Remote Van Build Story

When You’re Made for Off-Grid, Nothing Is Off-Limits: Our Family’s Remote Van Build Story

We never even stepped foot in our van until it was fully built and delivered across the country. But when you work with the right person, even the wildest dreams become your reality. That person, for us, was Brent.

We’re a family of four from Kentucky – two parents, two energetic kids, and a dream of traveling and living off-grid. In 2019, right before the COVID lockdowns hit, we moved into our custom Sprinter van full-time. In 2025, we’re doing it again. This van has carried us through two seasons of life, and it still fits us like a glove.

And it all started with a YouTube video.

How We Found the Right Van Builder (Remotely!)

At the time, we didn’t know a single person in the van build scene. But we found Wes of Tiny Watts through YouTube and reached out about a solar package. He ended up connecting us with Brent who owns Ruhne Racing, a custom van building shop in Santa Cruz, California.

From our first call, we knew we were in good hands. Brent didn’t just know the logistics – he understood the lifestyle. We had a toddler on one hip, a preschooler we were just figuring out how to homeschool, and a small business to run. We didn’t have the bandwidth for project-managing a van build, and honestly, we didn’t want to.

Brent made it feel easy.

Choosing a Sprinter Van for Our Family (Despite the Doubts)

Before we found Brent, I’d spoken to another builder who told me flat-out:

“There’s no way a family of four will be comfortable in a van. You should look into a school bus conversion.”

Brent’s response?

“Let’s do it.”

He was stoked at the challenge. He took our sketches, ideas, and family needs, and ran with them.

And we didn’t even have a van yet. Brent introduced us to a trusted Sprinter dealer who helped source and purchase one for us. We were in St. Petersburg, Florida, nearly 2,800 miles from Santa Cruz. Everything was remote. Phone consultations, emailed floor plans, and shared spreadsheets.

We didn’t need to micro-manage the process because Brent had it covered.

Building Our Off-Grid Sprinter Van for a Family of 4

There are so many little decisions that go into a Sprinter van conversion. Especially for a family of four living full-time and off-grid.

We didn’t just need a van – we needed a tiny home on wheels that could handle everything from nap time to dinner time to potty training on the go.

Here’s just a small glimpse of what Brent helped us figure out:

A king size AND a full size bed in a van (we have 4 humans that need to sleep!)
Custom window cutouts
Separate seats for each kid (no side by side fighting!)
Soundproof insulation (I wanted the kids to sleep tight)
Ventilation + fan
Design forward ceiling paneling and durable flooring
Big kitchen sink, faucet, and cabinets
Large drawer-style fridge (to hold as much food as possible)
Water tank, gray water tank, and built-in filtration system
Pull-out toilet + outdoor shower
Shoe storage built into the step-up (for little muddy shoes)
Two fold-down tables (for art and computer work)
Front swivel seats
Storage above the cab

And I know I’m forgetting a few things. But Brent didn’t. He made sure everything had a purpose, a place, and a clean finish.

Marine-Grade Materials: Why They Matter in a Family Van Build

Brent’s background racing sailboats came through in the smartest ways. He recommended marine-grade materials instead of trendy butcher block countertops. And we’re so grateful he did.

You see a lot of van builds chasing a certain “aesthetic.” But when you’re living in it full-time with kids, you want function, people! I’ve cleaned up every kind of mess you can imagine in that van. If it can come out of a toddler or spill out of a cup, I’ve wiped it up.

Everything in our van is wipe-down-able. That’s a bonus I didn’t even know I needed. And the best part? It still looks sleek and timeless.

Six years later and I love the way it looks

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Full-Time Van Life with Kids: Why Our Build Still Works

We’ve now lived in this van full-time twice. Once as a family of four with a toddler and preschooler. And again now, in a new season of life. The van still works for us because it was built for us.

If you’re thinking about an off-grid Sprinter van build, especially for your business or family (we have both!), we can’t recommend Brent and Ruhne Racing enough. Whether you’re local or thousands of miles away, he’ll make it happen.

When your van is built right, you’re free to go anywhere. And isn’t that the point of having a van?

