Description
Matilda is a VW camper with a full engine rebuild completed. She’s been a reliable daily run-around for years, used for local trips and longer drives, though she’s had occasional quirks typical of an older VW camper.
Starter motor will need attention.
Currently no interior other than front seats.
She’s a great project for someone with tools and enthusiasm, with plenty of character and stories. Ideal for a VW lover looking for a restoration or camper project.
Used for UK and European trips
Full engine rebuild completed 2023
Plenty of body and mechanical work done over the years - I can't be more specific as I don't have the details. Matilda isn’t just a camper—she’s an experience. Sure, she’s had her quirks over the years, but don’t let that put you off: we used her as a daily run-around for years with barely a hitch. I trusted her enough to drive solo to the Midlands and Pembrokeshire without my handy VW nut husband by my side, so she’s dependable… just with a flair for dramatic stories.
Simon bought her from his brother in 2001 and spent every year since tinkering. Who knows if there’s anything original left? She’s basically Trigger’s Broom in camper form.
Over the years she’s taken us to Northern Spain and Southern France with friends (and a wet dog), breaking down occasionally—misfiring, roadside spark plug changes, distributor fixes, even the sliding door fell off. Once, in San Sebastián rush hour, the accelerator pedal detached entirely. We tied the door shut with string and kept going. Our friends gave up and caught a train to Valencia for tapas. We stayed in the rain.
Christmas 2011 brought another memorable moment: M50 motorway, 50mph, an 8-week-old baby in the back with Simon and our dog Poppy… when the rear wheel came off. I managed to coast to the hard shoulder while Simon ran down the motorway to retrieve it. Recovery arrived quickly (newborn perks!), and we bought a sensible car soon after. But Simon kept the camper—there was no chance he was letting go.
Fast forward to August 2022: driving home from France, she developed a horrible noise when changing gear. We limped into a service station near Angers and called it quits. Four months later, on Christmas Eve, she returned home on the back of a truck. She received a full engine rebuild, but the starter motor later failed, and she’s been in the garage since.
Matilda was Simon’s ongoing project, and I don’t have the skills—or the heart—that he had. She’s a project. A money pit. But also full of grit, joy, and utterly ridiculous stories. If you’ve got the tools and the heart, maybe it’s your turn to take the wheel.
