Category Archives: News

FBHVC clarification on E10 fuel usage and labelling for historic vehicles

After an extensive consultation process, the
Department for Transport has introduced
legislation to mandate E10 petrol as the standard
95-octane petrol grade from 1 September 2021
and in Northern Ireland, this will happen in early 2022. They will also require the higher-octane
97+ ‘Super’ grades to remain E5 to provide
protection for owners of older vehicles. This
product will be designated as the ‘Protection’
grade. The change in fuel applies to petrol only.
Diesel fuel will not be changing.
Petrol pumps now show new labels designating
the grade, the maximum ethanol content and an
advisory cautionary notice. Other information
regarding the introduction of E10 petrol may
also be provided by fuel retailers such as the
‘Know your Fuel’ sticker (shown at the foot of this
article).
For some time, service station pumps have
had E5 and B7 labels consistent with the BS
EN16942 standard that has been adopted across
Europe. This standard also sets out the labelling
requirements for other renewable fuel grades
such as E85, B20, B30, etc. that can be found
across Europe either on service station forecourts
or for captive fleet use.
At the filling station
At the petrol station, a circular ‘E10’ or ‘E5’
label will be clearly visible on both the petrol
dispenser and nozzle, making it easy
for you to identify the correct petrol
to use together with the warning
text “Suitable for most petrol vehicles: check
before use”
The ‘E10’ and ‘E5’ labels look like this:
Labels on modern vehicles
New vehicles manufactured from 2019 onwards
should have an ‘E10’ and ‘E5’ label close to the
filler cap showing the fuel(s) they can use.
What fuel should I use?
Almost all (95%) petrol-powered vehicles on the
road today can use E10 petrol and all cars built
since 2011 were required to be compatible.
If your petrol vehicle or equipment is not
compatible with E10 fuel, you will still be able
to use E5 by purchasing the ‘super’ grade (97+
octane) petrol from most filling stations.
Our recommendation
The Federation recommends that all vehicles
produced before 2000 and some vehicles
from the early 2000s that are considered noncompatible with E10 – should use the Super E5
Protection grade where the Ethanol content is
limited to a maximum of 5%.
To check compatibility of vehicles produced since
2000, we recommend using the new online E10
compatibility checker however, please note that
many manufacturers are missing and there are
some discrepancies regarding particular models.
Additional information on vehicle compatibility
issues is available on the FBHVC website.
What is ethanol?
Ethanol is an alcohol derived from plants,
including sugar beet and wheat. Increasingly,
waste products such as wood are also being
used to manufacture ethanol. Therefore, it is
renewable and not derived from fossil fuels.
Why are we using it?
Principally ethanol is being added to fuel in
order to reduce carbon emissions as Britain
heads towards its target of net zero emissions by

According to Government experts, this will
reduce greenhouse gases by 750,000 tonnes per
year which, they say, is the equivalent output of
350,000 cars.