By Ashley Gibbons.

Ashley and her husband are the creatives behind WithMeaning.com, a family-run brand that creates personalized gifts and keepsakes designed to tell your story. When she’s not chasing sunsets or working from the road, she’s helping others find beauty and meaning in the everyday.

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Mercedes Metris Turned Ultimate Camping Car

As longtime experienced car campers Marilyn and David came to us looking to up their game. They no longer wanted to have to pitch a tent and sleep on the ground, easily bring along their Brompton folding bikes, camping and travel equipment, all while not needing to step up to a ‘big’ van such as a Sprinter. “Oh”, they asked, “Can we have a toilet too?”

The result exceeded our expectations! We began with a stock-standard Metris cargo van with a small lift kit to get a little more ground clearance, a pop-top painted to match the body, two slider windows in the side doors and a Fiamma awning to supply shade.

We then turned our focus to the interior and the customers desire for a lot of storage and a lounge spot/couch for lazy days reading or napping while not feeling cramped. We designed and fabricated a passenger side storage cabinet that has tons of storage and a spot for their Jackery battery unit which we wired into a simple marine grade 12V distribution fuse block with an alternator charging to keep it topped off while driving and portable solar panels to keep it charged while in camp. We topped it off with a bamboo countertop with a custom bracket for the simple but efficient water jug.

On the drivers side of the van we designed and fabricated a bench with plenty of storage underneath and space for the Yeti cooler up front with easy access from either inside or outside via the sliding door. With the sliding door only being used for ventilation and cooler access and half of the passenger side door being covered by the cabinet/counter, we built custom storage pukas for yet more storage and zero wasted space.

Oh, yeah, the toilet. We created a custom little spot in the rear of the drivers side bench to house a Laveo Dry-Flush toilet concealed by an easy to lift lid! We topped the whole bench with a custom cushion setup so the bench can be a couch with a nice bolster to lean on with arm rests on each end, or a long sleeping space for naps with a cushion over the cooler.

The customer chose the fabric and floor finishes which we think look great. We added powder coated L-Track in the back of the van to secure their Brompton folding bikes and fabricated custom inside trays on the rear doors to secure the camp chairs and camp table. We templated and paneled the interior after insulating with Thinsulate behind Reflectix, added some LED lighting and USB charging outlets easily accessible from up top in the pop up bed, or from down below.

The van came out super clean with an unbelievable amount of storage, the shelving in the cabinet is sized for their storage bin of choice and with the bikes, chairs, table and cooler being strapped in the van is a nice quiet safe ride while in motion yet everything is easily accessible once at the destination in an easy to park small sized vehicle!

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How Socomec Upped Their Product Display Game With a Van Conversion

Socomec is an electrical equipment engineering and manufacturing company specializing in low voltage energy performance. They came to us looking for a mobile alternative to their traditional static trade show booth as a way to present their solutions.

Here’s what Hannah Bideaux, Marketing and Communications Manager for Socomec, had to say on her experience working with us:

“Our van, used for product display, is the best sales tool that our team has at their disposal. Being in a more “traditional” industry, we frequent trade shows that are getting more costly and time-consuming to plan and coordinate. With the contacts from these shows, our team is fighting with the competition for follow-up time with the attendees they also just met. The van allows us to bring a more intimate experience directly to our customers or prospects and take the time to understand their applications. While we may collect around 100 leads from a show, we can easily connect with the same, if not more, people in one week with the van – without the distractions of competitors close by. Remodeling our first van with Brent was well beyond our expectations. His and the team’s attention to detail is truly unmatched. Our industry is historically not known for its aesthetics; however, coming into the van, you would never know. It is the perfect blend of modern, industrial, and functional; it reflects our brand while giving us an impression of cutting edge and coolness that we have lacked in the past. Brent has an excellent eye for design while sourcing unique materials that create a one-of-a-kind look that your customers will notice. As we embark on another van remodel with the Ruhne Racing team, I have nothing but confidence that this van will be just as popular as the first and a great asset for our business.”

Contact us to schedule a consultation on how we can create a van that will elevate your businesses product and sales outreach.