I have been looking around lately at Class A motorhomes to use as a tow rig and camper, but just can't find anything that really suits me. Mainly something decent enough to tow with.

Then I had a interesting thought about people who have added living quarters to trailers and converting buses, and thought it may be a good option for me.

My thought would be to get a newer cutaway chassis, and I could get diesel with nice towing capacity, and build it how I want. Maybe even a new GMC topkicks with a d-max and 4wd when they start building them, seems like it would be a great motorhome tow rig.

Just curious if anyone has done anything like this, and have any pics, write-up, and/or tips for the DIY Motorhome.

I've thought about it... seems like it would be EXPENSIVE, RV stuff isn't cheap,, it would also nickle and dime you to death...

I would try to find a wrecked camper/motorhome to strip out and use the appliances, tanks, pumps, switches, inverter, awning etc...

Originally posted by tators
I've thought about it... seems like it would be EXPENSIVE, RV stuff isn't cheap,, it would also nickle and dime you to death...

I would try to find a wrecked camper/motorhome to strip out and use the appliances, tanks, pumps, switches, inverter, awning etc...

Yeah thats kinda what I was thinking. I also found a place RV salvage yard in Indiana on-line. http://www.rvsurplussalvage.com/index.php?page=shop/index

We are looking at buying a Kenworth Conv. for < 8K, streching the frame, replace the rear duals with a single axle and build a body on it using flat fiberglass sheets for the exterior, do the interior in wood like wooden sailboats.

Have you looked at these ?????


http://www.unitedtrendsetter.com/mcoach.htm

http://www.showhauler.com/index.shtml
looks kinda like the ones im looking at too. and they are in indiana too! hummmm

Originally posted by vb
http://www.showhauler.com/index.shtml
looks kinda like the ones im looking at too. and they are in indiana too! hummmm

Thanks for the link, lots of construction pics to give me ideas.

Have you looked at buying an older class"A" and repowering it?
You'll enjoy the room in a 37'er. You can pick one up down here like it for less that $20,000. and still in good shape. I have one I use for a tow rig, but it didn't have the power I needed to get up the mountains without a lot of effort. So I repowered it. Will be done real soon. I pulled the Ford EFI 460 and C-6 tranny and replaced it with a Cummins 5.9L and Allison 4 speed auto. It should go from 6 mpg to 15 mpg. And, it will go up the mountains with the cars. All total the conversion is coming in under $10K. Not bad when you consider the engine is new as are most of the parts. You'll enjoy a Class "A" better cause it has more room than the "C's". And you'll find you have all kinds of friends who need a cool place to sleep in when your out wheeling. I see them at great prices ,(cheap) around here all the time. I bought mine 7 years ago from a dealer who took it in trade and couldn't find a buyer for it cause it was over 3 years old and had 35k miles. I guess most RV buyers don't want to to repair the little stuff that starts needing attention by that age. I put 50K miles on it before we got tired of crawling up the mountains.
I know a lot of guys have converted busses and such, but, dang that's a lot of work, when you could be wheeling. And trailers are cheap. Beside I think they look a little too "Red Neck" for my taste.
Here's a link to my photo albumn. (http://www.photogra.com/index.cfm?p=viewphoto&albumID=79643&d=1)

Bottom line, Look for a 10year old, top of the line RV with some miles left in it and drive it till it needs a motor. Then repower it. You'll be miles ahead and will be going "First Class". Afterall "we are mechanics, and we like to work on stuff", Right?
Course, I you live in California you may have to register it in Arizona. Damn Commie Pinko Greenies. :)
SSSRodeo

Originally posted by SSSRodeo
Have you looked at buying an older class"A" and repowering it?
You'll enjoy the room in a 37'er. You can pick one up down here like it for less that $20,000. and still in good shape. I have one I use for a tow rig, but it didn't have the power I needed to get up the mountains without a lot of effort. So I repowered it. Will be done real soon. I pulled the Ford EFI 460 and C-6 tranny and replaced it with a Cummins 5.9L and Allison 4 speed auto. It should go from 6 mpg to 15 mpg. And, it will go up the mountains with the cars. All total the conversion is coming in under $10K. Not bad when you consider the engine is new as are most of the parts. You'll enjoy a Class "A" better cause it has more room than the "C's". And you'll find you have all kinds of friends who need a cool place to sleep in when your out wheeling. I see them at great prices ,(cheap) around here all the time. I bought mine 7 years ago from a dealer who took it in trade and couldn't find a buyer for it cause it was over 3 years old and had 35k miles. I guess most RV buyers don't want to to repair the little stuff that starts needing attention by that age. I put 50K miles on it before we got tired of crawling up the mountains.
I know a lot of guys have converted busses and such, but, dang that's a lot of work, when you could be wheeling. And trailers are cheap. Beside I think they look a little too Neck" for my taste.
Here's a link to my photo albumn. (http://www.photogra.com/index.cfm?p=viewphoto&albumID=79643&d=1)

Bottom line, Look for a 10year old, top of the line RV with some miles left in it and drive it till it needs a motor. Then repower it. You'll be miles ahead and will be going "First Class". Afterall "we are mechanics, and we like to work on stuff", Right?
Course, I you live in California you may have to register it in Arizona. Damn Commie Pinko Greenies. :)
SSSRodeo

Yeah, that's kind of what I was thinking, I even found a website that makes conversion parts to put dodge cummins engines into ford trucks. What did you get the cummins and allison out of?

Originally posted by GOAT1


Yeah, that's kind of what I was thinking, I even found a website that makes conversion parts to put dodge cummins engines into ford trucks. What did you get the cummins and allison out of?

The Cummins I got off a pallet,(it was a crate motor for a Dodge pickup ), and the Allison I pickup up out of a "93" pusher motorhome with 38,000 miles on it.

If you use an Oshcosh, John Deere or simular framed motorhome you can forget using pickup mounts. Go to Cummins and get the light truck mounts. You'll be miles ahead. Hang it in there like one of the big boys. It'll make life a whole lot easier. I wasted 6 weeks trying to make pickup mounts work for mine. I finally gave it up and got a nose mount for the front block and made some bell housing mounts for the backend. Look under a school bus, you'll see what I'm talking about. They hang the tranny off the back of the adapter ring, out in the open. Really cool when you think about it. You can pull the tranny without even worrying about the engine mounts.
LIke I said, If you have a Coach that you really like and have it set up the way you like it, and don't mind keeping it for a lot longer, then this is the way to go. It's a whole lot cheaper. Especially if it's paid for.

SSSRodeo

One of the guys who races with me is in the process of converting a really interesting rig. Was an old airport shuttle bus built on a Freightliner chassis with a Cummins/Allison already in it. It's about 6 years old with ~150,000 miles on it, all of 'em pretty much buzzing around the airport. Picked it up for peanuts & he's converting it to RV now.

TEX