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Wrecker Yards
I am curious if any members in all your travels know of or have seen a totaled xl sitting.
I would possibly have new life for an xl that has been totaled specifily one with front end damage.
If u know of one or ever come across such an animal I would be interested in hearing about it.
Thanks in advance
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Ok u guys I have a project!! I have recently purchased a peterbuilt 379 and am going to convert it into a motorhome. A 22000 lb motorhome with a 3406 cat and a 13 speed roadranger transmission. I'm once again sitting atop big wheels and I'm as excited as I was the day I bought my xl. Now I have to decide just how different I want it to be.Attachment 14030
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The spot this fellow picked to haul his bicycle speeks volumes.
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Here is what I'm starting with below.
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The bunk the headache rack the 5th wheel and the front rear end r going by by.
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Joe, Glad to see you got the pictures figured out. Keep us posted.
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Lot of talented creative people out there on the interweb to get inspiration from. This will be fun.
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Okay Joe, here's your goal.
https://goo.gl/images/NT64DD
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I like the door. Its in the right spot.
Time will tell. Won't be grafting an xl to it this year that's for sure. This is defiantly not going to brake the bank and it us going to be easy to work on.
The correct registration and insurance hindges on it being a motorhome.
For now I'm going to make it one so I can register it and insure it as an RV. I already have the RV travel trailer it will be married to.
I cant afford and won't risk a loss on it during a prolonged project. Or it ud have to be insured as a commercial vehicle during that time for more Lew bucks I want to surrender. I'm not even sure st farm would do it. They will only insure if the RV is nondetatchable. No heavy truck chassis with 5th wheels at St Farm. I estimated the gvw at 22000. I described it as a Class B. To insure it as an RV is 1\10 what it costs to insure it as a truck.
The state has a pretty straight forward process to redefine the registration, specialty vehicles.
I don't want to wait either, I want to use it this winter.
This way I'll have the luxury of as much time as I need to refine the finished product. Its gonna take a few years.
U just might wake up to me in your driveway this winter Gill. Where was that outlet I forget?
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Joe,
I think it would be classified as a Class C. The Class B is a van. If you converted your van it would be a Class B. The truck chassis (Freigntliner, Peterbilt, etc) motorhomes are a Class C. This might make a difference in insurance. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
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B,s and Cs r both van chassis.
Whatever I end up with im sure there won't be anything hanging up over the cab and I was thinking the difference between a class b and class c was that 1 thing. If no bunk or entertainment center over the cab its a class b not a c? That could be wrong too. St farm simply defined it as a peterbuilt rv don't know if they were critical of other definitions.
Denny the red b model mack I posted picture of that IMHO is a c. The lines an preportions on the low top pete cab r just too good looking to cover up.
Hey Denny what have u been doing with your B model. How about some pics?
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I think Denny is correct. A class B is van based, class C is cab only based, truck or van cab. I can imagine a DMV that makes a registration difference between RV classes beyond towable or motorized.
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Ok back again. That first pete never materialized. However I did find and purchase this.
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This is a 1990 peterbuilt 377 with a 3406cat and a 10 speed. Preferred power but wrong trans but not to worry it has a 13speed in its future. As u can see the process has begun.
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Service body gone bunk off but I am hanging on to it.
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Here is the travel trailer I'm removing the suspension from and putting on this chassis. Haven't had to do any stretching whatsoever. Look at how perfect the 2 back ends match up. Don't u love it when a plan comes together!! Stand by for updates its full speed ahead. Woooohooo I got a camper with big wheels and some horsepower again. I weighed the thing when I sold the service body to a local scrap yard. 17000 lb as it sits. That means when I'm done I'll have a camper with a 450hp cat mother tipping the scales at under 25000lb. Get the picture. Yaaaaaa baby
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Nice looking rig Joe. I'm sure it will look very different the next time we see it!
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What are you gong to haul your tools in? The transformation looks good, keep us updated on progress.
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Hey Denny how have u been? Tell Ruth Ann hello.
My 1 ton diesel van is going away and I'll replace it with a 18 or 20 ft enclosed trltr. I've found aluminum 4 by 8 ft sheets they skin hallmark trlrs in. I'll peel the current siding off of the camper and reskin it after I square the front of it and cut an opening to match the one in the back of the cab.
