It’s normal to expect DIY campers to be simpler and less equipped than professionally converted vans. However, every now and then I come across talented individuals who build fully equipped, creature comforts vehicles that could easily start their own camper conversion company if they wanted to. Today, I’m reviewing one such build by an experienced builder.
Here’s Jose and his custom camper conversion based on a 159” wheelbase Ram ProMaster van. He purchased the base vehicle brand new in 2019 and began converting it bit by bit, which took him about two years to complete. He’s also been using it as a full-time home on wheels for the past three years.
As usual, I’ll start the tour with what we can see first: the exterior. Jose has installed many upgrades on his camper. One of the most notable is a 3-inch suspension lift kit with Bilstein front struts. The van rolls on BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tires, a popular choice among van dwellers.
At the front, you’ll notice a kick guard and two off-road LED lights. Jose has installed several other lights on the truck, including ones on the sides, back, and top of the front of the van. He has also mounted four cameras on the outside, covering all four sides.
A huge Fiamma awning on the passenger side of the van will protect you from the elements. Plus, because the vehicle is taller than the standard ProMasters, Jose has fitted running boards to make it easier to get inside.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot / New Jersey Outdoor Adventures
Step inside and you’ll be greeted by a feature-rich, intelligently designed interior. It has an open layout, meaning the cockpit isn’t separated from the living space. As for the aesthetics, Jose opted for dark blue cabinetry paired with various wood accents, laminate flooring, and a white planked ceiling. The look is completed with LED lights running through the ceiling, which can be customized to show any color you desire.
The interior layout is quite unusual in the world of campers. Most van lifers opt for fixed beds in the back, but Jose kept the design as open as possible by designing a corridor that runs uninterrupted from front to back. As you’ll soon see, this configuration was made possible by using a pull-down bed instead of a fixed one.
The cockpit is full of gadgets and accessories. Jose replaced the original radio with an aftermarket touchscreen. He also fitted small mirrors with lights to the two sun visors and installed a touchscreen mirror connected to a rearview camera.
Right in front of the entrance, you’ll find the seating area. It features a decent-sized bench with storage underneath, a swivel table, a bookshelf, and a swivel monitor. It’s a great place to enjoy a meal or work on your laptop, and the table can be moved to be within reach of the swivel driver and passenger seats.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot / New Jersey Outdoor Adventures
Jose has also designed some efficient storage spaces in the front of the cabin. He has installed a large overhead cabinet above the seating area, a roof shelf with a charging point, a long floor storage compartment and a small drawer above the entrance.
Next, we have the kitchen on the passenger side of the interior. Since the van doesn't have a fixed bed, Jose was able to extend the kitchen all the way to the rear of the living space, creating more than enough counter space.
The kitchen features a two-burner induction cooktop, a large sink with a filtered water faucet, a pull-out refrigerator, an air fryer/oven above, and even a coffee maker on a pull-out counter.
Kitchen space is not an issue, as Jose has found plenty of storage. You’ll notice a generously sized pull-out pantry, multiple drawers, and cabinets, including a floating one.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot / New Jersey Outdoor Adventures
On the opposite side, you'll find a surprisingly large bathroom, considering the van's compact interior. I like its simple but clean look, with white acrylic walls on the sides and a gray tiled wall at the back.
The bathroom is equipped with a simple drying rack, a waterproof toilet paper holder, a shelf and a Nature's Head compostable toilet. However, the “strong point” here is definitely the shower. It is not the usual water-saving shower you would expect to find in a tiny house on wheels, but rather a rain shower with a waterfall function and a small display that shows information about time, temperature and more. This shower is much more elegant than most I have seen inside tiny houses on wheels, creating a luxurious showering experience.
A “mini control panel” is integrated into the bathroom structure. It consists of a remote control for a Maxxair fan above, a dial that lets you select which camera feed you want to display on the touchscreen in the cockpit, and a controller for a Chinese diesel heater. By the way, Jose uses a 12V overhead A/C unit for cooling.
The rear of the interior is occupied by the kitchen counter with two large cabinets above it on one side and the fold-down bed on the other. You will find the power system housed in the space under the counter. Its highlights are the BattleBorn batteries with a total capacity of 700 Ah, a charge controller connected to the solar panels on the roof, DC-DC chargers and a 3,000 W inverter/charger.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot / New Jersey Outdoor Adventures
The Murphy bed also sits on a huge storage unit with cubbies that provide plenty of storage space. When you undo two latches and pull the bed down, it rests on the kitchen counter and you can use a drawer as a step to easily climb onto the bed. This will also reveal the wall behind the Murphy bed, which has two additional cubbies and reading lights with USB ports.
Other notable features of the bedroom include a large mosquito net covering the back of the interior, a large skylight, and a small TV.
All in all, Jose nailed this DIY conversion, packing it with a lot of much-needed technology and creature comforts. A van like this would have cost Jose well over $100,000 (€91,002) if he had gone with the services of a specialist company, although we don’t know how much the conversion cost him, I’d wager it was much, much less.
