Don Campbell grew up on the west side of Vancouver and was an active member of the West Point Kustoms Car Club. He was a body man by trade, and his experience carried over to his hobby, which was customising the plain box cars out of Ontario.

Don worked on many cars but the one every one remembers is the 1947 Mercury two door sedan that he cut the post out and made into a hardtop. It was candy apple red and had quad headlights from an Edsel, a grille from a 1957 Vauxhall bumpers from a 1937 DeSoto, taillights from a 1956 Dodge and a V8 engine donated by a 1951 Oldsmobile. Bud Lang of Car Craft magazine took photos of it and it was featured in the August 1958 issue titled Canadian Capers

Fellow member of the West Point Kustoms, Harvey Funk, had a 1941 Chevy that needed a professional touch, so Don put in 1958 Chev quads, tube grille and radical Plexiglas taillights and reworked bumpers. Harvey's car also made the US magazines and Don was two for two.

A 1952-55 Ford pickup truck was

DON CAMPBELL - Inducted 2001

Pioneer - Hot Rod, Custom Car and Drag Racing

By Doug Harder, 2004

Don Campbell’s 1947 Mercury  (GVMPS collection)

the next project for Don and it was a real beauty. It was extensively customized; dropped low all the way around, but lower in front, had his famous candy red paint but with gorgeous white pearl flames covering the hood and front fenders

When the custom vans were all the rage in the seventies, Don had a 1969 Dodge. He split it down the middle lengthwise and added a foot of sheet metal to alter the appearance and gain points in the show circuit. Don gained room inside as well, and with vans as opposed to cars, this is what it was all

about. In addition to the custom carpeting, lights, etc., his van had an actual fireplace Installed.

Don Campbell left the body shop business to work for ICBC when they started up. Don had a wife, Carol, and a son, Danny.