This Immaculate VW T1 Pickup Resto-Mod is a Camper That’s Ready for Anything
Have you ever seen a VW camper with a king-sized bed and a heated floor before? Didn’t think so.
VW T1 Transporters may be cute, but they often meet only the barest minimums for what you can call a camper. They could be made so, so much more comfortable, as shown by this no-expenses-spared 1961 VW T1 camper that's supposed to have taken 10 years to build. It just so happens that it's also up for sale, for a price that could still get you a home in some cheaper parts of the country.
Currently listed for sale on Facebook is a VW T1 camper that has been the subject of a ground-up resto-mod alongside its conversion into a camper. It's baked on a "Doka," or an abbreviation for the German word for a crew-cab pickup, Doppelkabine. Where its flatbed once was, however, is now a king-size bed, enclosed in a camper shell with a pop-up roof.
The camper is equipped with everything one could want on the go, and then some. Its Porsche-sourced front seats can rotate to face a living area outfitted with a fridge, LED lighting, Bluetooth speakers, multiple USB chargers, and a heated floor, all powered by dual 12-volt car batteries. Every last one of its windows opens, and they're double-glazed for better insulation, while roller screens and blackout curtains offer privacy. On the outside is a kitchen beneath a canopy, along with gas and power hookups. No word on a privy, but that roof rack can surely fit a shovel and some toilet paper.
Much of the same care has been applied to the VW's mechanicals, which are headlined by a larger-displacement engine at 2.4 liters. The flat-four is slightly augmented by dual Weber carburetors, a stainless steel exhaust, and an external oil cooler. It's not clear how much power it makes, but it's certainly not enough to overcome its four-wheel disc brakes, much less damage the van's "overhauled" four-speed manual transmission.
Because modern amenities packaged with vintage style is gentrification in a nutshell, one needn't be told this van is priced like a Denver gastropub burger. The seller is asking $100,000—and remember, this van is still powered by an air-cooled engine that might not make the speed limit on our nation's fastest highways. If that's not a deal-breaker, or you just feel like window-shopping, you can see this camper in person on Saturday at OCTO Fest 2022 in Long Beach, California. It might be your last guaranteed chance to lay eyes on it, as it's not hard to imagine this VW going to a new home that same day.
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