Once I get it up on the truck it will talk to me and I'll decide how I put the lower skirts and compartments. I recon a lot of it will happen this winter in fl.
I've gotten quite busy finding time will be a factor but there is always 2am right!!
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Sounds like a great plan Joe. Keep us updated with pics as you develop your camper. That large trailer will give you plenty of room to operate from.
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I have been able to witness the transformation from picking up the truck in Eastland, TX to all kinds of modifications. I have been able to lend Joe a place to work and modify his creation so that he can get it to Chicago for final fitting. He has been very creative and resourceful in his planning stages. I'm just glad to say that I was there at the birth of this project. Joe is a very talented and creative guy for those of you who may not have met or known Joe in the past. if you have a bus that needs looking after, you need to put him on your routine maintenance list. He replaced 23 air fittings on my bus last week and for the first time in two years, I have good pressure again. Thanks Joe!!!!
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LOL. Tony I wasn't going to reveal just where u were at when I got here but now that u brought it up.....
Your XLV would not get over 80psi at idle when I got here and now it's sitting on 125psi for days and that makes a happy happy bus.
We got your aux air compressor to cycle less than once a day and replaced the original aux compressor with a California air so when it does go on u can't barley hear it anyway. Got prevo to get the otr ac and the trans retarder squared away. Upgraded the original Heart inverters to a pair of 4000w Magnums. Got the toilet flushing and calibrated the tank sensors. Upgraded to an auto adjuster on the alternator belt. Put A Fresh Set Of Rubber brake Hoses and brake Relay valves. Did a lot of rubbing and and gave your liberty some good lovin. It's ready for the next 20 yr.
U really need to do something about these little scorpions and all the prickly cockleburrs. In chicago our lawns r sod. We roll in them with our dogs quite comfotably and without fear of being stung.
The wrecker shows up today and the metamorphosis of the peterbuilt will take place promptly at 8am wooohoooo. It's 4am and coffee is brewing.
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Joe is the go-to guy when it comes to Prevost suspensions. For some odd reason he enjoys the limited dirty work area under these buses.
The auto adjusting belt tensioner was a good idea. Until I looked, I has no idea how pricey that conversion kit was. Still, if the old manual adjuster has problems the conversion is a good investment.
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Prevo can only get the pully bearings. DD has made all the manual adjusters obsolete so it was the only choice.
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If I were going to try this, mine would probably look more this one.
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Turn the receiver upside down
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Backup on a couple of moderate ramps
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And you can back up onto a tilt bed car hauler and just clear it going up
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Bam
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3, 8 ft 5 in pipes and a come along.
If u ever wondered if we had rednecks in the big city now u know.
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Put some plywood skirt on it to get it home. I built a towbar from the trailer tongue that i cut off to pull my van. U haul wanted 450 1way for a car trlr aniline to chi
The incubation begins.
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Joe, That is simply incredible! It almost looks like it rolled off the converter floor (although the step out from the doors might surprise you!). Please keep the pics coming as you roll through this project.
Can't wait for round 2
Doug
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Doug your comments r too kind. Many of my friends have suggested very clever ideas for the door and steps. When I reskin it I'm loosing the rear door that is not really needed for a small RV such as this and I'll make 1 larger bedroom window out of the current door and smaller window that is there now. That leaves me with having to engineer only 1 way in.
Headed over to peterbuilt this morn with the vin to see just what 10 speed trans and rear end is in it.
Drove it back to Chicago from Texas without incident. Got 8.2 mpg at 72 mph. Tested it a few different times by jumping out into the hammer lane (left lane) when getting past by a large car (semi) that had galloped by . Nobody got away from me all night long. Its way less strenuous to drive than that van pulling a trailer was. I left Texas 2pm Friday afternoon and pulled up at home in Chicago at 8 am sat morn. An adrenaline filled trip. I have to install a cb before the next time out that will be a hoot.
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Glad you made it home safely Joe. You can take the trucker out of the truck but can't take the truck out of the trucker. You will have years of enjoyment and pleasure in you camper while you tour the country . Keep us posted on your progress
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thank you for all the helpful information looks looks like a great project. Many years ago built a motorhome on a 38' FC blue bird bus (the yellow one) replaced the 653 detroit with a 3406 cat, they all said it would not fit, but it did, ht754 Allison, ran like a bear, up hill and down. looking forward to meeting you and have you tweek my XL, all the best Steve Murphy
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Joe, I am really impressed that you have it looking that good in such a short time.
