Wheelchair-Accessible Camper Van Was Cleverly Designed, It's Just As Good as Standard Rigs

I've previously written about people with disabilities living in tiny homes on wheels. Since camper vans aren't built with disabilities in mind, you must get creative about designing and integrating the features you need. That's exactly what Lisa did.

Lisa Franks is a three-time Paralympian. After dominating wheelchair sports, she decided to conquer life on the road in her fully customized camper van. It's a 2021 Ford Transit 350 with a high roof. Even though she doesn't need the extra height, Lisa opted for a high-roof Transit for additional storage space and to accommodate guests comfortably.

On the outside, the Transit looks like an ordinary passenger van, with no elements hinting at its "camper identity." That makes the vehicle safer, as ill-intended people won't expect to find valuable stuff inside, and perfect for stealth camping.

Slide the main door open, and a warm, inviting living space will greet you. Lisa opted for many wood tones for the cabinetry, ceiling, and almost everything inside the rig. What's more, you'll notice an open layout, meaning the driver's cabin isn't separated from the rest of the interior.

You'll find the kitchen dead ahead of the entrance. It features a long countertop, a deep stainless steel sink, an Isotherm fridge, a slide-out two-burner stove, a slide-out cutting board, drawers of varying sizes, two overhead cabinets, and an open cabinet housing a garbage can and a water heater.

Several important details make the kitchen amenities accessible to Lisa. The two overhead cabinets are bigger than most you'll find in camper vans, so they hang lower, making them easier to reach. What's more, one of them has a large shelf that can be pulled using a string.

It's important to choose the right handles for the cabinetry. The ones that stick out might get caught in Lisa's wheelchair or clothes, so she fitted recessed handles.

Lisa needs to be able to reach the amenities easily. That's why she uses slide-outs, like the cutting board and induction stove. Furthermore, the open cabinet allows her to reach the sink to wash dishes.

Lastly, another important point to consider is the available floor space. Usually, van builders leave just enough room for walking. However, someone using a wheelchair needs space to turn the chair around without bumping into stuff. So, Lisa left enough space and covered the entry step for additional inches.

You might wonder how Lisa enters and exits the van as a wheelchair user. A popular solution for wheelchair users is installing a platform lift. However, it weighs a lot and blocks most of the entrance when not in use. So, Lisa opted for a different system: a Superarm lift.

It takes up a lot less space, and you don't need to leave room beside the entrance to operate it. By comparison, the platform lift requires about 4 to 5 feet (122 to 152 centimeters) for the platform and even more space to roll off the platform.

Since getting in and out of the van is not the simplest process for Lisa, she created a floor-to-ceiling unit integrating cubbies accessible from both inside and outside the vehicle. This way, she can grab whatever she needs when she's outside. What's more, Lisa installed a narrow but long flip-down table to be able to enjoy a cup of coffee on it.

You'll notice a bench opposite the kitchen, next to the storage unit. What makes it special is that it's mounted on a standing desk actuator, allowing her to raise it while she's on the bench to get into bed.

The bedroom occupies the rear part of the interior. It boasts a queen-size mattress, a Maxxair vent fan, and three overhead cabinets. Lisa shares the bed with her surfboard, as that's the only place in the van where it fits. Normally, van dwellers mount their surfboards on top or on the side of the vehicle, but this setup doesn't work for Lisa since she can't reach it.

The bed is positioned so high up to make room for bikes underneath - in fact, she designed the entire van around the bikes' dimensions. The bed is mounted on four actuators, so Lisa can lower it on trips where she won't bring along her bikes.

The bikes, tools, paddles, and other gear take up most of the room inside the garage. Lisa also uses a winch and small ramps to load and unload her bikes easily.

Two boxes housing the utility systems take up the rest of the garage space. Power is on the left. The system highlights include a 2,000 W inverter, 200 Ah batteries, a DC-DC charger, and a solar charge controller connected to 200 W solar panels on the roof.

The plumbing is pretty good, too. The water system comprises a 32-gallon (121-liter) freshwater tank connected to a water pump and an outdoor shower.

Lisa usually showers at the gym and in public bathrooms. However, she has a simple indoor shower setup with a portable tub and a hose connected to the water heater. Lisa also devised a toilet by cutting a hole into the bench and using a collapsible bucket - however, it's reserved for emergencies.

There's one more thing I'd like to talk about: how Lisa drives. She uses a standard system called Hand Controls. Long story short, Lisa uses a lever system, pulling it to accelerate and pushing it to brake. Furthermore, a spinner knob on the steering wheel makes it easier for her to steer the vehicle.

All in all, Lisa created a fantastic tiny home on wheels. All the little custom details make the living space comfortable and functional. Hats off to Lisa for overcoming life's obstacles and coming up with a creative way of following her passion for traveling and exploring.