Campervan
From police van to home on wheels
Converting a van into a camper
A few years ago, Sander bought an old police van: a Mercedes Sprinter. In two years, he gradually converted it into a full-fledged camper.Complete with kitchen, bed and even a shower. Only in the evenings and weekends did he work on it: a real project where he learned everything himself.
Sander adjusted things several times until it was completely perfect. Now the campervan is really finished, and we travel with it through Europe, North Africa and Central Asia. Freedom on four wheels, just as we envisioned it.
Our campervan in numbers
The construction of the campervan was a project that involved a lot of time, love and patience. As a carpenter, Sander was able to use his profession well in making sturdy furniture and efficiently using the limited space. At the same time, it was also a great learning process: from installing the electricity and building a water system to insulating and ventilation. In total, we spent more than 500 hours in this project, spread over evenings and weekends.
Mercedes Sprinter
500+ hour project
Manufactured in 2015
20.000+ KM driven
Our tips for a campervan and vanlife
On this page we therefore do not share our travel stories, but tips and experiences for anyone who wants to convert a van into a camper and experience vanlife!
FAQ about campervans
Which van is best suited for conversion into a camper?
We have chosen a Mercedes Sprinter L2H2. For us this is the ideal size: large enough for a fixed bed, kitchen and shower, but compact enough to easily drive through cities and narrow mountain roads. We thought it was important that the bus remained agile, especially because we also like to travel off the beaten track. This size gives us exactly the balance between comfort and flexibility.
Do you need technical knowledge to build a camper?
A bit yes, but you also learn a lot along the way. I am a carpenter, so the woodwork was easy for me. Electricity and water were new to me, but with online info and patience you really get far. Making mistakes is part of it, you learn the most from that.
How do you start converting a campervan?
We started with a lot of inspiration: watching YouTube videos, reading blogs and drawing layouts. Then we bought an old police van (a Mercedes Sprinter) and made a plan step by step. Not everything we knew in advance, we learned a lot by doing.
How long does it take to convert a van into a camper?
It took us about two years. We only worked on weekends and evenings, so it really was a project next to our normal life. Sometimes things lay still, and sometimes we were busy for weeks on end.