Review: VW Camper – The Inside Story (ideal Xmas gift!)
Few things evoke happy memories and the thought of better times to come than a VW campervan. This iconic vehicle has now been around for 69 years, during which many converters and travellers have done their best to develop the ultimate conversion.
The long evolution of the VW campervan is covered in depth in the new third edition of VW Camper – The Inside Story, by well-known ‘van expert David Eccles.
VW Camper – The Inside Story contains over 200 pages, each of which is filled with photos and descriptions of VW camper conversions. David bought his first VW camper in 1976 and in his day job is the editor of VW Camper and Commercial magazine – his passion and expertise is evident throughout this book.
The story start in 1951 and has been brought up to date in 2020, so it includes every model of van from the split-screen T1 through to the current T6-based VW California.
The book is organised by converters and includes a total of 45 companies. These include legendary converters such as Westfalia, Bilbo’s, Dormobile and Reimo, along with many other brands that have now faded into history.
Who should buy this book?
Anyone who’s interested in VW campervans will be able to spend hours leafing throught this book. It’s pure eye candy — sourcing the photos must have been a labour of love.
More seriously, if you’re thinking about converting or restoring a VW van, especially an older model, then I’d consider this essential reading. It tells the story of how small van conversions have evolved and provides photos and details of pretty much every conversion layout that’s ever been tried. You might be surprised at how many alternatives there are to the classic VW side conversion isn’t the only choice – I was.
Whatever generation of van you’re buying, the information in this book should help you achieve an authentic but usable conversion.
In short, the latest update to this classic book brings it right up to date and is as good as previous editions. Highly recommended – and the ideal Christmas gift for the camperfan in your life!
Book details
Title: VW Camper – The Inside Story, by David Eccles (3rd Edition)
Publisher: The Crowood Press
ISBN: 978 1785007613
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the author for the purposes of this review. I was not required to write a positive review.Links marked with (eBay⇒) or (Amazon⇒) are affiliate links. This means I get paid a small commission if you buy something after clicking on the links. This money helps to pay for the running of the website.