Born from a hobby, TWG specialises in VWs
IT’S not unusual to find that a lifelong love of campervans has lead to a new business venture in this market and that’s exactly the case with Tim Haycock and Transporter Works Garage. After three decades in the motor industry, Tim founded this conversion company in Leicestershire specialising in VW Transporters.
Most of the T6.1s converted are supplied by TWG, with these being late used vans that are still under the Volkswagen warranty. The example shown here was spotted at the Yorkshire Motorhome & Campervan Show in Harrogate – the company exhibits at most Warners shows – and was a 72-plate vehicle with a piffling 200 miles on the clock. It also had all the features you’d look for – the 150PS engine for decent performance, DSG gearbox for easy driving and the T30 spec for a practical payload. In addition, it came with a rear view camera, factory-fitted cab seat swivels and a rear tailgate with wash/wipe, so the £68,590 price tag is no surprise.
Externally, the 20in load-rated Navis alloy wheels and the gloss black grille and front splitter give this TWG camper a sporty vibe, while the Eibach springs may not be so instantly obvious. Even more concealed is the mains hook-up, hidden behind a hinged VW roundel.
Up top, the company always uses a Skyline pop-top with the fully opening scenic canvas. A roof bed is included, too, and this has the bifold base which increases headroom when the bed is stowed. The roof is also home to a 150W solar panel.
Tim says that TWG only uses well-known branded components in its conversions and it endeavours to over-engineer its own work, with everything done in-house where possible. An example is that the 12mm floor is fixed to 9mm strips that are bonded in place, so nothing is screwed directly into the VW van floor. Insulation is by recycled plastic bottles and sound deadening material is used throughout. Finished conversions are then independently certified for the gas and electric installations.
The side galley layout features a slightly deeper section of worktop behind the driver’s seat, under which is the compressor fridge. There’s a drawer above the cooler – the only pullout storage here – and top cupboards over the kitchen, unusually, have long side-hinged doors.
Alongside the fridge, a silver tambour door (contrasting with the black gloss cabinets) rises to reveal the gas compartment for a 4.5kg Flogas cylinder and a 10-litre portable water carrier. The optional wood worktops (in 18mm oak ply) look attractive and, unusually, the rearmost section lifts on g
