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Dave, June & Chewie the Labradoodle

Dave and June built their dream off-grid Sprinter with Nohma’s help. A cosy, boutique style escape for them and their Labradoodle, Chewie.

Dave & June’s Journey So Far

Dave and June King, along with their beloved Labradoodle Chewie, are the proud owners of Claude. Claude is a 2019 FWD MWB Mercedes Sprinter. With a shared love for travel and quiet, off-grid escapes, the couple decided to take on the challenge of converting their own van, inspired by the many adventurers they followed on Instagram.

They found Claude through a Leeds based dealer that specialised in ex-lease vans, often high mileage but well maintained. With Dave retired from a career in photography and now dabbling in pottery, the idea of van life became an exciting new creative outlet. June was still teaching yoga full-time at the time, so their early adventures were short and sweet.

In 2023, they hired a campervan for a trip through Scotland and quickly fell in love with the raw beauty of the west coast. However, the hire van had its shortcomings, which helped them distill exactly what they wanted in their own build.

Dave and June's Mercedes Sprinter conversion, featuring a Nohma electrical system

Dave and Junes Sprinter white van is parked on a grassy hill under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

Dave & June's self converted Mercedes Sprinter "Claude".

What inspired the design of your van?

I’d been following vanlifers on Instagram for a while and was itching to take on something hands-on and creative. I picked up a copy of The Van Conversion Bible (which I read many times) and started planning what our dream setup would be. June was still working full-time, so we were limited to shorter getaways but that just gave me more time to plan it properly.

We hired a van in Scotland in 2023 and absolutely fell in love with the west coast. That trip really cemented the idea of building our own van. Not just because we loved the freedom, but because there was so much we didn’t like about the hire van. It helped us distill exactly what we wanted: comfort, clever use of space, and a bit of boutique charm.

Cozy camper van interior with a made bed, yellow pillows, wooden cabinets, and sunlight streaming in—perfectly capturing the charm of Dave and Junes Sprinter.

Wood-paneled campervan interior with cabinets, counter, window, and LED lighting in Dave and Junes Sprinter.

Claude's boutique interior.

Tell us about your van conversion

We started converting Claude throughout 2024, and took our first big trip in May/June 2025, three weeks in the Outer Hebrides. Let’s just say it started with a bang (or a drip). I’d forgotten to properly seal the roof bolt holes, and woke up after a storm to a soggy bed. Not the christening I was hoping for!

The vision was to make Claude feel like a mini boutique hotel. Since we chose a MWB over a LWB for easier parking and manoeuvrability, the challenge was fitting in a loo, shower, kitchen, comfortable bed, and a garage for the bikes and, of course, for Chewie. I was determined to make it both functional and beautiful.

Inside Dave and Junes Sprinter: bed on top, bikes and gear neatly stored below in the rear cargo area.

A sandy beach with clear shallow water, distant hills, and a blue sky with a few clouds—an ideal spot to park Dave and June's Sprinter and soak in the serene landscape.

Claude's maiden voyage to the Outer Hebrides.

Why did you choose to use Nohma?

The electrical system was my biggest worry. I’m no electrician, and I seriously considered getting it professionally installed. But budget ruled that out. That’s when I found Nohma and honestly, they were a game changer. From the first conversation with Will, I felt completely reassured. We discussed our usage and budget, and they split the system into three deliveries. Each delivery included detailed instructions and wiring diagrams. Every time I hit a snag or wasn’t sure if I was doing something right, someone was there to offer friendly, helpful advice.

Even now that the build is complete, I know I can reach out to the Nohma team with any new questions or tweaks. They never made it feel like “job done, goodbye.” They’ve been an essential part of this journey, and I’d go so far as to say Nohma is the most important company to contact if you’re planning a van conversion.

Dave & June, @davekingsstudio

We’re based in Kent, and we always seek out quiet, wild spots far away from the crowds. Thanks to solar and B2B charging, we never need a shore hookup, which means we can camp off-grid almost indefinitely. For us, that’s the dream.