Custom Overlander Was Built From Scratch, It Will Blow You Away With Its Clever Design

Meet Phil and Lynn and their 2011 Man LE 160 C, which serves as a full-time home. The couple has been enjoying the mobile lifestyle for a long time, as they previously owned three camper vans. However, their latest and best creation is this awesome overlander, which they use to travel all over the world, including Europe, Africa, and North America.

If there's one vehicle that can handle traveling in various environments and conditions, it's this type of truck. You've probably seen other projects built on similar vehicles, such as the Mitsubishi Fuso.

This is the first time I'm writing about an overlander based on a Man truck. This 2011 Man LE 160 C has been radically modified to reach its current form – I'll walk you through all of them. But first, let me tell you more about its specs.

The Man truck sports a 4.5-liter turbo diesel engine paired with a six-speed manual transmission and tips the scales at a whopping 7,000 kg (15,432 lb.) fully loaded. Despite its heavy weight, it gets an excellent 14 MPG (16.8 L/100km). But why this specific model? Well, Phil explained that it's one of the very last vehicles to leave the factory without any electronic management systems on the road. Even the fuel pump is mechanic.

What does that mean for the owner? It's easy to repair, and in case you can't handle it, you'll find somebody who can work on it regardless of where you're traveling. What's more, accessing the engine is easy, as it's located directly underneath the driver's cabin, which can be flipped up.

The vehicle is ready for any off-road adventure you throw at it. It's a 2WD, but you can turn it into a 4WD by flipping a switch. Furthermore, it's got high and low gears and locking differentials. Phil replaced the original military-grade tires with normal quarry truck tires that can properly handle both on and off-roading.

If you want to build pretty much any type of camper, having relevant technical skills makes a significant difference. Sure, we have Google and YouTube, so even a complete beginner can do it, but it will take way longer. And I'm not sure a complete beginner would be down to do what Phil did.

First of all, Phil devised a custom flexible floating chassis for the rig to which he mounted the camper box. Most people would just have a company make the box, but not Phil. In fact, he designed it himself and only employed a company to make the material for the box. He then cut everything himself into individual pieces. By the way, the camper box has no screws in its construction – everything is held together by Sikaflex 252, a polyurethane adhesive.

The body's panels feature several layers, as follows (from outside to inside): 1 mm of GRP, 4mm of plastic, 50 mm of insulation, 4mm of plywood, and 1 mm of GRP. Phil said that they drove the rig at the top of the Alps in -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit) weather, and the inside was toasty warm.

Want to hear another impressive fact? Phil did all the building on his driveway. How cool is that? It took him around ten months to piece everything together. However, this project took way longer than that if you include the planning and sourcing of parts.

Regarding dimensions, it measures 23.3 feet (7.1 meters) in length, 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) in width, and 11.1 feet (3.4 meters) in height.

As you can expect, building something like this isn't cheap. However, it's cheaper than buying a high-end camper van. In fact, even the not-so-premium ones go for a similar price. Phil and Lynn explained that the total amount invested in their rig is more than £80,000 ($101,065 or €93,468).

Before we head inside, let me tell you more about the exterior features. On the left side of the rig, you'll discover a large compartment holding a massive 80-liter (21-gallon) propane canister. Another compartment integrated into the box is a pass-through, so you can access it from either side. It's used for storage, holding tools, spares, skis, and more.

At the rear, you'll notice a spare tire and an enormous aluminum box that holds two bicycles. What's more, on the right side of the vehicle, Phil installed an extended fuel tank with a whopping 300 liters (79 gallons) capacity.

Regarding utilities, the rig is equipped with a huge 300-liter freshwater tank housed in the box. It's connected to an external waste tank. By the way, all the pipes run inside, so they won't freeze in cold environments. On top, you'll notice 750 W solar panels. Moreover, the camper is fitted with a 24 V system with a 256 Ah battery bank.

Step inside, and you'll be greeted by a cozy interior with a practicality-focused layout. Dead ahead, you'll find the bathroom. It features a privacy door, a custom-made composting toilet, a shower, and a big mirror. One beautiful touch is the mosaic tiled floor.

Opposite the bathroom, you’ll discover a floor-to-ceiling unit that integrates a large fridge and some storage spaces. By the way, the driver's cabin can easily be accessed through a sizeable door. Moreover, it can be covered with a cushion for better insulation.

Walk deeper into the camper box, and you'll be in the lounge/kitchen area. The kitchen is located next to the wall. It consists of a decently sized countertop, bamboo cabinetry (including two overhead cabinets), a stainless steel sink, and a large oven with a four-burner stove.

The lounge area boasts two sizeable benches, a detachable table in between them, and two overhead cabinets. You'll also notice a skylight above.

The rear of the camper is occupied by the bedroom. Phil and Lynn installed a large queen-size bed that takes up the entire room. Other notable elements are two Maxzxair fans, three sizeable overhead cabinets, and two windows (one on each side).

Between the kitchen and the bedroom, the couple devised a closet with a sliding door. Above it, you'll find this rig's control panel. It consists of a thermostat, a diesel heater controller, an LPG heater controller, a battery management system, and a water heater times. Yes, you read that right, there are three heaters in this overlander: a diesel one, an LPG one, and one that's powered by the vehicle's fuel.

Overall, Phil and Lynn have created a mind-blowingly practical tiny home on wheels. It definitely wasn't easy, but as they described, anyone can do it regardless of age. Of course, you'll need some money set aside, some creativity, and a healthy dose of determination, but it can be done.