Thanks for the pics Joe. This is a great project!
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Thanks for the pics Joe. This is a great project!
Attachment 14351
How's this for a set of mud flaps and stays.
This hatch is going to make the laundry hamper real convenient and putting groceries and stocking the camper will be easy through here too.
I'll replace the small vent with a bigger smoked glass window that will take up the upper half of the hatch.
Attachment 14352
All the controls for the pete rear heat and ac r up top with a light and DC power outlet off of chassis.
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My couch is not rv it's lazy boy. I'm going to trim about 6in off the rear that is quite unnecessary up agsinst a wall and really free up those precious inches.
It's rough but I've taken 1 pretty big step forward and I can move back on board.
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Not your typical camper.
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Next project is stretch the frame after the axle to take this hitch / box / platform and move it back far enough so the entire platform extends beyond the back wall of the coach. I'll cut all the channel away and insert factory pete frame rails and a cross member or 2.
U won't be able to break it.
Attachment 14363
I have decided to turn these hatches 90 degree and use these bunk hatches and jams for my bay doors downstairs. They r perfect dimensions and will make huge strong bay doors. I'll need 6, 2 for the driver's side 3 for the pass side. I'm also going to take one hatch and stretch it taller to use it as an entrance door for the camper. I know where the first 2 candidates r located in a bone yard in Gary Indiana. I'll have to reskin them cause of the existing vents. If I decide to have them extend with the slides they r under I'll have them hindged at the top. If they stay put when the slides come out I'll hindge them down.
When I reskin smooth aluminum siding I'll probably introduce aluminum channel when the frame is exposed so I can use rivits for fastners. Exterior will be aluminum with rivits with aluminum radius corners at the rear.
Looking good Joe. Thanks for the pics. The interior is actually very charming! :)
My cozy little coop Dave. I am going to steampunk the lighting and a few other little things.
Google image steampunk lighting. It's great man cave stuff.
How will you produce the steam?
Allright then, back to the dirty deed.
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After aggrivating myself on a search with people who either did not know what they r doing, don't know how to make a buck or lazy or all the above I drug this down the hill.
Here is my clip and crossmember for the next part of the build.
Streatching the frame on my peterbilt chassis 54 in after the drive axle to get my rear platform and hitch where I want it.
Lewbucks ..... zip zero nothing!
Here is an RV wrecker with lots of great parts.
http://en.visonerv.com/cgi-bin/c/rvs...-partingout.pl
Hey Kirk. I just noticed your post thank u.
Can u guess what I'm working on today?
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Clue....It's got an 8v with a dd3. Another clue, it's a crew cab.
Another clue.
Attachment 14485
It needed a jump start and the 24v Unimog was the easiest thing to use.
Oshkosh truck of some kind?
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Just a little farm implement to help pull a stump now and then.
Attachment 14488
I'm over in "central spares" this morn rootn a pair of brake shoes and I've found a prime candidate.
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Look at the spindle nut LOL. After about 5 min I did start to see a couple drips of oil drop out. I love it here. Good stuff. These r things memories r made of for an aging wrench. Hope u all don't mind me sharing. I'm out here almost entirely alone all week for 12 weeks and I need people to talk to animals only get u so far.
Attachment 14490
Here r the shoes I'm looking to replace. R they worthy of the wall of shame?! Depends who u ask, lol
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New old stock look a that. The best part of it , I don't have to spend any time or money running around I get er done and I go no place for nothing, usually.
If u guys ever hear of a project needing some input, I can fix and fab lots of stuff. I'm a pretty good hand. Have camper, will travel.
Attachment 14492
The old Dayton spoke hub and inboard drum is totally scrap metal. But
This has a real good ring to it. Might be a dinner bell for the garage. All it needs is a real unique banger and stand.
Joe,
All the "stuff" you get involved in, some how makes our buses seem a little less overwhelming. I could use that little camouflage pickup around the farm for many different things.
Hey Dale hope u r doing well and staying buisy.
The Unimog is a Mercedes and although it looks really cool they r rougher than rough very small cab to get in to and built really bad be carful with the unimog.
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If u r looking to get that next piece of equipment for the farm and u don't have one of these a Grade-All , that's what I call this, is for sure one of the most versital tools on any jobsite. I need to pull some stuff off this cab and in minutes by myself I've got it right in the middle of all the comforts of home. When im done I'll stick it right back. The machine is used and is almost as easily opporated as a fork and spoon.
Grade all DEFINATLY a cool tool.
Attachment 14499
How would this do as a hood ornament on my Pete.
Chromed already. 21lb. Ya baby, this would make one with some gerth.
It was picked out of a scrap pile already chromed. It's unbelievable to me that some nitwit through this away for scrap at some point prior to it getting turned into a paperweight. 300 bucks was the asking price, yesrerday. Pinebush equipment.
