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The Cosy Cabin van build

A little About Me:

Hey my names Brad, I’m a 30 year old Snowboard Instructor and Photographer from

Hampshire, UK.


I’ve been on the move since 2011 but now find myself at home in the French & Austrian

Alps. I recently returned home in March after Instructing for a one-off winter season in

Japan when our best mate COVID crashed the party..


Although my dream job working as an instructor in Japan got cut short I started to try and

see the positives. - I finally had time on my side after 10 years of bouncing around the

world.


Enter phase two of my “Cozy Cabin Van Build”


But first we need to rewind a little..




A little about The Van:

The van was originally my dads and was used as a stealth camper with just a fixed bed

and a portable toilet inside..


In November 2018 just before my birthday I got the news that one of my closest friends

had suddenly passed away in an accident..


Lost and shaken up my dad offered to give me the van so I could have a project to work

on to keep my mind off things.


I started planning and building relentlessly over the next 4 weeks and what I achieved in

that time still shocks me today. I don’t really remember much of the build process it’s all

abit blurry tbh.


Fast forward two years and I’ve finally got the free time at home over the lockdown period

to get the van unto scratch and finish all the bits I has planned the first time round!

Firstly I put some beefier 16Inch wheel and off road tyres to fill the horrendous arch gap

Ducatos / Relays & Boxers have!


Next up I didn’t fancy being a white van man anymore so I painted the exterior by hand

and chose Nato Green as the colour in a satin finish! - I LOVE IT!


After that it needed beefing up a bit so I added some running bars, a bull bar, some spot

lights and a 52’ LED lightbar to go with it!


It’s pretty much complete now and I can’t wait to see where it takes me this time round!

The van is a pure labour of love, it symbolises and triggers a lot of mixed emotions but

that’s got it to where it is today.


So yeah, here’s some photos from two years ago right after it was built on my first season

in it in Meribel & Morzine/Avoriaz.. & a few recent photos of the exterior to give you an

idea of the whole ‘Look’!


Best Regards

Brad

Media Links

WEBSITE:

www.bradwatson.co.uk

LIGHTROOM PRESETS

www.bradwatson.co.uk/shop/winterwarmers

YOUTUBE CHANNEL (VAN BUILD SERIES):

www.youtube.com/BradWatsonUK

INSTAGRAM:

@bradblogz

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