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Winter Project – Camper Van Conversion

July 2, 2019
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After sailing our Whitby 42 to Europe during the summer of 2018, our cruising calendar changed to accommodate the winter cold of Europe. By mid-October it was best to leave the boat securely in Belgium and travel back to our home in Maine for nearly 6 months – mid-October to mid-April.  Faced with 6 months off the boat, I needed a project to keep me occupied.  We decided to tackle a conversion of a cargo van to a camper van.  Land cruising seems like a great lifestyle to complement our ocean travels so we needed a suitable land yacht.  Here is a quick tour of our van and the construction process.

Van at the time of purchase on the dealer lot

After considering the Mercedes Sprinter and the Ford Transit we decided to purchase a late-model used Ram Promaster for our camper van. Key features of the Promaster are the front wheel drive for performance in the snow, tight turning radius, and wide interior dimension. Our Promaster is a 2018 model year and had 15,000 miles when purchased.

Typical view of the unfinished cargo space

The interior was the typical unfinished cargo space. The only windows in the cargo space were the windows in the rear doors. The interior of our van was clean with only the usual scratches from 12 months of cargo transport.

Interior Windows, Insulation and Panels

After installing new windows in the sliding door and drivers side panels, we were ready to add the insulation and interior panels. We decided to use PVC materials as much as possible to conform to material flammability standards for vehicle interiors. The PVC is also light weight and maintenance free. The ceiling is a tongue and groove PVC plank available from HomeDepot. The wall panels are 1/4″ thick rigid foam PVC .

For insulation, we chose sheep wool. This material offers good thermal and sound insulation with the added benefit of wicking moisture away from the metal. Moisture from the interior condenses on the metal skin of the van and will cause rusting unless it is able to evaporate.

Side Panel Construction: sheep wool insulation and rigid foam PVC panel material
View of the typical ceiling construction: wood blocking, wool insulation, tongue and groove PVC planks

Construction Challenges

We completed the construction of our van at our small cabin in Maine during the snowy winter. Without a garage to use as a shop, construction was completed either in the van or outside.

The 6′ x 10′ interior provides adequate space for panel prep and assembly
Cutting of plywood for furnishings and other materials was done in my outdoor shop

One of my wife’s many talents is sewing including heavy duty items like upholstery and cushions. She was able to make the interior cushions and all window privacy covers. Her construction space was a bit warmer than mine!

Helen sewing window covers in our cabin kitchen area

The Finished Project

View of interior through side door
The Promaster width allows for a 73″x54″ platform bed. Perfectly adequate for most people
The 12V Stakol cooler stows under the dinette seat on a rolling tray
12V Cooler mounted on a rugged rolling base allows it to be pulled out to access as well as providing an extra place to sit
Coleman camping stove stores in a sliding tray that slides under the bed platform
Interior view showing bed, dinette, and galley
Interior of the van with the privacy covers installed

Our plan for the next few years while we are in Europe is to explore the US by van in the late Spring and late Fall. This is the time of the year that the cruising season has ended in Europe and the ski season has not begun in Maine. We will start with the Southwest USA and then branch out from there.