Ten years ago I made one of those decisions that you know is not sensible, but followed it through anyway. I had the chance to buy a Volkswagen camper van, a 1979 Devon Moonraker conversion, and one of the last of the original VW Type 2 campers to be made.

A little negotiation and £1,500 later, this machine, resplendent in its original Mexico beige paintwork, was mine and I was bitten by the bug.

I loved driving it because of its engaging quirkiness. Its air-cooled Beetle engine was slow but had that wonderul ‘dub-dub’ sound, and I was introduced to camping where I met other owners and felt part of a ‘club’.

The downside was that it was unreliable and the bodywork deteriorated rapidly. It was continually in the garage and, if you went on a trip, I simply could not predict how far I would get before I would need the services of an unsympathetic mechanic who would shake his head and add another zero to the bill.

I sold it soon after I moved to Oxfordshire. Had I known about the VW Camper Company then, I may have kept it.

This extraordinary business specialises in the maintenance, restoration and sale of VW Campers, particularly the Devon Moonrakers.

Owner Angus Watt started the firm in 2004 by renting out campers, but demand from owners and those aspiring to ownership grew to such an extent that he diversified into offering bespoke models made to order for those who wanted the benefits of ownership, without continual maintenance.

Having formerly worked at Banbury-based rally car developer Prodrive and the Honda racing team, Mr Watt wanted a more low-tech business that fitted around his growing family. He now finds himslef busier than ever at his base at the Tywyford Mill industrial estate, Adderbury.

He said: “I started with four vans and then began receiving a lot of commercial inquiries for promotional work with mobile telephone companies and even Harrods.

“Then I moved into this building in 2007, and people started to bring their vans around, which I turned away. Then I decided the rental business was too seasonal between April and September and meant I never got a day off in the summer.”

One of the challenges of the business is finding mechanics capable of working on the old technology of the VWs which, although simpler than modern-day computerised vehicles, require a more hands-on approach.

As a result, training is a priority for staff and Mr Watt has taken on brothers Adam and Matty Boscott as apprentices, as well as some older hands who can find their way around an air-cooled engine.

Customers are spread far and wide across the UK and even as far as the south of France. Often orders are made and vans constructed without the client even visiting.

Mr Watt souces a base van, often from Australia or South Africa, where there are many rust-free examples available. Colours and interior options are e-mailed to the customer and once the green light is given, they then receive photographs of the ongoing work.

Caroline Morris is a typical customer who, on the day I visited, had travelled from Winchester to pick up her pale green van after some minor work. She had discovered the firm after searching for a specialist to replace the lift-up roof.

She said: “I usually put by about £1,000 a year to look after the van but it’s definitely worth it.”

Mr Watt has deliberately shied away from the custom end of the market which has seen many vans ‘pimped’ with lowered suspension, Porsche engines and gaudy paintwork.

He prefers to cater for the family market using genuine parts to provide reliable vehicles for holidays and weekend breaks.

Of course, it is still possible to buy brand new Brazilian-built vans that look just like the originals, but they have water-cooled engines and Mr Watt is not a fan, and questions the quality of a vehicle intended for the South American market.

He argues it is better to spend £15-£25,000 on a renovated original than £30,000 on a new model. Fully-restored versions cost more but are made to customer specification.

“With a van that has been completely restored, you can be confident it is not going to rust away,” said Mr Watt.

The VW Camper Company sells about 30 vans a year and expansion plans are on the cards for 2011, as Mr Watt aims to move into larger premises nearby and start building engines, rather then importing them from South Africa as is the case now.

They will still be air-cooled but a little more powerful and with significantly lower emissions and better economy.

It seems the future for the classic VW camper van is very bright indeed. Who knows, I may be back in the market for one soon.