Over the years we have seen all different kinds of camper conversions but we never imagined anyone would use a cramped sportscar as a living space. Arslan from New Jersey proved us wrong, as he is actually living in his Chevrolet Camaro, after self-converting it to a solar-powered camper with a cost of only $1.5k.
The build is based on a fifth-gen Camaro (2010-2015), and as you would expect the 2+2 interior layout has been overhauled in order to fit its new role. The front passenger seat is gone, as is the rear bench, in order to free up as much space as possible. Still, besides the driver’s seat, there is an extra seat on the bespoke maple plywood panel, working as a single-person living room.
Read: This $425k Freightliner Coronado Haulmark Conversion Includes A Motorhome And A Garage
The front passenger area is occupied by the kitchen, including a sink that is connected to clean and gray water tanks, a ceramic cooker, and two drawers for storage. All electronic devices including the laptop, cooker, and magnet lights are powered by an EcoFlow portable power station. The latter sources its energy from the 200 Watt solar panels mounted on the roof of the car.
Moving over at the back, there is a single bed measuring 6 ft long (183 cm) and 30 inches (76 cm) wide, which is just enough to fit Arslan. The sleeping area requires the driver’s seat to move forward and occupies most of the boot space. Besides the limited headroom, an important downside is the size of the hole on the maple plywood panel which makes it quite hard to get in and out, and impossible to fit for an average person.
For extra privacy, all of the tinted windows got bespoke covers. As for the toilet, the car comes equipped with a portable urinal, so for everything else – including access to a shower – Arslan relies on his gym membership. Finally, numerous storage compartments for personal items and clothing can be found throughout the cabin, with an electric blanket taking care of heating.
The camper conversion took 10 working days, with Arslan detailing the process in his YouTube channel called Solar Camper Car. The total cost of transforming the Camaro into a living area was $1.5k plus labor, which is significantly less than his previous project cars – namely a Chevrolet Suburban ($5k conversion) and a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van ($8k conversion).
If you are wondering why would someone downsize to such a small camper, Arslan says it makes it easier to stealth camp and find parking, while costing much less to convert since there is a very limited amount of space to work on. To be precise, the Camaro offers around 100 cubic feet (2,831 lt) of cabin space which is more than five times less than his old van.
While living inside a muscle car feels claustrophobic and impractical, Arslan proved that anything is possible if you are creative, determined, and willing to make some sacrifices in order to avoid paying rent. The YouTuber admits that living in a car requires a whole different lifestyle which is clearly not for everyone.
