Class B RVs, Conversion Vans & Campervans for Sale in Chicago, IL
"We wanted a camper van that could handle longer road trips but still feel comfortable when we were spending a few days inside. Our Vansmith gives us enough room for our gear, and the storage makes packing much less of a hassle."
— Megan R., Chicago, IL
"We bought our Vansmith because we were tired of planning every trip around hotels. Now we can take off for a few days with everything we need in the van. The sleeping space is comfortable, and having a place for our camping gear has made a big difference."
— Andrew K., Chicago, IL
Mercedes Sprinter 144
OR
Ford Transit 148
Perfect for solo travelers or couples who want a compact adventure-ready van.
Seat & Sleeps
2Length
19'Shower
Exterior * * Optional Add-Ons
Mercedes Sprinter 144
OR
Ford Transit 148
Includes a shower setup for longer trips without compromising comfort or space.
Seat & Sleeps
2Length
19'Shower
Bench * * Optional Add-Ons
Mercedes Sprinter 170
OR
Ford Transit 148 E
Ideal for those who want extra living space and more storage for extended adventures.
Seat & Sleeps
2Length
22'Shower
Full
Mercedes Sprinter 170
OR
Ford Transit 148 E
Luxury model with full amenities, extended power systems, and interior bathroom.
Seat & Sleeps
2Length
22'Shower
Full
Mercedes Sprinter 144
OR
Ford Transit 148
Perfect for families who want space, comfort, and functionality in a compact build.
Seat & Sleeps
4Length
19'Shower
Exterior * * Optional Add-Ons
Mercedes Sprinter 170
OR
Ford Transit 148 E
A larger build for families who love extended adventures and more storage.
Seat & Sleeps
4Length
22'Shower
Bench * * Optional Add-Ons
Mercedes Sprinter 170
OR
Ford Transit 148 E
The luxury upgrade with interior shower and full power systems for long trips.
Seat & Sleeps
4Length
22'Shower
Full
Chicago is a harder place to own a camper van than most, and a better place to use one than people expect. Door County, the Michigan lakeshore, Indiana Dunes and the Wisconsin Northwoods are all within a few hours. The difficulty is the city: street parking that disappears in winter, garages with low clearance, and six months of road salt on everything underneath the van.
The Vansmith builds Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Ford Transit camper vans in Boulder, Colorado, and delivers them to buyers across Chicagoland. We have built more than 300 vans since 2016, and our four-season systems are tested through Colorado winters. Conversion packages on a van you already own start at $46,950, complete vans with the chassis included start at $115,950, and pre-built Bivy models run from $119,700 to $145,845 depending on trim. For the statewide picture, see our
campervans for sale in Illinois.
Chicago's cold winters, freezing temperatures, road salt, summer humidity, limited parking, garage clearance and changing Midwest weather all influence how a camper van is used. Insulation, heating, ventilation, electrical systems, storage and practical layouts can help support comfortable travel throughout the Midwest and beyond.
| Chicago Challenge | How We Build For It |
|---|---|
| Cold Chicago winters | Four-season insulation on all six sides and a fuel-fired heater running off the vehicle's own fuel tank. |
| Snow and freezing temperatures | Lithium batteries mounted inside the heated living space so they can charge below freezing, plus a winterizable water system. |
| Road salt and winter conditions | Sealed exterior penetrations and durable interior materials, plus regular undercarriage washing through the salt season. |
| Summer heat and humidity | A powered roof fan for airflow, insulated window covers and air conditioning options. Airflow matters as much as cooling in humid weather. |
| Limited street parking | A short-wheelbase build around 19.5 feet fits standard spaces far better than a larger RV. |
| Garage clearance | Height is the real constraint. Measure your garage door opening before ordering a high-roof van. |
| Chicago traffic | A van-based Class B platform drives and parks like a tall van rather than a motorhome. |
| Limited storage space | Purpose-built cabinetry and a gear garage beneath a raised bed keep gear out of the living space. |
| Long Midwest road trips | Integrated electrical, water, refrigeration, sleeping and storage systems sized to trip length. |
| Changing Midwest weather | Insulation, ventilation, heating and electrical systems that work across all four seasons. |
| Off-grid camping | Solar, lithium storage, DC-DC alternator charging and shore power. |
| Cold-weather electrical demands | Battery capacity sized around overnight heater and refrigeration draw, not just summer use. |
| City living and weekend travel | One vehicle that works as daily transport and as a camper, without compromise in either direction. |
A Class B is a camper built on a van chassis rather than a truck frame. In a city where street parking is scarce and winter parking rules are enforced strictly, the ability to fit a standard space and many garages is the difference between a vehicle you use and one you pay to store. Browse our Class B RVs for sale .
