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When looking for a new van to build out, never in our wildest dreams did we think we’d be doing a minivan camper conversion. However, when the opportunity presented itself to buy an iconic Toyota Previa, we couldn’t resist. It drives amazingly, is really comfortable, and has surprisingly more space than you’d think!
This post is a look at all the moving bits and purchased items for this minivan camper conversion from start to finish. We’ve broken apart the conversion into sections, so you can hop to whatever specific part you’re looking for, or just have a browse through it all.
Each section has direct links to purchasing every item we listed. Do note, that in some cases we found the prices cheaper at RV stores or local hardware stores. In those instances, we made note of that in the detailed post of each section. Speaking of, be sure to look at the posts under the headings, “more details of…” That’s where you’ll find each item’s purpose and why you need it in your van build.
Insulation For Minivan Camper Conversion
Great Stuff Expanding Foam (8-10 bottles total)
1/2 inch Polyiso Foam Board Insulation (2 sheets)
1 inch Polyiso Foam Board Insulation (2 sheets)
Reflectix (enough for wheel wells and windows)
3M Aluminum Foil Tape (1 roll)
More Details On Our Minivan Camper Insulation
An In-Depth Look at The Above Campervan Insulation Materials and Why/How We Used Each
Camper Van Floor Insulation Materials and Step by Step Guide | with pictures and video
How to Insulate Your Campervan Walls | a quick video
Flooring In A Minivan Camper Conversion
Great Stuff Expanding Foam (1 bottle)
1/2 inch Polyiso Foam Board Insulation (2 sheets)
5 mm Plywood 4 x 8 Sheet (2 sheets)
3M Aluminum Foil Tape (1 roll)
3M 77 Strength Spray Adhesive (1 bottle, though we recommend 2 of 90 Strength)
Campervan Flooring Vinyl (gifted to us from grandparents)
More Details On Our Minivan Campervan Flooring
A Deeper Look at the Above Items + Why We Used Them in Our Van Build
Step by Step Guide to Installing Your Campervan Floors | with pictures and video
How to Insulate Your Campervan Floors | with pictures and video
9 Common Van Floor Mistakes to Watch Out For | with pictures and video
4 Lessons We Learned While Installing Our Campervan Floor | a quick video
Minivan Camping Conversion Van Walls
Great Stuff Expanding Foam (4 bottles)
1-inch Polyiso Foam Board Insulation (2 sheets with extra for ceiling)
1/4 inch Beaded Plywood Panel (4 sheets)
1 x 3 x 8 (one board for under windows)
Plastic Covering Around Windows (original van plastics, painted black)
More Details on Our Minivan Campervan Walls
A Deeper Look at These Van Wall Materials + Why/How We Used Them
How to Screw Into Van Walls | video, pictures, and step by step guide
Step by Step, Start to Finish Guide on Installing Camper Van Panels for Walls
How to Insulate Your Camper Van Walls
Campervan Kitchen Conversion
Random Scrap Plywood (used for shelves)
Old Table Top (used for countertop)
2 x 2 x 8 Furring Strip Boards (30 boards in total van conversion)
Kreg Jig Screws (started kit and a bazillion more boxes)
Waterproof Stain (semi-transparent tint based with coffee color)
Propane Bottle (linked to Amazon, but way cheaper at local propane store)
Propane Adaptor/Extension Hose
More Details On Our Vanlife Kitchen
How to Choose the Right Campervan Stove for You + Where to Install It
Things to Consider Before Buying Your Vanlife Fridge
How to Install Your Campervan Fan | yes, you need one for your van life kitchen
The Best Van Life Coffee Makers
Campervan Kitchen Essentials
Cutlery (one knife, spoon, and fork per person)
Sharp Knife (this one is really expensive, but we got ours at Ross.. and love it)
Enamel Bowls and Plates (one set for each person)
Cast Iron Skillet (10 inch skillet)
More Details On Our Van Life Kitchen
How to Choose the Right Campervan Stove for You + Where to Install It
Things to Consider Before Buying Your Vanlife Fridge
How to Install Your Campervan Fan | yes, you need one for your vanlife kitchen
The Best Van Life Coffee Makers
Minivan Camper Ceiling
1 inch Polyiso Foam Board Insulation
1/2 inch Plywood (cut into two-inch strips for securing tongue and groove)
Tongue and Groove Flooring (salvaged from grandparent’s yard)
Waterproof Stain (semi-transparent tint based with coffee color)
Rustoleum Rust Prevention Spray Paint (1 can)
Dimmable White Recessed Lights (set of four)
Corrugated Plastic (1/2 sheet for above front cab shelf)
L brackets Or Bendable Metal (for supporting shelf)
More Details On Our Campervan Ceiling
Campervan Ceiling Ideas | different materials to use for your campervan ceiling
How to Install a Campervan Ceiling | our complete step by step installation guide to our van ceiling
Step by Step Guide to Installing a Roof Vent Fan
Roof/Wall Cabinets In Our Van Conversions
L Brackets (six to hang shelves to the wall)
Hinges (four, spray painted black)
Kreg Jig Screws (started kit and a bazillion more boxes)
More Details On Our DIY Van Cabinets
A Closer Look at Our Van Cabinets + What Materials We Used
The Bed In Our Minivan Camper Conversion
Outdoor Furniture Cushions (cheapest option and cute!)
