Before you can build your dream campervan, you need a solid foundation—and that meant dealing with the extensive rust hiding beneath this 2006 Toyota HiAce.

What we expected to be a quick weekend job turned into weeks of grinding, sanding, treating and repainting. Rust has a habit of revealing more rust, and this build was no exception.

In this episode of Mel's Toyota HiAce conversion series, we share the reality of tackling exterior rust for the first time. You'll see what worked, what caught us off guard, and why proper preparation is worth every extra hour before moving on with the build.

In this episode, you'll see:

• Removing heavy rust back to clean metal

• Applying rust converter correctly

• Priming with rust-inhibiting primer

• Colour matching and repainting the bodywork

• Why exterior rust is more challenging than expected

• The lessons we'd take into every future van build

This wasn't the most enjoyable stage of the conversion, but it was one of the most important. Taking the time to repair rust properly gave us the confidence to continue building knowing the van would last for years to come.

👉 If you're converting your own van, check out my Van Conversion Guide, where I cover every stage of the process—from buying a used van and checking for rust through to insulation, electrical, plumbing and cabinetry.