Westfalia Kelsey Conversion Shows Just What a Ford Transit Can Become for Less Than $60K

If you've never heard of Westfalia, you won't be blamed as they're a team from over in Germany, which saw its initial start building horse-drawn carts to move freight. However, they've been in the RV game since the early 1950s when a customer asked the company to modify an already existing vehicle, a VW transit van, into a home. That was then, and the custom Ford Transit before you, Kelsey, is what seventy years of experience can bring.

This Ford Transit chassis has been modified quite a bit, mainly the roof; it can pop up to expand the interior headspace by quite a considerable amount. The top also reveals several lookout windows to get a view of the world around. With up to 390 Nm (287 lb-ft) of torque and 170 horsepower, it should be more than enough to carry all four seated guests and gear wherever your heart may wish. While the exterior doesn't say the most about the van, the inside is sure to get your attention.

Entry into the space is done via any of the two lateral sliding doors on each side of the van, the cockpit, or the rear. Heck, if you were to open all entries at once, you could let children use the van as an environment in a game of tag. Just make sure you hide all sharp objects first, as you'll find everything your home includes.

Once inside the van, the port side features a simple and clean-cut dinette that can also be converted into a sleeping space for two guests. That seems to be the only catch, four guests can be transported with Kelsey, but only two can sleep in it. Across from the dinette, the galley is found. You may be as surprised as I was to find that none of the essentials are missing. Two-burner stovetop, sink with running water, and fridge are all available and within arms reach; Kelsey even features a wet bath. Very few vans this size achieve this, and there's a toilet as well; yes, Kelsey takes care of all the essentials.

To help bring some off-grid capabilities to the van, Westfalia throws in a 50-liter (13-gallon) freshwater tank and a 100 Ah backup battery. There's also a gas bottle of 2.75 kg (6 lbs). Sure, that may sound sparse, but the fact of the matter is that the features I have enumerated are but standard. The list of options is absolutely overwhelming, and you can even add a larger battery package and even solar panels. Want to turn your Kelsey into an adventure-ready machine? Just opt for a bike rack or liftgate. With a tad of ingenuity, you could fit a kayak rack as well.

Westfalia doesn't seem to be giving up their trade secrets as to what sort of structural and construction changes may have been applied to the Kelsey, but overall, this off-grid capable trinket starts off as low as 50,670 EUR (58,544 USD at current exchange rates). Not bad, considering that for another 10,000 USD, you can whip up a decently equipped and off-grid-ready vehicle. If you're ever in Europe or happen to run across a Westfalia dealership in your town, the Kesley seems like a vehicle you can consider.