Revitalised first responder

It’s not every day you come across a campervan that used to be an ambulance, riding on a truck chassis. But that’s exactly what Stefus Jansen van Rensburg from Middelburg has managed to put together.

My father-in-law and I actually planned to do a similar project together, as both of us are fond of travelling. But what we didn’t realise at the time was that our taste in the finished product would be quite different. Whereas he prefers something that is simply practical, I appreciate what is aesthetically pleasing. In August last year I came across an ambulance shell that had gone up for sale. I went to have a look, immediately realised the potential and bought it. Then I found a double-cab Iveco truck and purchased it. After only having a rough plan in my head and a few sleepless nights, the project started. I had a lot of assistance from local expertise in the area; including a skilled spray-painter who did a good job overall, and then I also called upon a Mozambican national who is a handy panel beater. After four months, the campervan was travel-ready for our first trip on 16 December 2020. Every time we get back from an extensive trip, I make a few tweaks to this and that. I’m a little embarrassed to admit how much I’ve spent and my wife, Lize, covers her ears every time I talk about how much more this and that is still going to cost. The shell was a bit of a bargain, though, and the truck I also picked up for a good price, but we had to have the 3.0 ℓ turbodiesel engine reconditioned before we started anything else. The camper averages about 7 km/ℓ on the open road. There’s a 300 ℓ water tank, solar panels, laminated flooring, built-in shower and separate toilet. My campervan only sleeps my wife and I, but the truck is a sevenseater. I’m planning on adding a roof-top tent later for those who might want to join us as well. With our campervan we’ve visited the Kruger extensively, having been to places like Balule, Letaba, Maroela, and Skukuza. We’ve also been to Forever’s Swadini resort.