As a mother of two daughters, it has always been a dream of mine to travel the world with my children. After looking for a suitable vehicle for quite a while, I decided to convert my own van. And so he stood there one night. I wanted to turn my Bulli into a cozy home that would accompany us on our travels.
When I started, my Van Bulli Benz was still just a dirty workshop truck. A 6-ton Vario model with 130 hp. I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me, but I was willing to give my all and started planning the build out and how I could best use the limited space. I wanted to combine aesthetic and practical elements to create not just a camper, but a small home.
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The first step was to completely gut the truck. Even the bottom plate had to be pried out so that the chassis could be properly treated against rust. To open up the space to the driver's cabin, the Flex helped get rid of the bulkhead. When everything was finally out, it was cleaned, degreased, greased and the fight against rust was announced. For weeks the steel brush, rust converter and fluid film were my best friends.
For the construction of the floor plate I decided on rubber mats glued to the chassis, a lower aluminum floor plate, cork as an insulator, screen printing plate and a final vinyl floor covering.
The time of planning meant that I had to blind-data my physics knowledge from grades 6-8 and my geometry knowledge from grade 9 with various information from the internet in order to draw proper plans. In the still empty Van Bulli Benz, empty pipes for electricity and hoses for water could be laid wonderfully.
I glued Alubutyl to protect against vibration and to ensure that the Van Bulli Benz stays warm in winter and cool in summer I insulated the walls with 4 cm thick Armaflex.
The electrical installation was the biggest challenge for me because I couldn't believe that I would be able to do it. I found a cable calculator on the Internet, dabbled with 12-volt systems and resistors while at the same time my inner resistance dissolved into goodwill. With the power from the 300W solar panels installed on the roof, I now run a powerful cool box, a pressure water pump, lights, 12-volt sockets and a music system with a subwoofer. The best bit about the system is definitely the interior lithium-ion battery.
The old, still usable wood from the workshop trolley was upcycled and transformed into a chic, functional kitchen unit with its own gas box, gas hob and a ceramic sink. I used every inch of the limited space to ensure the kitchen is beautiful, functional, and space-efficient at the same time.
Next to the kitchen I built a bed that could be converted into a sofa during the day, installed a 120 liter water tank underneath, built a sitting area with a retractable table and an electrics console underneath. Little by little I built several hanging cabinets and flaps for storage. In the meantime, when the weather is bad or it's too hot, we like to sit inside at the table, drink coffee or play games.
I installed two skylights and a total of 4 more side windows to bring more daylight into the van and enjoy the view.
After weeks of hard work, my Bulli was finally finished. I was incredibly proud of how he had turned out. I had turned it into a cozy home that would accompany us on our travels. My daughters loved our new home and we couldn't wait to get going.
Today we travel regularly with our Van Bulli Benz and have already experienced many unforgettable adventures. The expansion of my Van was a challenge, but it was definitely worth it. If you're thinking about customizing your own van, I highly recommend you do it. It's an amazing experience and you will never regret it.
