Van conversions are a dime a dozen these days, and while their merits are not up for discussion here, it does feel as if there's not much that could come across as genuinely surprising about them. In an industry that has flourished incredibly over the past four years, that's saying a lot.
Vanlife picked up incredible speed with the travel and social restrictions of 2020 when the international health crisis forced the entire world to reconsider vacation options. For the first time in decades, spending time with the family and vacationing by car was "in" again, though not necessarily by choice.
This coincided with the emergence of the so-called digital nomad, the "work from home when your home could be anywhere" type that can, if they want, make a living off this novel lifestyle. Traveling and experiencing local or more remote regions is now both a personal pleasure and content that can be consumed, with gold-like entertainment value.
No wonder then that we're seeing increasing numbers of conversions that can suit this purpose. Whether buses, vans, trucks, or even old ambulances, DIY (do it yourself) or professional projects, conversions is one thing that the world is not short of.
Photo: YouTube/Tim's Awesome Projects
With the higher number of conversions, we're also getting a degree of desensitization to their creativity. It makes sense, if you think about it: the more the projects, the more their novelty wears off.
Well, you can forget about that with this particular build. It's a professional conversion, and it's also a new one, even though the video below or the photos in the gallery might get you thinking it's a '90s job. This is called Project Omnia, a Ram Promaster 2500 conversion that lives surprisingly large thanks to two slide-outs and a full-custom layout.
Project Omnia is the work of Tim from Tim's Awesome Projects, who also takes special commissions for similar conversions under the Purrfect Campers LLC name. Tim is an experienced engineer and builder with more than a handful of conversions under his belt, and his work speaks for that.
He started Project Omnia as a personal project in mid-2020, after buying the 2019 Ram van at an excellent price. He and his wife were empty-nesters at that point and had already made up their mind to do more traveling, but were disappointed by the lack of options on the market.
They wanted a Class B motorhome on account of maneuverability and fuel economy, but at the same time, they didn't want to skimp on stuff like a proper bed that didn't need pulling apart or putting together every day, a full bathroom, and a large kitchen. Project Omnia was designed with three sets of goals in mind: reliability and low maintenance, organization and ease of use, and the integration of as many features as possible.
Tim decided that he could only meet these three goals satisfactorily if he used the Ram as a platform he could improve, so he added a 60-inch (152-cm) slide-out on the side and a 24-inch (61-cm) extension at the rear. One holds half of the bathroom (the tub tucks under the sink, to be more precise) and the other holds the bedroom extension, which creates space for a full dinette when deployed.
Tim worked extra hard to incorporate as many features around these two slide-outs, based on his own travel preferences.
He removed the rear doors and replaced them with a solid manual awning that integrates Bluetooth speakers and LED lights. He added storage on all sides under the bed module, accessible from the outside, as well as a kitchen module that makes cookouts possible. The outdoor galley isn't finished yet in the video tour below.
Extra storage is available under the bed inside, and there's also storage in large drawers and cabinets, a pantry, and wall storage solutions in the bedroom area, including two drop-down cabinets with zipper bags inside. There's also storage inside the bathroom, which remains accessible even when the slide-out isn't deployed – the toilet is, at least.
Photo: YouTube/Tim's Awesome Projects
Finishes include vinyl waterproof plank for the floor, birch with pine trim for the (slightly-outdated) cabinetry, formica for the countertops, and marine-grade materials for the dinette bench. They're all chosen for durability and convenience first and aesthetics second.
Project Omnia comes with a 15,000 BTU AC unit, an air roof vent inside, and an exhaust fan in the bathroom. The shower also has a skylight, but it doesn't open, so it only serves to bring in more natural light. There's a 6-gallon (23-liter) water heater, a 45-gallon (170-liter) black water tank, and a 16-gallon (60.5-liter) fresh water tank. Tim says that a future planned upgrade is to add an incinerator toilet.
The van conversion is specced for extended autonomy, as well, with a 2560W Hr LiFePO4 Auxiliary Power Unit with 3000W inverter, a 2000W vehicle-powered inverter, and a standard 600W of solar cells on the roof. For peace of mind and safety, there's also a 6-camera 4K camera system and a PCAN automation and monitoring system.
Photo: YouTube/Tim's Awesome Projects
His unit doesn't include one, but Tim says he can throw in an extreme weather package for those who might want a similar conversion. Just about every feature onboard, from the solar array to the choice of toilet and kitchen hardware, is customizable or upgradable.
Project Omnia was more than three years in the making, requiring over 1,100 workhours and $30,000 in materials for the three iterations it's had so far.
That figure doesn't include the van itself or the work that Tim has put in, which you probably anticipated. If you did, you wouldn't let what's next surprise you: a similar van conversion starts at $90,150, and that doesn't include the van. But everything else, down to the macerating toilet, is included.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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