- The awards were open for anyone who has converted a van, from professional converters to holidaymakers.
- With hundreds of entrants, the shortlist and overall winner was carefully selected by George Clarke, Envisage Group and eBay’s Laura Richards
- The overall winner was Paul White’s “AmBEERlance”. The bar owner from Liverpool received £10,000 cash for his first place.
Richard Eastcott was named the Thriftiest Conversion in the inaugural eBay Van Conversion of the Year Awards with his converted Renault Kangoo. Richard converted his Renault Kangoo into the perfect van for his job as a carpenter. He maximised space with a pull-out drawer for small items and a bespoke rack to hold silicone, hand saws and miscellaneous items. The free load space holds a custom mitre saw stand and other toolboxes which can be easily removed to free up room.
Richard Eastcott comments:
“Working as a self-employed carpenter I needed a van to carry my work tools. I didn’t want a large transit size van as they can be tricky to park so needed to maximise every bit of storage in a small van to carry everything. I tried to be as economical as possible as it was all about creating the most useful van and storage space for the smallest budget. It’s so handy being able to get to things I need really easily and having everything tidied away in its own dedicated space.”
Newport Local Secures Thriftiest Van Conversion in Ebay Awards
Michael won the Best Engineering Innovation in the inaugural eBay Van Conversion of the Year Awards with his converted Toyota Landcruiser Amazon. Michael, who works in motor part sales, has taken an 80 series Toyota Landcruiser, one of the most reliable and capable 4×4 vehicles in the world, and converted it into a compact, yet fully equipped, off-road campervan ready for any offroad adventure in UK, Europe, Africa or Asia. Both the base vehicle (truck) and most the interior fit-out parts were purchased from eBay – right down to the fog lamps.
Michael Clarke, comments:
“This was not a project for the faint hearted. The rear section has been cut off, and a custom insulated rear cabin with electric elevating roof installed in its place. Unbelievable for its size, it has two double beds, toilet, shower, heating, hot water, solar panels and 150L fresh water – you can happily drive into the wilderness for weeks. This truck is a one off. It has taken a lot of effort and ingenuity.”
The judging panel consisted of: TV presenter and architect, host of Channel 4’s Amazing Spaces, George Clarke; bespoke engineering and design company, Envisage Group; and eBay’s Vehicle Parts and Accessories Category Lead, Laura Richards. The panel worked hard considering hundreds of impressive entries, ranging from tremendous tradesmen transformations to the chicest campervan conversions from specialist industries and “Van Lifers”.
The overall eBay winner was Paul White’s “AmBEERlance” (feature image); a Peugeot Boxer which had previously been used as an ambulance, now made into a fully functioning and licenced bar. The idea came after their business, The Dog House bar, had to close during COVID restrictions and the pair were left questioning their future. Paul decided to diversify. If regulars couldn’t come to the bar, the bar would come to them.
George Clarke, said:
“It was an absolute pleasure judging eBay’s first ever Van Conversion Awards. It’s an honour to witness such incredible conversions. I’ve been overwhelmed with the level of ingenuity and creativity. I think everyone will agree that all the van owners can be extremely proud of their creations.”
“The story of Paul’s conversion really stood out for me. It’s quite amazing how a simple, humble van can actually save a business and the staff’s livelihood. He hasn’t gone over-the-top, he kept it functional, getting what he needed from eBay and having it up and running and serving the community in just four days, which is amazing!”
Laura Richards, eBay Vehicle Parts and Accessories category lead, said:
“We’ve loved going through all the entries; Paul’s was extremely impressive in terms of becoming a functional and successful business. It’s great to see how eBay’s range and speed of delivery has been part of his story, and so many of the other entrant’s conversions as well. It’s been truly remarkable seeing what can be achieved in the space.”
Nick Colledge, Managing Director, Envisage Group, said:
“It’s been hard choosing a winner as all conversions show tremendous imagination and workmanship to create the final product. From those that have no experience whatsoever to the expert professionals, we’ve been incredibly impressed by the outcome of so many of them.”
Before selecting the winners, eBay’s judging panel managed to whittle it down to seven stand-out van conversions, including Hannah’s, from the following categories: Most Stylish Design, Best Business Entry, Best Luxury Camper, Best Professional Conversion, Engineering Innovation, Thriftiest Conversion and Best Beginner Build.
