Van Life Meets Sim Racing in This DIY Camper Van Featuring a Solar-Powered Gaming Rig

If you're unfamiliar with simulation racing, better known as sim racing, it refers to playing driving games that simulate real-life racing. A basic sim racing rig consists of a steering wheel and pedals, typically mounted either on a desk or a special cockpit. That means it takes up quite a bit of space, so I was intrigued by how someone would fit such a setup in a camper van.

Dan used a long-wheelbase, high-roof 2015 Ford Transit with a 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine for his camper conversion. Starting from the van's garage, you'll notice everything is quite cluttered. To be honest, I appreciate when van dwellers provide a genuine picture of how van life looks for them. Typically, it involves less picturesque, Instragrammable looks and more disorganized aesthetics.

If you do look past the clutter, you'll notice there's lots of space in this garage. Dan managed to fit two bikes, two RC cars, and a whole bunch of tools and other gear.

As soon as you pop the door open, you'll discover Dan's sim racing rig awkwardly blocking the way. You'll have to step over it to get into the van – it's definitely an uncomfortable solution, but there wasn't any other place he could fit it.

This part is for sim racing geeks like me. His setup consists of a Next Level Racing wheel stand, a Moza CS V2 steering wheel connected to a Moza R9 V2 base, and Moza SR-P pedals. The steering wheel features a direct drive system, which can replicate forces better than a lower-end, belt-driven system.

You'll notice Dan also added a shifter and a handbrake. What's more, he uses the passenger's swivel seat as a "racing seat." The final part of this rig is an ultrawide, 30-inch Sceptre monitor with a 200 hz refresh rate mounted near the ceiling. Overall, this is an excellent setup for sim racing, although there's a lot of room for upgrades.

Oh, I almost forgot – another critical component of Dan's gaming setup is a WiFi router. It provides around 100 MB/s, so more than enough for gaming and browsing the Internet, even for livestreaming.

Looking around, you'll notice many touches that make this interior unique. For instance, Dan used 100-year-old barn wood throughout the van and built a beautiful hardwood floor. Another distinctive element is the epoxy-treated live-edge wooden countertop. However, my favorite ones are old skateboard decks that serve as backrests and car license plates scattered all around the interior.

The kitchen takes up quite a big chunk of space but is well-equipped. It features two massive countertops, an overhead cabinet, an enormous sink with an extendable faucet, an oven with a three-burner stovetop, a Dometic fridge/freezer box, and an 800 W microwave. There are also many storage spaces in the form of cabinets and drawers underneath both of the countertops.

There's a window on the wall behind the kitchen. Dan can use the multiple windows and two Maxxair vents to make sure the interior stays fresh.

Next up, we have a tiny seating area consisting of two benches. One has storage underneath, while the other serves as a laundry basket. Above, you'll notice a large shelf that extends toward the van's rear, which holds three baskets with Dan's clothes. It also houses an Xbox One and a PS4, linked to the monitor via HDMI wires mounted underneath the floor.

And lastly, we have the bedroom. Dan cut the vehicle's body and fitted two large windows complete with bug screens. If you look directly above, you'll notice Dan fixed a map to the ceiling.

One thing I believe Dan could've added is an extra shelf or some sort of storage compartment above the bed, on the opposite side of the existing shelf. I feel like there's some dead space there that could turn out to be useful.

When it comes to utilities, Dan made sure to fit all he needed for a comfortable life on the road. You'll discover a diesel heater and an electrical system consisting of Renogy components. It features a charge controller connected to two 300 W solar panels, two 100 Ah lithium-ion batteries, and a 3,000 W inverter. Dan said he has enough power to run all the electronics in the van without having to worry.

I'm happy that someone out there actually developed a camper van with a sim racing rig. Props to Dan for an excellent DIY conversion with plenty of practical features and personal touches.