Photo: YouTube Screenshot / Nate Murphy
Expensive campers are cool. It's packed with all sorts of features to make vanlife more comfortable, even if it's over-the-top like an incineration toilet. But as impressive as they are, I'm also a fan of homemade buns that have a good balance of quality and price. Today I'm checking out one such project made by a young couple.
Introducing Willy and Molly and their tiny house on wheels, the 2019 Ford Transit Extended High Roof. Willie started living in his Ford Transit Connect and he has been traveling in a motorhome since 2017. By the way, Transit Connect is nice, but I wrote about it being occupied by a couple, but it's a very small house that's usually suitable for a single person.
Anyway, Willie introduced Molly to van life. It wasn't a perfect match at first, but eventually I decided I wanted to try this lifestyle. So the couple decided to buy the van and modify it themselves. Part of the purpose of this article is to show that with creativity and determination, you can build a budget-friendly mobile home that meets most needs and desires.
The Ford Transit is a popular base vehicle for camper van conversions. why? Long story short, the Ram ProMaster is more affordable and has cheaper parts; “The most square” options), heights and widths that any mechanic knows how to work with (compared to a Sprinter).
As always, we begin our tour with the exterior of the rig. The whole thing is finished with plain white paint.You can almost call it that. “stealth” If it weren't for the roof rack with its large sunshade, you'd definitely think someone was living inside this vehicle.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot / Nate Murphy
As for the exterior, there's not much to talk about other than the ladder attached to the driver's side of the van. Truth be told, if you're looking to get into van life on a budget, you don't need a lot of fancy accessories, especially if your car isn't designed to go to remote places.
An awning allows you to enjoy the space outside your van while being protected from the weather elements. Additionally, roof racks allow you to attach decks, solar panels, additional storage, and other important features to your vehicle. This van's roof rack houses the solar panel and traction board.
Enough about the appearance. Let's step inside and see the most important changes to this transportation system. The main door slides open to reveal a simple, uncluttered yet beautiful design. Willie and Molly chose many white touches, including on the cabinetry and walls, combined with walnut elements such as the countertops and slatted ceiling.
You can see that the interior of this van has an open layout. This means that the driver's cab and living space are not separated, making the interior feel more spacious. Additionally, the van has plenty of windows on both sides, allowing plenty of natural light to flood into the interior.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot / Nate Murphy
Willie explained that the basis of their relationship was cooking. So, naturally, the couple wanted to install a proper kitchen in their mobile home. Located on the passenger side, it features a large countertop, a deep sink with a cover, an oven and his 3-burner stove combo, a large cabinet under the sink that houses the Tolerino composting toilet, racks, and a huge overhead he cabinet is.
Behind the driver's seat, the couple devised a floor-to-ceiling unit that integrates a small fridge/freezer, wall cupboard and shoe drawer. Additionally, beyond this floor-to-ceiling unit, the top of the driver's side of the van is occupied by overhead cabinets all the way to the rear.
Opposite the kitchen is a seating area consisting of two benches with a large table in the centre. There is storage space under both benches. Additionally, like many other motorhomes, you can convert the seating area into an extra bed by lowering the table and rearranging the cushions.
The bedroom occupies the rear part of the room. It features a queen size bed and two drawers built into the bed frame. By the way, the bed is located high to leave enough space for a garage underneath.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot / Nate Murphy
Willie and Molly were able to fit a lot of things into their garage. Besides all your personal belongings, you'll find the rig's utilities here. The plumbing system is located on the right and consists of a 30-gallon (114-liter) freshwater tank and an outdoor shower.
The Renogy power system occupies the opposite side. Its highlights are a 300 Ah battery, a DC-DC charger that allows the system to charge from the vehicle's alternator, an inverter/charger, and a solar charge controller connected to a 400W solar panel on the roof.
All in all, this couple kept things simple and built a great tiny house on wheels. It features a sharp exterior, a practical and fully equipped kitchen and a comfortable layout with plenty of storage space. Unfortunately, I don't know how much this cost, but I'm sure this project was budget-friendly.
