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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Paige Holland

Man transforms van into jaw-dropping luxury camper worth £39K during lockdown

From the outside this typical white work van looks just like any other, but inside it hides a big secret.

Like many other people during the coronavirus lockdown, furniture maker Daryl Lloyd Witt, of Frome, Somerset, took to doing a little DIY to occupy his time.

The 36-year-old has worked as a furniture maker ever since he left school, but being a surfer too, he has always shown an interest in campervans, specifically renovating them.

So with more time on his hands than ever before Daryl decided to take the plunge and transform his Volkswagen Crafter into a campervan himself.

Daryl decided to take on the work himself (Triangle News)

Daryl explained that these white vans are perfect for renovating since they're typically used by tradesmen.

Not only is the size perfect for a camper, the structure will be sturdy enough to withstand any work that you do to it.

He said: "The white vans are a great size - you can fit everything you need in them and the fact they are essentially builders' vans means they are quite stealthy."

These white vans are perfect for renovating (Triangle News)
Daryl started the project in April after lockdown was put in place (Triangle News)

Daryl purchased the white-van style Crafter when lockdown was announced earlier this year, before he started the project in April.

After designing the ins and outs of the van, strategically planning the interior to ensure all of the features fit perfectly he began decking the entire van out in wood panels.

He lined the walls and floors with wood panels (Triangle News)

Instead of following the style of the classic VW Camper, Daryl opted for something a little more trendy and modern - and it didn't disappoint.

He said: "There are so many Volkswagen Transporters being used by surfers, you cannot tell them apart.

"There is no uniqueness to them.

There is also storage to the rear of the van beneath the bed (Triangle News)
The project took Daryl three months in total (Triangle News)

"They're very small, you wouldn't be able to live in them or spend two weeks in one.

"I designed this van much more to my taste.

"Clean lines and a cleaner space look much better in a confined space." 

All in all the project took him three months to complete.

Daryl opted for a modern interior (Triangle News)

From completely gutting the van to decking it out in wood and furnishing it.

But Daryl admitted the hardest part of the project was installing the boiler because of its complicated design.

However it passed its safety check with flying colours.

Inside, the camper boasts a cosy seating area opposite the modern smart kitchen, a boiler that powers the shower and sink and a double bed to the rear of the van.

He was thrilled with the feedback (Triangle News)

After posting pictures of the refurb on social media, Daryl gained thousands of followers overnight.

He said: "When I look at photos of the original van, with nothing inside, it really hits home what a transformation it has been.

"On the inside it is beautiful, it is a home on wheels."

And unsurprisingly the van was purchased in a flash.

The camper is up for grabs (Triangle News)

Competition company Dream Car Giveaways bought it for £39,000, and are now raffling tickets for £9.99.

Even Daryl bought himself a couple of entries to the raffle.

"That would be an unbelievable deal if I won it," he laughed.

"I will be really interested to see who wins it, and where their travels take them.

Daryl is not pursuing his passion of renovating campervans full-time (Triangle News)

"Hopefully I can follow their journey through social media, and see what they do with the van."

Over the three months that Daryl has been working on the van, his passion for the hobby has only but grown.

Now he hopes to dedicate his career fully to building bespoke camper vans.

He said: "It’s much more rewarding work, and I can build it how I want, I feel confident that people like my designs and they will sell.

"I’ve got some unique ideas for the next builds, which I haven’t seen anywhere else."

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