The move will bring the UK in line with many
European countries which have been using
E10 fuels for a number of years already. In some
parts of the world, such as South America much
higher levels of bioethanol have been in use
since as early as the 1970s.
What might happen?
1 Corrosion / Tarnishing of metal components
2 Elastomer compatibility – swelling, shrinking
and cracking of elastomers (seals and flexible
pipes) and other unsuitable gasket materials
3 Air/fuel ratio enleanment
Some historic vehicles use materials in the
fuel systems that are damaged by ethanol.
These include some cork, shellac, epoxy resins,
nylon, polyurethane and glass-fibre reinforced
polyesters. In later cars these have largely been
replaced with paper gaskets, Teflon, polyethylene
and polypropylene which are all unaffected by
ethanol. Very old leather gaskets and seals are
also resistant to ethanol.
As the ethanol molecule is smaller and more
polar than conventional petrol components,
there is a lower energy barrier for ethanol to
diffuse into elastomer materials. When exposed
to petrol/ethanol blends these materials will
swell and soften, resulting in a weakening of
the elastomer structure. On drying out they can
shrink and crack resulting in fuel leaks.
If your fuel system has old hoses or any
degradation of components, then ethanol may
appear to advance these problems very quickly.
You may experience leaks or fuel “sweating” from
fuel lines. Some fuel tank repair coatings have
been found to breakdown and clog fuel systems,
although there are plenty of ethanol resistant
products on the market.
What can we do?
The most important thing is to ensure your fuel
system components are regularly inspected
and renewed as part of a routine maintenance
programme for your historic vehicles. Ultimately
owners should look to renew fuel system
components such as hoses, seals and gaskets
with ethanol safe versions as a long – term
solution and more of these are entering the
market through specialists every day.
If you should decide to make the necessary
vehicle fuel system modifications together with
the addition of an aftermarket additive to operate
your classic or historic vehicle on E10 petrol. The
FBHVC strongly recommends that you regularly
check the condition of the vehicle fuel system
for elastomer and gasket material deterioration
and metallic components such as fuel tanks, fuel
lines and carburettors for corrosion. Some plastic
components such as carburettor floats and fuel
filter housings may be become discoloured over
time. Plastic carburettor float buoyancy can also
be affected by ethanol and carburettors should
be checked to ensure that float levels are not
adversely affected causing flooding and fuel
leaks.
Ethanol is a good solvent and can remove
historic fuel system deposits from fuel tanks
and lines and it is advisable to check fuel filters
regularly after the switch to E10 petrol as they
may become blocked or restricted. If your vehicle
is to be laid up for an extended period of time, it
is recommended that the E10 petrol be replaced
with ethanol free petrol which is available from
some fuel suppliers. Do not leave fuel systems
dry when storing, as this can result corrosion and
the shrinking and cracking of elastomers and
gaskets as they dry out.
Engine tuning
Ethanol contains approximately 35% oxygen by
weight and will therefore result in fuel mixture
enleanment when blended into petrol. Petrol
containing 10% ethanol for example, would
result in a mixture-leaning effect equivalent
to approximately 2.6%, which may be felt as
a power loss, driveability issues (hesitations,
flat spots, stalling), but also could contribute
to slightly hotter running. Adjusting mixture
strength (enrichment) to counter this problem
is advised to maintain performance, driveability
and protect the engine from overheating and
knock at high loads.
Modern 3-way catalyst equipped vehicles do not
require mixture adjustment to operate on E10
petrol because they are equipped with oxygen
(lambda) sensors that detect lean operation and
the engine management system automatically
corrects the fuel mixture for optimum catalyst
and vehicle operation.
Additives and vehicle storage.
Ethanol has increased acidity, conductivity and
inorganic chloride content when compared to
conventional petrol which is typically pH neutral.
Ethanol can cause corrosion and tarnishing of
metal components under certain conditions.
These characteristics are controlled in the
ethanol used to blend E5 and E10 European and
UK petrol by the ethanol fuel specification BS
EN15376 in order to help limit corrosion.
Some aftermarket ethanol compatibility
additives claim complete protection for
operating historic and classic vehicles on E10
petrol. The FBHVC is not aware of, or has tested
any additives that claim complete fuel system
protection with respect to elastomer and
gasket materials for use with E10 petrol. The
FBHVC therefore recommends that elastomer
and gasket materials are replaced with ethanol
compatible materials before operation on E10
petrol.
However, corrosion inhibitor additives can be
very effective in controlling ethanol derived
corrosion and are recommended to be added
to ethanol in the BS EN15376 standard. It is
not clear if corrosion inhibitors are universally
added to ethanol for E5 and E10 blending so
as an additional precaution it is recommended
that aftermarket corrosion inhibitor additives are
added to E5 and E10 petrol.
These aftermarket ethanol corrosion inhibitor
additives often called ethanol compatibility
additives are usually combined with a metallic
valve recession additive (VSR) and sometimes an
octane booster and have been found to provide
good protection against metal corrosion in
historic and classic vehicle fuel systems.
What happens if I fill up with E10
by accident?
Don’t panic – your car will continue to run,
just fill up with E5 at the next opportunity and
avoid storing your vehicle for long periods with
E10 fuel.
E5 Petrol
E5 petrol can contain between 0 and 5% by
volume ethanol. Other oxygenated blend
components may also be used up to a maximum
petrol oxygen content of 2.7%. There is a variation
at the pumps, not just between brands but also
between different areas of the country, some will
contain a lot less but the absolute maximum is
capped at 5%.
E10 Petrol
E10 petrol contains between 5.5 – 10%
ethanol by volume. Other oxygenated blend
components may also be used up to a maximum
petrol oxygen content of 3.7%. Again, there is a
variation at the pumps, not just between brands
but also between different areas of the country,
some will contain a lot less but the absolute
maximum is capped at 10%.

