The Ultimate Weekend RV Is a Reliant Robin Conversion With Kitchen, Shower, and Bedroom

This is the "ultimate weekend RV," a Robin Reliant turned into a DIY (do it yourself) camper. That alone is perhaps the strangest phrase you're likely to hear today, but the story behind it is even stranger – and undoubtedly more endearing, thanks to the builder's sense of humor and enthusiasm.

This is the story of Bob, a self-professed auto enthusiast and occasional camper now in his early 70s, and a one-time reality star thanks to his Robin Reliant conversion, which he called Rodney. The build was featured on the popular British show George Clarke's Amazing Spaces, on the debut episode of season 9 in the summer of 2020.

Even after all these years, it still stands as one of the funniest, most adorable takes on weekend recreational vehicles – with some functionality, as well. Despite George's claim that it is the "ultimate" weekend RV, this segment is best taken with humor, as Bob probably meant it.

A Robin Reliant is the least likely choice for a camper conversion, or if you're particularly fond of personal safety and sanity of mind, it is the least likely choice for a daily driver. But that doesn't change the fact that, among Brits, it's a classic. It might be a terrible classic due to stability issues, safety considerations, and because of underwhelming performance, but it's a classic nonetheless. Call it a quirky classic, and leave it at that.

The Reliant was made (in)famous internationally by one particular appearance on Top Gear on Series 15, but one such three-wheeler was actually featured at least three times on the show.

On each of these occasions, the car was made to flip on purpose, prompting memes and ongoing jokes about hilariously bad stability on the road. In reality, the vehicles had been rigged – Jeremy Clarkson's Robin on that famous episode had been weighted on one side so it would flip more easily.

That's not to say that the Reliant, whether the Robin or any other model, is a decent daily driver by today's standards. But it does mean that at least a fraction of its bad reputation is the result of the desire for comedic relief.

With the Robin and its three variants, Reliant holds the title of making the second-most popular fiberglass car in history and of being the second-biggest British manufacturer, if only for a few years.

This Robin Reliant, an Mk1 from 1973, can no longer aspire to relive the glory of past days, but it will forever go down in history as the quirkiest camper. Bob stripped it of its engine, but if it were still in place, it'd be a 750 cc one (Reliant introduced the more powerful 850 cc only two years later). Bob also stripped the interior and turned the entire vehicle into a towable with all the creature comforts of home. Well, sort of.

He meant it as a tribute to Del Boy's Reliant from Only Fools and Horses, a popular British show. Del Boy actually drove a 1967 Reliant Regal Supervan III painted a very distinct shade of yellow, but Bob didn't set out to make a clone. He painted it red and put a "Globetrotters Independent Touring Co." sticker on the side. It's a tribute of the IYKYK ("if you know, you know") kind.

The rear end opens up to reveal the "galley," which is just a portable stove that comes out from under the plastic organizer and a small metal bowl that doubles as a sink. George was thoroughly amused by the whole set-up, but then again, so was Bob.

Also at the rear was the shower, made up of a solar portable shower with a system of rods holding a curtain that would have to be assembled on site but probably never was past the production of the episode. The system failed to work on that occasion, but Bob took it in stride.

The interior was turned into a bedroom, just large enough to allow a man of Bob's small stature to lie down. He still has to do so with his head under the dashboard, which is why he made sure to pad it properly – just in case he ever wakes up in the middle of the night, forgets his whereabouts, and tries to get up too quickly.

In the end, a Robin Reliant camper conversion will not convince anyone to get into the whole idea of living on the road or even to give the experience a go as a weekend warrior.

But the project was good for what it was meant to be: a moment of levity on an otherwise serious program, a conversion on a budget (under £700/$900 at the current exchange rate, including the cost of the car), and a solution that would be better for Bob than a tent, which he described as "cramped, damp, and cold." He'd grown fed up with sleeping in a tent at auto gatherings in his area, so this was an obvious upgrade.

As for all the obvious flaws, Bob's response is perhaps best. "Well, it's a unique vehicle, innit?" That, it certainly is.