5 Amazing Minivan Camper Conversions

Last Updated on September 26, 2023 by

Minivans serve a great purpose for a small family or a couple to get things covered in one place while allowing them to travel to places. These minivans are comfortable and luxurious and they are a great way of saving money and cost of fuel.

Designing these vans can even become more fun by maximizing the space and adding more features on the inside for a perfect drive.

There are a lot of minivan camper conversions that people try on their vans in order to make them even better.

Some of the greatest ideas leave an impact on camping lovers, which is why in this article, we have covered the best minivan camper conversion ideas for you with the top minivan models that you can find easily for a good ride.

What are the Best Minivan Camper Conversion?

1. Honda Odyssey

Honda Odyssey Camper Conversion
Image Credit: Roadloft

Starting off the discussion with the best minivan camper on our list for conversion is the Honda Odyssey. We have chosen this model as a top choice because it’s one of the top-sellers in the U.S. on the market of minivans, and it’s pretty easy to repair.

The availability of parts and services is also not an issue. There are several reasons to choose this minivan for conversion.

Odyssey offers a lot of window space. You can watch out from all sides without being restricted or obstructed by metal constructions or whatever else.

You can add up roof racks for additional storage and place up your camping gear as well as your toys. Curtains and a roll-over folding bed to the side can be a great consideration.

When it comes to setting up camp, the unwavering quality and roominess of the Odyssey is an interesting point. The inside space is great for campers who need to loosen up.

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You can add seating arrangements on the inside with a small table for eating food and one side bed for a comfortable resting spot inside. Adding overlapping seats can save you space.

Like practically some other Honda vehicle, the Odyssey should keep going for longer than 10 years. The guarantee and the maintenance manual back up this case, giving them a superb rating and regard from families and explorers the same.

Most models of this minivan come with a sunroof, which adds to the outside feeling to enjoy nature. Opening the top window allows in the natural air, or keep it shut while as yet letting the daylight through.

You can add sunvisor with the sunroof to keep a suitable light inside the van throughout the day.

2. Dodge Grand Caravan

Dodge Grand Caravan Camper Conversion
Image Credit: Roadloft

The next best minivan for a camper conversion will be a Dodge Grand Caravan based on its size and its strength. Its dependability, tough and strong nature joins in with extensive size and solace to make the family vehicle, but on the other hand, it’s ideal for setting up camp as a minivan camper.

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Another element that keeps this vehicle at the top is the way that it’s so reasonable.

The major reason for choosing Dodge Grand Caravan is that this vehicle has a big 4-cylinder engine that gives you enough power to go any place you like.

It means you can add as many features and additional benefits to this minivan conversion as you like because weight is not an issue in front of such a power.

Contingent upon which model you pick, you can also go for a 6-cylinder version engine, but a four-cylinder gives better mileage. You can upgrade the fuel tank from 20 gallons to 40 gallons, which is all that anyone could need to travel for more than 600 miles before you need to top it off.

Adding a foldable sofa is another big benefit because of its vast space on the inside.

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The inside seats are enough to cover up to seven travelers, which makes it very roomy. Rather than being confined in a little vehicle, this minivan has a lot of space to loosen up and store your setting up camp tools and equipment.

You can additionally put up drawers on one side of the roof and a small hand-washer at the back of the ride to make things easy for you.

You can replace the front seats with adjustable features, and the passenger seat, as well as the driver seat, can be put up with a rotating chair that can make it easier for both of them to rotate and get into the back cabin easily without even leaving the vehicle.

The build quality of this vehicle is very high, which means you will not need to stress over the material quality any time soon.

3. Mercedes-Benz Metris

Mercedes Benz Metris Camper Conversion

The Mercedes-Benz Metris is the next option for the best minivan conversion as a camper. This is a mid-sized van that can become something more useful for long trips when you know how to keep things right.

This vehicle has way more cargo space on the inside, which you can convert into a living space by including a sliding bed that converts into a sofa.

Getting along with the conversion ideas, you can add storage compartments and a small fridge in its 183 cubic feet of space in the back. You can pack all the gears and stuff on the top of your vehicle by adding a steel bar roof rack on the top.

The addition of a farmhouse-style tiny home on the inside can give you a comfortable feel.

Everything can be added up to be made from wood for adding beauty to it. The addition of a running sink is also a good choice. An extendable kitchen countertop outside through the second sliding door is what your spouse will love the most.

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The automatic sliding door will make it look even more luxurious on the inside.

A double bed can be installed with storage underneath along with some shelves on both sides. The bed is foldable and can be converted into a couch. It would be another great addition to the conversion of the minivan to a camper.

In front of the bench, there should be big windows to enjoy the outside view while enjoying a healthy and fresh meal.

The small kitchenette next to the couch would make things simpler and easy, having running water along with cooking essentials like a gas stove. Some charging points at the front of the van, like USB charging ports, will allow suitable charging options for your handheld devices.

An additional fridge can be put in the back corner that is charged and run on the batteries for keeping things cool for you.

