Highlights

Smart and very original UK RHD T2
Highly regarded Dormobile roof conversion
£6,000 mechanical work in 2024 including new engine
New ancillary parts and carburettor overhaul in 2024
Sympathetically upgraded with period-correct modifications
Original cab interior with rare brown floor mats
Much-loved with known history from first registration
Serviced regularly including December 2025
Current owner has invested £12,000 into the vehicle

The Appeal

Meet Mabel, the kind of VW camper that any enthusiast would surely want to meet, namely one that has been much-loved and received considerable recent investment. Since 2024 over £6,000 has been spent, including a new engine, carburettor overhaul and various key ancillaries replaced.

Finished in beige and white and sitting on lowered suspension, this is a really tidy van. The paintwork is an older respray, but the metalwork is said to be very original, with only localised welding repairs. Inside the cabin has been sympathetically upgraded by the current enthusiast keeper, including rewiring and fitting a pop top with roof windows.

The extensive history file shows regular maintenance, and we are told it has been correctly serviced, sometimes twice yearly. The last service was in December 2025. As thoughts turn to 2026 getaways, Mabel looks like a characterful addition to your plans.

The vendor says:

“I have owned other air-cooled VWs, and Mabel has been by far the best I have had the pleasure to own. I had a running joke with the VW specialist garage (NOS VW) owners I know, as I said I wanted to buy a UK van, and they said I should get a dry state US van as all the UK vans are rust buckets. They had to eat their words when I first showed them this van when we put her up on the ramps!

“Mabel is super comfortable and an original!”

History and Paperwork

First registered in UK 4th February 1969
We are told that this is an original UK-market RHD van
10 registered keepers from new
Current keeper since December 2022 according to DVLA
Vendor states that they bought the van in 2013
History of van from new is summarised below
V5C
Registered as a Historic |Vehicle
Professionally resprayed prior to current ownership we are told
Electrical certificate provided when purchased by current owners
Serviced up to twice yearly during current keeper’s tenure
Large history file including invoices for work referred to above and below
Last full service completed on 12th December 2025
Suspension work, front beam refurbishment, and front brake calipers by NOS VW since purchase
Showing 18,159 miles on a five digit odometer so may be higher
Vendor states odometer is accurate but this is not verified

The vendor says:

“I bought her from a tennis coach in Hertfordshire in 2013 who owned the van for about a year and had bought the van from a VW enthusiast friend of his whom I also met. He had the van re-sprayed professionally to tidy the paintwork, which is a shame as the OG paint was really not bad at all.

“The previous owner told me that he had bought Mabel from a member of the original owner's family, who it had been registered to members of the same family since new. Apparently, the original owner was quite wealthy and bought Mabel and a VW square back at the same time from a local VW dealership. He kept both vehicles in a coach house on his property and used the square back as his daily commuter and Mabel for family holidays.”

The Condition

Attractive van in beige and white with older respray as detailed above
We are told the bodywork is largely original with minimal welding
Welding to rear offside wheel arch and a seat belt mounting point advised by seller
Floors and chassis remain in original paint under protective wax oil we are told
Wheel arch covers present but beginning to show some age-related wear
Cargo floor treated with rust-proof paint before new interior floor installation
Paintwork in good overall condition with some age to note in photos
This includes a crack in paint to one panel as shown in photos
Bodywork presents generally well with some bubbling and age to note
Steel wheels with chrome domed hub caps showing some tarnish
Front and rear bumpers in fair condition with some age to note
Fitted with new pop top roof during current keeper’s tenure
Front small roof rack fitted
Smart and period-appropriate interior in cream and brown with recent fittings
Interior features rare original brown cab mats, reportedly irreplaceable as reproductions are only available in black
Camping electrics and 240v hook-up installed by a qualified auto electrician
Fitted with period-appropriate radio and speakers
USB outlets and sockets installed for modern convenience
Auxiliary oil temperature gauge fitted
Storage bags for removable seats as shown
£1,500 quote to refurbish door linings

The vendor says:

“Since owning Mabel, I have carried out a lot of improvements to her which are sympathetic to the original period of the van to keep her looking as original as possible. We wanted a van that had all the mod-cons and was comfortable to camp in, hence why I bought an amazing van with a terrible camping interior, which I could replace without feeling guilty of losing its originality. The cab of the van is all original, and I have never seen a more intact example, as most have replacement seats or have been modernised. Apparently, the brown cab mats are un-replaceable as they simply do not exist any more as the re-pro’s are all black. So I have kept the floor mats as they are mint and wheel arch covers which are starting to get a bit frail now. All in all this is a very genuine van which is in remarkable condition for a UK van.

“When we purchased her, we had an electrical certificate and also put in a gas case in the van. We installed in-keeping radio and speakers. Placed in an inverter to allow off-grid, along with sockets and USB outlets. Mabel also had a new engine with multiple ancillary parts put in last year. The rest of the information below was supplied when we purchased her. We carried out work on her over the years to the interior and had the pop-top fitted. I have not really done anything to the bodywork other than paint the cargo floor with a special rust proof paint before I put the new interior floor back. Pretty much all of the bodywork is original as Mabel has not had many owners from the original owner who really looked after her. The only welding that has been done to the best of my knowledge is the rear offside wheel arch and a seat belt point which I had done for a MOT. The floors & chassis are in remarkable condition and are in the original paint under the wax oil.”

The Mechanics

New 1.6 litre 4cyl air cooled engine fitted in 2024
Manual 4-speed transmission
£6,000 of engine and related work in 2024 including new ancillaries
Carburettor overhaul when engine fitted
Vendor states it is very reliable especially since the new engine installation
Suspension, front beam and front brake calipers have been replaced/refurbished
Work undertaken by VW specialist since purchase
Fitted with an inverter system for off-grid power capabilities
Regularly serviced, sometimes twice yearly
Last serviced in December 2025

The vendor says:

“NOS VW did all the work on replacing the suspension, re-furbishing the front beam and replacing the front brake callipers. I have the original receipt from the qualified auto electrician who fitted all the camping electrics and the 240V hookup up

“The van is very reliable, especially since the new engine!! During the cold, like most old vehicles, she needs love.The van has been serviced sometimes twice a year; and the last full service was completed on the 12th December 2025.”

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