By Mark McConville
MEET the woman who has decided to turn a 1978 Dodge Commander into her ideal home by converting it herself.
Still a work in progress, incredible images show 34-year-old brand ambassador Jessy Muller, from Minneapolis, USA taking on the unenviable task of transforming this huge camper van, which she has been working on for a little over a year at a cost of £3000 so far.
Striking shots show Jessy hard at work installing kitchens and putting wood panelling over the walls while other show the DIY-er enjoying the fruits of her labour as she relaxes on the roof of the vehicle and proudly shows off her completed work.
Jessy explained why she took on the mammoth task of making her Dodge Commander, which she calls Mander, into a liveable van.
“I have marched to the beat of my own drum for as long as I can remember! I’ve never made conventional choices,” she said.
“I have a massive stubborn streak and a strong will but also a free spirit. I am quite introverted and love spending time in the solitude of the outdoors – the perfect combination for this endeavour.
“I am a nester but also love to travel. Having a home on wheels gives me the best of both worlds.
“I have always been frugal and into DIY so it just made sense to buy something at a great price and then make it my own. Plus, Mander is such a classic beauty; she deserves to be brought back to life.”
So far Jessy has only travelled from Minnesota to Wisconsin and back as she continues to work on her dream home.
She has big plans for travel once she’s done but has run into plenty of problems during the refurbishment.
“Mander has been primarily parked while I work on her,” she added.
“I want to travel everywhere. I will be boondocking on BLM’s and seeing all the beautiful sights the US has to offer.
“I have had tons of problems. I was totally new to everything: construction, plumping, electrical and motor homes in general.
“There was a tremendous learning curve that was not easy to endure but I kept at it. The biggest issue with Mander was that she had extensive water damage. I had to tear down the ceiling and walls to the raw aluminium and rebuild.”
Jessy has received a lot of support for her endeavours and has a message for anyone thinking about doing something similar.
“If it speaks to you, do it,” she said.
“Don’t make excuses as to why you can’t. Where there is a will, there is a way. Don’t let society dictate what your life should look like.
“The faster you get honest with yourself about what you want and shed other people’s expectations, the faster you become happy. Go honour your truth and get soul happy.”
