How To Use The Van Conversion Ideas Discovery Tool

This is a simple tool but can hopefully help you research your next self converted campervan build. This page has hundreds of van tours that we have embedded from Youtube and categorised in a number of ways to help you find specific vans and features.

As well as vans there is a save feature so that you can save van tours that you like and even write notes about why you like them and what features you would like to duplicate in your van build.

You can use the tool for free, if you register you get the use of the Save & Add Notes feature which will create a private list of your fave vans and features that you can keep on coming back to.

Filters

There are currently 9 filtering options which cover most of the main features to a van conversion and self build campervan. Below you can see how they all work and what some of their choices mean.

Van Model

This filter will show you vans which are of a specific manufacturer and model. We don't get too specific with the models because there are so many, for instance, a Citreon Relay has at least 5 models of different sizes, heights and lengths since 2016.

Here we keep it simple and you can select the van model you are interested in buying for your own van conversion or may already have.

Some of the most common van models we see being converted in to campervans are:

Citreon Relay

Fiat Ducato

Ford Transit

Mercedes Sprinter

Volkswagens

Select a van model, click Apply and you'll be shown van tours and other conversions already built.

Sleeps

You can search from 1 through to 8, we haven't seen a van sleep more than that yet. By putting in a number between these two numbers, you will see vans which have been built to cater for that amount of people to sleep.

You will find that there are a few vans which have only one person living and using them but they can actually sleep 2 or more people. For this we have always put how many bed spaces the van has rather than how many are in it.

Just add a number, like 2, then click Apply and you'll be shown vans which can sleep 2 people.

Lifestyle

One of the most important features and filters on this tool we feel. People build their camper vans around their lifestyle, there are a lot of outdoors people out there building vans to live in so that they can enjoy their hobbies more.

Some of the more popular lifestyles we see with van dwellers are:

Climbers

Mountain bikers

Surfers

Bathroom

Depending on how you will be using and where you will be in your van will change your requirements for a toilet, shower and even a bath feature. You'd be surprised but there are people installing full size bathtubs in to their vans.

The bathroom filtering options have the following:

Bath

Portable indoor shower

Shower room

Toilet

Usually you will find that if there is a shower room and a toilet in the same van build they will have them together.

Make sure to check out the portable showers that people have built in to their vans for more inspiration. There are some clever designs and approaches to this requirement were people save on the space of a full fixed shower room but still have the luxury of a full stand up shower space then can utilise inside the van.

Bedroom

There are many design differences and approaches to bedrooms and where to sleep in a campervan conversion. Do you have a fixed bed that is always set out or do you have one that you make and put away each evening?

You could even go one further and have a bed that is made but hidden that you pull down from the ceiling. You have the following options for bedroom ideas in a van:

Bunks beds

Cot

Drop down bed

Fixed bed

Pop top bed

Seating to bed

Slide out bed

Depending on how you want to approach you build there are plenty of options to choose from. We love the drop down beds which are already made so you have the best of both worlds, a seating and living area and a bed that is ready to be slept in within seconds.

Simply select one of the bedroom approaches you would like to see and click Apply.

Living Space

A living space is where you will be seated and spending most of your time in your van when you are awake. Here we have split this up in to a number of different approaches which include:

Bench sofa

Dining table and seats

Galley seating

L shape sofa

Cab seating

U shape sofa

These are all seating arrangements and different approaches within a van. You will find cab seating at the front of the van but the rest could be placed anywhere depending on where other things are placed in the van.

If you're interested in one over the other, simple select which you would like to see and how other van builders have approached this and click Apply.

Van Garages

You either need one or don't, a van garage. These usually sit at the back of the van underneath seating or a fixed bed but can be off a different design as well.

If you have a lot to store then a large fixed garage is what you are after.

Kitchen Features

There are many different features you could build in to a van for your kitchen and cooking area. Here you can select what you'd like to see and see how others have approached their designs with these features in mind.

You can search through the van conversion database for vans with:

Fitted gas hobs

Portable gas cooking options

Fitted and portable induction cookers

Ovens and grills

Fridge and cooling choices

Hot water

There are many features to a kitchen and hopefully some of these filters can help you work out whether you want a specific feature in your vans kitchen build or not.

Van Size

We have split all vans up in to four sizes, from tiny to large.

Tiny van conversions are vans that you can't stand up in and are usually the size of a Citreon Berlingo, Ford Transit Connect.

Medium van conversions are large vans like the VW T5 and larger vans that can comfortably fit two people in but you still can't stand up in them.

Large van conversions are vans that you can stand up in, such as the Fiat Ducato, Mercedes Sprinter, etc

Luton van conversions are huge vans which are more like tiny homes on wheels and can usually fit families and more people in them, they are wider than large vans and taller too.