Steve and Audra had camped in tents for years when Steve brought up the idea of converting a van. It took a bit for Audra to warm up to it, but eventually, they bought a high-roof Ford Transit and started a 2-plus-year journey to complete the inside.
They wanted to convert the van on a budget and used a lot of reclaimed materials — like the discarded decking that became their ceiling — in order to keep costs down. What’s your favorite part of their conversion?
Cynthia had been thinking of going tiny for a while, but she was initially nervous about telling her grown children and friends about her idea. But she conquered her fear, bought a Ford Transit Connect, and converted it all herself!
She made sure her conversion fit her lifestyle and her 60-pound dog. She has a bed that folds out at nighttime and a cool table in the back for her outdoor cooking station. Enjoy the tour!
Back in high school, Alexandria dreamed of van life and travel via her Pinterest board, but it took the events of 2020, a job change, and a lot of gusto to get her to sell her vehicle and purchase her Ford Transit that she now calls home! Alexandria isn’t afraid to be honest about the struggles of living in a van, and about how many times she has ripped out and redone certain parts of her van to make it almost perfect for her lifestyle!
She replaced her DIY toilet with a Nature’s Head. She took out a wall of tile that didn’t fit her vibe. She spent hours upon hours creating a stunning ceiling and fitting an upper cabinet to the Transit’s extreme curvature. But now? She has a functional and tidy space that works for her four-day/10-hour workweek. She spends her long weekends hiking and biking all around the country!
You may be familiar with Mat and Danielle and their incredible Exploring Alternatives YouTube channel, where they show us an array of inspiring stories, not to mention, their own. So this is how they built out their second van conversion.
They went with a used 2015 Ford Transit van with a high roof and 148″ wheelbase. Once they got it, they started by adding a couple of windows, gathering natural and non-toxic materials for the build, and preparing the van for the conversion. They used things like hemp for insulation and cork for flooring. You’ll get to learn all about it right here in this post! Enjoy…
