Camperjam 2013 (part 2 of 2)

Part 2 of my Camper jam 2013 review continues with the numerous vehicles that I spotted walking around the vast show site in the glorious sunshine. There were hundreds upon hundreds of vehicles at the show so this is just a very small selection of what was at Camper jam this year.

I spotted this early split screen panel van in
the day visitor car park as it really stood out.
Sign written buses always get my attention
and this one was gorgeous. 

I love these Harp style mirror brackets. They
were for T2 buses from '55-'67 and they just
look so cool, but surprisingly very few of the 
early split screen buses have them.

This really is a nice looking, clean and straight
barn door bus.
 

Camper jam is all out VW's old and new,
air-cooled or water-cooled. Whatever your into
you will see it at Camper jam.

This split screen was immaculate and very
straight. Those 3 louvre windows, the 3 bow
roof rack along with the two tone paint on
that amazingly straight body make this
bus really stand out. 

This incredibly bright orange Mini was parked
on a hill behind the trade area, and it stood
out like a beacon. The extended arches
with the wide wheels give it a classic '70's
look. 

This lovely '69 beetle looked gorgeous in it's
deep gloss black paint. The roof rack and the
deck lid rack, along with the polished front
and rear bumpers and wheels complimented
the colour. How low is that exhaust?

I remember this split screen from last years
show and it still looks as good. The deluxe
trim and colour coded bumpers really do
make this bus something special.

Single colour paint on this split screen looks
good, with contrasting bumpers and wheels.

I do like RAT looking buses, and this early
split screen was nice. Not your average
patina bus, this had repaired panels in
primer, visible knocks and scratches and
replacement bits, but I think it's looks great.

A good honest bus in 'what you see is what
you get' condition parked alongside a lovely
clean and straight immaculate painted version.

This panel van was as close to perfection as
is physically possible. Lovely sky blue paint
with deluxe trim topped with a white roof and
super straight body.

With temperatures in the high 20's (75-80f)
all weekend the local Fire Brigade had been
booked to come and cool everyone off with
a cold water shower. The children and many 
of the adults enjoyed the cooling off
experience.
 

Another incredibly straight splitty, in deep
gloss black over the brightest of orange paint.
Deluxe trim, chrome bumpers, a Paris roof 
and safari windows, make this late split
screen an outstanding bus.

This home made convertible originally started
life as a 1970 beetle and was certainly
different.

Tough looking rear end, with a 1641cc engine
with twin carbs. How mad is that 'one off' hand
made exhaust system, and those huge rear
tyres on banded steel wheels.

A neat touch was the classic windscreens,
not sure what they were from but they looked
pretty cool.

I spotted this original looking split screen
shading from the sun under the trees. Looks
about stock height running on steel wheels
and painted in white over grey. A very nice
looking bus.

I do like period or custom cycles and this
trader had made some neat accessories from
various cycle bits. Love the little yellow stool
in the foreground.
 

The same trader had some awesome looking
cycles for sale. I did like the matt black one
with contrasting white tyres.

Matching bumpers and curtains on this '64
split screen.

The trade area was full of traders selling just
about everything you can think of. This is one
one of the many traders selling used parts,
NOS and accessories for almost any VW.

This was my view from my awning on Sunday
morning in one of the many camping areas,
with the morning sun just starting to rise, it's
going to be another hot day.

I always say it's good to see some hot rods
and American muscle cars at a VW show.
I spotted this 1952 Ford pick up tucked away
in the camping area. It's a RAT looking motor
with some non standard parts, but it just
looked so cool.

They look like American racing torque thrust
wheels with white wall tyres. Just love
the wooden slats on the pick up bed.

This '72 Chevrolet Camaro looked tough in
grey primer with the two black stripes down
the centre on the body and running on
chrome 5 spoke wheels.

How campsites throughout the country should
look in the summer, full of bay window buses.

This is another vehicle I remember from the
show last year. This '71 Karmann Ghia rides
on air suspension.

This is such a nice looking Ghia, I never got
to see how high it was in drive height, but I'm
guessing it wasn't much higher than it is now.

Finally, a big thank you to Zoe and Spike and
the others from the House of Dub for their
hospitality. I travelled up to the show on my
own on the Saturday morning and on the
Saturday evening I had just planned on
having a bacon roll for my dinner but Zoe
invited me to eat with them, and I have
never eaten so well at a VW show. The menu
consisted of: Chicken, mushrooms, peppers,
sausages, salad, corn on the cob, new
potatoes with bread rolls and I even had a
slice of Spikes Birthday cake!
Many thanks guy's.



