All motor homes must make economical use of space as there is limited footprint for vehicles also working on the road. The tiny 1989 Suzuki Super Carry takes this packaging efficiency to a new level by packing a lot of features into a vehicle measuring 10.2 feet (3.1 meters) long.
Calum, the van owner, lives on the Isle of Raasay in Scotland. Since this is an island, goods get there by boat. When Calum was a child, this Suzuki carried cargo from ships to deliver goods. It was there that he first fell in love with this little van.
He found this Super Carry in Glasgow, which is a five hour drive from his home. He checked the van, decided to buy it, and then he and his father returned to the Suzuki trailer back to the island.
Calum thinks this might be the smallest campervan in the UK. While people may camp in smaller vehicles, this one actually has registration as a motorhome with the government.
Power comes from a 1.0-liter engine that produces about 40 horsepower (30 kilowatts). The power is channeled through a five-speed manual. The vehicle has a cab layout, meaning the power plant is under the floor. According to Calum, this position brings a lot of heat into the cabin, which is not great when driving on a hot day.
Calum made some modifications to his van. It replaces the stereo head unit with a Bluetooth compatible unit. He also installed a Sony PSP for in-vehicle entertainment due to unstable 4G connections in rural Scotland. His father plugged in a casual battery cable to provide power while off the grid.
At the rear, Calum replaced the original two burner stove with a butane stove. It takes up less space than the original setup. There is also a small sink. The wardrobe offers ample space to accommodate a backpack.
Calum used the van to travel all over Scotland, and it worked great. His small size meant he didn’t have to look for a special campsite to spend the night. He even took his sister to his wedding in the van.
Calum is getting ready to get rid of Suzuki. He’s building a Nissan NV200 instead, which should offer a bit more room to stretch out.
