Mini-van conversion

[Gator417]

Not sure if this is the right place for this, but I couldn't find a more specific spot.
I bought an AWD Aerostar mini-van a couple years ago as a project van (blown head gasket, maybe more). Haven't done much with it since, but a few months back a large part of our tree fell on it. The roof is caved in pretty badly and the windshield is cracked. I thought about what to do with it and decided I should convert it to a full on camper. Not sure where to go with it so I'm looking for ideas and thought maybe this section would be a good place to look.
Thanks in advance,
Gator

[Pmullen503]

The Aerostar is kind of a hybrid unibody/frame vehicle so you don't want just go at it with a sawsall! Give a little thought to maintaining the rigidity of the body.

My BIL had one and loved it for camping and hauling his boat. The AWD was really pretty effective for any place you would take a vehicle with limited ground clearance.

[Cypakwa]

I had a similar situation with a van I picked up a few years ago. It had a lot of issues, and the roof was in rough shape too. I decided to turn it into a camper, and it was quite a journey.

For the roof, I used a combination of metal patches and high-strength adhesive to fix the worst of the damage. Once that was sorted, I focused on insulation and paneling to give it a fresh look. I also found that using leftover materials from other projects helped keep costs down.

As for the windshield, if it's cracked badly, you might need to replace it before you go further. For inspiration, I found a lot of useful tips from projects dealing with the problem of second homes and similar challenges. It’s all about getting creative with what you have and making the space work for you.