Gibo's amazing 'boatman's cabin' van

Granny Buttons was repainted at Streethay Wharf seven years ago, and I still remember the light, dancing-on-air feeling as I took it away that summer.  It felt like having a new boat.

The actual painting was done by Steve Gibson, known to friends as ‘Gibo’ and it was only several months later that I noticed his little ‘Painted at Streethay Wharf Litchfield 2002’ signature in the gas cylinder hatch, (complete with charming misspelling) that made Granny’s repaint feel almost like a  personal artwork. 

Soon after, someone asked me if I’d seen his own van, which he’d done out as a traditional boatman’s cabin in the back – complete with scumbling and stove. 

No!  I was really keen to see it. On returning to the boatyard a few months later to have a look, I was disappointed to find that he’d left Streethay to spend time travelling.

Over the years I wondered what had happened to Steve, so I was delighted to get an email from him out of the blue last year. He’d stumbled on one of my earlier posts about that wonderful repaint, and asked how it was getting on.

This time I was able to ask him about his van, and he said he’d try to get some photos.  

Well, they’ve arrived.  Not sure if this is the same van he had seven years ago – he’s done more than one modified van – but it looks amazing to me. 

(Compare with the Pimp My Ride ‘narrowboat in a van’ of a couple of years ago.  That one had a huge budget thrown at it, but it ended up feeling far less authentic than Gibo's.)

 

 

Comments

[Steven J Gibson]

Sarah,
If you give me lots of money you too could have one..
Gibo..

[Sarah]

I want one!