Austin's T5 Starline Bluemotion Transporter came to us as a brand new '15 plate van in need of a tidy camper conversion. We began by removing the standard-fit door cards before getting to work applying brand new light grey carpet to the walls, making sure to fit it neatly around the sliding window aperture under the seal.

As the new carpet was being applied to the walls we cut new wall panels from ply wood to cover the recesses in the walls, which would shortly house the new foil lining and plastic insulation. 

Before fitting the wall panels new electrics were installed and wired to the LED lights in the newly installed ceiling panels, which we finished in a contrasting colour to match the upholstery of the van. A new Altro vinyl floor was laid on new ply panels to add a hard-wearing, good looking finish underfoot.

Once we'd done installing the 12v power management system, fitted the carpet, and tidied up the ceiling and lighting it was time to add a touch of camper van finesse. Simon, our master joiner, built a short single-height sideboard unit so Austin could store bikes behind the front seats as well as all of those camper van necessities such as food, bedding and outdoor kit, before we added a stunning crash-tested SmartBed Evolution rock 'n' roll bed in matching 'Austin Cloth' upholstery, complete with seatbelts.

A very smart looking van, if we do say so ourselves!

Kev's yellow T4 came to us in need of some TLC. It had already been semi-upholstered at some point in its life and had two rear seats in the back, which were surplus to requirements.

Underneath the existing carpeting and lining the van was in need of some love, however. We began by removing the seats, old carpet and ply lining and set about treating the metal work on the walls and floor of the van to remove any rust, fill any holes and give it a general clean and tidy.

Once done we set about applying the self-adhesive foil lining to the metal work (this creates a barrier against moisture, reflects heat and prevents condensation build up on the bodywork, which leads to rust) before adding new insulation consisting of recycled plastic bottles - very economical and environmentally conscious!

The van was then re-carpeted using a lighter coloured material on the ceiling in order to add some contrast and give a lighter space. The walls and barn doors were finished with a charcoal carpet and the floor was treated to a new hard-wearing vinyl covering over the ply.

We're pleased to say that Kev was very happy with the results, especially as he was on a tight schedule:

"Cheers looks fab, thanks for continuing through adversity to get sorted!"

John's own van conversion (all his own work, of course) has just come back from our paint shop with its fancy-looking painted bumpers to match the original body colour.

The comments over on our Facebook page suggest that he should have done it long ago, but he's always working on someone else's van, bless him.

If you're looking for a high quality finish to your van's bodywork then please get in touch. This is also a great way to improve the look and value of your camper!

For more information and help with van bodywork please visit our Bodywork page.