She’s reliable and classy, and people flock to her side wherever she shows up. 

Meet Mimi, a 1964 Volkswagen van that’s truly one-of-a-kind. 

Owners Justyn Goff and Sam Bishop, from Holt, say the ‘Splitscreen SO2’ is the only one in the world that left the factory in Wolfsburg, Germany, as an ice cream van and still is one. 

North Norfolk News: Justyn Goff and Sam Bishop with Mimi, the unique 1964 plate VW split screen ice cream van, out in Holt.Justyn Goff and Sam Bishop with Mimi, the unique 1964 plate VW split screen ice cream van, out in Holt. (Image: Denise Bradley)

Mr Goff, 43, said: “We know there were potentially five or 10 made with the ice cream sales flap. 

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“But Mimi is the only one where it can be proved it was made as an ice cream van and is still working as an ice cream van, because we’ve got the paperwork to show it from when it left the factory.”

North Norfolk News: Justyn Goff and Sam Bishop with Mimi, the unique 1964 plate VW split screen ice cream van, out in Holt.Justyn Goff and Sam Bishop with Mimi, the unique 1964 plate VW split screen ice cream van, out in Holt. (Image: Denise Bradley)

Those documents show Mimi’s first owner paid 9,000 deutschmarks - which would have been around £3,000 - for the vehicle. 

Mr Goff and Ms Bishop run the Splitscreen Ice Cream Co, and take Mimi and two other classic vans to outdoor events across the country. 

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North Norfolk News: Justyn Goff and Sam Bishop with Mimi, the unique 1964 plate VW split screen ice cream van, out in Holt.Justyn Goff and Sam Bishop with Mimi, the unique 1964 plate VW split screen ice cream van, out in Holt. (Image: Denise Bradley)

The business was launched by Daniel Dimbleby - son of the famous presenter Jonathan, in 2009. 

But after the pandemic struck in 2020 it was put up for sale, and electrician Mr Goff and former education worker Ms Bishop decided to climb aboard.

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North Norfolk News: Justyn Goff with Mimi, the unique 1964 plate VW split screen ice cream van, out in Holt.Justyn Goff with Mimi, the unique 1964 plate VW split screen ice cream van, out in Holt. (Image: Denise Bradley)

Mr Goff said: “We were looking for a way out of the daily rat race, doing something together that we could both be passionate about, around our love for VWs.”

Mr Goff said they were both looking forward to a busy summer revisiting some of the places they have served ice cream at in the past such as Glastonbury, the North Norfolk Railway, Fakenham Racecourse and the Worstead Festival.

Mimi recently featured on ITV’s Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh as part of a special show about vintage ice cream vans.