Family’s DIY Overlander Truck Camper

on July 18, 2022

You might remember Kirt and Jen’s family as the family of four living full-time in their Sprinter van! As their boys grew up, they decided they needed more room — but they didn’t go the traditional route of re-purchasing a home. Instead, they built out this DIY Overlander that doubled their space and made it easier for them to stay boondocking for a couple of weeks at a time.

Their Overlander is a combination of a dualie truck and a brand new specialized box that they attached to it and converted into a home. The space inside has a large kitchen, bunks for the boys, and a standard queen-sized bed for mom and dad. They also have a shower and toilet in their mini bathroom and an incredible fold-out outdoor space with an awning.

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They Went From Van Life to this Self-Built Overlander Truck Camper Named Macho

Images via Tiny House Giant Journey/YouTube

The boys get to have their own private bunk beds while the parents have a nearby queen bed. After living in a van, this is quite an upgrade and has actually doubled their living space.

Images via Tiny House Giant Journey/YouTube

Images via Tiny House Giant Journey/YouTube

They have this really awesome fold-down porch with an awning and screen.

Images via Tiny House Giant Journey/YouTube

Overall, it cost them about $130,000 to build this themselves. They paid $65,000 for the truck, $15,000 for the box, and $50,000 for the conversion. They estimate that a comparable manufactured overlander would have cost them over $500,000, so they saved quite a bit while still getting what they wanted.

Images via Tiny House Giant Journey/YouTube

VIDEO: Family lives in self-built Overlander 4×4

Highlights

Kirt and Jen, a family of four, transitioned from living in a Sprinter van to building a DIY Overlander Truck Camper for more space and extended boondocking trips.
Their self-built Overlander features a spacious interior with a large kitchen, bunk beds for the kids, a queen-sized bed for the parents, a bathroom with a shower and toilet, and a fold-out outdoor space with an awning.
The total cost of their DIY project was approximately $130,000, including $65,000 for the truck, $15,000 for the box, and $50,000 for the conversion, saving them a significant amount compared to buying a manufactured overlander, which could have cost over $500,000.