How To Build A Campervan Part 2: The Perfect Van

18.11.2023 - 18:58 / forbes.com

There’s no such thing as a “perfect” van for conversion to a campervan. There is, however, the perfect van for you. Or in the case of this article, for me. As I discussed in part 1 of this series, there are a variety of different sizes, types, and prices of vans that can be the base for a campervan conversion. At one end, there are countless used minivans. At the other end, a new Sprinter-class cargo van. There are no wrong answers here either, as everyone’s specific needs are different.

My specific needs were something reasonably affordable, large enough to comfortably sleep in. It wouldn’t need many of the luxuries of larger vans, as I was expecting this to be a tent replacement, not a house replacement. That left me with a bunch of interesting options.

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I didn’t want a traditional minivan purely for aesthetic reasons. I didn’t want the car equivalent of beige pants. None of these were going to be particularly gorgeous, but some were definitely more visually interesting than others.

I also didn’t want something particularly old. Modern cars are infinitely more reliable than old ones, and knowing I was going to be driving tens of thousands of miles in it, sometimes in remote areas, I wanted something that I could at least believe wouldn’t break down regularly. Six years with my Miata has absolutely spoiled me in what a car can be, since in that time I’ve had literally no issues whatsoever. So generally, this meant the old-school full-size vans, with their thirsty V8s and questionable reliability were out.

I wanted something fairly small, for the ease of navigation, parking, and gas mileage. I love the act of driving; land yachts don’t interest me. Trying to navigate a huge Sprinter van through the twisty roads of a National Park… and then trying to fit between two huge SUVs in spaces designed for cars that today would be considered sub-compacts, didn’t appeal to me. Plus, even the cheapest options were well beyond my budget.

However, there was a group of vehicles that had a lot going for them, for me. Panel vans surged in popularity in the last decade or so, even in the US. These car-based vans were small, widely available, built to last, and best of all, cheap. Then I learned something that sealed the deal: the Ford Transit Connect had a version with windows… and a panoramic moonroof! The moment I pictured laying on my back staring up through the glass at the stars, I knew I found my campervan.

The Transit Connect Wagon, based on the European Focus platform, is a minivan in everything but name. The second generation, built between 2012–2022, fit my budget. It had a