About Jack's Shack: Our Story of Custom Campervans & Trucks
Jack’s Shack, Campervans and Custom Trucks wasn’t est. in 2017 – though yes that is what it says on the sign. In fact, it began in the dreams of a young lad from Leicestershire in the late 90’s. A young lad that grew up watching his fix-anything dad turn lumps of old metal into beautiful machines with nothing more than his trusty welding gun, a huge bag of spanners (and other assorted tools) and a curious mind.
Today at Jack’s Shack we create bespoke campervans and custom trucks, to the exact specifications of the dreams of others but when Jack were just a lad, his time was spent turning his wacky youthful mind’s thoughts into hard (and often very fast) reality.
To truly understand the ethos that drives Jack and his uber-creative team of mechanics and technicians, you really do need to see what has gone before. And as you peruse the below, ask yourself: ‘if he could do that when he was 14, what could he do with my dream campervan now?’.
Jack's Backyard Creations
The Toy Truck
While most 13 year old boys were, ahem, otherwise engaged, Jack was in his parents' shed, beginning in earnest a career of irritating his neighbours with the whirring of angle-grinders, the whoosh of welding torches and clink of hammer on metal. At some point early in his 13th year he decided that his toy cart, enjoyed greatly in his younger years, needed a 80cc engine, a steering wheel, go-kart tyres, a reappropriated fire extinguisher as a fuel tank and enough horses to have him whipping along at a neighbourhood-watch infuriating 35mph.
What is Jack's 'The Hulk' Mini project?
By 16 things had escalated and Jack was already set on keeping well away from the norm. Motoring trends be damned, he was going to make his first Mini unique. So, welding torch at the ready, his dreams once again began to take shape. The 'Mini' pictured is actually sitting on a Triumph Herald chassis and, equally peculiarly, it's rear-wheel drive. But the teenage dreams made real do not stop there. Jack was disappointed by the Mini's woeful, if willing, little engine, so decided that a Ford Z-tec Twin-Cam would far better suit his needs.
How was Jack's 'Lil' Trumper' created?
By this point it should be plain to see that Jack is a man of both humour and creativity. A man of boundless enthusiasm. So it should come as no shock that Lil' Trumper was created when, by chance, Jack saw a 'nice piece of metal' and his mind did the rest. The piece of metal in question certainly did not look like a motorised tricycle to any Average Joe, in fact, it was simply a sort of 'C' shaped piece of metal, that in Jack's eyes morphed into the beginnings of a chassis. Lo and behold, just a few days later, this unassuming 'C' shaped piece of metal had grown into something altogether more exciting.
Escort Mk1 Estate
By 20 it was fair to say that the bug that Jack had would take more than a bit of Benylin to shift and despite the fever, the builds just kept coming. This piece of modern history was treated to a new lease of life with a bespoke and entirely home fabricated air-suspension system, a bespoke handmade interior and a Ford Z-tec engine – the latter meaning that this elderly looking vehicle was actually perfectly reliable and brilliant for the daily commute.
What features does Jack's 'The Beast' Custom Truck have?
And then things got really serious. This, one of Jack's latest creations, has scooped a slew of awards and has set the bar for Custom Trucks in the UK. The little wall-flower has a hefty 6BT Cummins engine with a custom manifold and a whacking great turbo. It's also equipped with custom-fitted air-brakes, an air-suspension system and a bespoke flatbed – that tilts to enable easy loading. Mad Max eat your heart out!
Can Jack's Shack build your dream VW T6 campervan?
So, what Jack sees when he looks at the ultra-versatile Volkswagon T6 is an incredible blank canvas. Yes, Jack and the team can make it run-of-the-mill but, for those who dare to dream, we can make something truly unique and utterly perfect just for you.