Thick Cozy Blanket (for covering cushions when sleeping)
2 x 2 x 8 “Furring Strip Board” (for leg support and framing)
Waterproof Stain (semi-transparent tint based with coffee color)
5 mm Plywood (for bed storage face)
More Details On Our Campervan Slide-Out Bed
Campervan Slide Out Bed | more details for each material we used in our campervan pull out bed
Solar Power To Minivan Conversion
12 V 31 AGM 48 Batteries (two wired in parallel)
Renogy 100 Watt 12 Volt Extremely Flexible Monocrystalline Solar Panel (2 panels)
Wanderer Charge Controller by Renogy (protects the battery and solar panels)
Renogy 8ft. 10 AWG Wire Copper Tray Cable (connect charge controller and battery)
Male/Female Pair Branch Connectors by Renogy (makes two solar panel cables one)
10 Pcs 3/8″ Nylon Cord Grip NPT Cable Glands Adjustable (for inserting cables into van roof)
Renogy 30A Set w/Holder ANL Fuse (for between charge controller and batteries)
Renogy 20A Set w/Holder ANL Fuse (for between charge controller and solar panels)
Waterproof Gorilla Tape (for extra backup of mounting)
10 Stainless Steel #10-24 pinhead Phillips Bolts/Screws
10 Stainless Steel Fasten #10 Washers
Stainless Steel #10 Split Lock Washers (10 of them)
10 Stainless Steel #10-24 Nylon Lock Nuts
Butyl Tape (for mounting seal)
Coroplast (for mounting and preventing too much heat)
More Details On Our Flexible Solar Panels
More Details on All the Items Used with Our Flexible Solar Panels
How to Mount Flexible Solar Panels to a Van Roof
Complete Flexible Solar Panel Material List
How to Connect Two Solar Panels to One Battery
Choosing the Best Batteries for Your Campervan Build
Solar Panel Installation Mistakes | things to avoid when installing your solar panels
How to Connect Two Solar Panels to One Battery
All of the Extra Electrical Bits For Camper Van Conversion
Goldenmate 12v 100ah LiFePO4 Lithium Battery
Dual Battery Isolator Kit (included enough wiring to ground batteries and inverter)
ALOVECO 12 Volt DC Dimmer Switch
Acegoo RV Boat Recessed Ceiling Light ( 4 pack of warm white)
Blue Sea Systems Fuse Block ST Blade 12 Circuit with Ground and Cover
Nilight LED Light Bar Wiring Harness Kit (2 leads)
Nilight Light Bar (pack of four)
Quick Charge 12V Outlet & USB Charger (2)
Renogy 2000W Pure Sine Wave Inverter (went big for the computer and blender loads)
16 Gauge Red Wiring (100 feet)
16 Gauge Black Wiring (100 feet)
⅜ in & ½ in x 200 ft Split loom black wire protection (to protect wires and be able to fish wiring)
More Details On Our LiFePO4 Batteries
Comprehensive Goldenmate 12V 100AH LiFePO4 Battery Review For Van Life
How To Choose The Best Battery For Van Life
More Details On Our Flexible Solar Panels
An In-Depth Look at all the Items Listed in Our Campervan Electrics Kit
How to Connect Two Solar Panels to One Battery
Bathroom in Our Minivan Camping Conversion
More Details On Our Minivan Campervan Bathroom
A Deeper Look Into All the Bathroom Basics in Our Toyota Previa Van Bathroom
Choosing the Best Van Life Toilet + Where to Use the Bathroom Outside of the Van
Living Outside With Our Minivan Conversion
More Details On Outdoor Vanlife Essentials
Check Out This Post for a More Detailed Look at Each of These Items for Outdoor Vanlife
Privacy in our Toyota Previa Camper Conversion
Blackout Curtain (to separate the front cab from living area)
Reflectix (cut to fit each window)
More Details On Privacy In Our Van
A Deeper Look Into the Ways We’ve Created Privacy in the Van
How to Make DIY Insulated Van Window Covers
Cat Essentials in Our Van Conversion
Scratch Pad (made from scraps around the house)
Water and Food Dish (recycled yogurt containers)
Cat Hideout (we cut a hole into under bed storage for entrance)
Light Up Collar (the best for when she’s outside at night)
Harness and Collar (for when she needs to be on a leash)
More Details On Living In A Van With A Cat
A Closer Look at the Items Above for Our Van Life Cat
5 Things to Include in Your Van Build When Traveling with a Cat
12 Essentials for Van Life with a Cat
10 Ways to Make Van Life with a Cat Easier
All For Under $3,000 USD!!
We’re pretty proud of the way our minivan camper conversion turned out. It really has a homey feel, is spacious enough for life on the road, and with the great gas mileage and cheaper original price tag than other van conversions, it really is perfect for van life.
We were given a lot of the wood that we used in our van conversion, but we still kept the total conversion price to well under $3,000 USD. A van conversion really doesn’t have to be that expensive. Get creative with what you have and get out and live the life you’re dreaming of!
Even though its a pretty cheap over all build, you can’t forget the high value of what it means to us should still be insured for a high value. Of course it has to be insured like any other vehicle on the road. But knowing its worth more because it’s no longer a regular van is so important. Read this post on Campervan Conversion Insurance so you know all the ins and outs.
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