Allow me to introduce the legend herself: Black Betty! Why the dramatic moniker, you ask? If you've ever plunged into the high-octane world of the Netflix show SWAT, you know Black Betty as the LAPD's hulking, bulletproof beast of a response vehicle. And no, I don't have an armored van – but the name instantly clicked. It's about that raw, undeniable pride Officer Luca has for his Black Betty; that same surge of unadulterated joy and fierce devotion I feel for my own rolling fortress.

She's a 2021 Ford Transit Custom, packing a punch with a 2.0-litre EcoBlue Motion engine and 130BHP. I’ve owned her since day one, a blank canvas transformed by the maestros at AI Campers in Plymouth. Seriously, a massive shout-out to Ian and his team for a conversion that's both brilliantly basic and breathtakingly high-standard. This isn't just a van; it's a testament to quality. Link below to AI Campers. 

In a mere four years, she's devoured 82,000 miles of tarmac and hasn't so much as whimpered. Servicing and MOTs? They've barely lifted an eyebrow, asking for nothing more than a couple of humble brake pads. And when life hit hard, when the world seemed to unravel during my breakup, this magnificent machine became my steadfast home, a silent, powerful guardian through the storm.