About us. My name is Simon and as of the day I could drive I have always messed about with cars & vans. My first project was a Ford Capri 2.0S. I fitted a bodykit and painted it myself. Then I discovered vans. My first van was a Bedford CF220 costing £400. I had seen some CF's customized at a Truck Fest show I went to in Warrington. After that I was totally hooked on vans and what could be done with them (please see Bedford page). After that I did many others but over the years I've lost photos so I can't show them, gutted. During my years of loving vans and now campers, I've had many projects and now with the internet I am finding there are many others out there with the same love of them. About 10 years ago I started a website for custom vans www.custom-vans-uk.co.uk  it was just for fun and everytime I customized a van or restored a camper I added it to the website. Soon I had a lot of people contacting me to ask if they could show their vans on the website. Others asked for work to be done as they also wanted a smart looking van/head turner. I dont do any pay per click or advertising but the website is always at the top of the search page. The website gets around 3,000 hits a month and I get plenty of emails asking for advice or a quote for work to be done.  With the demand this website is getting and the enquiries I get, I decided to start a new business doing what I love to do. Custom Campers UK

In September 2010 I started this business, I aquired a new unit on a very well known industrial estate near to where I live. In July 2011 due to the demand of my services I moved to a bigger workshop in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent. As of July 2012 I have moved again to a better bigger workshop. I now offer the service of over night stop over for customers. In 2004 I bought my first Motorhome(see My Talbot MH page) she is old but great, I get a lot of people stopping and asking about her when we are out on our travels. I have done so many modifications to the Talbot I wouldn't know where to start to list them. She is still going very strong and takes us away for our holidays without missing a beat. 2012 I added the service of suppling my own design Spring assisters for the Talbot. After much demand and now covering over 30 different vehicles this side of the business takes up a good 50% of Custom Campers UK. I now only take on Talbot Express,s and Im booked up with big restoration work for the next 18 months. 2014 I started making Talbot Express body panels which are and were never availabe. These include lower quarter panels, inner arch panels, lower cab door panels, sill patch repair panel, cab sill repair panel. Also mirror brackets for the coach built motorhomes. 

2017 .With regret, I wish to inform all my customers/followers that I have made a big decision. This year 2017 will be my last year of taking on large restoration projects. The reason for this is, Ive 4 sides of the business and all 4 are preforming very well. But I'm spreading myself very thin tiring to keep everyone happy. Any big projects that I've committed to this year will still be completed.  Also to confirm that I will not be moving to a bigger workshop, I will be staying at my current address.  I will be keeping on the following services.

My own design Leaf Spring Coil Assisters

Used Talbot parts.

New Talbot parts, which includes My Panels and parts which I make

I will however take on small repairs only, I consider a small repair a total cab restoration.

 Its taken me about 12 months to come to terms with this decision, which is a shame as my passion has always been to work on these classic vehicles but something has to give.  For more details on this decision please have a look on my Facebook page.

With regret, I wish to inform all my customers/followers that I have made a big decision. This year 2017 will be my last year of taking on large restoration projects. The reason for this is, Ive 4 sides of the business and all 4 are preforming very well. But I'm spreading myself very thin tiring to keep everyone happy. Any big projects that I've committed to this year will still be completed.  Also to confirm that I will not be moving to a bigger workshop, I will be staying at my current address.  I will be keeping on the following services.

2019. 10 years ago I started Custom Campers UK and used the talbotoc.com forum a lot back then, Alex was and still is a great person to know and he let me get on with advertising and making myself know to many owners . I started this business out of the passion I still have for my Talbot motorhome which I still own and still use. I bought it 15 years ago.
Which brings me to the reason for this post. I need to make an announcement .  Over the last 12 months ive had a few problems with health and work load, so over the weekend while on Anglesey I decided that this year will be my last year of doing restoration work. I do enjoy doing this kind of work and I love putting a shed of a Talbot back on the road looking fantastic, like new. I like to hear about the stories that my customer have regarding the amount of interest they get when out and about. But I feel I have to think about my health & Family and if I carry on, the impact on them.
Back in April 2019 I damaged my rib and hurt my Kidney, all from doing a oil change under a Talbot, I got up wrong. I was told to rest for two months but I had two customers campers in and I didn't want to let them down so I cracked on and made things worse. I'm in pain most nights but I wont take pain killers so I just get on with it.
I have 4 sides of the business, Restoration repair work, New Parts & Panels(I make), Used parts, and the Leaf Spring Coil Assister kits I make. My plan is to stop doing the repairs and restoration so I can spend more time on the other 3 areas. I also plan to semi retire in about 4 years when my son Kaiden is 16 by then he should know which direction he wants to go regarding work path, he's already got a little bike business which he enjoys repairing and selling bikes of all shapes and sizes.
I already make a lot of panels and parts for these old Talbot and have many more to develop over time. My spring assisters are selling very well with my best selling kit being the Talbot kit. I did cancel all work until October this year due to trying to rest. I do have work booked in and I will honour those bookings. I will take on work up until Christmas this year, I know it will spill over to 2020 but these jobs to take time and I don't want to let anyone down. If you do want me to do work on your Talbot you need to contact me and get your name on the list as after Christmas the list will be no more and Ill only do what's on the customer list.
I've roughly worked out that over the 10 years I've repaired and restored about 300 Talbots. There are roughly 700 Talbots out there with my Spring assister kits fitted.

2020 update. This year has been terrible for everyone. I hav'nt done any restoration work at all. With only working 2 days a week ive been making and sending out parts and panels.

2021 update. Lets see what happens

2023 Nov update. Well Covid hit us all. But I think we are all tring to get back to normal. One thing that is hitting us hard is the cost of energy. Ive now stopped taking on any work, over the covid period I spent more time developing my parts and panels I manufacture. This is now paying its way. The Leaf Spring Assister Kits are selling well, ive added a few more vehicle to the list of which I can supply kits for.
This year we used our motorhome a few times, didnt use for 3 years.

Classic Camper & Motorhome small restoration

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Classic Camper & Motorhome small restoration

Plans for when I retire.

When I retire I plan to start a charity. I would like to provide motorhome holidays for families with ill children. My hopes are to make the whole holiday free. The charity will pay for the sites, fuel, insurance and any other costs. This is a few years off yet which gives me time to arrange the details. My son will hopefully take over Custom Campers.