Beachbuggin - the show must go on

Pippa writes to tell me of her Palomino trip to Beachbuggin

Firstly, I think I deserve a medal for being the most dedicated Palomino owner of all time - I didn't realise that Southsea was nearly 500 miles away!( I think you need to invest in satnav - I've checked and it's only about 250 miles from Lincolnshire) Despite his mammoth trek from the very north of Lincolnshire to the very south of the country, Claude behaved well all the way there - just a pity the weather didn't!

By the time my sister and I reached the camping field at Horndean, the weather was just about at typhoon status, and half the campsite had to come out in the pouring rain to help us two damsels in distress battle with an awning that was trying to drag us all off in the general direction of the English channel. The organisers gave up with the entertainments marquee, and fearing the band would be electrocuted, we all decamped to the local pub for what turned out to be a great evening.

After a bit more awning-wrestling in the morning, we joined the line-up and drove down to Southsea in a big VW convoy, just as Alex described a while ago - vans, beach-buggies, beetles, Karmann Ghias, everything - a really diverse group of about 80 vehicles. Miraculously, when we got there, the rain stopped and it stayed dry and warm all day - it even got a tiny bit sunny at one point! Joined everyone else at first wandering around the parking area nosing at all the other vans, beetles etc, looked at a few stalls and bought some new shiny wing mirrors, then we went back to Claude for our lunch.

After that, we couldn't get away for ages - people were literally queuing up to ask about Claude and have a look inside, from a group of blokes with notebooks asking technical questions I couldn't answer (and yes, I can swear to you they DID have anoraks on!) to other van owners interested in how I'd done the interior, to several families and couples thinking about getting a van of their own - the Palomino's unique looks certainly get some attention! Claude attracted loads of compliments, and quite a few people were taking pictures inside and out, which does wonders for your ego, for some reason! The only down side was that there were no other Palominos there - pity Alex and Co couldn't go - next year maybe!

When we did get to look round the show, I really enjoyed it - it was small, but I loved the mix of vehicles, and there was even a collection of Vespas and Lambrettas, which I had to go and see, because I've just got myself a '61 Italian 150cc Vespa. I can't ride it yet, but I'm working on it!

Just one thing spoiled the weekend - despite behaving so impeccably on the journey down, Claude started playing up as we were heading back up north. In the end, we had to stop just 35 miles from home and the old boy finished his journey on the back of a recovery truck. I'm now £277 poorer, but all in all, Beachbuggin was a really enjoyable trip - let's just hope for better weather next year!

Thanks Pippa. If anyone fancies joining this exclusive club, you can. The membership fee? A mere 14 grand. Actually, if anyone wants to pay that much, I could be persuaded to part with my near original example!

Your chance to join the palomino club

This week on ebay, a Palomino in not quite pristine condition. Obviously, I shall be declaring a fatwa on the author of the advert, who describes it as "ugly betty", but in the meantime, the bidding stands at £435.

a palomino at Glastonbury?

As I was driving back from the mudfest of Glastonbury, I spotted a red Palomino heading London-bound on the A303. It had a N-reg plate, so it might have been the earliest Palomino I've seen, or perhaps just running on older plates. Unfortunately, as a law-abiding citizen, I couldn't take a photo of it while overtaking!

Meanwhile, my van is still sat on the drive, waiting for a few minor bits of welding to pass its MOT.

Summer time and the living is easy

As Alex rightly points out, summer appears to be here, and so it's time for both Palominos and lesser campers to be woken from hibernation.

He also asks if anyone has an awning. Fortuitously, Pippa has sent me a picture of just that. Roj and Mandy have one, and they've asked how to join the palomino club.

Roj and Mandy, I've good news for you. Owning a Palomino, and asking is all you need to do! (Non-owners, by discretion). Hopefully you can find something useful here.

Here are the pictures

Rebirth of a Palomino

James writes to me. He's got a Palomino that makes mine look like a showroom condition Bentley. He's started on the long process of restoring it, despite it having no front seats, side door, or engine.

Unfortunately, it seems that before he discovered that his £400 van was a mighty Palomino, he'd stripped the rotten interior and removed the roof with the intention of turning it into a common or garden pop-top camper.

Hopefully his recent discovery will save this sinner, and restore him to the true path of righteousness.

You can see his photos here. Hopefully, the next set of photos will show that he seen the light, and put the roof back on! Or read about his progress (Registration required)

A palomino for sale

If there are any lurkers out there, desperate to be allowed to become a member of this highly exclusive club, then there's a Palomino for sale for £5395.

Book Review: VW Camper, the Inside Story

Amongst my Christmas presents was David Eccles' book VW Camper, The Inside Story (or to give it its full title, ...A Guide to the Various Camping Conversions and Interior Layouts Used for VW Campers 1951-2005). And I must mention I'm grateful, because I did ask for it specifically.

If you're interested in the minutiae of Westfalia paint codes, then this is an excellent book. But for the Palomino owner, it's a bleak desert without a single Oasis. Not a single mention of the world's finest camper.

Eccles does mention that it would, of course, be impossible to document each and every permutation of camper over the years, but he has managed to cover some pretty eccentric and eclectic conversions in preference to our beloved Palomino. So for the Palomino owner, not recommended.