So that was Camper jam 2013. A three day
show that I thoroughly recommend to anyone
who hasn't been yet.  There is so much to
do and see throughout the weekend, although
you could just relax and enjoy the atmosphere.
It is very well laid out, in a glorious setting and
has good toilet and shower facilities. Dogs
are allowed on site so there is no excuse not
to go, weekend camping is pre-book only
so get in quick as this show does sell out.
It took me just over 3 hours to drive the 112
miles from my hometown of Aylesbury to
the show ground via mostly the motorway, 
with a short stop about half way to let Fiona, 
my early bay cool down. OK, I didn't break
any land speed records but she ran like a
dream and never missed a beat on both
legs of the journey in very hot conditions.
So will we see you there next year?

Camperjam 2013 (part 1 of 2)

Camperjam is a VW Festival which is held in Weston Park, Weston-under-lizard, Shropshire. Weston Park is a 17th century country home set in over 1000 acres of parkland and woodlands. I think Camperjam must be in the top 10 of VW events to go to in the UK, and this years show was attended by over 30,000 visitors throughout the 3 day weekend. I had arranged to go with some friends from the House of Dub VW Club, who travelled up on the Friday but due to a health problem I had go up on the Saturday morning.

 

On the entrance to Camperjam the Marshall's
have to check your tickets, but they are very
efficient and the queue moved quick quickly.
The variety of vehicles at Camperjam was
immense and no matter what sort of VW you
like, it will be there.

I arrived on the Saturday morning and the
House of Dub crew had made camp with all
the buses in a circle and erected the awnings
in the middle. Zoe, Alden and Jake just
relaxing in the scorching morning sun.

This was the first outing for my new Khyam
driveaway compact 200 awning. This is an
ideal size for a single person or even a couple
and it gives you so much more living space.

This late split screen high top panel van was
brought to the show as a 'work in progress'
and I was impressed with what they have done
so far. This could be a future show winner if
they continue at the same high standard of
work.

Just a few of the 'early bay' line up. I did like
the blue single cab pick up in the foreground.
maybe one year I'll enter my early bay in the
line up.?

A really nice looking early split with full length
roof rack. Small details like the off white stripe,
chrome bumpers and the small chrome spots
make this bus stand out.

Walking through one of the many camping
area's I spotted this pink and white fast back
parked up next to the olive green late bay
with pop top.

How shiny is the paint on this green and white
split screen. Stock height and painted steel
wheels add to the overall look.

An early barn door split screen, very nice but
have you noticed the exhausts exiting through
the bumper? I didn't find out what motor this
bus was running, so I'm not sure if this is a
cosmetic design or for a specific reason due
 the engine.

Trailers are readily available made from a
bay window,but this one is home made, and
not a bad job with colour matched paint to the
owners bus.

This late split screen caught my eye, not only
because it has a full length roof rack and a
single yellow spot light, but because of the
semi polished aluminium sun visor.

A RAT looking crew cab split screen pick up
trying to find some shade.

This '79 automatic Passat CL was riding on
hydraulic suspension and amazing wire
wheels.

Stock height buses may be making a come-
back and this one will be at the front of the
queue.

More variety of vehicles, this time a low red
square back and a white over baby blue early
split.

I do like this photo, look at the reflection in
paint work, how straight is this bus? not a
ripple to be seen anywhere.

Really bright day glow orange beach buggy.
This photo does not really show just how
bright this actually was.

In the 'For Sale' area I spotted what looked
like a totally original late bay, well OK, I'm
not sure if the chrome spare wheel cover was
standard, but apart from that..

This 11 window split screen was gorgeous.
Such a nice colour, very clean with polished
bright work.

The immaculate standard continued into the
interior.

Another vehicle in the 'For Sale' area was this
white over dark green splitty. It was really
clean, and probably worth the £18,000
asking price.

Not quite sure about this T5, the owner had
covered every inch in what looks like astro
turf, (fake grass) The number plate surround,
the grill, wheels and side step were all painted
in  fake wood effect.
 

The quarter light was also painted wood
effect.

Another very straight bus was this white over
red 11 window. Again look at the reflection,
not a ripple in sight.

On the other end of the shiny scale, but
equally as nice in my eyes, was this very RAT
looking split panel van. The patina look just
adds to it's charm.

How low can you go.. this pop top split screen
was very low, but looked lovely.

Split screens, whether a bus or a panel van
with a cyclopes light on, gets my vote. I just
love them.

Another RAT looking splitty, with an after-
market (I think) mesh sun visor and sign
written on the cab doors. 

On the other side of this RAT split was this
really nice air brushed portrait of a woman.

The Syncro area was full of go-anywhere
VW's. These must be great fun taking them
off somewhere where it muddy and has some
steep hill's.

I like the look of the orange panel van. I think
there was an off road course somewhere on
the site that the Syncro's could use.

I do like these high top split screens, they
just look so cool.

Remember the other very straight buses,
well this early bay, puts the other two to
shame. The body work is so straight, look at
the panels on the cab door and below the side
windows.

An unusual trailer choice on the late bay.
The rear half of a beetle with matching paint
and colour coded wheels.

This white over mint green pop top late bay
had nothing in particular to make it stand out,
but just the overall look made it stand out.