It should be noted that some Super E5 Protection
grade fuels do not contain Ethanol as the E5
designation is for fuels containing up to 5%
Ethanol. To re-iterate, product availability varies
by manufacturer and geographical location.
Diesel labelling
The renewable content of diesel fuel will not
be changing and service station fuel pumps
will continue to be labelled as B7, designating a
biodiesel, Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) content
of between 0 and 7% by volume. New vehicles
manufactured from 2019 onwards should have a
‘B7’ and or higher content label close to the filler
cap showing the fuel they can use.
The ‘B7’ label looks like this:
For media enquiries, please contact:
Wayne Scott at Classic Heritage PR,
07759 260899
wayne@classicheritagepr.co.uk
About the FBHVC:
The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs
exists to uphold the freedom to use historic
vehicles on the road. It does this by representing
the interests of owners of such vehicles to
politicians, government officials, and legislators
both in the UK and (through the Federation
Internationale des Vehicules Anciens) in Europe.
There are over 500 subscriber organisations
representing a total membership of over 250,000
in addition to individual and trade supporters.
All our directors operate in a voluntary capacity
supported by our secretary.
Website: www.fbhvc.co.uk

Upcoming event – Club Camp, BBQ & AGM Banbury, Oxfordshire – 13th to 15th May 2022

This event has proved to be so popular that we are now operating a waiting list as we are over-subscribed! If you are not already on the list, please do not book with the site.


The 30th Anniversary Club Camp (delayed a year), BBQ & AGM will be
held at Barnstones Caravan & Camping Park, Main
Street, Banbury OX17 1QU.

Please get in touch with our Events Manager Lorna at
events@vwt2oc.co.uk, or on our Facebook page with any questions.

1. Welcome to the VWT2OC website…

The Volkswagen Type 2 Owners Club is a UK national club for owners and enthusiasts of the classic Volkswagen transporter van.There are also some most welcome members from outside the UK.

If you are a type 2 enthusiast why not join us ?

The Club aims to help its members maintain their vehicles both as preserved historic vans and as restored, or otherwise reclaimed, going concerns keeping a family travelling and camping happily. From the technical team helping out with advice, to the mutual support of other owners chatting at events and camps, there is plenty to encourage even the most reluctant restorer. Our members are spread right across the UK, and the Club tries to provide activities and events that everyone can attend and enjoy. Mostly, we run camps and rallies where members meet up and relax. There are also valuations and restoration teaching rallies. Finally, we also have a strong presence at some of the country’s biggest VW events, including Camper Jam, BVF and Busfest.

Please allow 14 days following payment for your application to be processed.

If it is urgent you may be given a temporary membership number on an e mail request to the membership secretaries.


Membership options



DONT HAVE PAYPAL??

You can still pay by debit or credit card when you hit the subscribe button!

or Download the application form here and post us a cheque!!

BannerVWClub

Budget 2014 – another year added to exempt road tax vehicles

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/10708398/Budget-2014-What-it-means-for-motorists.html?fb

The Chanceller announced in today’s Budget   a handful of small measures intended to help motorists.

