1986 VW Vanagon Is an Ultra-Affordable Cabin on Wheels Unlike Anything You've Seen Before

Frye was keen on building his own tiny home on wheels based on a Volkswagen van – he had the ambition and motivation to do it but lacked the large funds typically involved in making a conversion. Luckily, he had luck with the seller of this base vehicle, a 1986 Volkswagen Vanagon, as they were inspired by his story and were willing to let the van go for however much Frye could pay.

Frye didn't have some crazy wants and needs for this mobile home. Despite the interior offering a mere 10 square feet (0.9 square meters) of room, it was enough for him to create a comfortable setup for himself and his dog, Cedar. Before we head inside, let me tell you more about the exterior modifications.

The first thing you'll notice is the wooden raised roof, which allows Frye to stand up inside. Moreover, the vehicle boasts a 2-inch suspension lift kit, upgraded rear shocks, and rides on General Grabber all-terrain tires.

You'll notice steel bumpers both at the front and rear of the van. What's more, Frye installed a swing-away carrier and a spare tire holder at the rear. On the passenger side, he added a ladder and a rusty stove pipe.

Step inside the driver's cabin, and you'll notice Frye hasn't made any modifications. It comprises two captain's chairs with a Dometic fridge box in between, which also doubles as a center console. Funnily enough, Frye left the steering column exposed in case he needed to repair anything.

Pop the van's sliding door open, and you'll be greeted by a rustic, barn-style interior – it definitely has a DIY feel, but it does the job for Frye. It's covered all around in wood – it boasts wood wall paneling and a creaking pallet floor.

Blocking part of the entrance is a large cabinet with a countertop and a flip-up table – behind it, there's a small dividing wall with a window that separates the area from the driver's cabin. It not only creates a more homey feel, but it also provides more privacy for Frye. That being said, he can still get behind the steering wheel from the living space in case of an emergency that involves you needing to drive off quickly.

Dead ahead of the entrance, you'll discover a tiny cast-iron wood stove that can be used for cooking. It exhausts all the smoke through the pipe I mentioned earlier.

Next, we have perhaps one of the most basic kitchens you'll ever see in a tiny home on wheels. It features storage spaces in the form of drawers and cabinets, a shelf, and a decently sized stainless steel sink connected to a five-gallon (19-liter) canister in the cabinet underneath. The water then drains straight underneath the vehicle.

However basic your van is, you still need a power source if you want to live in it full-time. Frye's electrical system consists of a 100 Ah AGM battery, a 1,000 W inverter, and a 20-amp solar charge controller connected to a 160 W solar panel on the roof.

The back part of this van build is occupied by a memory foam couch and Cedar's bedroom at the very rear, as well as an overhead cabinet and a side storage spot. Moreover, the couch can be extended to create a decently-sized bed.

The hi-top part of this camper van is used mainly for storage. Frye uses it to store a fishing road, boot cleaning equipment, a lasso, deer antlers, deerskin, an axe, bags, clothes, and a lot more stuff. If he cleared all the stuff up there, this top part could serve as an additional bedroom. Other notable elements up top are a ceiling fan, two windows, and a deep cabinet above the driver's cabin.

Besides all the main amenities and features I covered, there are a lot of decorations that add a ton of character to this compact space, such as stickers, patches, posters, Polaroids and other pictures, an old radio, and more. They all come together beautifully to create this rustic interior. I'd say it looks like a cowboy's home – and that's a compliment.

All in all, although some of you might not see the appeal of such a basic and improvised tiny home on wheels, I still think it's a respectable creation. It's clear that this young man is a minimalist who knows how to appreciate the small things in life. It reminded me of one of Buddha's quotes: "The less you have, the less you have to worry about."