Monday, August 4, 2008

MEET THE VAN-CAKE


Andy Saunders and three friends converted the 7ft 8ins high VW Camper into a 3.3ft high version in just three days. The "Van-Cake" is fully roadworthy and can reach speeds of 80mph, but is so small that it could be driven under car park barriers. Mr Saunders, who converted the vehicle for a contest at a motoring festival, can be seen driving around his home town of Poole in Dorset in the van with his head sticking out of the roof. "The challenge was to build the world's lowest van in just three days," he said. "We were up at 6am and worked for three full days - it was the hardest thing I've ever done. "It is roadworthy, does about 80mph and you could throw mattress in the back and sleep in it. "We've applied to the Guinness Book of Records and they've indicated this is the world's lowest van." The friends had to cut away 4.5ft of roof, put in a new steering system, lower the seat, move the handbrake and the gear stick and replace the fuel tank. The biggest problem was having to deal with a 14in overlap when they tried to put the roof back on because of the tapering of the van's sides. "At the Bug Jam festival we had an audience for every moment we were working on it and buy the end there were 1,000 people watching," Mr Saunders, 45, said. The 1980 Type 25 camper cost £1,000 and had 70,000 miles on the clock when transformed.

No comments: