Roly was my first VW Camper conversion back in 2018 which sold in the following year. It was a 2007 long-wheelbase T5, to get the most space for your money when you add in the Pop-Out Bed and Push-Up Roof.

It had all the usual camper features such as swivel chairs, side mirrors, and direct hook-up and leisure battery electrics. And finished in a minimalistic black-and-white design, to give a modern rustic feel.

All three Conversion Kits were added, including the internal Alu-Kitchen & Store.

You can see various pictures of the finishing touches here on Facebook.

Here’s the main promo video that was created to explain it:

And here’s another longer DIY video after it was completed:

Plus, Roly was featured in the national Volkswagon Camper & Commercial magazine recently which you can see here.

Original Sales Details

This is a very unique camper conversion, completed in 2018 and good to go.

The original T5 VW van is sound - a 2007 T30 Transporter with an easy history, new MOT, service history and recent repairs, and no serious issues.

The double-bed unit literally rolls out the rear barn doors to create the extra 30% floor space, and a roof extension in the middle gives you full head height. The design is also modern and simplistic so people can add their own touch and personal items.

Here are the main features about it:

 German-quality 1.9 cc turbo diesel engine

Delivering 84 bhp and showing good economy.

 Full MOT to September 2020

 Nearly-full service history, and various repairs to get A-OK

It had a cambelt change a few years ago and now has a new ABS pump and other various repairs from a local VW specialist garage with a full warranty.

 Average mileage at around 155,000

Which of course in van and German-manufacturer world is low considering the age and showing remarkably little sign of these being harshly incurred.

 Full standard ABS brakes for safety

(and new pump as above)

 Long Wheel Base (LWB) van as opposed to the Short Wheel Base one (SWB)

It's basically longer, and of course, a must to get the most space even before you look at the camper conversion.

 Full colour-coded bumpers at the front and rear

Which make a difference rather than the bare grey-plastic ones you sometimes see.

 Remote central locking through the main remote key and two spare keys with deadlocks

Also, a transponder immobiliser and factory-fitted alarm.

 Not only a full valet but also thorough hand re-polish on the bodywork

To get it looking real good

 Full insulation on the van sides and floor before the final wood coverings and trimmings

In order to make sure that it maintains warmth as much as possible.

 Good and simple

Including a fire extinguisher, smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector, and first aid kit.

 A roll-out double bed from the rear doors to increase the floor space by another few feet and approximately 30% area

This is a completely new design, with other conversions simply making most of what space there is already within the van (a post here as well on getting extra space up, out, and back)

With this, you literally roll out a base through 90 degrees to get the bed poking out of the back, all completely stable and easy to get in and out. Plus, this also makes a nice place to sit during the day as well as the full bed use at night.

Also, there are two extra storage areas nicely fitted around this double bed. Firstly, underneath the main front base in the van which is there on a permanent basis, and secondly when the bed is rolled back in the van you have some additional space in the rear for even larger items such as chairs and outside equipment for when you’re travelling.

It's kind of like a realistic version of the VW Doubleback design (details here).

 Proper memory-foam mattress for the double bed meaning you only need your own final duvet and pillows

This is a proper soft mattress, unlike the seat/bed combos you often see in other van conversions.

 Roof extension that folds up for an additional height to the main van area and so providing over six feet total height for people to comfortably stand

This is made from a GRP system that easily folds away, and reduces heat loss, draughts and noise levels that you often incur with the canvas ones.

In terms of outside this roof extension, then there are four handy key-locks on each corner to make it secure, and the whole thing when closed only rises up an inch or two from the main roofline to make access to things like multi-storey car parks still possible.

And on the construction side of things, there are side openings to allow natural light through made of acrylic (like with aircraft), plus the whole extension only has to remove two main roof trusses in the van as opposed to four with most other roof conversions, hence maintaining as much van-strength as possible.

 Aircraft-grade aluminium cupboards and kitchen units within the vehicle

Which not only provide a good and simple look but are approximately one-third the weight of other lightweight plywood, all powder-coated for a tough durable finish.

 A simple and natural black and white coloured theme in the whole van

This means ANY choice of your own personal colours and décor will always match. The units and trim are white to contrast against the black vehicle colour and internal main finish, alongside gun-metal grey for the kitchen worktop, pull-out table, and final floor covering

 A good-quality leather-material

Not just cheap vinyl tiles, and all on top of a solid plywood base.

