New Life Conversions' first camper van at sunset with the sliding door open

The Original New Life Build

Our First

Six months of nights and weekends became the build that started the shop.

Project: The first New Life build
Build time: Six months
Use: Full-time rental
Home base: Phoenix, Arizona

The Brief

Build the standard before there was a shop.

Our First was a labor of love completed across six months of nights and weekends. It established the habits New Life still values: careful finish work, a livable layout, and no shortcuts just because the project was new.

The finished camper went directly into full-time rental use, where frequent handoffs and real travel placed every latch, surface, appliance, and system under constant test.

After more than a year of that use, the original build continued to work as it did on day one—a practical proof point for the quality behind the idea.

The first New Life camper van's finished galley and open sliding-door view

The Starting Point

A first build that was never treated like a prototype.

A straightforward galley, sleeping area, storage, and open doorway create an inviting camper that can be understood quickly by different travelers.

Rental-friendly planThe interior is easy to learn, reset, and hand off between trips.
Complete camper coreCooking, sleeping, storage, and daily utility all fit inside a compact footprint.
Durability by useFull-time rental service gave the craftsmanship a demanding real-world test.

Built to Be Used

Simple systems, proven by repetition.

The original conversion focused on the dependable camper fundamentals required for one traveler after another to pick up the keys and go.

Our First camper interior showing its finished storage, galley, and sleeping arrangement

Galley: A compact sink, counter, appliance, and cabinet run covers daily meal prep.
Sleeping space: The rear layout provides a dedicated place to rest without a complicated setup.
Integrated storage: Cabinetry keeps the small interior organized between rental trips.
Travel lighting: Interior illumination supports simple evening use.
Service history: More than a year of full-time rental use validated the build under repeated turnover.

Build Gallery

Design, systems, and the finished space.

The project photography follows the work from its most important details to the way the complete conversion comes together.

The first completed interior established the New Life approach.

A simple, welcoming plan made the van easy for renters to understand.

The galley brings the daily essentials within reach of the sliding door.

Storage and sleeping functions share the rear efficiently.

Details were finished for repeated use, not just opening-day photos.

The build came together over six months of nights and weekends.

Sunset at camp is the final measure of a camper that works.

The Result

The roots of every build that followed.

Our First proved that careful work done after hours could stand up to full-time rental life—and turned a family project into the standard for a new conversion shop.

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