Toyota Hiace Camper Build NZ - Walk around, 7 Day Build

Hey guys! Here it is, I bought this van 2 weeks ago, built it to what it is now in 7 days! I do have a little experience in construction but trust me its ALOT easier than you might think, comment below if you want any advice.
Remember the most important thing is to just decide what you need, specially in terms of power, ALOT of people will be able to get away with just a 100AH AGM battery and a VSR kit. Others will need a more intensive solar kit etc but think about the power you will be using and go from there
If you have any questions just ask and ill answer as soon as possible!
Van is a 2009 Toyota Hiace Jumbo (Widebody), its 4WD with the 2.7L Petrol engine
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This video was filmed with:
Sony A7R3
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Rode Video Micro
Edited in Final Cut X on the iMac Pro
My website: www.christurne...
Facebook: / christurnerphotographer
Instagram: / chris_turner_photographer

[@aliafaaqkhan2176]

Toyota Hiace are phenomenal machines. You cant go wrong with it, they run forever.

[@MissSassy79]

I love your bed set up & kitchen! The whole thing looks great! So fresh & homely! 🙂

[@paulmshanga3310]

I like the emphasis on "what works out for you" respect

[@gransha3]

Excellent job, exactly what I hope to do. Simple and straightforward yet extremely efficient. Thanks for the vid

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

UPDATES // I’ve sold this bad boy and I’m currently in the process of deciding which van to buy next, this time I’m going to film the entire build in a special series! Subscribe to get notified and make decisions with me along the way

[@444marui7]

mercedes sprinter. cant wait for the new series

[@angeladawn805]

Looking forward to seeing your next video :)

[@fergusknight1708]

Where do you recommend buying a van like this?

[@m1kel]

oh i love this van such a shame its sold :)

[@kitelanne2891]

Awesome build! Just what im looking for in a build, clever ideas on spaces. Simple yet efficient. Nothing too extravagant.

[@fuck6ronson405]

It’s finally nice to see someone from NZ doing van life, most of the videos on here are from America, so seeing someone I can relate to is awesome.

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Building a camp/sleep setup in my 4WD now too, filming today :)

[@AdamDaviesSussex]

Just bought a Hiace Regius Wind Tourer (1997). Love it.

[@NickGranville]

Hey man, Would love to see an updated video for where your van is at now? Cheers

[@me-cq7wv]

Brother you done an excellent job, Your standards are high. Hope you enjoy your time in it. Home from home. I got the 2015 SLWB and its great.

[@Glen.Danielsen]

Toyota Hiace is such an elegant van to begin with. Here in the Philippines, we see them.

[@me-cq7wv]

Nice build two things to get. One an Air Horn in case you are in the van and someone tries to break in. Two get a power gang socket with USB ports.

[@andreaanderson6969]

Great design I agree the bed is the most important feature

[@tinaaroha8205]

Wow, you have done a great job in a small amount of time, love what you have achieved so far for yourself, looking forward to seeing the end result. I'm in Hamilton and looking to have a Ford van done up for me to live in, I hope that day comes very soon.

[@kenwatson7815]

I used to be in camper van building industry, Man you've certainly added some extra weight with all the heavy timbers, winch means higher engine torque and fuel consumption

[@Sgten01]

Agree with getting a good bed, getting a jumbo just for this reason too. My main challenge is to combine a weekend camper with a builders van lol.

[@twohorse123]

Thanks for sharing. Nice and practical van . I like the layout.

[@rosscooper8553]

one of the best set ups ive seen, ill be using yours as a bass for my build .Great video.

[@jamesdarge]

Awesome build. We're looking to do something very similar at the end of this year. Thanks for confirming that simple is the best approach! 😊

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Keep an eye out this week for the trip videos, off tomorrow for a week to try it out :)

[@mcximus]

nice simple built. I'm planning to convert my old work van into a campervan soon.

[@nanetha13]

woah! you're the fastest vanlife builder i've seen and the workmanship isn't bad at all.

[@RandomActsOfMusic1]

hey man, just wanted to say I bought the same swich panel off of ebay. you need to change your fuses as the ones that came with mine are 15 a and should be 10a for the wire they ustsed, and you have utilized. working on my own hiace build. Thanks for the video.

[@MarcusTDM]

Great van. The Hiace to me is like a modern Kombi.

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Im planning on making some more videos with the van soon, lots of little updates etc. Comment bellow what you'd like to see in the way of Van videos

[@ioanekoroivuki543]

Love what you've done and that you have the 4wd version of the hiace. Kept it simple! Top work!

[@kenmanalotv8607]

But you need to remove the cabinets first?