First was to confirm that fuel duty will be frozen until spring 2015, meaning   that the planned rise in September has been abandoned. In his fifth budget,   George Osborne described how this would make petrol 20 pence per litre   cheaper on average than it would have been under the previous Government.

However, plans to increase vehicle excise duty costs in line with inflation   remain, meaning that from April 1 any band from D upwards will rise by £5 or   more.

It has also been confirmed that motorists will be able to pay for their   vehicle excise duty on a monthly, biannual or annual basis from October 1   2014, . He also confirmed that when selling a car any remaining tax is no longer transferrable.

There was news of a £200 million fund for local authorities to repair   potholes, a move that was cautiously welcomed by the Institute of Advanced   Motorists: “Every little helps and it will be welcomed in many areas hit by   this year’s bad weather,” said Neil Greig , the IAM’s director of policy and   research. “With a ten billion pound back log in repairs, however, it is only   through consistent long-term funding that the pothole problem can finally be   fixed.”

The RAC, however, warns that merely patching up potholes isn’t enough: “We   need whole stretches of road to be resurfaced regularly rather than just   patching them when they start to fall apart, costing taxpayers more and more   money every year. Simply filling potholes is a massive false economy which   has now unfortunately become necessity. We really need to put an end to this   by making sure roads are never allowed to degenerate to the point where   potholes develop,” said David Bizley, the organisation’s technical director.

As per last   year’s Budget it was also announced that the exemption from   vehicle excise duty for classic cars will move to a 40-year rolling period,   which takes effect from April 1 2014. This means that models such as the   Austin Allegro, Reliant Robin and MGB V will qualify for tax exemption,   which could have a positive impact on their value. Previously only cars   built before January 1 1973 were exempt from tax, after the Government   abandoned the previous 25-year rolling scale in 1997.

VW T2 could be saved!!!

VW Kombi could be saved | Industry – Car News Dec 2013

http://www.carsite.co.uk/news/article/vw-kombi-could-not-be-saved/15538

1            

16:36 Wednesday 18 Dec 2013

Fans of the classic VW camper rejoice! VW’s venerable old bus may not be dead after all.

Cast your mind back to September last year when we brought you news that the VW Kombi, which has been in production in Brazil since 1976, is finally being killed off, 63 years after it was originally introduced in Europe.

From the beginning of next year, Brazilian legislation will force all new cars to have both ABS and driver and passenger airbags. VW decided that these could not be fitted to the Kombi, announcing its decision to pull the model and launching a Final Edition model to say farewell in the process.

Now, however, it seems that the Kombi may not be destined for the scrapheap after all. Brazil’s finance minister Guido Mantega is reportedly looking at an exception for the VW bus, based on the fact that the model’s ancient design does not allow room for the new technologies.

Mantega has already provoked criticism in Brazil for suggesting that the new safety standards could be postponed over concerns about inflated car prices.

The VW Kombi is still very popular in Brazil, with 26,000 units sold in the country every year. Its popularity is largely down to its low price, practicality and reliability, which has made it a favourite among cash-strapped businesses.

Of course, even if the Brazilian government does make an exception for the Kombi, it remains to be seen whether VW will continue production of the model.

Orders of The VW T2 Skyrocket following end of production

Orders of The VW T2 Skyrocket.

Orders of The VW T2 Skyrocket

The Volkswagen T2 is one of the most iconic campervans in the world. Its popularity and evergreen design has endured for over half a century with over 10 million having been produced. Caravan Owners Club recently reported that production of this incredibly popular vehicle will finally come to an end on 31st December this year.

Despite still being one of Volkswagen’s most successful products, with output being presold even today, health and safety laws being introduced in Brazil mean that the vehicle’s lack of airbags and ABS system will signal the end of production at the VW plant in Anchieta.

