We stripped our ‘80s Sherpa van to bare metal (this is what we found)

This is where the build should have begun. Instead, it’s where everything started to unravel. In this episode of The Sherpa Project, we begin stripping out the interior of our 1980s Freight Rover Sherpa— tearing it back to bare metal (and nan's carpet) and preparing for a full rebuild from the ground up. What starts as one of the most satisfying parts of any van build quickly becomes something else. Beneath the dust, the panels and the years of patchwork repairs, we begin to realise that this project isn’t going to be as straightforward as we thought. This is the reality of starting a van conversion: the demolition, the unknowns and the early decisions that shape everything that follows. This series documents our attempt to build a one-of-a-kind 4x4 Sherpa van and drive it from Land’s End in Cornwall to Land's End, India (Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu)— following the spirit of Phil Llewellyn’s original journey to the Himalayas in the 1970s. It’s part van build, part overland expedition, and part long-form documentary about what it takes to commit to something uncertain. From stripping the van to redesigning the entire concept, this project is as much about problem-solving and resilience as it is about travel. And as this episode hints… not everything goes to plan. 🔧 previous episode → revealing the van and the journey ahead 👉 episode 01:    • We bought the WORST possible van for an ov...   🔧 next episode → the build takes a turn for the worse 👉 episode 03: [link when live, early access on Patreon 🫂] 👉 full series playlist:    • 🗂️ 🔧The Sherpa Project: building a 4x4 ove...   📚 Series: The Sherpa Project Episode 02 — Stripping The Van Interior Premise: A long-form documentary series following Lucy & Ben as they attempt to build a one-of-a-kind 4x4 Sherpa van and drive it from the UK to India, retracing a legendary 1970's journey to the Himalayas. This series explores overland travel, mechanical resilience, and what happens when a dream van build turns into something else entirely. 🚎 We’re Lucy & Ben— travelling storytellers who’ve spent the last decade living and working on the road. This video is one chapter in an overland documentary project, starting from our most ambitious van project yet, to the breakdowns, border crossings and (t)rusty old van adventures that await. If you want to follow the journey as it unfolds, subscribe and come with us.. 🌍 Website + blog — https://fromrusttoroadtrip.com 📖 Substack — https://substack.com/@fromrusttoroadtrip 📸 Instagram —   / fromrusttoroadtrip   📲 Facebook —   / fromrusttoroadtrip   📖 Read the story behind the breakdown here: https://fromrusttoroadtrip.substack.c... 🫂 If you want to support slow filmmaking and independent storytelling, you can join our Patreon community here:   / fromrusttoroadtrip   🎥 Production notes: Filmed in the UK Shot on Sony FX3 / S-Log3 / 10-bit 4:2:2 / 4K Edited in Premiere Pro Language: English Series: The Sherpa Project 📹 Our filming kit + tools (affiliate): https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/fromrus... Purchases through this link give us a small commission at no extra cost and help us keep documenting the journey. 🎵 All music licensed via Epidemic Sound. 📔 Chapters 00:00 this is where the project should've started... 00:28 rewind to 2021 00:47 recap of The Sherpa Project 1:32 adapting to a new smaller van 1:49 converting our LDV Convoy in 2015 2:11 building our Bedford CF camper van 2:50 post-4WD conversion plans 3:25 inspired by Phil Llewellyn's book The Road To Muckle Flugga 3:56 finding & buying our Sherpa van (and failing) 5:48 the exhaust fell off! 7:06 starting to strip out the awful interior 7:36 diffusing a dangerous set-up 8:07 removing the kitchen 8:56 let's start ripping it out, baby! 9:28 finished! now we've got to clean up... 9:51 taking the van to the workshop... 10:37 things start to go very wrong 11:15 end credit #vanbuild #overlandtravel #vanconversion #vanbuildseries