What came to be affectionately known to many South Africans as the Volkswagen Microbus was marketed as the Transporter in Europe and the Vanagon in North and South America, but regardless of name, one thing was shared the world over – the van promised practical simplicity like none other.
To many, motorhome versions of the T3 Generation of Volkswagen’s people mover was the basis for many a family holiday and memories of going to incredible places, slowly. Global motorhome sales have increased of late, perhaps due to the pandemic, and families seem more comfortable with the idea of exploring the wilderness than ever before.
The idea of restoring an old campervan might appeal to some, and Vaan Design Co. give us a taste of what this could look like with their rendition of the venerable T3 Vanagon/Micorbus/ Transporter.
Sporting a perfectly ‘80s bronze beige metallic exterior and contrasting fixed high-top roof, this example also benefits from modern delights such as LED lighting and a few off-road goodies.
Where things start to get interesting, however, is under the, erm, bonnet or in this case, the boot. As with an original example, this VW is fitted with a horizontally opposed four-cylinder motor, however this unit is sourced from Subaru, being a naturally aspirated 2,5-litre EJ25 as one might find under the bonnet of a Subaru Legacy or Legacy Outback and good for 120 kW or so and 220 N.m, far more than what the blocky travel companion was originally fitted with and likely far more reliable, too.
The van’s delightful cabin features a kitchen, a sink, two beds, some hidden tables and a toilet with a lithium-ion battery responsible for powering the home, charged either via the motor while the vehicle is running, 180W worth of solar panels or simply by plugging the battery into a wall unit.
Does this sort of conversion and travel appeal to you? The added power and reliability would definitely be a plus considering the long travel distances in South Africa and of course, the broad choice of possible destinations means that the country is essentially one’s oyster
