Converted 2009 Transit – perfect off-grid weekend camper - Campervan

This beautiful van is a DIY off-grid Transit campervan conversion build, completed in 2018, with lots of functionality squeezed into a relatively small space.

The van has everything you’d ever need for an exciting adventure! The van includes a solar charging system, an underslung LPG, 3x leisure batteries, inverter, a shower, toilet, pull out bed, and a large water tank. Mechanically, the van is great and pulls as you’d expect from a Transit – it is chain driven, and so therefore doesn’t require a cam belt. It is a 2.4 (100) Diesel engine with a long wheel base (approx 5.5 meters long) and it has a high roof. It comes with a full 12 months MOT, and has two new tires, a new van battery (of two), and work has been done to the brakes and clutch as part of the MOT. Anyone under 6ft3 will have no issues standing in the vehicle or the shower. The vehicle itself is about 2.8 meters tall. We are happy to take you out for a accompanied spin. The mileage is 154,054 miles. The van is a LWB high roof which can be driven on a car licence. It has a pull out double bed that is 6ft in length, and 4ft3 in width.

The original mattress was recently replaced with a segmented but brand new memory foam mattress, you won’t find a comfier camper van bed anywhere else! The front seats in the cab slide forward which gives passengers a lot more breathing and knee room width-ways. There’s also a small area above the cab which could be repurposed as a bed, but for smaller humans or dogs. We currently use this as a storage area for the bedding and the collapsible table. There are dual swivel captain chairs in the front cab. The passenger chair turns 180 degrees all the way round, and the drivers side turns 90 degrees to face the passenger. This gives you enough seating for 3 (or 4 at a squeeze) around the table. There is a fridge with a small freezer compartment which can run on gas, 12v and also 240v. There’s a microwave, a 2 burner hob, and a good size kitchen sink with a wooden cover which doubles as a chopping board. There’s a separate bathroom area at the back of the van too, with a pull across divider for some additional privacy which includes a hand basin, electric heated shower, and a toilet with an electric flush along with plenty of storage above and below the sink and shelving at the back. There is also a chest of 4 drawers for additional storage. You won’t find a camper with more space (we’re both historical reenactors and the van takes ALL of our kit – which, if you know our hobby, you’ll realise is a LOT – with room to spare).

The hot water heater works on both gas and 240v hookup. There’s also a diesel night heater with a remote controller and timer, although the remote is a bit temperamental so honestly, we’ve just not used this at all. The van has an underslung 70L water tank with an electric sensor to tell you how full the tank is. There is also a water pump which provides ample water pressure to have a pretty decent and warm shower. The van has 3 x 750ah leisure batteries which can charge via the engine, the 100W solar panel, and also via an electric hookup aided by the split charge controller. The solar controller also comes with a fancy app which connects via Bluetooth, and allows you to see how much power the panel generates per day. For added convenience, the van was also fitted with a 35L underslung LPG tank which can be filled up at lots of petrol stations around the country (and Europe) which offer LPG. For those who have never seen this before, it’s just like using a petrol pump, except it pumps LPG gas. The tank costs about £8 to fill up and will keep you going for a significant amount of time. The fridge has previously been left on the gas over winter and was still running weeks and weeks later! For charging your devices in the van there’s a 5000w sine wave inverter installed at the back of the vehicle, which powers the microwave and various 240v normal UK plug sockets in the van. There’s also 2x 12v USB charging ports. Interestingly, there’s also a weatherproof outdoor plug on the outside of the van which will allow you to plug a laptop charger/heater/light/anything you want while you’re sat under the Fiamma awning. There’s also a very bright magnetic outdoor light which sticks to the van bodywork and sits above the side door for lots of additional night time visibility if you want it.

There are bug blinds fitted on the side windows and roof windows so that you can keep the breeze flowing whilst also being protected from various pests and creepy crawlers, though the blind on the sliding side door has jammed and will need to be fixed. There are 3 roof vents (1 electric fan assisted) in total. The van also boasts a tow bar with an electric plug for trailers, a Reverse camera and reverse sensors, Apple CarPlay/Android auto, Cruise control, front window insulated blinds, and vehicle levelling ramps. The van has an MOT until April 2024. The van was undersealed which has provided tonnes of protection against rust but there are some small signs of rust on the exhaust components – when I asked about this at my MOT, they said there is nothing to worry about but they have to mention it. It’s in really great condition compared to others of the same year and is a well looked after example and we encourage any inspections. The back doors of the van open, but do not provide general through-access to the vehicle. Primary access is via the sliding side door. Levelling chocks are included within the sale, as well as a waste water tank. The van packs a lot into a relatively small space, and provides lots of storage and cupboards for you, which will give you everything you need to get started on your next off-grid adventure! Van is finance free and HPI clear.

We welcome any questions you might have – thanks for reading!