In our company, we are all camper fans, and anything remotely related to the great outdoors and RV culture immediately attracts our attention. When the Casaniers told us about their ambitious and frankly incredible project, we were instantly captivated. A 1979 military truck from the German army, transformed into a cosy, seventies-themed mobile home? It’s the kind of quirky concept that we love to find out more about!
Aline and Erwan, along with their adventurous daughter Hinatea, turned their lives upside down to follow their dream of travelling the world. Despite facing some tough challenges, they’ve managed to create a home on wheels that’s both functional and inviting. We simply couldn’t help ourselves and had to reach out to learn more about their journey and to ultimately share their story with you.
Could you share a bit about your background and how your passion for motorhome living first began?
Sure thing! We got together in 2008. Erwan, who travelled a lot due to his military career, ignited my passion for travel. After building our house and having our daughter in 2016, we still craved adventure, but Erwan's sudden health issues changed everything. Once we got back on our feet, we realised how precious life truly is and how important it is to follow your dreams. Ours was to travel, and selling our house was the only way for us to fund it.
We met lots of travellers at adventure vehicle shows, each with a different story and project, and they helped framing our future plans. Once we had the money from the house we decided to buy and convert a 4x4 HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle). We went for a rather large vehicle because we wanted comfort for Erwan to deal with his health problems, and because it was going to be our only home, whether we travelled or not. We just couldn't see ourselves living in a proper house again, a normal life where I work all year to be able to afford a short one-week holiday.
Can you tell us about the moment you decided to purchase the MAN KAT 1? What drew you to this particular vehicle?
During one of the fairs, we met a family who own a MAN KAT 1. Erwan saw the vehicle and was immediately drawn to it as this was the truck he had been dreaming about since he was a teenager, when he first saw one in the port of Saint-Nazaire! We loved the fact that it is an imposing, robust vehicle, with a military design made to last. Air-cooled, sporting a Deutz engine, with spare parts easy to source as it is widely used in the agricultural sector, it was the perfect cross-country vehicle for us. As we renovated it, we wanted to keep its original military camouflage colour, but that would have meant taking an unnecessary risk when travelling in certain parts of the world. We decided instead not to cover up all its dents and defects as they were part of the truck’s history.
Why did you decide to use wallpaper instead of other wall finishes for your camper?
Ah, that’s easy! It’s because of the unique atmosphere it creates. Even a single wall can transform a space and make it feel warmer. Since our vehicle is now our only home, it was essential for us to make it comfortable and inviting, right down to the décor.
What inspired you to choose 1970s-themed wallpaper for your mobile home?
In our old house, we had decorated our living room with a 1970s wallpaper. We loved it, it was our favourite room! For this reason, we wanted a 70s feel in the truck, as we are both big fan of that era. Even our daughter, Hinatea, embraced the retro vibe! Once she saw the 70s wallpapers we had selected for the other rooms, she wanted in on the fun, too, and picked the Apollo model for her bedroom. It reminded her of our old house and its groovy, nostalgic charm.
Were there any specific features or qualities of the wallpaper (e.g. washability, light resistance) that influenced your decisions?
Absolutely! We took a thorough look at the characteristics of the wallpapers because there are certain features that we felt were essential when living in a converted truck, such as being (at least) washable, lightfast, compatible with damp rooms and flame retardant.
Could you walk us through the initial preparation process for the walls of the truck? What unique challenges did the vehicle’s surfaces present?
To create the interior walls of the truck, we used laminated plywood panels and sandwich panels with a gel coat finish for the perimeter. This gave all our interior walls a smooth, white surface, which presented a challenge: getting anything to stick to such a slick surface is no mean feat. We also had to meticulously remove all traces of glue, grease, or any other residues using a degreasing product when prepping the gel-coated walls. WD-40 proved to be just perfect for the task. Afterwards, we cleaned the walls thoroughly and let them dry.
The smooth, new surfaces were both a blessing and a curse. While they provided a pristine starting point, their slickness required research to find an adhesive able to hold the wallpaper in place firmly. Although our vehicle is from 1979, only the chassis is original; the living space is newly fitted. We opted not to sand the surfaces, just to clean them so that they could be wallpapered. It was a quite a challenge!
Can you describe the process of measuring and cutting the wallpaper to fit the unique contours and spaces of your camper van? Which tools did you use?
We knew we needed to plan thoroughly, so we set everything up on a large, clean wooden board with a tape measure, ruler, square, pencil, and cutter. First, we took our measurements, leaving a margin to trim the bottom of the wallpaper once it was attached. We thought how the wallpaper would fit, then marked the measurements and lines on the wallpaper. Our camper has irregular joints in the corners, so we made sure to draw reference points with a wooden pencil to ensure the wallpaper stayed straight and didn't adhere to the joints.
We also marked where to apply the glue, ensuring everything was aligned perfectly.We used a roller that wasn't very wide and made of foam, like a varnish roller, and we found it to be just perfect. It didn't soak up too much glue, so we could apply just the right amount to the wall.
What were the biggest technical hurdles you encountered during the wallpaper installation, and how did you overcome them?
The most difficult thing for us was to find the right wallpapering paste, i.e. an adhesive able to deal with our surface constraints and temperature changes. We asked around, searched on the internet and got a lot of valuable advice from you guys! We also realised that a long-haired roller wasn't suitable for applying glue because it soaked up too much glue and didn't apply sufficient amounts. We therefore tested other varieties until we found one we were happy with. We took a lot of time to cut everything out beforehand, checking all was correct on a wooden board. Despite all this, I did make a mistake when installing the Sinon model. I didn’t pay attention to the fact it has a straight match and had to remove it and install it again. Luckily, we still had enough wallpaper to make up for my mistake.
Did you face any issues with the adhesive or the wallpaper adhering properly to the surfaces? How did you resolve these?
We encountered an issue with the wallpaper peeling off shortly after installation. I think I pulled too hard to achieve a perfect edge-to-edge effect. When the wallpaper dried and was subject to the first temperature changes, the edges retracted and peeled away. I had to apply a bit more glue with a fine brush to fix it properly. We also had a minor problem with the wallpaper joint coming unstuck at one corner of the cell. We tried to stay away from the irregular joint but didn't leave enough room. A bit of glue and a brush solved the problem there.
Looking back, is there anything you would do differently during the wallpapering process?
In hindsight, I would have paid even closer attention to the cut-outs and the joints in the corners of the walls. Also, I would consider the possibility of applying a protective coat of varnish to the surface of the wallpaper.
What advice would you give to other camper enthusiasts considering wallpaper for their own vehicle interiors?
My advice? You should totally use wallpaper, but thoroughly think about the type of surface you are working with, the products you use and the quality of the wallpaper itself. While wallpaper is of course a bit more delicate than painted walls, it adds a lot of charm to your interior décor. I find this especially important in the compact spaces of a camper van. Just be thorough when preparing the surface and invest in high-quality adhesive and wallpaper.
Want to know more about wallpapering a camper? Read more in our in-depth article “Mastering the art of wallpapering in camper vans, RVs and motorhomes: a comprehensive guide".
