A MAN has revealed how he converted a 15-year-old hatchback he bought on eBay for £650 into a cosy micro-camper.
Former British Army soldier and committed van lifer Jake said he was trading “smiles for miles” as he tried his hand at living on the road in an ultra-economical motor.
Documenting his experience on his YouTube channel, Jake swapped his already converted large panel van for a 2008 Citroen C1 he picked up online.
Explaining his decision, he said: “This is not the end of van life.
“You get 80 miles per gallon if you drive it like a nun with arthritis in her left wrist.
“It may have a few things letting it down, like sounding like a B32 bomber…or the fact that the clutch feels like it’s made from digestive biscuits.
“But double the mpg of the van…means we can get double the adventures.
“Overnighters, up north, all around the country, it can take us for less than a tank of fuel, which is about the same as a round of drinks.”
The little red Citroen, which Jake described as a “go-kart“, underwent as thorough a conversion process as was possible in such a small space.
Jake ripped out the front passenger seat, allowing him to use the space it once occupied to fit a full-length single-bed, with a load of storage space packed in the footwell underneath.
The driver’s seat remained, while the footwell behind it was used for more storage, as was the driver-side half of the boot.
On the other back seat, Jake draped a furry blanket for some extra padding and warmth, creating a miniature living room.
Perhaps his most important bit of kit was a power bank with both three-pronged and USB sockets that could keep any gadgets powered up during the course of his camping trip.
He also recommended keeping things like warm clothing, blankets, enough food to last an extra day and a small shovel in your car or van just in case you’re caught in any bad weather.
Social media commenters loved the unique camper conversion.
One wrote: “Jake mate, this is sick.
“Recently, I was literally looking at small cheap cars online just to have some fun with and do something similar to this. This is absolutely ideal.”
Another added: “Great little micro day camper.”