Despite this rather gloomy news there has been a silver lining for campervan conversion company Danbury Motorcaravans, who have seen orders for converted T2’s skyrocket since the end of the Type 2 was announced.

“We are absolutely inundated,” Jason Jones, sales manager at Danbury told Caravan Owners Club.

“People who have thought about buying a T2 but have maybe put it off, now have a limited time in which to order one, because on the 31st December production will stop forever.

“Plus of course the production run always sells out in advance, so if someone is wanting to buy a T2 then the time to order one is now because we have no way of knowing when the production run will be fully allocated. We’ll just find one day that we hit the button to order and find that it is no longer possible.”

When asked whether he thought that the T2 might make a comeback at some point in the future with ABS and airbags fitted Jason replied:

“There is no way that it can be done. It just isn’t possible with this vehicle, these really will be the last VW T2’s ever produced and that’s why we’re going to document the last ever shipment that we receive and put the images on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/danburymotorcaravans) to commemorate the end of production.”

Although those who want to capture the symbolic freedom that the type 2 represents may be disappointed if they do miss out, it’s not all bad news as there are other high quality campervans available as an alternative, like Danburys T5, VW Caddy, or Fiat Doblo conversions.

Danbury’s new double back T5 campervan comes with an unprecedented choice of 10 different wood finishes, 5 different flooring options, and 150 types of fabric and leather finishes meaning that each one is different and is really a bespoke design depending on the preference of the consumer.

So while the 31st December will mark the end of the road for one of the most popular campervans ever produced, you do have a last chance in which to order one if you act quickly.

Links:

You can see the new T5 range here: http://www.danburymotorcaravans.com/models/model.aspx?modelID=2

 

See what Jason Bradbury of Channel 5’s Gadget Show had to say about the VW T2 after he took one touring around the South Coast here: http://www.danburymotorcaravans.com/models/modeltype.aspx?modelID=1&modeltypeID=7

Danburys Facebook page where they will document the last ever shipment of VW Type 2’s here: https://www.facebook.com/danburymotorcaravans) to commemorate the end of production

See Danburys new T5 range here: http://www.danburymotorcaravans.com/models/model.aspx?modelID=2

VW T2 Camper Van Review – Classic cars driven

VW T2 Camper Van Review.

2007 VW T2 Camper Van Driven

Posted on 15 July 2013. Tags: , , , , , , , ,

There is nothing cooler than a VW T2 Camper Van and so we borrowed one from classic-campervans.co.uk who operate out of Classic Car Club London’s N1 base for the weekend to find out exactly how cool.

Ice cool, as it turns out, judging by the waves, positive feedback, adulation and general interest our 2007 Danbury converted camper generated. Whether it was the history of these iconic vehicles that incidentally celebrate 64 years of continuous production in 2013, more on which later, cool blue hue, lowered stance, smart interior or sexy alloys isn’t clear. Everyone, young and old wanted to chat, touch, look inside or simply know more. This really was the classic car equivalent of getting a puppy; a people magnet with a very strong pull.

View from a T2

Enjoying the view from our borrowed T2

That when you think about it is a little odd, given that the VW Type 2 (T2) was originally an attempt to re-use the VW Type 1 (T1 or Beetle) platform in a more practical way, the brainchild of Dutch car importer Ben Pon in 1946. Three years later in 1949 the first split windscreen T2’s appeared and eight years after that in 1967 the first ‘Bay’ front window vehicles started to be produced. Something that continued in Germany until 1979 when production swapped to the squarer looking T3, Mexico until 1994 and amazingly Brazil until the end of this year (2013). Danbury and others will be forced to convert second hand vans after all of the new stock has been consumed. Another interesting point, all camper vans were and continue to be today converted Type 2 buses, albeit originally offered as new in partnership with specialists such as Devon and Westfalia, the latter often referred to as ‘Westies’.

