We have seen many homebuilt campers using vehicles like school buses or Mercedes-Sprinters as a starting point. But, Terri, the woman behind the Misty Miles YouTube channel, opted for a much tinier base vehicle by building a 2010 Ford Transit Connect into a micro RV.
According to a brochure from the period, Terri's long-wheelbase, high-roof Transit Connect has just 131 cubic feet (3.7 cubic meters) of cargo volume or 152 cubic feet (4.3 cubic meters) with the front passenger seat folded. She makes the most of this tiny space.
She bought this Transit Connect sight unseen from eBay and was bidding on it while driving. The final price was just 2,800 pounds ($3,557 at current exchange rates). She named her new motorhome Blanche.
The conversion process began by insulating the cargo area for better climate control. It works well enough for Terri to spend February living in Blanche in Scotland, even with temperatures below freezing. There isn't a heating system, either.
She made the van's interior cozy while using lots of inexpensive materials. For example, she made the countertop from pieces of pallets. Her bookshelf came from more of this wood and a stick. She constructed a shelf out of just a length of wood and some rope. Her sink is a water-proofed bamboo bowl with a hole in the bottom.
A couch along one side extends to become a bed. It's large enough for Terri but is tight if two people sleep there.
She has drawers underneath the couch for additional storage. A cupboard in front is big enough to fit her duvet. A nearby area holds the battery that provides electricity for the lights and other utilities. Terri plans to add a second battery soon because the current one doesn't offer quite enough power for her needs.
You can watch Terri and Blanche travel around Europe and Scotland on the Misty Miles YouTube channel. The most recent video is from the tiny country of Liechtenstein (below). She also posts photos of her travels on Instagram.