[@DaVe-jz7gt]

Great video bro, looking to get a hi ace and would love to know more about your wiring system

[@antonydavid2953]

I'd love to see more on your electrics set up, even with a diagram of the system. Cheers from South Africa

[@chrissysnakedwisdom4699]

This was a great informative video, but by the end of it I felt sick, and had a headache, as the camera was moving and waving around so much!

[@lesblack413]

Great simplistic build and fit-out Chris. Whatever works for the individual is great. Good show mate from Qld Australia!!

[@geridoyle3671]

Proof that less is more!! Inspiring..

[@marcpayne9117]

brilliant, nice and simple not over the top. As a fellow photographer I'm about to do the same thing.

[@r3toric]

Man this was awesome. Such a fast and clean build. Actually refreshing to see something the majority would build as opposed to this tiled splash back internal shower craziness ahaha nice man. Very nice.

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Thanks mate

[@richehoya]

Love your Simple Set up. Very Functional !!!! I have A 94 Hiace That I want yo build out .

[@skeatchels6938]

Love seeing another NZ Hiace build, epic!

[@lyndajones1133]

looks perfect. all the best with this current status

[@luvtogroove]

Really down to earth,informative presentation of your build man....kiwi ingenuity,luv it!!..Obviously I'm one😁

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Haha thanks mate!

[@charliekurthi]

Super clean build man! One of the nicest I’ve seen.

[@lisawells-baker3208]

Hiya Chris, and m in NZ just found your video and channel, you have me some great ideas, I'm going full time van living in 12 months, so thank you

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Oh awesome. Hope your going to make some videos about it

[@rheab5964]

Wow you did such a great job, definitely motivates me even though i have no carpentry experience !

[@StokedForTravel]

Sweet conversion! I did up an older HiAce and loved it! 🤙

[@skippymac4613]

Yeah just got a van mate and was going to do some work on it. To make self contained thanks for the tips great vid and your van is epic good work

[@normanmazlin6741]

Good simple build. The bed looks great. I have the Toyota SLWB high top Tradies version with a door on each side, it has a 3l diesel. Regarding your single battery , I originally fitted two 135ah agm with 300w roof solar, but I found in overcast weather I was having trouble off grid for more than 4 days and the Van's regulator was having trouble keeping up so I fitted an additional 135ah battery and have made up two extra portable 200w flexible panels. I live in Australia where we get more sun than you do. Note you can only discharge your agm to around 50% effectively.

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Thanks for the advice mate. Yeah I think I’ll stick with my dual battery kit for now it seems to charge really fast off the alternator and over never dropped bellow 12.2v yet

[@superbettynow]

I don't know if you'll see this reply five years later, but I've just found this video. And I have just found the very same model of Hiace you've mentioned. I'd love to know more about your conversion. I am really keen, but just wondering if it'll be tall enough to live in fulltime (compared to a high roof Sprinter, for example). Hope to hear from you!

[@normanmazlin6741]

@superbettynow I still have my hiace and i love it. We don't fulltime in it. The roof height might be a problem for that. My wife can stand with a few cm clearance, but i stoop. For hot Ausie conditions, the extra side door is really great, flow thru ventilation across our bed at night, just need the flyscreens! Big prob with the hiace is it's low rear traction in mud etc. I totally fixed that for around $2k by fitting a rear diff e-locker, now it's almost 4wd! This is a great van, very reliable, cheap parts, and very tough.

[@superbettynow]

@@normanmazlin6741 Thanks, Norman! I really appreciate your reply. I want the van to live and work in, and for my online work I often like to stand. So I think I’ll have to go with the Sprinter. But I’ll keep what you’ve said in mind for potential future camper options 😀👍🏻

[@ruttleytashnmarty8598]

Really interesting build. The shape of van was helpful re KBD. The simplistic design....smart. cheers

[@majidalikhan5978]

Simplicity is beautiful

[@paulcapon1139]

Great Vid! I love the simplicity of your van build. The 4x4 Hiace is also what I'm looking for. I didn't realize that there was a "jumbo" version. I think that most of the units in Oz are Japanese imports. After doing a little research, it seems that SC certification in Australia is by self-assessment. Looking fwd to more like this, Cheers

[@chrissysnakedwisdom4699]

I love the bush-farm setting - so lovely.

[@reubenkeene]

awesome van build id recommend adding ceiling vents/fan to help with ventilation and condensation

[@jonathansmitnz]

This is great man thanks for sharing!!

[@tahirmahmood8603]

Color combination give is more luxury look. If wood is white its added up more batter look rather then usual wood color you can use plywood sheet for luxury look.

