Chapter 1:
Finding the Right Vehicle
Finding the right vehicle is very important as you want to have something you can work with and that you are comfortable in. That is why a van tends to work better than other vehicles. However, you can make something unique and useful from just about any car, truck, or vehicle you can get your hands on.
One of the most important things to consider is how many people will be living in the vehicle. You can get by with less space if it just you or even one extra person. For a family though you will need considerably more space so that you aren’t crowded. Small spaces can make tempers short!
Another important factor with the size of the vehicle is the amenities that you may be after. Do you want all of the perks you can fit in there or do you want to make it very primitive with just the basics in place? You also need to think about where you will be going.
Are you going to be able to use a two wheel drive vehicle that is low to the ground into the location where you wish to camp? If you want to be secluded then you may need a vehicle with four wheel drive, a high center, and a heavy duty suspension in order to get there and not be stuck along the way.
Where to look is important and you want to diversify it as much as you can. Look for cargo vans that were once used by commercial companies. They often upgrade the suspension due to the excess weight that these vans were carrying. You can typically get them for a great price when they replace them.
The vans that were operated in states that get a great deal of adverse weather will typically have either all-wheel drive or four wheel drive. When building your own camper out of a van, this is the best place to start looking for the vehicles. Most of them only had a driver’s seat so that leaves more area for you to work with and less for you to remove.
With this type of vehicle, you will have to build it in a manner that allows you to have lots of storage such as shelves and cabinets. For example, instead of framing the bed directly on the floor between the wheel wells frame the bed above them. This gives you access under the bed for additional storage space. If you need more than one bed, place them strategically at each of the wheel wells for maximizing space.
