vanlifer's united vehicle display 2025

Darren Strong is our Vehicle Display co-ordinator.

Owning and running Beluga Conversions Darren has a passion for self builds, he can always found with his trusted side kick Rodney.

If you would like to display your vehicle please join our facebook group and message Darren.

Beluga Conversions - The self build business Darren has made his passion which shows through in the finely crafted self built vans.

We bought our vw LT35 in 2022 with the intention of turning her into our Full time home. Her previous life was as a mobile cleaning service, We spent about about a year converting her with no previous van conversion experience using recycled/ upcycled products, and on a tight budget and as you can see from the pictures we feel she’s quite unique and very much has our stamp and fits lifestyle, We have been living Full time now for 1 year,

I bought Posie as a lockdown self conversion project, she’s a 2007 Mk.7 Ford Transit, it was a Network Rail canteen van so we ripped everything out & I had a blank canvas to work with. I learnt how to do the 12v electrics, solar, plumbing, diesel heater & designed the layout which works well to live in full time.

It was always our dream to do, covid gave us a project push to build on our drive around February 2020 along with my brother Paul..... Life gets in the way, during covid that year my brother was diagnosed with cancer... 12 weeks from receiving his diagnosis he passed aged 57...his motto was (lets have a punt) as that is how he looked at life.... I lost a little interest with the build, but all those around me told me move forward as it was what Paul would of wanted.... We did 

Taking inspiration from youTube gurus with the likes of Greg Virgoe, Sam Anderson Crafty Blinders, George Munro Humble Road, and could not forget Mel at Big Van Small World, we cracked on... Our base vehicle is a 1 owner from new 2015 Mercedes Sprinter 513 EXTRA LONG WHEEL BASE 5 ton, dual rear wheels.  At the time we had a budget!! That went out the window as the country/globe went van build nuts... Without dragging on we finished this year and the Crafty Camp out in Cumbria was our first meet up after a few testing weekends (nothing broke, came lose or failed... Yet )