Armed with just camera and an encyclopaedic knowledge of motors, Patrick Cummins begins a new series looking closely at four-wheeled idols in YOUR area.
His one criteria? Only stone cold classics.
Patrick writes:
I came across the owner of this lovely Volkswagen Transporter T3 (T25) camper van., Conor O’Connor, in a local Topaz garage near Dublin city centre. It’s an early air-cooled example from 1981 with the 1.6 petrol engine and 4-speed manual gearbox.
The previous owners imported it from the UK four years ago and, after a long search, Conor found it on Donedeal and bought it two years ago.
When bought, it needed a service. Some rust-repair work was carried out by Emilio’s Beetles on the arches and steps and then she passed the NCT. Conor drives it once or twice per week as it is his daily driver when he’s out of town. He keeps it regularly serviced.
It’s not for sale though. He plans to do a few bits to freshen up the interior but wants to keep it as original as possible. Conor doesn’t have a major interest in the festival/show scene but he has taken it to Rockin’ Road and hopes to bring it out a bit more if we get a long spell of good weather this summer.
Pics: Patrick Cummins
What’s with the dashboard dead dawg?
early airbag prototype
Ah I see. Thought it was a super woofer.
I thought he’d killed Gnasher.
Fur, fupps sake!
Conor O Connor, where are you
haha more space than some apartments on daft.
What is the difference between an apartment and a flat? Genuine question.
Pre-tents
Flats have been flattened and are thus smaller. Air pressure is also higher and something else about gravity meaning flat dwellers are 12.8% more likely to loose their keys.
T25’s are cool and getting harder to find in decent nick, only downside is they are a little under-powered by default BUT this can be solved via a nice and fairly easily do-able WRX retrofit where the scooby’s complete running gear is retrofitted to the bus, just what’s needed for all those muddy festival fields!
very nice feature BS keep it coming
“one criterion” (cough)
Lucky man, would trade!
Topaz, D O B no, no.
I do hope this is a regular feather. more of this!
Tickles your fancy does it?
That’s a beaut. Well jell
Nice. The air cooled T25s are rare enough, VW replaced them all with water cooled petrol and diesel engines across the model range after 1984 or so.
Never liked the body on those, too angular, and the front is hideous when you think of its lineage… that’s my tuppence, I’m sure a nice one would be nice, but it’d never be lovely
One of my mates has one of the old VW campers, the sort that came out before this model.
He uses it occasionally and spends a lot of time welding this much loved and well thought out old rust bucket.
He came over from the UK in it, a couple of years back. He checks the oil because it leaks out, before he goes out on a journey, (Hey isn’t that what they say in all the car manuals – only with him its compulsory).
He has a special toolkit for it. And it smells like something died in it a while back.
But everyone should have a hobby – right?
Yes, lend me your garage !
Jealous? – He also has two ancient crap motorbikes – no make that three – I forgot, there’s an old BSA in bits somewhere.
Yeah it’s definitely more 70 year old German saggy tits Granny than saucy serfer chick
Whoa man, stop trolling my crocmobile man.
Y’all’s some shark surfing jerks man.
Whoa. Harshing my mellow man.
That last comment was not from the owner of the van. Thanks