Crazy idea ????

[DaveB]

A friend at work has an old 71 Chevy motor home that he wants to get rid of. I had this crazy idea of getting it and ripping off the old motorhome and building a flatbed that could be used to haul a jeep to Moab or bring back a broken one. Is that a nutty idea ? or would you keep it as a motorhome and have a great rig for the Relic Run ? Here is a picture of it. I'm fairly sure the wife would kill me for even suggesting another project but she does miss our old 72 Chevy.

 

[Kevin B.]

Cut it off behind the door, so you keep the cabover to sleep in.

 

[airmanwilliams]

Definately do kevins idea

 

[DaveB]

Cut it off behind the door, so you keep the cabover to sleep in.

I thought about the same idea, I would need to measure it to see if it would still be long enough for the toys.

 

[Kevin B.]

I thought about the same idea, I would need to measure it to see if it would still be long enough for the toys.

Stretch the frame. You're gonna put a dually axle underneath anyway, right?

 

[mbryson]

Odd that you bring that up. To me, the flatbed pickup hauler is IDEAL for taking a Jeep around. Just was looking at olderish crew cab dually trucks last night. My wife will be SO thrilled. I want something I don't have to "restore" much---mid 90's big block gasser or something---. I'll then dump the 2004 Dodge Cummins and buy a sedan to cruise to Cache Valley and ??? at 25+ mpg

 

[DaveB]

Stretch the frame. You're gonna put a dually axle underneath anyway, right?

It already has a dually rear. And who knows I might blend it with my 86 K30 truck's drivetrain and make it 4 wheel drive (and a 502 power plant).

 

[Hickey]

It may be difficult to discard the camper part, but you should get started on it. Now.


NO STACKS! I would look into converting that rear suspension to air bags.

 

[bryson]

Stretch the frame. You're gonna put a dually axle underneath anyway, right?

Looks like a dually to me already...

Cool truck... is it a big block?

***edit***
Man, you guys post fast. Maybe I'm just slow.

 

[Hickey]

I wonder if you could get an old 2 speed rear axle in there with a higher final gear ratio. That would be snazzy.

 

[DaveB]

Looks like a dually to me already...

Cool truck... is it a big block?

It is a dually and it has a 350 that was rebuilt. It hasn't been used in about 10 years. I would throw my big block 502 into it.

 

[Johnny Quest]

saw the truck youre thinking about down in MOab this spring. had a warmed up big block something under the hood and hauled a nicely built Willys around on the back. I think it was a local guy.

 

[Stephen]

Fix it up and get it rolling for Relic Run, man! No point in hacking up a nice old rig like that!

 

[Bart]

I think its a great idea.

 

[BCGPER]

As big of fan as I am of the 72 Chebby's (have one in the stable right now in fact), I love the idea but I'd have to pass on that one. Unless it's an awesome deal for you, then it might be worth it. It'll be marginal hauling a rig on back as it is, so keeping any kind of "sleeper" in tact I think would be out of the question. Losing that part of it means you'll probably be looking for a cab as well. Big project, I'll be waiting to see what you do with it.

 

[mombobuggy]

maybe a cummins motor school bus would work out well. and strip an old camper for all the parts thats my plan and oh yes my wife is thrilled at the prospect of being known as the people with the bus in thier yard.

 

[mombobuggy]

If you scrapped the camper completely then the jeep should fit fine then you could take a small bumper pull camper for weekend trips and leave it home for the day trips.

 

[mesha]

I think it would be cool. I would take it on the relic run and then strip it down for a hauler.