[@sparkyz123]

This mans a beast he is a legend

[@anakbaik7956]

u to much

[@dylandesmond]

drill out heaps of holes to let the mattress breathe, plywood isnt the best, but theres ways around it, youl end up with mold problems from body sweat that can be avoided

[@katewang6048]

Great job in 7 days, thanks for your very helpful ideas! I'm in NZ as well, luckly get your video pop up😊 Just like to ask do you need to join in and show you are in any memberships before you get the self-contained approved? Cheers and looking forward more of your van videos!

[@chiefxnetconz]

Hi Chris, I have just bought a 1996 Hiace camper for my Son who is visiting from Sweden this Dec that needs reconfiguring, it has 600 watt inverter that is just connected to the vehicle's battery. Can you please tell me where you purchased the parts and house battery from and maybe a simple wiring diagram to help me put it all together, I am a builder so have a rudimentary knowledge of electrical wiring. Your help is greatly appreciated. Just a tip re your build, where no load is placed on any plywood construction, don't bother with a 'frame' just mitre the ply on the corners, glue and screw or use short aluminum 90° brackets and short screws. This will save on materials and weight. I have successfully mitred sheets with a good quality skill saw with a sharp blade using a clamped straight edge. Thanks for the video of your van. Cheers.

[@marcio200011]

Wow what a great job Chris! Do you have a video of how to do the electrical to the house battery please? Thank you 😎

[@findmeintime]

Good info re the power needs thank you!

[@amydavis9613]

I love what you did to your van the style 👍😘

[@deadbeatdan245]

Great functional setup Chris. I have seen a few videos where people have gone to a lot of trouble with insulating their vans, believing it is necessary to help reduce condensation. I'd like to know your thoughts in light of your build. Cheers, Dan.

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Hey Dan. I forgot to mention I did actually insulate the walls just with standard house insulation, but unconvinced it would have made a difference. Slept in it down in Rotorua couple weeks ago, was maybe 5c outside and it stayed warm enough inside.

[@tblue1904]

I like this Toyota’s a lot , to bad we don’t have them in the us , but every time I go to Mexico I see them al over the place , also the ones that look alike from Nissan

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Man if I was over there I’d get one of those bad ass Ford 4WD vans. Like the sports mobile ones. So sick

[@philzy03]

Awesome video great description on all specs.

[@JeremyToh]

Amazing work putting this Camper van together! Thanks for sharing. We went to Japan to see a similar camper van, hopefully we’ll be as skilled as you to put one together next year. Merry Christmas 🎄

[@Michaelb1975]

Awesome Chris. You achieved heaps in just 1 week.

[@minarapawhare3697]

Chur the bro, mean video. I'm thinking of doing a van life build and been watching alot of videos to draw inspo

[@roadrunner5084]

This is unreal love it. I bout a 2008 model the roof is a night mare to decide with

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

I haven’t even tried to do anything with the roof lol too many curves

[@kingkea3451]

I kinda want to copy this design a bit, but on a slightly narrower Hiace. Guess it really depends what van I'd be able to get a hold of

[@significantgravitas5279]

Hey Chris, do you remember how you ran your cable from the engine bay back to your kitchen unit for your electrics system? Specifically how you got it out of the engine bay

[@rogerwhitefield3782]

so nice to hear a Kiwi accent !

[@cediebasbas886]

Really like the bed...

[@artilleryisbetter]

Nice, I wish they made Toyota Hiaces in the US.

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

I wish we could get 4WD Ford Vans here haha

[@TABISURU2019]

​I am also traveling by remodeling a Hiace van.

[@KendleMartin]

Pretty onto it mate, yeah I've been looking for a while for a van to travelling around nz in, really like your set up

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Thanks mate, leaving tomorrow for 8 days around the South Island in it. So will see how it goes

[@Gerrard519]

Well done buddy, I am looking to do the same thing.

[@tianawilson4943]

Bro this is gold

[@medfordJimmy]

I wish they would sell these in America. My 2001 Toyota Tacoma Prerunner was totaled a couple weeks ago and now I'm hunting for a Toyota Hiace but these newer ones are hard to register here in Oregon.

[@freetasman2342]

Very neat and it has more room than the Commuter on the previous model that it is what I have. How you find the 2.7lts petrol engine regarding torque on the hills and fuel consumption? My van has the 2.4 petrol, is reliable but no very good torque and use in the hill country (Tasmania) about 14 lts per 100 km. Thank you for sharing. Regarding smart alternators on a new van, Ctek makes an MPPT controller that charges the battery form solar and the engine with a capacity to look after 2 120amps batteries. I have the Ctek gear in my van and is excellent.