Nine tailored layouts across the DUO and FAMILY Series, plus three pre-built Bivy trims. Browse all tailored models .
A camper van for sale in Chicago comes down to two routes: a new build or a used one. New builds are designed around your travel and carry a lifetime cabinet warranty. Used vans cost less and are available sooner. We keep a rotating selection of inspected used camper vans that ship from Boulder.
Current stock is listed on our camper vans for sale page. For a build, use our van designer or call (303) 414-6834 for a fixed, itemized quote.
| Model | Platform | Best For | Sleeps | Shower | Electrical | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DUO | Sprinter 144 or Transit 148, approx. 19.5 ft | Couples and solo travelers | 2 | Optional exterior | Solar, lithium, alternator and shore power | From $46,950 conversion |
| DUO S | Sprinter 144 or Transit 148, approx. 19.5 ft | Couples wanting a shower in a short van | 2 | Bench shower | Solar, lithium, alternator and shore power | From $53,950 conversion |
| DUO XL | Sprinter 170 or Transit 148 ext., approx. 22.5 ft | Couples needing more space | 2 | Full interior available | Solar, lithium, alternator and shore power | Confirm current |
| FAMILY | Sprinter 144 or Transit 148, approx. 19.5 ft | Families in a compact footprint | 4 | Optional exterior | Solar, lithium, alternator and shore power | From $51,950 conversion |
| FAMILY XL | Sprinter 170 or Transit 148 ext., approx. 22.5 ft | Families needing more space | 4 | Bench shower | Solar, lithium, alternator and shore power | From $61,950 conversion |
| FAMILY XLS | Sprinter 170 or Transit 148 ext., approx. 22.5 ft | Families traveling off-grid | 4 | Full interior | Solar, lithium, alternator and shore power | From $68,950 conversion |
| Bivy Classic | Sprinter 144 AWD, pre-built | A finished van in 8 to 10 weeks | 2 | Exterior | 5 kWh lithium with solar | From $119,700 van included |
| Bivy Plus | Sprinter, pre-built | More power and heat off the shelf | 2 | Exterior | 10 kWh lithium, diesel cabin heater | From $145,845 van included |
| Bivy Deluxe | Sprinter, pre-built | Year-round travel in both extremes | 2 | Exterior | 15 kWh lithium, A/C, hydronic heat | From $192,570 van included |
Complete tailored vans with the chassis included start at $115,950. Compare Bivy trims on our Bivy comparison page.
Devil's Lake, the Kettle Moraine and the Wisconsin Dells are all within three hours. See camper vans in Wisconsin .
The Lake Michigan shoreline runs from New Buffalo to Sleeping Bear Dunes, with state park campgrounds spaced along it. See camper vans in Michigan .
About four and a half hours north, a peninsula of small towns, orchards and shoreline parks.
An hour east, with dunes, beaches and a national park right on the lake. See camper vans in Indiana .
The full circuit of Lake Michigan is a genuinely good week-long trip and works from either shore.
The Ozarks, the driftless region and Michigan's Upper Peninsula are all within a day.
Chicago sits roughly a day and a half from the Rockies and two days from either coast. See camper vans in Minneapolis for the northern route.
A van around 19.5 feet drives close to a full-size pickup. It is manageable in traffic, though you will plan routes around low bridges more than you expect.
Chicago restricts parking for larger vehicles in many areas and enforces winter overnight parking bans on designated streets. Confirm where the van will legally live before you order one.
This catches more buyers than anything else. A high-roof van stands roughly 9 to 10 feet tall, and most city parking garages post clearances well below that. Measure your own garage door opening, not just the ceiling height.
