01 · Arrival
A bare steel shell on a Monday.
The donor van rolls into bay one with nothing behind the cab but ribs and a ply-lined floor. Before anything is cut, a laser sweeps the cargo area and every panel is measured to the millimetre.
Campervan conversions · Totnes, Devon
Every great trip starts as an empty van.
We build bespoke campervans by hand in a Devon workshop. Scroll and watch one go from bare steel to the coast road at golden hour.
Scroll
Chapter I · The empty van
02 · Cut and treat
Windows in, rust out.
Conversion windows and roof vent openings are cut, edges treated and seam-sealed, and the bare metal is sound-deadened. This is the loud week.
03 · See through
From here, the metal goes clear.
To show you what goes where, the body turns see-through. Watch the ribs, the wheel arches and the floor plate: the next five weeks all happen between them.
Build week0of 6
Chapter II · Insulation and electrics
01 · Insulation
Sheep's wool, panel by panel.
Quilted wool goes behind every wall and into the roof: breathable, fire-resistant and warm enough to sleep through a Dartmoor frost. Nothing is stuffed, every panel is cut to the template.
02 · Electrics
Wires that find their own way.
A leisure battery, a fuse box, a clean 12 V ring main and sockets exactly where you will reach for them. Every run is labelled, clipped and drawn on the wiring diagram we hand you.
03 · Plumbing
Fresh in, grey out, no leaks.
Food-grade pipe from the water tank to the tap, a waste run to the grey tank under the floor, and an external shower point if you want one. Pressure-tested for a full day before it is covered.
04 · Floor
Oak ply, laid last.
With everything below it checked, the 18 mm birch-faced ply goes down in two sheets, screwed to the ribs and sealed. The van now has a floor you could eat off.
Build week2of 6
Chapter III · The layout
01 · Bed
Somewhere properly good to sleep.
The rear bed goes in first because everything else works around it: a ply frame, a deep storage garage underneath and a mattress cut to the inch. We build it up from the floor, never down from the roof.
02 · Kitchen
A kitchen that cooks.
Concrete-effect worktop, a proper sink, a two-ring hob and a compressor fridge. Doors are sage-painted birch ply on soft-close hinges, with brass pulls you will want to touch.
03 · Storage
Everywhere to put things.
A wardrobe tall enough for a coat, overhead lockers over the kitchen and a ply cabinet for the boots and the kettle. Every cupboard has a catch so nothing flies open on the A38.
04 · Seating
A table, a rug and a place to sit.
A fold-away table on a single steel leg, cushions in the sunset colour and a woven rug to stand on in wet boots. Small things, but they are what make it a home.
Build week4of 6
Chapter IV · The fit-out
01 · Roof
A vent, a panel and the weather.
A fan-assisted roof vent and a solar panel are bonded and bolted to the roof, then sealed with enough Sikaflex to survive a hurricane. Free power from the first sunny morning.
02 · Light
Switch it all on.
Warm LED strips, two pendant globes and curtains on brass rails. The last electrics test is simply switching everything on at once and listening for anything that is not quiet.
03 · Skin
The body comes back.
Final paint, pinstripe and wheels. The van turns solid again and looks, for the first time, like what it is: a home with its own front door and a number plate.
Build week5of 6
Your turn · Build yours
Choose a layout. Pick a colour.
The van rebuilds in front of you. Drag it to look around.
Layout
Paint
Dartmoor Sage
Drag the van to turn it
WeekenderSleeps 2
A fixed double across the back, a proper kitchen run and a wardrobe.
- Build time
- 5 weeks
- Your price
- £14,950
Chapter V · On the road
01 · Handover
The doors go up.
Six weeks after it arrived empty, the shutter rolls open and the evening pours in. We hand over the keys, the wiring diagram, a bag of spare fuses and a lesson on emptying the grey tank.
02 · The coast road
First miles, golden hour.
Nine miles to the nearest beach, the sun low over the sea and a kettle waiting. Every van we hand over leaves the yard the same way: windows down, a little too slowly.
03 · Yours
Now it just needs a name.
Most owners christen theirs within the first weekend. Ours is called Bracken, and she is available to hire if you would like to try a Wayfarer before you commit to one.
Week6of 6, handed over
Prices
Four conversions. Pick one or part-build.
Conversion prices include the full build, VAT and a 12 month warranty. They do not include the van: bring your own or we will find you a used Transit from £17,500.
2 berth
Weekender
£14,950
- Rear double over a storage garage
- Kitchen with sink, hob and fridge
- Wardrobe and overhead lockers
- One solar panel, roof vent
4 berth
Family Cove
£21,400
- Elevating pop-top with a double bed
- Rock and roll bench that folds flat
- Compact kitchen, rear cabinets
- Insulated canvas, roof vent
Off-grid
Explorer
£28,900
- 600 Ah lithium and four roof panels
- 100 L fresh water and diesel heater
- High bed with a deep garage
- Cassette toilet cupboard
Surf
Tideline
£23,800
- Bench bed and a wet garage
- Board racks, hooks and outdoor shower
- Roof bars for two boards
- Wipe-clean floor and seating
Part-builds
Done a bit yourself? We will do the bits you would rather not.
- Insulate and wire£3,950
- Floor, lining and windows£2,850
- Furniture-only fit£6,400
- Solar and power upgrade£2,300
- Pop-top roof fitted£4,200
Hire a Wayfarer
Try one before you commit. Deposit £250, fully refundable.
- Midweek, three nights£255
- Friday to Monday£340
- A full week£720
Our hire fleet: Bracken (2 berth), Thistle (4 berth) and Gull (surf).
The small print
Numbers we keep honest.
187
vans converted
2012
the year we started
6
weeks, on average
212
metres of cable in each
Book a build slot
Tell us about your van.
Slots are limited to four vans at a time. Send us a few details and we will call back within two working days. Nothing here is real or bookable: this is a demonstration site for a fictional company.
- WorkshopUnit 6, Lime Kiln Yard, Totnes, Devon
- Phone01803 555 0142
- Emailhello@wayfarervans.example
- HoursMonday to Friday 8 to 5, Saturday 9 to 1. Workshop visits by appointment.
Thanks, we have your details.
Someone from the workshop will ring you within two working days. Nothing is booked, because this is a fictional company and a demonstration site.