Vintage Camper Van Was Modernized With an Ingenious, Meticulously Crafted Living Space (2024)

26 photos

Photo: YouTube Screenshot / DualEx

The owner and creator of the rig I'm discussing today is Sharrieff Fareed, also known online as DuAlex. Last year, I covered one of his builds here on autoevolution and was impressed by its clever yet budget-friendly setup.

One of DualEx's subscribers generously offered this vehicle to see what he could do with it. DualEx transformed it completely inside out, ripping everything out and rebuilding it from the ground up. I added some pictures to this article's gallery so you can see how the interior of the van used to look.

I'll start the tour with the rig's exterior. As you can expect, this 41-year-old vehicle's exterior looked quite rough, so DualEx painted it white and beige to match the new interior design. Moreover, he installed an aluminum roof rack holding three solar panels and replaced the glass of the two rooftop windows.

The original interior was dull and outdated and, even worse, had moldy seats. So, DualEx took them out and installed new leather seats, modifying them to be able to fit on the existing swivel bases.

Regarding aesthetics, DualEx opted for a simple yet beautiful design that blends wooden accents with black details, such as the Chevron brick pattern ceiling and some cabinet faces.

The look is highlighted by multiple recessed LED strips throughout the living space. What's more, I love that there's a lot of light shining inside the living space through the van's many windows.

You'll notice some important upgrades in the driver's cabin. DuAlex repainted the dash in a minimalistic and installed a touchscreen radio that doubles as a tablet. But the coolest feature here is a small toggle switch that turns on a rear camera. Other notable details are a 12 V outlet and an overhead storage spot.

As expected, this camper van has an open layout, meaning the driver's cabin isn't separated from the rest of the interior. This setup allows you to quickly hop behind the steering wheel in case of an emergency.

It's hard to fit lots of stuff in an interior this compact. Still, DualEx came up with creative solutions to maximize the available space. For instance, on your left, as you step inside, you'll find two slide-outs, one housing a 12 V portable fridge and the other a single-burner stove.

Both amenities are integrated into a kitchen counter. The kitchen also features three overhead cabinets, a deep sink with an extendable faucet, drawers, and a pull-out pantry.

Opposite the kitchen, you'll discover a sizeable couch. It has storage space underneath, and its sides can be lifted to be used as armrests or pillows. Moreover, it can be transformed into a bed. All you have to do is pull a heavy-duty slide-out and lower the backrest.

Here's where things get even more interesting. Despite the lack of space, DualEx devised a guest bed. He created a double-locking drawer slide system that extends over part of the main bed/couch. It's a tight fit for the person sleeping in the main bed, as their legs will be covered by the other bed, but this setup does the job. Amazingly, it can accommodate four people.

Next to the secondary sleeping spot, DualEx built a media cabinet with a lovely tambour door. A hidden drawer can be opened by pushing on one of the media cabinet's interior walls, revealing a small TV that sits above the sink when extended, to which you can connect using a permanently mounted HDMI port. Furthermore, DualEx created another overhead storage spot, matching the one in the driver's cabin.

Finally, we have the garage at the rear, which is accessible from both inside and outside the van. On the left is where DualEx fitted the electrical system. It consists of a Bluetti AC200MAX portable power station with a 2,048 Wh capacity.

The plumbing system's on the other side. It comprises a 16-gallon (60.5-gallon) freshwater tank, a greywater tank, a pump, a heater, and an outdoor shower. You'll find the water pump switch in the control panel above the entrance, alongside dimmable switches for the light.

How about ventilation? A Maxxair ceiling fan will make sure you get fresh air inside the van. Moreover, the two rear windows can also be popped out for extra airflow.

The only thing missing from this rig is a bathroom. Sure, you can wash yourself with the outdoor shower, but a toilet would've been nice.

All in all, DualEx did a fantastic job with this tiny home on wheels. I'm fond of the couch/bed system, the extra bed, and the open and efficient living space. It shows that a camper van offering little interior space can still work as a mobile home, provided you have the creativity and skills to come up with an efficient design.