We love homebuilt motorhomes because each one is different and expresses the owner’s personality. For example, Ryan Bell built a Ford Transit into a stealthy camper and has lived in it full-time for over a year. He gave the rig an unassuming exterior but outfitted the interior with an impressive entertainment setup.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bell calls this rig Megalodon in reference to the prehistoric giant shark. This is his second build after selling everything he owned and building a Ford E-Series called Great White for $3,000.<\/p>\n
Megalodon is a work in progress. Bell tells Motor1<\/em> that he expects the total build to cost around $35,000 when it\u2019s complete. That\u2019s a fraction of the price for factory-built rigs like the Transit-based offering from AEONrv for $219,000.<\/p>\n There are some subtle tweaks to the Megalodon\u2019s exterior, like covering the side window with a decal that allows occupants to see out of the van, but strangers can’t see inside. The roof holds 800 watts of solar panels and fans for ventilating the cabin.<\/p>\n Opening the door reveals the interior transformation. The tiny kitchenette is fully featured with a three-burner cooktop and an appliance that combines a microwave, convection oven, and an air fryer. There’s a metal sink, but Bell doesn’t have a faucet yet. He plans to add a pantry for storage as part of future upgrades.<\/p>\n The combination of the sleeping space and entertainment center takes up most of the van’s rear section. Bell mounts a screen to the wall, and the desk has two settings to raise it so he can comfortably work from bed.\u00a0<\/p>\n “My favorite part about the van is how comfortable it is to sleep,” Bell told Motor1<\/em>. “It’s blacked out inside overnight and quiet due to all the insulation added. In my last van, highway noise had me annoyed at night. This is no issue in Megalodon.”<\/p>\n Bell is a musician and manages to fit a tiny recording setup in Megalodon. A custom cabinet holds a guitar amp, and there’s a nearby microphone on a stand. For enjoying music, he has a pair of speakers and a subwoofer that\u2019s big for a van this size. When it’s time to play video games, Bell has a Steam Deck that can hook up to the TV. The setup allows him to play various modern and vintage titles from bed.<\/p>\n Bell has an ambitious idea to build a sliding closet as a future expansion for Megalodon. Pulling it away from the wall would reveal a shower and toilet, which are amenities the van currently lacks.<\/p>\n