Welcome back dude!
Firstly, I think there are a few good clubs in your area, and the best thing to do if you want a camper is get back in touch with them.
Secondly, decide on your budget, use it to decide on what van.
Bear in mind that for a set budget you'll get a better condition van the newer model you look at. i.e. £10k = ok professional (i.e. Auto-Sleeper etc.) T4 = mint T3 because the T4 campers haven't depreciated that much yet (note I don't include home built vans or "surf busses") = good late Bay = ok-ish early bay = bodged or project or worse case scenario 'Rat Look' Splitty.
Thirdly, decide which type 2 you want. As a rule of thumb, the newer they are the technically better but less "cool", and valuable.
I drove a splitty for twelve feet once, that's all it took for me to decide I'll never have one.
I had a Bay crewcab and loved it.
I had a Wedge for six months. In the first 20 miles it spat all its oil out, overheated and warped the head. By the time I fitted a new engine I'd seen the back half had rotted out. I'll never have another, but it was roomier and handled better than a split or bay. I loved driving it.
I now have a T4 with a bollocksed engine. These are less roomy for camping than Wedges or Bays if you're planning on converting a van, but the professionally done jobbies are very expensive.
All the above is just my opinion though, based on personal experience.
