Projects · Reno, Nevada

Ford Van

A Ford E-Series cargo van that went in empty and came out a camper. Sodas · Beer · Snacks · Adventures & More. Solar on the roof, diesel heat, a butcher-block galley, and a fish on the door: Gaedtke's Bait & Tackle.

Ford E-Series van in white with Gaedtke's Bait & Tackle graphics — 2013 Ford E350 · 110k miles · Gaedtke's Bait & Tackle

The van

On the road

Power

SolarRenogy 200W · Wanderer

BatteriesDual marine deep-cycle

IsolatorDual-battery kit

InverterYes · 12V → 120V

ControlsNilight 5-gang · USB + volt Fan, water pump, accessory and fridge on their own switches, with a voltmeter you can actually read.

Water & galley

Pumpbayite 12V · 1.0 GPM

SinkHalf-sphere marine · RO faucet

Counter1″ maple butcher block

FridgeSMETA 12V mini

CeilingAromatic cedar plank

Climate & air

Heat8kW diesel · 5.5L tank Sips fuel from its own little tank, not the van's. Warm in a Reno winter.

FanMaxxair MaxxFan · powered

InsulationFull walls, floor & ceiling

Cockpit & outside

StereoATOTO A6 · double-DIN

CameraBackup / reverse

RoofCustom rack · ladder · awning

StorageIP67 hard case

The diesel heater is the unlock. A 5.5-liter tank and an 8kW heater turn the van from a three-season toy into something you can actually sleep in when it's snowing. Runs off its own fuel, draws almost nothing, and keeps the whole box warm.

The build

Empty box · to camper

Starting point

An empty cargo van in a parking lot

Bare metal, a ladder rack, and a lot of echo. Ford E-Series, cargo spec — nothing back there but ribs and wheel wells.

Empty Ford van interior at night — Day one

Floor

Fiberglass and a level floor

Down on hands and knees laying the subfloor — the part nobody sees and everything else sits on. Get this flat and square or you pay for it the whole rest of the build.

Laying the van subfloor — Subfloor going down

Frame & insulate

Furring strips, insulation, wire

Wood framing around every rib, insulation in the cavities, and wiring run before the walls close up. This is the stage where a van full of parts finally starts looking like a room.

Framing and insulating the van walls — Walls framed & insulated

Cabinet and electrical bay under construction — Galley & power bay

Finished

Cedar, blue cabinets, butcher block

Shiplap walls, a cedar-plank ceiling, deep-blue cabinets and a maple counter with a real sink. A bed across the back, a fridge under the counter, and a control panel that runs the whole thing.