Simple and Pretty $6K GMC Vandura Camper Proves You Can Do #Vanlife on a Tight Budget

Being budget-conscious, I admire the creative solutions people find to develop affordable yet well-equipped campers. Yes, a premium camper is always lovely, but I'm always impressed by how some van dwellers build proper camper vans without emptying their bank account.

Michael and Stephaine, a young couple, made the creation I'm checking out today. Initially, they planned to buy a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van but were taken aback by how expensive these vehicles were. Indeed, in the world of camper vans, the Sprinters are premium options that, naturally, come with a premium price tag.

And so, they started looking for other options and soon discovered that the best deals were very quickly sold after the listing was posted. One day, they had some luck and contacted a seller five minutes after the listing came online, and they bought it.

Michael and Stephanie got their hands on a 1988 GMC Vandura and paid a mere $2,900 (€2,678) for it. They invested $1,100 (€1,016) to make some repairs. And finally, the no-frills conversion cost them an additional $2,000 (€1,847) - the couple was able to keep costs to a minimum by using scrap wood and other cheap materials. That brings the total price of this van to just $6,000 (€5,542) - that's how much some people pay for solar systems for their camper vans.

This rig sports a Chevy 5.7-liter V8 350 engine outputting around 200 hp. As you can imagine, since they spent so little on the vehicle, it has some wear and tear, such as bumps in the rear right corner.

On the outside, the couple left it pretty much as it was. They just made some relatively minor modifications. They fixed some rust holes underneath the vehicle, adding black-out tints to the windows for more privacy, and installed a 100 W solar panel and a Maxxair fan on the roof.

The radical transformation happened inside – even though the interior was built for low bucks, it looks pretty good. It's got a rustic wooden aesthetic, as the couple used plywood all around – they wanted their build to be as lightweight as possible. Moreover, you'll also notice laminate flooring.

Regarding the construction, the couple opted for rigid foam insulation while filling all the cracks with spray foam insulation. Moreover, they added Reflectix insulation under the fiberglass roof to prevent condensation. Also, one of the windows was covered inside.

A nice detail is that in the middle of the van's roof, there is a sizeable skylight that lets plenty of light shine inside and can also be opened for ventilation. There were two more skylights at the front, but Michael and Stephanie covered them.

Dead ahead from the entrance, you'll find the kitchen with cabinetry made out of plywood. It features a pine butcher block countertop, a portable dual-burner stove, a cooler, a spice rack, and a sink operated by a foot pump. By the way, the plumbing system was made using two canisters, one for freshwater and one for greywater.

Opposite the kitchen, you'll discover a cooler next to a counter. The counter hides the power system – it's one of the most straightforward electrical systems you'll see in a camper van since these can be quite expensive to build, but it does the job for them. It consists of a 70 Ah battery and a Renogy solar charge controller connected to the 100 W solar panel.

According to Michael, they've never had any problems with this system and have never depleted the battery. Furthermore, they don't have an inverter, so they couldn't fit any outlets inside. Instead, they use a 12 V cigarette lighter port.

The last part of this van's interior is the bedroom. It has two long overhead cabinets, another cabinet integrated into the ceiling, two hooks, and a large drawer integrated into the bed frame. What's more, the bed can be lifted to reveal the garage, which is the biggest storage spot in this van. It can also be accessed from the outside by opening the two rear doors.

Overall, although this build is very simple compared to other fully-equipped rigs out there, it manages to pack numerous features considering Michale and Stephanie's very low budget. Despite being a DIY build, its interior looks good and doesn't reflect its price.

Sure, it lacks amenities some people wouldn't even think of adventuring without, such as a bathroom or toilet. Still, it's a nice project and a good starting point for those who don't want to wait until they've saved up a fat stack of cash.