Couple reveal amazing transformation of $18k supermarket delivery van
Jessica Horn and Jon Paine quit their jobs and now plan explore the world in their supermarket van.
A couple has revealed how they turned an old supermarket delivery van into a modern campervan in just eight weeks.
Jessica Horn and Jon Paine quit their jobs as a community development worker and a mechanic, in 2023, to travel the world. To help them see more of the world, the pair scoured bargain site eBay for their wheels and found a dinky supermarket truck for AU$18,000.
Setting about transforming it into the “ultimate campervan”, the pair spent AU$27,000 on the rig, sharing their journey on Instagram where they have gained over 9,000 likes.
“We love travelling in campers and building them,” 34-year-old Jessica, from Norfolk, England told Needtoknow.co.uk .“One thing that is on our bucket list is to travel in the 'real winter' to experience a proper snowy Christmas and everything that goes with it.
“So, we set out on a mission to build the ultimate winter campervan. A van that can withstand, and keep us warm, in polar temperatures and give us plenty of space to feel cosy and comfy on the long cold winter nights.
“Enter our Sainsbury's delivery van. We figured that being insulated enough to be a refrigerator, it should be able to do the opposite and keep the cold out and keep us toasty and warm inside.”
In total, the savvy couple transformed their temporary home in just eight weeks, with them working around the clock to complete the project in time for its test run to Scotland, which was an overwhelming success.
“We've been able to make our vision a reality which is an incredible feeling,” she said. “It is even nicer to travel in than we expected, it is so spacious and cosy and feels like we are travelling in a little cabin rather than a van.
“We had so much fun building the van, although it was tiring as we worked on it every day, all day for eight weeks. The biggest challenge was probably the weather. As we spent quite a lot of time working on the outside of the van, including removing and respraying the body, the weather made that quite difficult sometimes.”
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Jess and Jon are set to take their new campervan on a jam-packed winter trip, travelling to Norway, Sweden, and Finland, as well as stopping in Germany for some festive markets along the way.
Sharing the transformation from delivery van to polished camper on social media, their followers were amazing.
“Awesome job guys. Really impressive,” said one commenter. “Wow, maybe I should buy my van when I retire,” said another.
“We figure that you only get one chance at life and nothing is guaranteed so if you have an opportunity to do something you really want, take it,” said Jessica. ”We don't know how long this adventure will last but we know we will never regret taking the chance.
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