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Dale I had 3 things a van a pete and a bumper pull trlr I was 1200 miles from Chicago and it was the most cost effective and expedient way to just get er done.
Full coverage with state farm with a stated value of 40,000 is 550 a year. That's not bad. I contacted Springfield and started the reregestraton as a motorhome and its all spelled out what to do not difficult.
State farm was very inquisitive about 2 specific items does it have a 5th wheel and can the motorhome be detached both red flags for them. There is a growing community of not for hire privately owned semi tractors pulling 5th wheel rvs. They dont insure those. Guess they cant trust people to not use them for freight or some other such nonsense.
Springfield asked if the rv can be accessed thru the cab. That is 1of the requirements. Although currently it can't that is in the works. All simple requests and requirements. It will be squared away the day the sec of state comes to look and certify.
Right now I'm playing with ideas for the door. What I'll do initially is drop the door 10" in and put 1step inside, then this set of 3 that fold up and that 5th step that will needed will be a stoop that I'll put on the ground. That will get me camping and I'll get more elaborate and do things differently for final assembly. I'm going to deck out the chassis and cab first that will give me time to think about the house side. I'm taking the mirrors off the doors moving them to the cowel and roof so I can suicide the doors. 10 in exhaust, duel 15 in stainless breathers, nice visor. That stuff is all timeless and I already know exactly what I want the front to look like.
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How did we ever survive without the interweb. Everything is out there isint it. Know what those steps need? An actuator controlled by a norgren LOL
Gill It has to pass the Gracy test.
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And she is a big sissy she would not like some of those sizzers. If I ever get to it the final solution to the entrance and stairs will be quite different. This first set r temporary don't want to spend alot on them now.
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Seem like there is a growing intrest in this platform.
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Plenty of inspiration right here where I'm at.
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Put 8000 miles on. Effortlessly, and, will turn another 5 in the next 30 days. Been in the keys recharging the batteries.
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Gracys ride.
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Pulling a 5th wheel. 4 door pete with 4 air ride bucket seats and a 40 in flat top sleeper grafted into the back. I really like this, wouldn't be too dificult.
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Not a Kingsley but just a bumper pull trlr grafted to a KW and Studio sleeper. Home made.
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Pulling a 5th wheel toy hauler. This has a 1 off air ride steer axle. Home made.
These r shots from the last 2 days.
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Hey Dale yes I'm putting the bunk back on. I mistakenly removed it when I first bought the truck before realizing I could incorporate it.
I'm sliding the camper 3 ft back, removing the rear wall of the bunk, the front wall of the camper and grafting the 2 togeather.
Then lastly I'll reskin the camper with smooth sided white aluminum to match the bunk.
I called weller truck parts inquiring about rear end gear ratios. I'm going to put a 2.72 in it.
That will get me from 1800 rpm at 75 in 9th gear, down to 1500 rpm in 8th at the same speed. Currently 8.2mpg and I am excited about where mpg will get too. Possibly 10+ if I can stay at about 70 in 8th.
Pete I slept all day yesterday.
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Sounds like a PLAN Joe. Should look like a new rig when you finish.
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The back of the bunk this morning.
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Here is what it looks like now.
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This is the ac evaporator and heater core pete puts in the bunk. My couch will be in this corner right on top of it and I'll be able to use it for aux ac and heat in the rear for the camper.
Tomorrow will be a big day. I move the house back 2 ft cut 1 foot off the front, removing the front wall, slide the bunk back between and connect the 2 togeather.
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Looking forward to some pics. I think it'll look great with the bunk.
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Progress on this is defined as its gonna get ugly before it gets good.
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I have defiantly created a project to keep me out of trouble. Both good and bad!! Holy Miley this is gonna take me the better part of a decade to complete with all the ideas I have bouncing around in my noggin. The more I look at it the more things I think of.
I only have 24ftr of house to work with and that creates issues out of things that r not in a 45 ftr.
2 things that seem small but important to me for user friendly issues r a garbage chute and a laundry chute both those baskets will be downstairs..
Also looking forward to autonomous retro fits for existing vehicles LOL. Andy who is selling that gadget?
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Is there anything you won't take on?
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