Architect and TV presenter George Clarke will be driving a classic van at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed this week.
Best known for hosting Amazing Spaces, a show about the creative use of small and unusual living spaces, Clarke will get behind the wheel of the eBay Lounge: a specially converted 1975 Ford Transit Mk1.
Clarke’s hillclimb attempt will be part of a major presence for eBay at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex.
Interactive competitions and talks by automotive experts will also feature on its award-winning show stand.
McLaren F1 to Ford Transit
The Ford Transit might not seem the most obvious vehicle for the famous Goodwood hillclimb course, but this particular van does boast a motorsport connection.
Peter Stevens, responsible for shaping vehicles such as the McLaren F1, Subaru Impreza WRC and Jaguar XJR-15, also helped to design the eBay Lounge.
Previously used by the German fire service, it has since been restored and updated to be a multi-purpose, camper-style van and event support vehicle.
Period-correct parts were used to refresh the running gear, suspension and brakes of the classic Transit. Naturally, all parts were sourced through the eBay marketplace, before the interior underwent an extensive makeover.
Seeking the best van conversions
The Transit has been restored to promote eBay’s Van Conversion of the Year Awards. Following on from last year’s event, the competition will search for everything from the best trade transformation to the coolest camper conversion.
George Clarke and Peter Stevens will both be part of the judging panel for the Van Conversion of the Year Awards.
Entries for the competition are open now and run until 11 August 2024. The winner will receive a £10,000 cash prize, with individual category winners claiming a £250 eBay voucher.
The 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed takes place between Thursday 11 and Sunday 14 July. You can see George Clarke driving up the hill on the opening day.