I turned my hatchback into a fully loaded ‘stealth camper’ in just 20 minutes… all I needed was cheap items from eBay
A BRIT has revealed how he was able to transform his tiny hatchback into a ‘stealth camper’ in just 20 minutes using cheap items from eBay.
Patrick Dickinson built himself a place to sleep, relax and even cook in his Peugeot 208.
In a video on his YouTube channel, Patrick walked viewers through the process of turning the car into a tiny home without rendering it useless as a daily driver.
He said: “You could walk by this car, see it parked up and not give it a second glance.
“You wouldn’t realise that someone was sleeping in there and perhaps cooking a meal.
“That’s what I mean by stealth camping.
“Now, this is my car that I use every day so if I was going to use it…I wanted it so that within 20 minutes I could remove everything from the car and immediately convert it back.
“It was done in a very short time, there’s no permanent fixtures in there.
“It’s nothing special, it’s just a basic Peugeot 208.”
Patrick started by folding down the two back seats of the little motor, giving himself more space to work with.
He then introduced what he referred to as his “sleeping system” in the form of a black plywood bed board and a foam mattress.
One ingenious touch was connecting two boards by screwing them together via hinges to make them more portable.
He had also cut down the boards to fit the shape of the car so he could make maximum use of the space.
Just make sure not to use wood that’s too thin as it will flex under your weight.
Patrick also added a low-voltage electric blanket, which can be found on eBay for as little as £18, to keep things cosy.
If you pick one up that’s rated as safe for overnight use, you can keep yourself toasty even on chilly winter evenings while sleeping in the car.
Elsewhere, he informed viewers how to make DIY window blinds both to help you sleep soundly and provide some much-needed privacy.
All you have to do is drape some thick black cotton over a sheet of reflective insulation and sew or staple it in place.
Insulation costs around £10 online and can be trimmed down to fit your windows exactly.
Some kind of crazy genius
Storage came in the form of plywood boxes screwed together as well as a plastic tray to hold the stove and kettle without damaging any surfaces.
Everything slotted into the back of the car through the boot within minutes, leaving a cosy sleeping space on wheels.
Patrick has taken the camper all over on his travels, including to Barcelona, Spain, according to his YouTube videos.
And social media commenters loved the little car.
One wrote: “The US may have stealth bombers, but we have Pat and his Peugeot.”
Another added: “Patrick, I truly think you’re some kind of crazy genius.
“You never fail to entertain and inspire.”