eBay has launched its Van Conversion of the Year Awards for the second year.
As part of the launch of this year’s competition eBay has revealed its own project vehicle, a converted Ford Transit Mk1. The classic vehicle, dubbed the ‘eBay Lounge’, was previously owned by a German fire department before being purchased by eBay and renovated into a multi-purpose, camper-style van and event support vehicle.
According to a statement, eBay has re-enlisted the help of an expert judging panel, including architect and presenter, George Clarke, who will be head judge in 2024. He leads a panel that includes the man responsible for designing the exterior of the McLaren F1, Peter Stevens, who also came up with the concept for the eBay Lounge. Laura Richards, category lead for Vehicle Parts and Accessories at eBay, completes the judging panel, who will identify a selection of individual category winners before choosing the overall Van Conversion of the Year.
George Clarke said: “We were hugely inspired by the conversions we saw last year, and after all the success and buzz it created, we thought we would give the people of the UK another chance to show off their creations. As someone that has previously converted a van, I know how incredibly fun and rewarding the whole process can be, from coming up with the concept to building the finished vehicle. I know eBay is the go-to online marketplace for DIY creations, and it is fantastic to see them recognising and championing van converters.”
Entries are now open and are set to close at 23:59 Sunday 11 August, with the winners to be announced in September. Category winners will each receive £250 worth of eBay coupons while the Overall Van Conversion of the year award winner will receive a £10,000 cash prize.
Last year’s winner was publican Paul White, who had turned an old ambulance into a mobile bar to create the AmBEERlance, as he looked for ways to get drinks to his faithful customers during Covid lockdowns. Paul was praised for creating such a functional final vehicle and one that ultimately kept his business open.