Ryan Bell of Outdoors Embrace built “Megalodon,” his stealth camper van, to be a full-time home where no space goes to waste. After four years living in his “Great White Van,” he sold it, bought the largest Ford Transit he could, and turned it into a stunning, self-built rig with climate control, a central kitchen, a hidden shower, and a full media setup. We get a tour in the video at the end of this post.
He says it’s his home for the next few years, before he moves on to a future sailboat. The video shows why every inch of space in the stealth camper van has a job.
Why Megalodon feels bigger than a van
Bell started broke and in debt, so Megalodon is more than a van build. It’s the result of years of trial, living on the road, and refining what matters most in a small space.
The layout puts the kitchen in the center, then builds outward into storage, work, sleep, and entertainment. His dad helped with brainstorming throughout the build, and Bell says the van is a love note to van life.
Right by the door, a Dometic CFX3 fridge slides out so groceries can go straight in from a cart. Next to it, a flip-up counter adds prep space and gives Ryan a spot for coffee outside.
The rest of the kitchen keeps stacking useful details: a Furrion three-burner stove, a convection microwave that also works as an air fryer, a slide-out spice rack, a cutting board, and a sink tall enough for washing hair.
Above the range, a soft-close pantry stores food. The dresser holds a coffee station, camera gear, clothes, medicine, laundry, and an emergency cassette toilet.
The hidden shower and climate setup are the big surprise
The dresser also turns into a two-person shower. Bell steps on a yellow latch, pulls the shower pan into the aisle, wraps a magnetic curtain around it, and switches on the lights. It recirculates heated water, vents humidity out, and reaches 111 degrees.
He pairs that with a Dometic RTX 2000 air conditioner and a Webasto diesel heater. Ryan says the van can hold 74 degrees in desert heat and stay warm below zero. He credits that less to battery size and more to insulation, with 5 inches in the walls and 3 inches in the ceiling, using Havelock wool and loose-fill wool.
Theater, gaming room, and even a studio
The bed shifts into couch mode with a lifting table, so the van becomes a lounge for up to three people. A slide-out projector throws onto a pass-through screen for indoor or outdoor movie nights, and detachable speakers under the van expand the sound.
For work and play, Bell runs a Mac mini M1, a Steam Deck™ dock, T-Mobile home internet, a curved 30-inch TV, and a Rockford Fosgate subwoofer. He also records music inside the van. He says he even recorded his brother-in-law’s album there.
Off-grid systems and sleep comfort tie it together
Under the van, a 25-gallon water tank, external fill hose, pump, and filter give Ryan several ways to source water, including from a separate tank or a flowing river. Drain lines let him winterize the system, and skid protection helps guard the tank.
Under the bed, the van carries a pure sine wave inverter, two 300Ah lithium iron phosphate batteries, 800 watts of BougeRV solar, and an alternator charger.
Up top, the queen bed is 4 inches wider than standard, layered with foam and multiple comforters. Blackout details, white-noise climate systems, a hammock for guests, vanity mirrors, and under-bed storage turn the van into the kind of place Ryan calls a sleep sanctuary.
Final thoughts
Megalodon works because Ryan didn’t treat any of the features as extras. The shower hides inside a dresser, the kitchen doubles as storage, and the entertainment setup also supports work and music.
That is what makes the build memorable. Every inch has a purpose, and none of it feels wasted.
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Where was the toilet?