European port of your choice, or even  Europe-wide delivery at very competitive rates.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; in these more difficult times we are recommending a thorough inspection of the gallery. Please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.