Gather some inspiration from other Vankookz. Here you will find a collection of rigs of all sizes converted into tiny living spaces. We hope this section of videos, gives you some inspiration and solutions to problems that you are running into layout wise. To watch the entire Vankookz Van Tour Playlist, visit our YouTube Channel!
HIGH TOP CARGO VAN TOURS
Sprinter with secret 2 Showers,guest bed,toilet, & bike storage.
This is one of our favorite 144” Build outs. Steve (@freetired) is an engineer and the thought he put into his build, one can see it is obvious that he is some kind of genius.
Stealth Build Out with Shower, Toilet, Tons of power, Bike storage & More
Jamie (@peacelovenvanlife) is one of our favorite Vankookz! His build was very much inspired by our first minimal tools Sprinter build, but professional all around. This is one of our favorite layouts and he really nailed it in a 140” Sprinter. Check it out for some great ideas.
Stealth Adventure Rig with original bike storage, toilet, tons of storage and counter space
This is our (@vankookz) original van when we moved back to the states from overseas, and were ready to start a new adventure. We wanted to design a bed/bike storage that no one had done before. We also needed ample kitchen space since we cook every meal and love to cook in the van. We also wanted lots of space in the van so we added a couch and a bed that slides away easily to open up the space. Everyone always thinks they are inside a 170WB when they step inside
Solo female traveler builds out 144” Sprinter and lives on the road
We met (@samvanzam) almost a year ago at a van gathering in San Diego. We quickly became friends and have been carpooling with each other whenever we are nearby. Sam travels around with her trusty copilot “Cash” a cute mischievous cat. She has a DIY composting toilet and a very comfortable layout with some really cool features as well as a nice homey feel to it. Sam loves how to have a good time and is always the life of the party.
Trippy Guy Lives in Trippy Van, Easily the Most Interesting Van Tour Ever!
We met Neil (@thevanlifeadventure) at Descend on Bend almost over a year ago, and caught up with him near Smith Rock State Park to capture easily the most interesting van tour ever! Neil is a hilarious individual and always up for a good time! If you can make it through the tour we guarantee you will laugh! Niel is also an amazing poet and is always creating.
Couple Builds Ultimate DIY Stealth Sprinter Camper Van
This is our 3rd van build and second Sprinter van conversion. We wanted this van to be a luxury apartment on wheels that was also very stealth to provide someone with van conversion that could also be an studio apartment in the times on inflated rent and and the housing crisis so many US cities are experiencing. This van is fully loaded with all the amenities to make you feel at home anywhere you are.
Modular DIY Sprinter | Cargo Van or Home when you need it | Removable Kitchen for Boondocking
If you are looking to use your Sprinter as a cargo van AND home, Jason (@Kaptaingoodvibetribe) shows us how he keeps his van Modular, using Solar Panel install tracks (that are used on roof tops to install solar) as his support for all his shelves. The coolest thing about this van is, everything in this van can come out by removing just a couple bolts. This is a modular van like I have never seen! Check it out!
Sprinter Family Van Tour, sleeps 5 people plus Never before seen van bunk beds in the front cab.
This is a sprinter layout that we have never seen before. This layout sleeps 5 people. The Kuhl family (@lifeofkuhl) is an adventurous Canadian family we met as they were traveling North America and Mexico. Mike figured out how to squeeze all the kiddos into the van buy building a very creative layout. The van actually sleeps two up front in the cab with never before seen bunk beds. See how they fit all five of them into this amazing rig. They really lived up to their Kuhl last name!
Solo Female Traveler Builds DIY Sprinter, Runs a Business, and Lives the Vanlife Dream
We met Molly at RTR in 2019 and she is one bad ass solo female traveler. Molly (@wild_one_rising) owns and operates her own business www.wildheartsriseup.com from her 170 WB Mercedes Sprinter. Molly is not only smart she is also very talented with the power tools. She built the entire van out herself while traveling full time in it. Molly sure did inspire us and we hope she inspires you to get on the road as well.
Van Conversion Ideas | Musician Lives in Ram Promaster to travel & play music | Murphy Bed to Stage
Jake (@Jake_Jarz) a very talented musician and songwriter who is touring the West Coast in his Dodge Promaster converted to a mobile studio/performance stage. Jake has packed a lot of fun into this build. This is a must see van for any musician thinking of living on the road. Hope you enjoy! You can catch Jake at most West Coast van meet ups absolutely shredding the guitar. He wanted a life where he is always on tour.
Fully Loaded 2019 Ford transit
Lee and Sighlin one of the most radical couples on the planet, give us a sneak peek at their brand new Ford Transit Van Conversion! Lee @vanningaintnojoke has been living in a van for a long time and has leveled up quite a bit since his last 4x4 adventure mobile check it out here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zF-I...
Best 144” Sprinter Layout
Well it’s been over three years in the making and our 144” Sprinter Van is basically a giant swiss army knife. We’ve fully upgraded our storage and accessibility and really used every inch of usable space in this van. We’ve added a custom rack and many other cool upgrades along the way.
