9 Amazing Box Truck Camper Conversions for Van Life

Considering a Box Truck Conversion for Van Life?

With their large interior space and easy customization, box trucks are a great option to consider for full-time vanlife.

But what are your build options? And how do different popular models of box trucks like the Mercedes Sprinter, and Ford E-350 stand up against each other?

In this post, we’ll find out.

Here’s everything you’ll learn:

9 Amazing Box Truck Conversions

With a square interior, high-roof, & entirely separate habitat, box trucks provides a great platform for designing a layout… but which is the best?

Here are 10 of the coolest box truck conversions ever:

#9: ‘70s Box Truck Conversion with Wood Stove Heater

• Highlights: This gorgeous ‘70s Dodge Box Truck has a raised bed in the back with storage underneath. The two-sided kitchen has a DIY sink and some countertop space. The front of the van has an awesome wood stove heater.
• Van: 1974 Dodge Kary Van
• Owner: @shortythevan

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#8: Converted Ford Box Truck with Full-Sized Kitchen

• Highlights: This box truck conversion has a large camper van bed setup in the back with a conversion van tv. The star of the show in this conversion is the huge kitchen, which has a full-sized sink, stove, oven, and refrigerator. 
• Van: Ford E-350
• Owner: @escapingthemidwest

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#7: Blue Box Truck Conversion with Loft Bed and Bathroom

• Highlights: This Box Truck conversion has a gorgeous wooden door with a porthole window. Inside the truck is a lofted bed above a convertible bed. It also has a large kitchen area and a bathroom with a toilet and shower.
• Van: 2001 Mercedes Sprinter Luton
• Owner: @lutoncamper

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#6: Ram Box Truck Camper with Rear Floor Bed and Shower

• Highlights: This Ram 5500 box truck has a rear bed on the ground to make room for overhead storage. The living area contains a couch, and a kitchen with a large sink and tons of storage. The living space is complete with an indoor shower.
• Van: Ram 5500
• Owner: @overlanduncharted

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#5: All-White Box Truck

• Highlights: This all-white box truck conversion has a cozy bed in the rear under the large skylight windows. The front of the van has a kitchenette with a stove, sink, and mini-fridge. The box truck is heated with a wood stove.
• Van: Vauxhall Box Truck
• Owner: @the_oceanshq

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#4: Box Truck Conversion with Private Rear Bedroom and L-Shaped Couch

• Highlights: This conversion has a semi-private bed in the rear, leaving room for a mostly separate living area. The living area hs a sink, countertop, couch, and some storage space.
• Van: GMC Savana 3500 Box Truck
• Owner: @canadianstealth

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#3: Modern Box Truck Build with Convertible Dinette

• Highlights: This modern-design box truck build has a dinette that folds away into a bed. The front of the build has a two-walled kitchen with a large sink and overhead storage.
• Van: Ford E-350
• Owner: @harryhods

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#2: Converted Sprinter Box Truck with Rear Dinette and Corner Kitchen

• Highlights: The rear of this box truck has a large dinette that folds into a bed. The kitchen is located at the front of the van, and has a full-sized fridge, oven, stovetop, and sink. Lots of cabinetry in the kitchen makes for tons of storage space.
• Van: 2004 Mercedes Sprinter Luton
• Owner: @mightyvanlife

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#1: Sprinter Box Truck Conversion with Rear Bed, Toilet, & Shower

• Highlights:  This simple Sprinter box truck build has a dinette in the front that converts into a bed. The back of the van has a kitchen on one wall, and a shower on the other. The entrance of the van has a gorgeous wood wall and a door.
• Van: Mercedes Sprinter Box Truck
• Owner: @theboxtruckcamper

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7 Reasons Why Vanlifers Like Box Trucks Campers

Box trucks are spacious, widely available, and easy to build in – but are they the best option for vanlife?

Here are 7 reasons why vanlifers like box trucks:

1. Lots of Interior Room: The most obvious advantage of the box truck is the amount of room you get inside. Compared to a van, box trucks are taller, and wider, giving you a few feet of extra volume inside to work with.
2. Separate Cab and Living Space: The “box” in the box truck is completely separated from the driver’s cab. It can be really nice to have a separate driving and living space.
3. Rear Door: Because of the height and square shape of box trucks, you can install a full-sized custom door on the back that can make the van feel a lot more homey.
4. You Can Stand up Inside: Most box trucks are around 7 feet tall inside, which means you have plenty of room to stand up and walk around inside.
5. Enough Room for a Bathroom: The extra room inside a box truck means many owners have enough room to install a small shower and portable toilet.
6. Square Shape for Easy Builds: A box truck build is relatively simple to plan out because of its shape. 90-degree angles make planning a build pretty simple.
7. Easy to Install Extra Windows: With typical vans, you have to buy specific aftermarket windows. However, because the walls of a box truck are flat, you can pretty much install any window you want, wherever you want it.

5 Reasons Why Vanlifers Dislike Converted Box Trucks

As with every vehicle, there are downsides to converting box trucks.

Here are 5 reasons why vanlifers dislike box trucks:

1. Pricey: Box trucks are typically more expensive than vans.
2. Requires Commercial Insurance: Normal insurance will not cover a box truck, you need to set up special commercial insurance, which can cost more.
3. Can’t Sit in the Rear of the Vehicle While Driving: The back of a box truck is not meant to safely carry passengers during transit. That means box trucks can only transport a maximum of three people at a time.
4. Poor Gas Mileage: The box part of the box truck makes for a very non-aerodynamic vehicle. The gas mileage compares poorly to other vans no matter what chassis the box is on.
5. Not Many Conversion Companies Work on Them: Few if any conversion companies offer conversions for box trucks. Expect to have a totally DIY build if you buy a box truck.

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Cost, Dimensions, & Fuel Economy

Now that you know a little more about Box Trucks, let’s see how they stack up against each other.

Box Truck Cost

How much do used box trucks cost?

Model	New (chassis only)	Used	Price
Mercedes Sprinter Box Truck	$47,300	$70,000	Check Price
Ford E-350 Box Truck	$38,060	$36,862	Check Price
GMC Savanna 3500 Box Truck	$35,000	$29,332	Check Price

 

Box Truck Dimensions

What are the interior dimensions of box trucks?

Model	Interior Height	Interior Length (cargo)	Interior Width	Ext Length
Mercedes Sprinter Box Truck	78.7 inches	161.4 inches	75.4 inches	256.7 inches
Ford E-350 Box Truck	74 inches	119 inches	71 inches	247.2 inches
GMC Savanna 3500 Box Truck	74 inches	119 inches	71 inches	247.2 inches

 

Box Truck Fuel Economy

What kind of fuel economy can you expect from a box truck?

Model	City	Highway	Combined
Mercedes Sprinter Box Truck	21 MPG	24 MPG	22 MPG
Ford E-350 Box Truck	12 MPG	16 MPG	13 MPG
GMC Savanna 3500 Box Truck	11 MPG	16 MPG	12 MPG

 

Conclusion: Is a Converted Box Truck Right for you?

There are a lot of reasons to like box trucks: They’re versatile, and have a lot of space to work with  – but they may not be for you.

Biggest Factors:

• Lots of Interior Space
• Very Customizable
• Pricey
• Poor Gas Mileage

So should you get one?

Maybe! Box trucks offer large living space but lack a lot of the mobility that makes van life great. If you prefer to stay for long periods of time in one location while traveling or you don’t mind dealing with a larger vehicle, box trucks are a great option. Alternatively, ambulances & school bus conversions make great builds.