What happens when a fine artist builds his first van from scratch — no tutorials, no research, just artistic instinct

and a pile of cardboard boxes?

Troy is the founder of Nanna Vans, a custom van build company based in DeLand, Florida, operating under his

design firm TR Designs. He came to van life not through YouTube or van life forums, but through years of ceramics,

large-scale environmental installations, and high-end residential and commercial design. His van — named Janet,

after his late grandmother — is both his proof of concept and a rolling portfolio that's helped him sign design

contracts off the back table. In this conversation, Troy breaks down how art school thinking changes everything

about the way you design and build.

www.vanlifeoutfitters.com

Tim Jowers quit a 25-year warehouse career in December 2021, bought a ProMaster, and started building vans out of his Texas driveway with his son Ryan. Twenty builds later, he’s still in that driveway — and still loving it.

Tim builds what he calls weekend warrior vans: complete, functional, and specifically without showers. In this episode he walks through why — the condensation issues, drainage problems, and cost math that make showers a non-starter. He also covers why cabinet work is the part that humbles every builder.

Tim’s rattle prevention method, his advice for first-time builders (rent a van before you build), and what it’s like to run a 20-build business out of a driveway with zero advertising.

Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

www.vanlifeoutfitters.com

Grant Wilson from FreedomVanGo joins Episode 06 of Vanlife Roadmap to share what years of building, using, and refining camper vans have taught him about making better build decisions.

Grant’s advice is refreshingly practical. Before you commit to a full van build, go use the van. Sleep in it. Try a simple setup. Rent other vans. Learn what actually matters before spending heavily on layouts, parts, and upgrades.

In this conversation, Grant talks through the lessons from his own first build, including why some good-looking ideas did not work well in real life, how his thinking changed after 20 or 30 nights in the van, and why electrical systems deserve extra care. He also shares how FreedomVanGo grew from side projects and garage installs into a professional van build business.

If you are planning a DIY van build, this episode is a practical reminder to use the van before you overbuild it – and to let real travel shape what belongs inside.

www.vanlifeoutfitters.com