Wow! You won’t believe this 1983 Chevy van conversion!

By Cheri Sicard

I have not featured a video from my absolute FAVORITE RV builder/restorer, DualEx, in a while, but you are in for a treat with this one. If you have not seen one of his videos before, prepare to be amazed because this man has skills like no other—carpentry, welding, electrical, plumbing, and much more—he does it all and does it artistically.

He was motivated to start this build as his previous camper van ended up totaled when someone ran into it, and he suddenly found himself camperless.

A friend had a 41-year-old Chevy van in pretty rough shape that was beyond her restoration skills. Instead, she gave the van to DualEx, and he began to work his magic.

He wanted to make sure the van was reliable, so the project began with a 1,000-mile drive from Atlanta to DualEx’s western New York shop. Thankfully, it made the trip, so it was time to go to work.

The rest of the video is a time-lapse compilation of the entire project from start to finish.

Of course, this massive Chevy van conversion took place in several stages:

Deconstruction:

DualEx began by ripping everything out of the old van: seats, carpets, windows, wall coverings, the headliner, trash, and some old lingerie and condoms that looked like they were left behind in 1983 (they didn’t call these old van conversions “motel rooms on wheels” for nothing). It was long, dusty, dirty work, but he took the van down to bare bones.

Exterior paint:

After 40 years of wear, the outside of the van also looked rough. DualEx decided to do something he had never done before and painted the exterior before continuing on with the Chevy van conversion. It took him two tries to get it right.

Chevy van conversion construction:

• DualEx began the actual build by installing the flooring, followed by framing out the interior and installing the windows.
• Next, he climbed on the roof to install a Maxxfan vent. He then welded together solar panel frames and installed these (did I mention this man has mad skills?).
• Along the way, he discovered a leak in the roof from a hole left by an old antenna, but he turned lemons into lemonade by using it to run the solar wires into the van and fixing the leak at the same time.
• Next came installing wiring and insulation throughout the frame and installing the interior walls.
• When it came to the ceiling, DualEx wanted to build something special that would really stand out. He put his extensive carpentry and fine woodworking skills to work to create individual wood tiles that he then fashioned into a parquet pattern. (SKILLS!)
• Interior paint came next.
• Then it was time to build the electrical box and install the interior lighting.
• Next, he built a double sliding bed with lots of trunk space and storage. He wanted a guest bed in the van that did not take up a lot of space and the idea for this one had been rolling around in his head for a while. Be sure to watch the video to see how this unique design came out.
• In the small space behind the guest bed, he installed an entertainment cabinet with a hidden TV.
• DualEx modified a commercially made futon for the primary seating and sleeping area in the van. He had tried this in the past but had never quite been able to pull it off, but he made enough modifications this time for it to work beautifully, including built-in storage cabinets and drawers.
• Next came the start of plumbing, followed by finishing off the floors.
• He then installed the rest of the kitchen, including cabinets, drawers, a 12-volt fridge, and a stove.
• As he was almost out of budget, DualEx fashioned an artistic kitchen counter from old wooden pallets.
• Then it was time to install the water tank, pump, and sink, and finish the plumbing.
• A trip to a local junkyard helped him find replacement driver and passenger side seats to replace the moldy worn-out ones that came with the van.
• After that, it was just a matter of installing trim and small finishing touches.

What do you think of this creative and artistic vintage Chevy van conversion? Leave your thoughts in the comments below. And just in case you are feeling ambitious, DualEx shares his build plans for free (although donations are always appreciated).

##RVT1156