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SOOOO!!!! Dumb Idea

mombobuggy

mombobuggy

Well-Known Member
Location
Highland
The black one on Pirate is really cool. I have talked about doing one of those for years. A bus with a Cummins in it already is in my opinion the best option for me because I have worked on lots of them and feel confident that I could keep it running well for ever. Also the two ton Clark five speed or real Allison. Transmission is a bonus in a world where a one ton type tranny seems inadequate at times. Again my opinion. The big rear end and brakes. sure dont hurt either.
 
mombobuggy

mombobuggy

Well-Known Member
Location
Highland
Hoosier you say it is a 30 footer so I am assuming that it is a class A coach. That leads me to believe that it should have an adequate frame under it. Perhaps if it runs well you could chop it off like the one Tyler photo shopped. That should leave the overhead bed and room for a shower or what ever is a priority to you. If you do it it would be interesting to see how much weight you could cut off of it my guess is about four thousand pounds at least. the Tent trailer I stripped lost 900 lbs. and it was already partially gutted. The crew cab truck idea is a fun one just way to much work building cab mounts should not be to bad but all the other stuff would get very time consuming. If done properly that is. An 03 cab with a 440 is an emissions problem for possible resale outside of Tooele Co. Maybe an older cab would be cheaper as well. and it would be nice not sitting on the front bumper like a Motorhome. Bench racing is great.
 
DaveB

DaveB

Long Jeep Fan
Location
Holladay, Utah
One day at Checker auto a few years back I saw a rig that I had to check out because he took up half of the parking spaces. The owner came out and told me how he made it. He started with a very long GM based moving van, took off the back box, cut the cab behind the front seats and added a suburban body on back of that. He had to stretch the suburban in width to fit on the frame. Behind the suburban body he took a dually pickup bed widened it and stretched it to 12 feet long. He had a custom topper on the pickup bed that matched the color of the whole thing. He used it to tow a trailer with custom cars that he took to car shows. He said parking the monster was a real pain.
 
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hoosier

mtn yot
Location
Tooele, UT
So this project is becoming harder and harder to turn away from. I measured an 04 dodge and my Pace. The front axle is the same width as is the frame. I have been informed (by mulitpile sources) that with the motorhome being an older class A the frame will be just fine (as long as i put the correct cross members in) Also a guy I work with his uncle wrecked his 03 dually some time ago and still has the cab, interior, and front clip (Minus the front bumper)

pic of the rig
IMAG0234.jpg
 
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Deleted member 12904

Guest
hoosier said:
So this project is becoming harder and harder to turn away from. I measured an 04 dodge and my Pace. The front axle is the same width as is the frame. I have been informed (by mulitpile sources) that with the motorhome being an older class A the frame will be just fine (as long as i put the correct cross members in) Also a guy I work with his uncle wrecked his 03 dually some time ago and still has the cab, interior, and front clip (Minus the front bumper)

pic of the rig
View attachment 90681
Click to expand...

I would hate to see you test fate and not do this project. I have a few sawzalls (Not saws most) and a plasma cutter Im thinking you could wrap this project up by the end of the month.
 
mombobuggy

mombobuggy

Well-Known Member
Location
Highland
I wonder if you could cut all of the bolts and screws that connect the coach to the frame. Lifting one side and then the other with several high lift jacks. until it is all loose from the frame then strap it onto a big trailer with some big ratchet straps. Then go to the transfer station/Dump and ask them to lift the body off of the frame with there Loader. I have done it both ways with Camp trailers and the way I describe is in my opinion a big time and labor saver. If it looks possible to apply this idea on a larger scale.
 
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hoosier

mtn yot
Location
Tooele, UT
So... I am still toying with the idea of doing this. I think taking into account that I am very OCD when it comes to safety we can get this done in a manner that will turn out nice and relaiable. When building the bed a buddy of mine and I have been discussing ideas of how to proceede with this. We were thinking about using 2x4x.120 steel for the frame. Now while I value his oppinion a lot I would like to see what others think on this idea. Tonight is when I am going to start the tear down. I will take pics along the way. Thanks in advance.
 
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