Full review

Newbourne Campers offers a wide range of bespoke conversion options in order to cater for all needs so, if East Anglia is your neck of the woods, then this Suffolk-based company is well worth checking out.

It builds on a range of base vehicles in order to offer campervans at various price points, and recent conversions have included Renault Trafic, Ford Transit Custom and Volkwagen T6.1. You can either bring your own vehicle along for conversion, or the company can source one for you. 

What’s more, perhaps you’re half-way through building your own DIY campervan and would like some professional help with some of the more technical aspects, such as installing electrics or a pop-top roof, for example – again, Newbourne Campers is more than happy to help.

When it comes to its own campervan conversions, the company offers everything from basic day van set-ups to fully kitted four-berth campers. The model shown here is a bespoke conversion built to order for a customer, and is representative of the sort of thing you could have.

Starting with the base vehicle, it’s a VW T6.1, which the company sourced brand-new from Volkswagen Van Centre in Bury St Edmunds. The advantage of ordering a new vehicle is that you can specify factory-fitted options such as driver and passenger swivelling seats, which often work out cheaper than aftermarket options.

The van here is in Highline spec, which means it comes as standard with things like cruise control, parking sensors and a heated windscreen.

Here, it’s got the 148bhp (150PS) engine with six-speed manual gearbox, although cheaper five-speed options are available, if you prefer, as well as the pricier seven-speed DSG (automatic) version. Colour choice is Ascot Grey and Highline specification means you get colour-coded bumpers and mirrors, too.

VW offers a wide choice of funky metallic and non-metallic colours these days, so you can go as zany as you like.

Onto the conversion, this features the classic timeless side kitchen layout, but with a twist in order to accommodate a three-seater travel bench, making this a five-seater campervan.

Most conversions of this ilk only have a two-seater bench because the depth of the kitchen doesn’t allow enough space for a wider seat, and that means you’re potentially compromising on seatbelts and bed width.

Here, however, instead of positioning the all-in-one hob and sink unit widthways below the window (where you’ll usually find it), it’s been located behind the driver’s seat.

Below the cooker and sink, there’s a 65-litre Isotherm fridge and cutlery drawer, and another drawer and cupboard to the side, behind a tambour door, provide storage for pans and packets, for example. Come mealtimes, a table clips onto a rail here, supported by a fold-down leg.

The travel bench is a 130 RIB unit, which easily converts to a spacious double bed come night time, while a further bed in the pop-top roof makes this a four-berth family camper. The customer specified orange canvas for the Skyline elevating roof with matching window blinds, paired with cheerful stripey trim, but of course you can have any colour combination you like!

Other features completing this campervan conversion include a Planar night heater with seven-day timer, Thule Omnistor wind-out awning, 160W solar panel, two 60Ah leisure batteries (with power management and split charging system) and underslung gas tank.

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Newbourne Campers lowdown

The company is headed up by Ben Brumby, who has been around campervans all of his adult life, starting with a T25 that his dad bought when Ben was 16. His first campervan was a Type 2, which he lovingly restored. He now owns a T5 that he also converted himself, and enjoys with his wife and two young boys.

Ben’s lifelong passion for campervans is what led to establishing Newbourne Campers, where a small team of experts are more than happy to discuss your requirements and build your dream campervan. Just get in touch to make an appointment at its premises in Woodbridge, Suffolk (East Anglia).

Contacts

Newbourne Campers Ltd, Unit 1a Newbourne Business Park, Mill Road, Newbourne, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 4NP

Telephone: 07974 187638

Email: [email protected]

Website: newbournecampers.co.uk
Facebook: NewbourneCampers
Instagram: newbournecampers