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Thanks mate. Yeah the 2.7 is good enough in terms of power etc, I get about 12L per 100 I guess not to bad but my biggest complaint is the tiny fuel tank, I only get like 400ks

[@arthurplottier9783]

@@ChrisTurnerPhotographer Are you aware of this option? www.browndavis.com.au/motorhome-long-range-fuel-tanks/

[@arthurplottier9783]

@@ChrisTurnerPhotographer www.browndavis.com.au/products.php?make=TOYOTA&model=HIACE&series=2004-PRESENT

[@SamDK]

amazing campervan

[@matt.banton]

Awesome bulid, nice work bro

[@eddy_creative]

Wish you could get these in UK, they're super rare / expensive.

[@u3962521]

Good to see a full size proper bed mattress. I'm going to do the same. Fuck having these foam beds

[@Heccy1961]

Great stuff Chris ! Really helpful. Be great if you can do another vid with your power wiring details. Cheers

[@GABRIEL_CRAFT]

Awesome build Chris! Wish Toyota would sell the new HiAce in the USA ~ I want a hi top with a pop top conversion :)

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Thanks!

[@johneli495]

Nice van, too bad we don't get these in the US. All I would need is this and a 70 series troopy Land Cruiser

[@yojojo8260]

very well done

[@rickyl9540]

That looks like our local Huia piggy farm...Am I right? Making it a slat bed base might have been better. I quickly discovered that a mattress will get black mold on the bottom without a lot of ventilation space. The human body puts out heaps of moisture that goes straight through the mattress. Amazing work otherwise. I live 10 minutes from where you are parked. Hope to get a van this summer and go to Coramandel!

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Yep that’s the spot.

[@fionngorilla]

Really nice car! 😍 Beautiful work!

[@dabbbles]

Most handy would be pictures not taken so close up. An indication of size and orientation is needed.eg. The bed appears to be placed ACROSS the van, but in my van wall-to-wall is 150cm: not enough to fit a mattress or me. Shots through an open doorway ~ ie from outside looking in would provide a much moree useful perspective.

[@dentray]

Nice and simple but I would like to know what exactly is your work? Seems everyone with a van build lately incorporates their work needs into it? My dream of campervan is to get away from work and I cant work when I am away from work!

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

I’m a wedding photographer

[@danielmokrzycki7735]

looking a buying a hiace soon, love what you've done, simple and effective. love the layout.. i wonder if i can squeeze a mini version of this into a standard size. the extra headroom must be nice!

[@dutchmcoven7292]

Great vid mate. Just what i need for ideas on my van. A bit of help on the wiring side of things would be great (not my game im afraid)

[@captbob1494]

Great job

[@Lone-Rider-d8w]

1000w of solar is used by long term van dwellers that use air-con during summer and they need to get the most out of 4hrs of winter sunlight.

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Totally I mean if I was living in the van I'd put solar on for sure.

[@kiwikapouet]

Thanks a lot for this video, always nice to check on new ideas and set ups ! Did you end up doing a video about your electric system ?

[@khanuka8713]

Hey Chris, Awesome mahi bro you have inspired me from your video. I wana do same to my Nissan Caravan Van. My skills are limited but feel confident i can do it! Not sure if you dressed yr ceiling? Mandala wall hanging to fit would look amaze and always a treat to look at when yr horizontal. Have you done any more to yr van? would love to see pics. Thanku. Peace

[@Arlec90]

Where all the wood paneling is, you never considered extra windows for light and or ventilation? Its something I have experienced with campers is lack of flow through air/ventilation.

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

It had windows, I covered them up. Did think about it but yeah I prefer it like this personally

[@yash4544]

Excellent work!

[@zirala1844]

Brilliant - thanks 😊

[@elizabethparson4896]

Please what is the internal length of the jumbo and the internal height and the internal width. Thankyouu for your great programme

[@mr.h5436]

Excellent results in one week. Good video. Happy trails.

[@redsbrother]

Hey mate. Watched you van tour and was wondering where you purchased all your electric stuff. Thanks.

[@jped5900]

Hey man, that is such a swt van build and hope you had a great summer going around NZ. I am currently about to build my own van in Auckland and was wondering if you had some information about your wiring scheme. Pretty much I am looking at having very similar loads as you so would very appreciate a more detail view on your scheme. Thanks mate.

[@andrewcheshire244]

Slow decision maker! I did my high ace in 3 days lol wasn't as flash tho mind. Next time round I'm gonna be funkin pimpin my Sprinter with Jacinta.

[@hewickh]

verry good car, i like

[@aviwexaluva]

Bro in South Africa we call that iQuantum!

[@JoshIngle-SuperDrummerJosh]

Idea for ceiling- a big nz flag 👍🤙

[@LouisSubearth]

Like Mini Coopers with the Union Jack roofs?

[@JoshIngle-SuperDrummerJosh]

@@LouisSubearth I guess but on the ceiling not the roof

[@TABISURU2019]

Hello! I live in Japan. I also do DIY of Toyota HIACE and live in a car!