A devoted father who was inspired by the Popemobile to adapt a Mini so that his disabled child could own his first vehicle has completed the project ten years after he started it, according to Metro.
Robin Middleton decided to purchase the £600 classic Mini chairman van after seeing it on eBay. The 43-year-old made it his mission to convert it for his 14-year-old son Charlie.
Charlie was deprived of oxygen for several minutes at birth, resulting in him using a wheelchair for all of his life. The teen also has epilepsy and cerebral palsy, meaning he is dependent on his dad Robin and his mom Cheryl for everything.
Dad took ten years to adapt the van for son
The family thought Charlie would never own a car due to his condition, but his father became adamant that his son would. The Mini he bought resembles the car Popes have used for decades for their protection when they are being driven through crowds of worshippers.
Middleton has adapted the van over the last decade so the vehicle can fit Charlie's wheelchair, according to BBC. He said he just saw the van come up on eBay. He had gone to several Mini shows before, and as they have a converted Ford Transit van, they would have to go in that and then go around the shows.
The father said he wanted Charlie to be able to do what everyone else could. He just thought it would be a nice thing to do, so Charlie could be a bit more of a part of it and have his own little car.
Middleton said he saw it and thought it would be perfect for his son. He added he always had Minis and been well into the Mini side of things, and he just thought it would be a nice thing to do for his son.
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Middleton relieved that the project is finished
The father was relieved the van was now finished as straight away you could tell it was a lot of work to do, according to the Independent. He said it was a bit of a spur-of-the-moment thing to a certain degree, but he thought surely they could do something to make it nice for him and get out and about.
He said he did it in bits and pieces, just when he could afford all of the panels, so he properly started it four years after he bought it. Robin said a good friend of his is into Minis as well, so they passed it between them for a little while to try and ease it.
He said it is such a nice feeling to get it finished, and now he is looking forward to being able to get his out to one of his first shows. He added that it would be lovely and fantastic.
