Van Life.
I lived full-time in a completely off-the-grid Ram ProMaster for two years starting in January 2022. I converted it with my dad and grandpa in the summer of 2021, and it holds a special place in my heart. The experience was wild to say the least, and taught me a ton about myself, others, and life in general.
This page includes pictures of each step of the build process, things I learned while living in it, and stories of my travels with her. Reach out with any questions! I’d love to explain any parts of the build in more detail or inspire you in any way possible.
Features
How it all began…
I graduated high school in May of 2020, at the height of the pandemic, and I had already made my decision to go to school at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Even though classes were online, I still moved to Knoxville in August. With no in-person classes, limited attendance allowed at sporting events, and very few campus organizations meeting, it’s safe to say I had ample free time. I used this time to explore Smoky Mountain National Park and it was then I also started following other van-lifers on social media and watching their build videos. The freedoms, simple lifestyle, and build process all made me fall in love with the idea of van life.
In December 2020, I came home for the holidays to a surprise from my dad- an empty 2015 Ram ProMaster. I was back at school from January to mid-May, but then spent all summer working around the clock. I had a morning internship daily from 7-12, would work on the van from 1-5pm, work a night job from 6-9, and pick up a third job on the weekends. The goal was simple: make as much money as possible so I could keep up with the work I wanted to do on the van. And I did just that. I made around 16k that summer and poured 15k of it into the build. By August she was complete, but it was time to move back to Knoxville and the apartment I had already signed a lease on.
At this point I had no intention of living van life, just using her to travel. But rent was insanely expensive living a 5-minute walk from an SEC university. Pair that with a building that wasn’t well kept and a community of people living there that were adversely influencing my Christian walk, I was ready to get out by December. I found someone to sublease to and then convinced my parents to let me move into the van for two weeks in January while I found a new place to live… and then I never moved back out.
The Build
It started with a gutted, dented, empty work van. A blank canvas. And tons of ideas.
After a deep cleaning of the bottom of the van, we glued and bolted down some framing for the floor.
Next we installed Kilmat- a sound deadener- to the floors, walls, and ceilings
After cutting holes in the roof we installed two Maxx Fans, which are reversible to provide solid airflow.
Then it was time to start framing. We used 2x4s, 2x6s, and 2x8s to build a bed frame and square up the walls.
We cut foam insulation boards for under the floor and then covered that with the original black sub-floor we had removed from the van initially.
These boxes made it much easier to work around the wheel wells, which we also sound-deadened and insulated.
This is a swivel mount that we installed under both front seats. They really open up the space when turned around.
We used sheep wool to insulate the walls and ceiling.
Here we started to lay the flooring.
After we installed the vinyl flooring, we started to build the electrical system. As we got more parts, we had to rearrange several times. Electrical was definitely the hardest part of the build.
She started to come together quickly. We stained and installed cabinets, assembled shiplap walls, and put up a cedar ceiling.
Finishing touches- butcher’s block countertops, under cabinet lighting, sink and plumbing, and patching up the seams.
Since the original build, I’ve added several features such as solar panels, a fold out couch, built-in night stands, and more. Feel free to reach out for pictures or information on these or any other parts!