Our 1963 Split Screen Volkswagen Camper Van Story Part Three

Written by Aidan O'Rourke
2004-07-15

Part One | Part Two | Part Three

We had to face up to it. The top priority was to study for my career. I ddin't have the time, inclination, expertise, or even the tools, to provide maintenance and TLC for a 33 year old vehicle. Besides I needed to get the money back. With no income and living only on savings from the Middle East, the money was starting to run low. There was no alternative. The Van would have to be sold. We decided to make the most of it while we had it. Due to the starter motor problem, we had to try and stop on a hill wherever possible, as here.

One inconvenience was the low level of the top of the windscreen. I often had to bend down to see the traffic lights.

I also pulled a muscle in my back reaching forward for the handbrake!

The general condition was extremely good. The previous owner was a VW mechanic and had done a very good restoration job on it.

The two-tone look, the split windscreen, like a plane, and the V shape on the front are full of a period charm lost in the post- 1967 models.

There were mixed opinions about the two stars on either side of the VW insignia - they were put on by the previous owner.

About mid October, I decided it was time to sell.

I made one last attempt to have the starter motor fixed. I took the vehicle to a VW garage in Stockport. After two or three start-ups, it was no different from before.

The ad appeared in November. I set a price of £5250 to cover some of cost of the repairs. There were only a couple of enquiries. The second caller, from Cornwall, but living in London, was already acquainted with the vehicle and had wanted to buy it in the summer.

She was overjoyed that the Van was for sale again

She told me that well before the ad had appeared in the VW magazine, she had gone to the owners and made an offer, but they had told her the van had already been sold.

Then she mentioned something which took me by surprise: She was a transsexual, and had recently had a sex change operation. I told her I had no problem with that, in fact the journalist in me is fascinated with the subject. She told me about her long experience with VW's of all kinds. "I've always 'ad 'em," she said. I was only glad that we had found someone who would take good care of the van. We arranged for her to see the vehicle in Manchester the following week.

Paula emerged from Piccadilly Station, a voluminous figure in a dark coat and hat. She got into the van and we drove to an empty car park in Ardwick. After a brief turn at the wheel she offered to buy the van on the spot at the asking price.

I asked her if she wouldn't mind waiting a week. We could drive the van to London and enjoy one last trip in her. She agreed.

Yes, I had feelings of regret but on balance I was glad. Though it had been fun to own her, I found the maintenance and reliability problems too much to cope with.

We'd had a good run in it, and I'd realised my ambition to own a classic vehicle.

A few days later, we were on the A34 south, delivering the van to her new owner in north west London. Unfortunately, she never reached there, well, not under her own power: The clutch failed north of Oxford. The latter part of her last journey with us was spent on the back of another breakdown truck the third one in five months, again provided under the Heritage Classic Insurance policy.

By 7 o'clock it was pitch black when we arrived at the address in north west London which Paula had given us. She was waiting there expectantly by the garages at the rear of the flats, fussing as the van was unloaded off the truck. I apologised for the clutch problem but she dismissed it, saying it could easily be fixed.

Paula's job was delivering pizzas for a take-away in the High Street. She drove us round there in one of her two VW Beetles and left us in the car while she went inside to get the money. She re-emerged and handed me a large brown paper envelope with money in it. We thanked her, shook hands and she dropped us off at the Underground station where we took the tube to our hotel in London. I checked the money, it was all there.

Apart from one phone call I didn't hear from Paula again. I've received many appreciative e-mail messages from people who've read and enjoyed the camper van story, but in the earlier version I didn't reveal the identity of the buyer.

And then one morning, it must have been December 2003, 7 years after we'd sold the van, I switched on 'Kilroy' the discussion programme on BBC1 television, and saw a familiar face. It was Paula. The theme was 'Experiences of Transsexuals', and Paula had come on the programme to say that in her - or his - case, the operation had been a mistake. After the death of a partner she wanted to rid herself of the person she had been and so had a sex change. Paula now regretted the operation and expressed the view there should be a 'third sex' for people like her - or him. I have to say I agree with this.

It was an intriguing epilogue to a remarkable story. I hope the van is still running and that Paula is well. Maybe we'll see them both again some time.

Words and photos copyright Aidan O'Rourke 1996-2004.
VW CAMPER VAN GHOST STORY



For pictures and info on classic VWs of all kinds I recommend www.hubcapcafe.com

Part One | Part Two | Part Three

Tips on buying a VW camper - Read this now and avoid nightmares later!