Stealth Campers and DIY RVs: 15 Creatively Converted Vans

Casual Family Van Conversion

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Maybe you want to camp with your family but don’t need that robust of a setup. Artist Alisa Burke bought a Ford Transit van and customized it for short camping trips that don’t require enough comforts to live out of for months at a time. There’s a queen size bed without orange underneath for camping gear and a cabinet with a simple jug-based sink. Alisa drew on one wall and designed her own peel-and-stick wallpaper for another.

Doubleback Extending Van

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The Doubleback van doesn’t look like anything particularly special until you see the extension slide out and the roof pop up, realizing they’ve basically fit an entire RV into a shockingly small space. Conceived by Craig McCormack for his own use, the van proved so popular that he now designs and sells custom versions of the Doubleback for others.

Taxi Van Hotel in NYC

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Considering how expensive accommodations have gotten in New York City, the fact that someone put a bed into the back of a van and called it a hotel should be no surprise. An Airbnb user who appears to no longer be active once had 50 vans scattered around the city, including conversion vans and this ‘taxi van hotel,’ renting them out for roughly $22 per night.

Ford Transit Van to Mobile Work Station

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Another less complicated conversion takes a basic Ford Transit van and turns it into a mobile work station with wi-fi, power and a desk, as well as a futon. The idea of having a different view every day as you work is appealing, as is the no-fuss approach.

VW Camper Van to Off-Road Tanker

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And now for something a little different. VW camper vans might be synonymous with hippies, but this project takes things in the opposite direction by painting the van camouflage and marrying it with an M29 Weasel tank. “The conversion looks rushed, ill-conceived, and utterly brilliant,” says Ridelust.