High Top conversion vans
Solo female alien artist travels earth painting one van one a time | Ford E350 DIY Van
This alien species (@lyncewheat) fits right in with the kookz and may even be Kook diplomat to the galactic empire one day. Lyn’s art is amazing and she is an inspiration to everyone. Watching her paint and create amazing characters and creations on all types of mediums is out of this world. We had a lot of fun making this video we hope you enjoy it too. Check out her artwork - https://lynsweetart.bigcartel.com/
Vanlife Tour | New Hampshire couple moves into a van and works from the road
We recently met @expandingexplorers in New Mexico and were able to catch back up again in San Diego. Johnny and Ella are an inspiring story. They both left the norm of 9-5 jobs and figured out how to work on the road and travel to new places almost daily. They have since remodeled their van and it looks amazing. Johnny and Ella were also some of the original vankookz and are always a good time.
Van Tour | College graduate builds custom van for indefinite road trip around the US
We've been hanging out with @charcotravels for the past few years. He was actually one of our first vanlife friends. We met him in the Gila National Forest in New Mexico. Charco graduated form University of Florida and decided to take a gap year road trip around the USA. Thomas loves to have a good time he is a raft guide, surfer, and all around good guy. He did an incredible job building out this van for under $6k.
Surfer builds out van for under $100
We met Sean in California and his van really inspired us. He bought it a few months ago and decided to rip out the entire interior for a quick cheap remodel. @CharcoTravels and myself helped Sean build the van out with scrap wood as well as wood Sean has come across in San Diego. We literally built this an with the tools Thomas and I had at the beach. Sean was heading out and we wanted to help him make the van more comfortable before he hit the road.
Solo Female Traveler Artist @lisabusset | Ford conversion van
@lisabussett checking out her self built DIY Ford Econoline Van Conversion. Lisa is a solo female van life traveler from Austin, Texas. She just recently decided to sell her home, quit her job, and pursue a better life on the open road. Lisa did all the work herself and did an amazing job with her small space. To follow along on Lisa's adventures check her out on instagram @lisabussett or check out her website https://lisabussett.com/
standard cargo vans
Couple Quits Job and Hits Road for Ultimate American Road Trip Vanlife, Ford E-150 Van Conversion
Kieth (@vanjesus666) and Emily (@itsmeemmib) left South Carolina a few months ago to adventure out and live life on the road. They bough the E-150 and did a very basic build out. Keith says they plan to live on the road for as long as possible. Follow their journeys on instagram and look out for them on the road
4x4 and Awd Vans
Lee is the ultimate vanlifer! If you haven’t met him already and can’t tell from the video he is a fun guy to be around. To live an adrenaline fueled life you need an adrenaline fueled van. That’s why Lee lives in his converted four wheel drive ambulance van to go anywhere he wants. We met Lee at Descend on Bend when he pulled us out of the sand. Now he is back at it yanking people out of sand and trying his hardest to get his rig stuck. Support Lee and the Kookz along the road by checking out his online magazine www.vanningaintnojoke.com.
Dueling DIY Chevy Astro AWD vans, solo female traveler vs. solo male traveler.
Taylor @tee.bell and Brandon @BeeGriff two Chevy Astro owners. Today we wanted to show you two different unique ways to convert a Chevy Astro into your home. Astro vans are very versatile and are AWD vans that can get you a lot of places. These two vans are very unique and show you how you can build out a small space with class.
VW Vans
VW Vanagon Tintop DIY Off Grid Adventure Van Conversion with outdoor Shower
This was our third small van conversion and our first VW project. We bought the van form Paramount Pictures after it was used on movie sets and gave it new life. We fully kitted this van out with roof racks, LED lights, sink, firdge and even an ourdoor shower. .
1971 VW Camper Bus Van Tour Fully restored vw sportsmobile bus by professional car craftsman
Jaime has been meticulously restoring VWs of all sorts since he was 16. He is an amazing craftsman, with great attention to detail. He really is an OG Vanlifer. He has taken this vehicle to Australia and all over the US. This van is a fully restored to factory condition, 1971 VW Sportsmobile Bus. It has an upgraded motor to get you up those big inclines, where most VWs usually struggle.
mini vans, Cars, and trucks
2009 subaru outback - vanlife in a station wagon fold away bed and lots of storage
When we first came back to the states we only had our trusty Subaru Outback to live out of. After our travels abroad we knew we only needed the bare necessities so we turned out outback into something that we could sleep and live out of while we saved for a van.
Solo Female Traveler and Restaurant Owner Sells Business to Travel the US and Mexico
We met Kali in San Diego and enjoyed being neighbors, as we road tripped with her and some other vanKookz around San Diego and all of Baja California, Mexico. Kali is from New York and she is traveling the country living in her Ford Focus while getting better gas mileage than everybody out there! She also shows all us chumps in our Sprinters that you can live this lifestyle minimally and in an extremely small space.
Living in a Toyota Tacoma | Videographer builds Amazing Budget Rig for $1,000!
We first met Steven @es_dons in San Diego while he was on his way to Mexico to film extreme cliff diving videos with @adrenaline.addiction. After he came back we helped him set up his solar set up on his truck and now we are lucky enough to see him here at Smith Rock to finally get a tour of his awesome Toyota Tacoma. Steven spent around $1000 on the truck and added to his conversion as he traveled.
one of a kind vans
musician ADVENTURER converts a rare Imported German Mercedes 310 Fire Truck Conversion
We caught up with Austin (@fw.dude) After Descend on Bend and had to do a tour of his amazing Mercedes 310 German fire truck conversion. This is a one of a kind conversion and was imported by Austin into the US from Germany ater he spent a year traveling in it in Europe. Austin is an amazing musician, climber, and surfer who is traveling the US in his fire truck.