From Minibus to Camper: Our Toyota HiAce Build

After renovating our 1986 Cub Drifter, we were ready for a different kind of project: turning a 2004 Toyota HiAce Commuter into a campervan.

Unlike the camper trailer, the HiAce would combine our transport and accommodation in one vehicle. We wanted a cosy, practical setup with somewhere to sleep, prepare food and store our gear—without making the interior feel unnecessarily complicated.

Stripping Out the Commuter

The project began by removing the HiAce’s original passenger interior and giving the empty van a thorough clean.

With everything exposed, we could inspect the body properly and treat the rust we found before covering it up. It wasn’t the most glamorous stage of the conversion, but it gave us a much better foundation for everything that followed.

We then began installing sound deadening and van liner to make the HiAce quieter and more comfortable on the road.

Building from the Floor Up

Next came the plywood floor. It had to be measured and cut to fit around the van’s shape before being secured in place.

We also continued sound-deadening the walls and ceiling and added insulation to help manage the temperature inside. These layers would eventually disappear behind the finished interior, but they were an important part of turning an empty commuter van into a comfortable camper.

The ceiling insulation was completed later, and we carpeted the wheel arches using Car Builders material. This helped with soundproofing while giving those awkward areas a much cleaner finish.

Preparing the Roof

Some of the most nerve-racking work happened on top of the van.

We installed roof racks from Oz Roof Racks to support the solar setup, along with a Maxxair fan for ventilation and airflow inside the camper. A Bushwakka 180-degree awning was also added to create a sheltered outdoor living area.

Cutting into the roof of a perfectly usable van is never a particularly relaxing experience, but good ventilation was something we knew the completed camper would need.

The Kitchen and Storage

With our first camping trip getting closer, the interior fit-out had to move quickly.

We chose a compact IKEA kitchen and adapted it to work inside the HiAce. We assembled the cabinets, installed the worktop and incorporated the tap into the finished setup.

We also built and painted panels for the under-bed storage area. Making use of the space beneath the bed gave us somewhere to keep our equipment without filling the main living area with loose gear.

Rather than squeezing every camping function inside the van, we designed the setup around outdoor cooking. This gave us more room inside while allowing the awning area to become an extension of the camper.

Finishing the Build

The final stage was about completing the IKEA kitchen and adding all the smaller touches needed to make the HiAce functional.

After 25 busy days, the former minibus had become a cosy little home on wheels, complete with insulation, solar power, ventilation, a bed, kitchen, storage, toilet and water setup.

It was finally time to stop building and take it away on a test trip.

What the Van Taught Us

Completing a van build doesn’t necessarily mean the van is finished forever.

Once we began travelling in the HiAce, we discovered which ideas worked and which everyday conveniences were still missing. That led to another round of practical improvements.

We installed VanKeto Stealthy Shades for privacy, IKEA Bekväm shelves for extra storage, a ladder from Oz Roof Racks and a Tuff Terrain road shower with its own shower awning.

The shower installation didn’t go completely to plan. We originally intended to fit it along the side of the van between the roof-rack rails, but that left the filling point and fixtures difficult to access. It also looked as though the shower might not fill properly.

Instead, we added another roof rail and moved the shower onto the roof. The change solved the problem and ultimately created a better setup.

That experience summed up an important part of the HiAce project: you can plan a camper carefully, but actually using it will always teach you something new.

The Next Step in Our Journey

The HiAce was a much bigger undertaking than the Cub Drifter. It taught us about rust treatment, insulation, flooring, ventilation, solar power, cabinetry, storage and designing a small space around the way we really travel.

Most importantly, it showed us how much we enjoyed taking an ordinary vehicle and creating something completely personal from it.

The Cub Drifter started our renovation story. The HiAce took that story onto the road—and eventually led us to our next project, the Toyota Camroad.