 The extra sides of the van from the long wheelbase mean you have space to hang things

With a ‘hook board’ on one side for various trays and boxes, and net-holders on the other to easily place items like magazines and kitchen equipment in.

 Three movable front seats for carrying people, with a double passenger seat making the most of the up-front space

Both front seats have swivel bases from a reputable manufacturer with full-certification and safety standards. This means both the single driver’s one and double-passenger one can turn around 180 degrees to comfortably seat three people all facing into the main camper area.

Two flip chairs are also included in the middle of the camper for the seating area, making provision for up to five people in total.

 A purpose-built table that not only folds away to allow full use of the camper area if needed 

But easily stores on the inside of the side sliding door of the van; a great space-saving measure.

 Full triple-whammy electricity supply to make sure you can always be powering just what you want and where you want it

Firstly, there are the usual 12-volt electrics from a separate leisure battery, which powers the main items like the inside lights and fridge when travelling. In short, this leisure battery is separate from the main van one to make sure you never drain it so far that you can’t drive off, and is automatically charged up when driving.

Secondly, this battery will then enable short bursts of full-on 240 mains volts, with a handy double socket inside – great for say charging up laptops and mobile phones. In technical terms, there is an inverter to beef up the 12 volts from the leisure battery to the 240 volts mains level.

And thirdly, there is a full connection to an external 240 volts, so you can hook up when at home or at a campsite. To make this as easy as possible, there is a socket on the external side of the van, along with a special extension cable (and handy storage bag) to literally just trail to a mains socket somewhere with both a mains plug and campsite-specific end adaptor.

All this is controlled in a hidden box between the sink and side cupboards inside, with easy to use switches, USB charge points, and a voltage meter for leisure battery checks.

Plus, full electrical certification is provided showing that all this has been safely installed.

Here's a post we did on getting your head around all these electricity options, in a '2x2' format.

 An array of LED lighting within the van for three benefits

Lower electricity consumption, longer-lasting bulbs, and a great whiter and better-quality light effect.

The main ones are 12 volts on the ceiling of the main van (6 at the rear, and 6 along the sides strips in the middle), 2 additional spots on the rear cupboards for softer lighting near the bed area (with a handy additional switch near the bed unit), a strip light over the kitchen area, and strip light over the side door to automatically come on when opened.

Plus, six separate battery spotlights are provided with a remote control timer and dimmer, to be located just where you want them.

 Quality SMEV 9222 sink and hob unit in the middle kitchen section for cooking and washing facilities

A small gas bottle easily fits under here for the hob (with a full gas safety check record of course), and a handy water bottle underneath with an electric pump for watering the sink and drainage underneath the van.

 A brand new electric two-way fridge to keep all your food and drinks

So in short, you can keep things chilling over on the van’s 12-volt leisure battery when travelling, but then just hook up to full 240 mains volts from outside when stood for full cover.

 Lots of handy spaces to store things inside the camper to make most of the space

Including side cupboards with shelves and area behind roller shutters, shelves over these and the kitchen area, and gaps within the kitchen unit for a cutlery tray and other little nick-nacks.

Even in the bed unit itself, you can insert ‘pouches’ on each side as handy storage areas for say phones and jewellery whilst in bed.

 Two additional side windows in the main van area allow additional daylight, and in the case of the one near the kitchen area, then some fresh air with an easy opening

Plus, internal curtains over these for full privacy.

 Blinds are also provided to easily place over the windows in the front cab area and therefore ensure full privacy when you’re in the camper at night

These are securely clip-on, and a better way to still benefit from this cab area when you’re in the main camper part rather than a middle curtain cordoning off this cab area.

 A portable toilet is included which nicely hides away under the kitchen unit and is shielded by a roller shutter

So usable within or outside the camper.

 Is There Anything to Worry About

Not really to be honest, with below-average wear-and-tear on the van for its age, just the usual small scratches or marks and one small area of slightly-dulled paintwork, nothing glaringly obvious.

It deliberately has a more rustic look, which is a refreshing change from the majority of the conversions. The metal and clean colours have been maintained, and the colour scheme kept to a simple black, grey and white.

Why This Camper is Totally Unique

This is certainly a unique VW T5 conversion, we literally don’t think you’ll come across any other with as much space inside with it being a Long Wheel Base and a roll-out bed adding another 30% to the floor space.