Top Tip: Remove Air Vent to cool your beer en-route

Top Tip: Remove Air Vent to cool your beer en-route

The question remained, how does a converted utilitarian commercial vehicle dating back to shortly after the second world war win over the hearts of so many people and for so long? Well, being frank judging by our two days experience it can’t be about practicality, the inside is cosy at best, or comfort whilst on the move, it is after all quite noisy to pilot, and it certainly isn’t about decent cross-country pace because 55-60mph is as fast as you dare without running the risk of blowing the engine up. Worse still travelling above 60mph tests not only your nerve, but also the ancient and heavy powerless and somewhat vague steering as well as rudimentary suspension to the extreme as the T2 bounces and weaves its way along the highway. There are alternatives on the market that tackle all of those points in a much better way, but then they’re not the reason you and so many others like you want a T2 so badly. Because just like getting that puppy, buying a converted VW Type 2 Bus is much more a lifestyle choice.

In a T2 there's usually a queue

In a T2 there’s usually a queue

I dwelled on the why all the time we had our van and the word that kept coming back even with a contemporary conversion like this 2007 Danbury was ‘simplicity’. These vehicles are like life stripped right back down to the bone. There is no fat, or waste, just an honest attempt to transport up to four people around with luggage, feed everyone and then accommodate them overnight. The additional two needing to be children really as the extra sleeping spaces involve hammocks or relatively thin flooring that make use of the elevated roof space. For two adults that same space can be used for the luggage previously stored in the boot and forced to move in order to make way for the bed, an arrangement that works perfectly well. So much so I challenge anyone to find a more romantic way to spend a weekend than tootling around in a T2 stopping only when you want to, which on the glorious weekend we had was to watch the sun go down whilst enjoying that naturally chilled bottle of beer.

2007 Brazilian T2 (left) next to original 1973 Camper (Right)

2007 Brazilian T2 ‘Molly’ (left) next to original 1973 Camper ‘Olive’ (Right)

If you’re interested in some other minor Camper Van blah-blah then be aware that the later Brazilian built T2’s moved away from the infamous air-cooled flat four engine to a more modern Polo water cooled in-line four unit around 2005-2006. That those same sourced vehicles may require protecting to prevent them rusting away whilst removed from their far drier climate. All will need a heater adding, our Danbury had a Webasto unit retro-fitted, and all will have been converted from left hand drive and so the sliding door on the side is to the right and not kerbside in the UK at least on the left. Other than that the newer vehicles should have a tidier and possibly more practical interior with a cleaner layout that includes essentials like a small fridge. This as opposed to an original not so cool, ‘cool’ cupboard one owner showed us on their ’74 Devon for instance.

Choosing one of these vehicles carefully is particularly important because much like a puppy or in classic car terms say a Morgan 3 Wheeler (M3W) it might not be for you. Puppy’s take up a lot of time and energy and M3W’s are difficult to get in and out of, offer no weather protection and are extremely noisy to drive. Camper Vans offer similar challenges, being tight on space inside, slow and noisy to travel in (motorways being most tricky given that foreign registered trucks are not restricted to 55mph) very expensive to buy new, or requiring a lot of time and energy as a second hand proposition. If you are in the market and haven’t experienced one previously our plea is to try before you buy because after all much like puppy dogs Camper Vans are not just for Christmas, they’re for life.

How does this car make you feel?

In one word: Hippy

As a favourite meal: BBQ chicken washed down with a bottle of beer nicely chilled on the journey down

Anything Else: Such simplicity in the complex world we live in today is still very refreshing

Key Ingredients: Simple and modest design, cutesy looks, universal appeal, cosy but comfortable bed, air cooled flat four engine (missing on final Brazilian built vans)

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With thanks to Classic Camper Vans For Hire and Classic Car Club – London

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Campers and caravanners – be TV Licence aware – Lifestyle and Leisure – Fenland Citizen

Campers and caravanners – be TV Licence aware – Lifestyle and Leisure – Fenland Citizen.

