#Ford passenger van camper conversion professional

Paint any rust areas using a rust prevention paint – we used Hammerite straight to rust.

Clean all the surfaces with a non-water-based product, like a nail varnish remover high in acetone.

Take out the bulkhead that separates the cab from the back.

#Ford passenger van camper conversion professional

If you discover a lot of rust, you might need to take your van to a professional welder. Remove any small rust spots using a metal wire brush.Remove any unnecessary bolts or screws.Removing any existing ply, carpet, or other coverings on the van walls.

Some of the things you might need to do include but are not limited to:

This was a smart move as we later sold it for £70. We also decided to remove the bulkhead from our ford transit van to give us more space and let more light in. Plus, there were over 80 screw holes in the floor that needed cleaning, painting and filling. You want a clean, clear and smooth shell to work with, so you can accurately measure the space and start with a blank canvas.įor example, our van had ply all over the walls and flooring that needed removing. Unless you bought your van brand new, chances are it will need some TLC before you start your build. But hopefully, you can learn from both our triumphs and our mistakes to create your very own dream home on wheels. We don’t claim to be experts – far from it. So we have the advantage of knowing what works and what doesn’t. We’ve been on many adventures with Ventura at different stages of the build. Starting at the initial stages of prepping and insulating, right through to the finishing touches. If we can do it, you can do it too! In this guide, we will show you how. It’s an achievement we are incredibly proud of. Nonetheless, with perseverance, patience, and sheer determination, we’ve been able to manifest our dream into reality. With no experience in DIY, electrics, plumbing, or anything else that comes with converting a camper, to say it’s been a challenge is an understatement. And I’m happy to say that Ventura (our van) is 98% complete. It’s been a little over a year since we started converting our ford transit van into a campervan. So that by the end, you can go ahead and build the perfect DIY camper for yourself! This guide walks you through our own ford transit campervan conversion from start to finish. To better grasp what we’re into and where we go with our van, check out our Tales From The Road and our Winter Vanlife Guide.If you’re looking to convert a ford transit into a campervan, this is the perfect article for you. And even if we don’t get stuck (we actually got stuck venturing in the sand twice, and we confirm that the Maxtrax Recovery Board are a life saver!), having AWD would probably give us a little boost in confidence when we’re far out there. Indeed, to access some ski areas, AWD or chains ( /thule-snow-chains-review) are sometimes required installing snow chains in the cold/snow sucks, so we wouldn’t miss this. Even if we think it’s not mandatory, it’s a nice feature for sure.

That being said, if you’re into the outdoors like we are, we would recommend AWD or 4×4 if your budget allows it. We did just fine with the RWD and limited slip differential. We also use our van quite a lot as a mountain biking “shuttle” on steep logging roads here in British Columbia.įrom our experience, a RWD van (with limited slip) is very capable, as long as there’s weight in the back (very important) and with appropriate tires (all-terrain tires or snow tires).Īfter 4 years driving from Mexico up to Alaska, in all kind of conditions (loose dirt, snow, ice), to access remote locations for mountain biking and backcountry skiing, our opinion is that AWD or 4×4 is NOT mandatory. This means a LOT of driving on the backroads, in summer AND in winter.

Since 2017, we’ve been lucky enough to spend most of our time chasing mountain biking trails and backcountry skiing zones throughout North America.