Box Truck Was Turned Into a Luxurious Apartment on Wheels That "Flies" Under the Radar

Of course, box trucks aren't the only vehicles suitable for stealthy camper conversions: a cargo van or a coach bus will work just as well. Here are some of the reasons why you should choose a box truck instead.

First, a box truck boasts a straight-line construction, which makes designing and building the living space easier. Moreover, it can hold more weight than a cargo van and provides much more real estate to help you devise your dream interior. Lastly, it has excellent payload capacity, and it isn't challenging to find a cheap vehicle.

After living and traveling for three years in a self-converted Chevy Express low-roof van, Eric and Ashley wanted to upgrade. So, they bought a 2015 GMC Savana 3500 box truck, which they fittingly named "Boxanne."

It's a short wheelbase model, which makes up for its lack of space (compared to the long wheelbase model) with much easier maneuverability. What's more, it sports a 6.0-liter V8 engine outputting 347 hp and 373 lb-ft. (506 Nm) of torque, paired with an automatic transmission. Eric says the vehicle gets a hefty 10 MPG (23.5 L/100km) gas mileage.

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Let's talk costs. Eric and Ashley purchased the box truck for $36,000 (€33,160). The conversion set them back an additional $20,000 (€18,422), bringing the total cost to around $56,000 (€51,582). In the world of converted box trucks, that's above the average conversion cost.

However, you'll soon see that what they got for it was worth it, at least from their perspective. It took them six months to complete the conversion. Not only did they have previous experience with their Chevy Express Van, but Eric also minored in woodworking in college, so he had the skills to pull off this conversion.

Before we take a closer look at the rig, let me share a few of its general specs with you. This box truck has an FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic) camper box that's 10 feet long (3 meters), 7 feet (2.1 meters) tall, and 7 feet wide. Furthermore, the vehicle measures 18 feet (5.5 meters) bumper-to-bumper and almost 10 feet in height and tips the scales at 9,100 lb. (4,128 kg).

As usual, I'll start the rig's tour with the exterior. At first glance, you probably won't think someone's living inside this vehicle. However, three elements might give away its "camper DNA": an Artic Tern Wildlands door, complete with a separate screen door, and two windows, one on each side of the box truck.

One of the best parts of most box trucks is the roll-up door at the rear, which enables you to bring the outside in. In this couple's case, they made a custom modification: they removed the roll-up door and installed a hatch-style door with a window that covers more than half of the back part of the box truck. The other part is closed off and insulated via an FRP panel and a steel welded frame to match the rest of the box truck's camper box.

On top of the truck, you'll discover a Maxxair fan and a roof rack holding three 200 W solar panels. There's enough space on the roof to add some more solar panels. Other notable exterior features are an under-mounted storage compartment, an under-mounted 25-gallon (95-liter) freshwater tank, and two massive Moonshade awnings supported by poles.

One cool thing is that the couple uses the driver's side of the camper box to project movies and games. This is another advantage of converting a box truck—you couldn't do that on a camper van.

Step inside, and a tastefully designed living space will greet you. Eric and Ashley opted for a stained pine ceiling blended with black cabinetry and other wooden touches, such as walnut countertops and walnut plywood window frames. The interior is quite compact but ingeniously designed to make full use of the available space.

The couple wanted a way to hop into the driver's cabin without having to exit the interior. So, they cut the front part of the camper box and installed a small insulated pass-through door. The entire cab-over part of the truck is meant for storage. It provides a ton of room, as it measures 3 feet (91 centimeters) by 7 feet (213 centimeters). What's more, the flip-up door leading into this overhead storage spot has a mirror.

Dead ahead of the entrance, you'll find the kitchen, which is split into two parts. It features a decently sized countertop, a deep sink, a two-burner induction stove, a 110-liter Vitrifrigo fridge with a freezer section, a Berkey water filter, and a backsplash made from black hexagonal tiles. Furthermore, in the cabinet underneath the sink, the couple holds a composting toilet and a 5-gallon (18-liter) removable greywater tank.

Regarding kitchen storage, you can use three sizeable overhead cabinets, two lower cabinets (including the sink one), six drawers underneath the countertop, and a fruit basket mounted underneath one of the overhead cabinets.

Right by the entrance, you'll notice a floor-to-ceiling unit integrating a small library with a small countertop above it, as well as a shelf and the rig's control panel. The latter comprises a remote for the Maxxair fan, a heater controller, an inverter controller, and four dimmable light switches.

The next and final part of this box truck's interior is the lounge area/bedroom. It consists of a large U-shaped couch, a large swivel table in the middle, four overhead cabinets, a floor storage compartment, as well as a window on the passenger side wall.

Most of the light and fresh air won't be coming through the window, but rather through the rear part of the lounge area, whenever the couple opens the hatch-style door I mentioned earlier.

Converting this lounge area into a bedroom is pretty straightforward. All you have to do is remove the table, attach a separate frame extension, and rearrange the cushions. The result is a spacious queen-size bed. Moreover, one of the bedroom walls can be used to project a movie, as there's a projector mount installed on the opposite side.

The space underneath the couch's driver's side and rear benches is used for storage. What's more, the passenger side bench houses the box truck's electrical system. Its highlights are two 208 Ah batteries, a 2,000 W inverter, a DC-DC charge allowing the system to charge while driving, and a solar charge controller connected to the 600 W solar panels on the roof.

Since we're on the topic of utilities, I should mention that this rig is equipped with an Espar heater. The couple relies on the Maxxair fan and rear door opening to cool the interior, as there's no A/C. This setup should do the job if they don't travel in very hot environments.

All in all, this off-grid-capable tiny home on wheels is packed with creature comforts. I love its aesthetic with beautiful woodwork details, which you definitely don't expect when seeing how the rig looks on the outside. The only thing missing is a shower, but Eric and Ashley plan on adding an outdoor one in the near future.