Getting Ideas from Minivan Camper Owners

There are some campers who have converted their minivans into amazing vehicles with additional features. You can also get the idea from their conversions.

Here are the best conversions made by some minivan owners.

1. Glenn’s 2004 Toyota Sienna Minivan Camper

Glenn's 2004 Toyota Sienna Minivan Camper

Glenn is a minivan lover that used his Toyota Sienna to convert it into a camper with mods and extras. He saved up a lot of costs for the conversions because he worked smart which helped him to finish the project without getting into much trouble.

At the rear of the vehicle, there’s a twofold campervan bed that believers into a sofa. In the center, there’s a tight table for eating dinners or chipping away at a PC.

On the left-hand side of the minivan camper, there are different racks to keep cooking wares, organic products, and other things.

There’s likewise a major extra room under the bed, where Glenn keeps his garments and cooking gear. He even added an entryway patio by introducing a covering that is held up by two bamboo sticks.

This is a great way to convert a minivan into a super minivan camper with spending the least of the cost.

2. Lisa’s 1997 Chevy Astro

Lisa's 1997 Chevy Astro

Lisa is from Canada and shared her conversion of the Minivan 1997 Chevy Astro with some great ideas. Her transformation into the minivan is worth looking at. At the back of the minivan camper transformation, there’s an agreeable single bed, which likewise transforms into a couch or a twofold bed, on account of a slider.

Under it, there’s a slide-out cabinet that offers heaps of storage capacity.

In the center part of the vehicle, she introduced an extremely straightforward yet charming kitchen with a sink, water channel, and foot siphon. She likewise added a flip-up piece of the handle to add to the kitchen counter space.

In the cool Canadian winters, she utilizes a propane cylinder to remain warm.

Lisa’s minivan camper is brimming with great capacity thoughts, for example, the balancing lounger over the bed. What makes it additional comfortable is the beautiful delicate furnishings and covers she added to the inside.

The walls and surroundings inside the van give a fresh feeling of a small room.

3. ForestyForest’s Chevrolet Uplander

ForestyForest is a guy who does things to a van that nobody will normally expect. There are great ideas that he puts up with. He is an independent van lifer who doesn’t reveal his identity and goes by this name.

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He has made trips to every part of the US and Canada on board with his Chevrolet Uplander minivan camper.

He got going by changing over his Chevrolet Uplander with a totally removable custom form. Then, at that point, he chose to go full scale and put in new hardware for all time. He made some serious conversions.

ForestyForest figured out how to get a ton out of the space accessible in his minivan camper.

Inside, he constructed different racks, a solitary bed, and a table that fills in as a kitchen, just as a work area and feasting table. He added a diesel radiator and a cooler. The entire minivan camper is deterred by a divider, and the front seat has been eliminated, so there’s additionally sufficient room to store a bicycle inside the minivan.

This is the best minivan conversion idea for a single man traveling to places.

Minivan Camper Conversion Ideas For Custom Builds

Some custom ideas can also be adopted in order to try a whole new conversion for a minivan. You can perform some of the following conversions on your minivans.

1. Basic Custom Layout

You can add a rock and roll style bed, which can be folded up to save some space inside. Adding a kitchen area for cooking food with storage cabinets on the top is a great thing to go with.

This conversion brings up memories of the classic VW bus style.

2. High Roof Camper Conversion

In the case of a high roof camper conversion, the looks can be modified, and the interior can be converted into a luxurious and spacious room. Adding one side kitchen to the minivan camper with small storage on its sides can make things look good and easy for the traveler.

A small bunk bed on the backside of the van can be of comfort just Incase.

Check this article on Best Camper Van with Bathroom if you are interested. 

Conclusion

This was a discussion article on the best minivan camper conversion ideas and custom builds. We shared some great ideas that people have used to convert their vans into a traveling lifestyle luxury.

All the cool ideas for conversion have been listed.

FAQ

Can minivans be converted to campers?

Minivans can be converted to campers easily if an owner knows how to arrange things properly. It requires a proper setup along with a mechanic who can do things just in case you are doing bigger things to your camper. There are also some companies that are providing services for modifying minivans for campers.

What is the most reliable van for camper conversion?

Following are the most reliable minivans,

  • Mercedes Sprinter
  • Ford Transit
  • Renault Master
  • Volkswagen Transporter
  • Volkswagen Crafter
  • Fiat Ducato
  • LDV Deliver 9

What is the best second-hand van to buy?

Here is the list of best second-hand vans to buy from the market,

  • Ford Transit.
  • Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.
  • Volkswagen Transporter.
  • Volkswagen Caddy.
  • Ford Transit Connect.
  • Mercedes-Benz Vito.
  • Vauxhall Vivaro.
  • Citroen Berlingo.

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About Ted Mosby

I am Ted Mosby from Cleveland, Ohio. I am a Freelance Architect. I live in New Jersey, USA right now and I take my RV every alternate weekend. I own a Forest River Berkshire XLT Diesel 45A Class A Motorhome. As I am a Freelancer I can work anywhere so most of my work is done inside my camper remotely.