Introduction: Mitsubishi Express Van Into Budget Camper

By www.campervanfinder.com.au
About: My name is Andrew, owner and operator of Campervan Finder, a leading supplier of 4x4s and campervans throughout Australia and New Zealand. In my spare time I enjoy travelling, surfing and camping.

My best mate and I built this van a couple of years ago to do the East Coast of Australia on a budget (Sydney to Cairns). The vehicle came with an LPG conversion so the gas got us anywhere between 200 - 250km for only AUD $20 which was great!

We originally were just going to lay a mattress at the back of the vehicle but decided to build a raised platform similar to this project after coming across it. This gave us space for storage and we also built some draws to store some of our other essential items:

- Gas Cooker

- Cups

- Plates and Bowls

- Cutlery

- Pots and Pans

Step 1: Building the Platform

We used slats from an old throw away bed to hold the mattress. Didn't want to spend too much money on the whole look of the setup.

We found some astro turf/artificial grass on a throw away so decided to use that on the floor.

The rest of the wood we just purchased from our local Bunnings (hardware store). All up it only cost us about $120 in materials to buy the risers to complete the job and the framing.

Halfway through the trip we also bought some mosquito nets for the windows. It's not very fun sleeping with the windows open and getting eaten alive!

The van never let us down for a whole trip, some 2,000+ kms and we had a ball fishing, surfing, and camping.

Note. These sleeper vans are the best because you can stay under the rader and sleep pretty much wherever you want without having to pay for campsites. Don't take my word for it though :)

Other features and items:

- Rhino roof racks for luggage, fishing rods and surfboards

- Solar panel charger

- Storage Boxes

- Umbrella and DIY Toolbox

- Outdoor Table and Chairs

- Esky