With hundreds of campsites across the UK and over 44 within 20 miles of Wisbech, TV Licensing is raising awareness with first time campers and experienced caravanners alike about the need to be correctly licensed if they are watching live TV from their tent, caravan or mobile home.

 

Figures recently released by The Camping and Caravanning Club revealed a 25 per cent increase in the number of scheduled arrivals on UK Club Sites and Camping in the Forest Sites during May 2013, compared to the same month the previous year and with good weather forecast for the rest of July and hopefully beyond, campsites across the UK are predicting a bumper summer.

With many camp sites across East Anglia now offering Wi-Fi access, campers and caravanners are able to keep up-to-date with their favourite live programmes using hand-held devices, such as tablets and smartphones, as well as laptops.

Mark Whitehouse, spokesperson for TV Licensing in East Anglia, said: “With ownership of tablets and smartphones on the rise and Wi-Fi coverage across campsites becoming the norm, live TV is now accessible to even the lightest-packed camper. So with many people putting up tents for the first time this summer, it’s important campers and caravanners know the law and are correctly licensed. If they are found watching TV without a licence then they would be at risk of prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000.”

Anyone camping in a tent or touring caravan and who is watching live TV on any device will be covered if they have a TV Licence for their residential home.

However, static caravans, mobile homes and moveable chalets will only be covered by a residential home licence if the TV in the main residence is not being used at the same time as the TV in static caravan, mobile home or moveable chalet.

In this instance, TV Licensing requests campers complete and submit a declaration form. The form allows the TV Licence holder to state the TV in their main residence will not be used at the same time as the device they use when camping.

Ian Hewlett, The Camping and Caravanning Club’s technical manager, said: “Many holidaymakers use televisions in their camping units so it’s important for the Club to highlight the importance of purchasing a TV Licence. We urge all campers and caravanners to check the licensing requirements if they plan to watch television whilst they’re away.”

For more information about when a licence is needed, visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-youneed-one

‘Camper van of love’ gets Coedpoeth woman to church on time

http://www.newsnorthwales.co.uk/news/124297/-camper-van-of-love-gets-coedpoeth-woman-to-church-on-time.aspx

A BRIDE used her late father’s camper van to get her to the church on time.

While some brides dream of a posh car or a horse drawn carriage, Amie Tekeian-Gash, from Coedpoeth, wanted a ‘camper van of love’ which has been in the family for 25 years, doing thousands of miles.

Meroojan Tekeian bought the blue Volkswagen in 1988 and took the family on holidays all over Europe including Spain, St Tropez, Berlin and Vienna, never once breaking down.

Mr Tekeian died five years ago but there was still a part of him at his daughter’s wedding thanks to his van, which the family always called ‘The Tecko Van’.

Travelling in the van, Amie arrived in time to marry the love of her life, self-employed builder Chris Gash, 42.

Amie, 27, said: “Dad used to turn up to school to pick us up in the van and I used to be so embarrassed.

“Now I have ended up using it as my wedding car.

“I even said to Chris that if the van breaks down on the way to the wedding then it’s a sign my dad doesn’t want me to marry him.” But true to its form, The Tecko Van got the bride to St Giles’ Parish Church on time and to the reception at Chester Racecourse.

“I felt like my dad was taking me to my wedding and there was a piece of him there,” said Amie, who is originally from the Rhosddu area.

When Mr Tekeian died he was in the process of changing the van’s engine.

But dental nurse Amie, who works in Ruabon, was not going to let the camper van fall into ruin and decided to spend about £5,000 on the van, getting it all done up for her wedding, and passed on her idea to Simon Edwards from Body Perfect garage, Rhosrobin, who carried out the work.

She said: “Everyone around Wrexham knows the van and it is very well known.

“My dad used to own Tekeian’s off licence on Rhosddu Road and everyone knew him and the van.

“Now we are are going to pimp it out on the inside and take it to the VW camper van shows.

“We will never sell it because dad loved it and it was his pride and joy.”