Lake-effect snow and ice are routine. AWD with proper winter tires handles it well, and a loaded van brakes differently from a car, so leave more room.
Illinois salts heavily. Washing the undercarriage regularly through winter is the single most useful habit for a van you plan to keep, and it protects brake lines, fasteners and the underbody far more than anything done inside the build.
Water, refrigeration, galley and electrical capacity sized for the days between hookups.
A gear garage beneath a raised bed handles bikes, skis, paddles and wet gear, with roof racks for anything longer.
Lower purchase price, cheaper routine maintenance, and Ford dealers throughout Chicagoland. AWD available and effective in snow. See our Ford Transit conversion builds and Ford camper vans for sale .
Stronger resale, diesel range for long Midwest drives, and proven AWD and 4x4 options. Higher purchase and service cost. Browse our Sprinter van conversion lineup and Sprinter camper for sale listings.
Short wheelbase builds run about 19.5 feet, extended about 22.5 feet. Both stand roughly 9 to 10 feet tall in high-roof form.
At matched wheelbase, the two platforms offer comparable usable interior space, and we build the same layouts on both.
Two in the DUO Series, four in the FAMILY Series, on either platform.
Identical layout options, with a gear garage available under a raised bed in both.
For most Chicago buyers, the Transit is the better value and the easier vehicle to service locally. Buyers planning long-distance travel or prioritizing resale often prefer the Sprinter. Our Sprinter vs. Transit guide compares them properly.
Heat and water decide it. A properly sized fuel-fired heater with full insulation keeps the interior comfortable well below freezing, and a water system you can either keep heated or drain completely prevents the freeze damage that ends most winter trips. Read our guide to building a four-season camper van .
Two people fit a DUO. Four need the FAMILY Series for the seatbelts and berths.
Short wheelbase for city use. Confirm legal parking and garage clearance before ordering.
If the van sits outside through winter, winterize the water system and plan for snow load and battery maintenance. Indoor storage is worth paying for here if you can find it with the clearance.
A gear garage beneath a raised bed, plus roof racks for anything bulky or wet.
In winter, the heater and fridge are the main overnight draws. Size the battery bank around those rather than summer use, and remember that solar contributes far less in a Chicago December. Our solar sizing guide covers the math.
A lifetime cabinet warranty for the original owner, with no mileage or year limits. A converted van usually needs insurance beyond a standard auto policy, so confirm coverage before your first trip.
A family-owned Boulder shop with more than 300 vans built since 2016, all designed and built in-house.
Both platforms every week, with honest guidance on which fits your budget and your routes.
Refined across hundreds of builds rather than designed once and repeated.
Battery, solar, charging and monitoring specified as one system and serviceable by the team that installed it. See our Electrical System work and Solar Installation page.
Baltic birch cabinetry cut on our own CNC and finished by hand, with Havelock wool insulation in pre-built models.
Covered for the original owner, with no mileage or year limits.
Video design calls, digital build updates and clear payment milestones.
Sprinter or Transit, your van or one we source for you.
DUO, FAMILY, pre-built Bivy or fully custom.
Side by side in our van designer .
A fixed, itemized quote before any build work starts.
Including where the van will park and store through a Chicago winter.
Book a video call through our contact page or call (303) 414-6834.
$2,500 design deposit, 50% at design approval, 25% at build launch, 25% at handover. See our process .
Fly into Denver and drive roughly 1,000 miles home, or have us arrange transport to Chicago.
Compare layouts and finishes over video with the design team before committing to anything.
Collect the van in Boulder or have it transported to Chicago.
Heaters, solar, air conditioning, roof vents, refrigeration and suspension at our Boulder shop. See Repairs, installations, and services .
Systems work comes back to the team that installed it. Chassis service goes to a Mercedes or Ford dealer locally. Contact us to confirm current scheduling.
Lifetime cabinet warranty for the original owner, plus support with manufacturer warranties on installed components. See Heater Service .
Ready to find the right camper van in Chicago? Design your van , browse vans available now , or call (303) 414-6834. See also campervans for sale in Illinois , our Minneapolis page , and delivery across all 50 states .
Email: info@thevansmith.com
Text: 303-381-0740
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Call: 303-381-0740
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