Some say the modern camper van’s roots can be traced back to the Volkswagen bus/camper of the 1960’s and the advent of the hippy movement.
VW Flower Power Van Popular in the 60's
I think that’s a fair assumption, however, the modern camper van has evolved into some beautiful designs, ease of use, various levels of comfort and power plants under the hoods. These modern camper vans are used in many ways; a primary “tiny” home on wheels, an everyday auto for commuting and camping.
Modern Camper Van
Traveling in a modern camper van is akin to traveling in a small motor home. If one intends on spending a good amount of time in a camper van (and some folks live in them) they must become a minimalist as there is just not enough room for much besides essentials. On the other hand, the camper van affords one the ability to live, travel, explore and camp in areas that larger RV’s are unable to navigate. More pros of the camper van compared to say, the Class A, Class C, 5th Wheels and travel trailers are that the gas mileage is much better and it can be used as a primary or secondary vehicle as most can be parked in a regular parking space. They can be kept packed and ready for that quick weekend getaway or even longer periods of time. As mentioned earlier, the Volkswagen bus/camper of the 60’s and 70’s was one of the better known camper vans on the road. As I travel and camp around the country in my modern camper van, I occasionally run into clubs of old Volkswagen campers. It seems there are quite a few of these folks that find the old Volkswagen campers and restore and use them quite well today.
VW Bus/Camper Club Meeting
Soon after the Volkswagen camper came into prominence, Ford, Dodge and Chevrolet began making larger vans for cargo haulers, construction and contractors, etc. The RV Industry began using them as well and a few mom and pop van conversion companies began to spring up as well. Some of these companies began cutting the tops out of the vans and adding a raised fiberglass top thereby enabling the owners to comfortably stand erect in them. Prior to that, one had to remain seated or bent over when performing any type task inside. This fiberglass top seemed to fuel the market even more as companies began installing bathrooms, showers, kitchens, TV’s and sleep space.
Not too long ago, Mercedes Benz came out with their Sprinter van. These Sprinter vans were tall enough to allow a person over 6 feet tall to easily stand erect in them. These vans were longer as well, allowing the owners to build out more amenities.
Sprinter van
They also offered a diesel engine which was very efficient. This opened up a whole new market for Mercedes Benz besides the cargo vehicle it was designed to be.
Since then, Ford has come out with it’s Transit van and Dodge (RAM) has come out with it’s Promaster and Nissan now has a tall van as well; all enabling one to stand erect inside it. This added height and length has given a lot of extra space for a more comfortable lifestyle and still be able to use the van as an everyday vehicle. These vans also have the power to tow small trailers for the owner’s toys such as motorcycles, off-road ATV’s, bicycles or whatever they please.
Not only is the camper van market exploding and providing a means for more people to travel and camp without breaking the bank, but the mom and pop van conversion companies is exploding as well.
My RAM Promaster Conversion
Partial View of Interior of my van showing cabinet with running water, bed, refrigerator and house battery box
My interior is almost complete in this photo.
Since retiring, I am now on my 4th camper van. I live in it a good part of the year. I follow the sun and write a blog about traveling in my camper van.
Source: Most of the photos in this blog are provided courtesy of pixabay.com.
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