Abby · Transit 148 EXT

The Story

Kyle came to us from Moose Jaw wanting a van he could genuinely live out of, not just camp in on long weekends. Abby is the result: an AWD Ford Transit 148 EXT in steel gray, and the paint is about the only cold thing on it. Inside there is a tilting double bed, bench seating with a Lagun table, Broad Arrow windows, and a galley with an induction cooktop, a deep sink, hardwood countertops, a microwave, and a Dometic CFX chest fridge. Storage runs from the cab shelf through the upper cabinets and back into the garage, so long-trip gear actually has a place to live.

The off-grid package is what makes the long hauls possible. A 400Ah lithium battery bank feeds a Victron MultiPlus 3000W inverter, with 335W of solar and DC-DC alternator charging keeping it topped up on driving days, all managed from a Victron Cerbo touchscreen. Water is a 35 gallon fresh tank with an Isotherm Spa water heater, and a gasoline air heater keeps the interior warm when the weather turns. The wet bath has a composting toilet and a Nautilus self-cleaning shower door, which sounds like a small detail until you have cleaned a regular one inside a van.

Underneath, we set Abby up for distance and load: a rear 5-leaf mini spring package, Falcon 3.3 SP2 fast-adjust shocks, SumoSprings, and a levelling kit, with a Flatline Van Co roof rack and a Fiamma awning up top. Kyle has put more than 19,000 km on Abby since delivery, including two full crossings of Canada and his move from Saskatchewan to Newfoundland. That is the kind of road testing a brochure cannot give you, and the van is still earning its keep.

“Mitchell, Steven, and Lorry were with me every step of the way. I have driven Abby across Canada twice now, including my move from Sask to NL. Post purchase, 2Pines has been very understanding and helpful with anything I need. A solid group of incredibly passionate people who love what they do.”