Attachment 14747
I located a pair of 20,000lb trailer axles fitted with 12 in brake drums for a custom trailer I'm building to pull behind my Pete. Look what was living in hub number 2. Poor little guys.
Although the coach still looks the same it's got a boatload of doe put into it this year.
After futile attempts at hiring a welder to stretch the frame on the camper I've purchased a gas welder and come spring I'll get er done myself.
I'm parked just a little piece out of Beaumont Texas on Interstate 10 at a Texaco fuel stop True Value Hardware Store.
This is a great idea I've never seen anything like it they're going to do real good here I've been buying all kinds of stuff ever since I got here. A 24-hour hardware store at a fuel stop what a perfect collaboration.
I was able to scarf up this great big brass ship's ventilator stack and I went and got me some sandpaper here and started the polishing process.
Attachment 14864
How about that for a custom high speed front brake ventilator! How many guys got these?
I found the crossmember at a Boneyard for a hundred twenty five bucks Peterbilt wanted $700 for that crossmember it's three pieces. The frame rails I had bent custom made brand new stuff. That's 40 21/32 holes I had to drill
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April finally decided to show up in Chicago and I'm back at it. Working on moving that hitch back some and get it to where it belongs.
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BAM. Now I'm 36 ft. That's a good piece of work for two guys to get done in 2 days. Now I can begin to frame and build out the lower bays and compartments.
How about this chassis for a 6 by 4 motorhome.
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Only a real man's chassis. The cigar lighter is a dead give away. 79 Crane Carrier Cab a Cummins Big Cam 400 Cat 16 speed automatic and all by American General. 45 MPH flat out.
PURE 100% AMERICAN METAL
I've been rubbing it in all the right places!!
Attachment 15080
I pulled the body off of it and am installing a 5th wheel. It will be pulling a 50 Ton detachable double drop lowboy.
It's been sitting for a decade probably more. Been to Iraq and back.
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Brockway. Entire mechanical here and pretty much unmalested. I bet this was retired running then just sat. He has the doors.
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A piston pump
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I'm chasing parts today for a heil water pump on a old hahn fire truck.
Here is where it led me. Andy and his private collection. Not even 1/10 of his collection.
That Brockway first pic that is undoubtedly the oldest reefer I've ever seen. I love my job.
Joe,
How is your RV coming along? I enjoying seeing your progress!
Where is Andy's fire truck located at? Can anyone go by and see his collection?
Andy's in the process of opening a museum in eastern Pennsylvania with those fire trucks.
I've had my Pete for 2 years now and everything I've done to it up to now has pretty much happened in the first 2 weeks. About the only real project I've gotten done over the two years I've had it now is stretching the frame out.
I'm building my schedule this year so that I'm going to be home in Chicago for about 5 months straight I plan on building out the lower compartments and Bays this summer.
Attachment 15370
For now, it's winter vacation on Upper Mattacumbie. Where all the boys r handsome and all the girls pretty.
Hey Joe just discovered this thread yesterday and read thru it. Coming from a parts-changer with no fab skills whatsoever (ME), you are one talented fella. That's impressive. Prolly win the race up the mountain too!
Attachment 15642
Was scheduled to come out and pull all the carpet out of this bus and put a floor in which I'm doing. I got a really good retired friend who's coming with me most trips when he can put up with me. He's a really really good mechanic got a degree in electrical engineering when he was younger nothing he can't fix whether it be below the water or up in the sky and everything in between and he is just a gopher for me now and he's a blessing to have around. I offer him to my customers if they've got any other stuff they need done keep him busy while he's here.
Attachment 15643
Headlights short
Attachment 15644
Ignition points timing
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Carburetor rebuild kit original straight 6 engine
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Huge electrical draw when off
Attachment 15647
Generator on the slide in and an air conditioning charge on the truck.
We had to take the carburetor apart on the power washer to get it running too. no picture so that don't count. lol
Here is the plethora of things that he's gotten running or repaired since we got here.
He likes antiques he is an antique
Joe and Larry coming to a town near u.
Attachment 15648
Here's a pretty cool extra for the garage!!
Golf simulator
Joe, you're having too much fun.
Attachment 15889
Back to the RV.
Got buisy starting the lower compartments.
The door and frame r out of a peterbilt sleeper in a local bone yard that I've stripped and cleaned.
Attachment 15890
Far from perfect but got pretty finished with the door and frame. 1 down 5 to go.
Its 1/8 in aluminum and 3/16ths rivits that I brushed with a red scotch pad with a block.
Bay Door #1.
Attachment 15891
These r the brackets they mount boxes on semi trailers. I welded on an additional second strap they come with only 1. Then I'm going to add a couple removable center braces on the inner lower corners going across from left to right to the bay directly across from it on the other side. Under the driveshaft, tons of room. This will really strengthen things.
Attachment 15892
3/4 in ply sanded both sides then primered and 2 coats white all 6 sides before assembly.
Attachment 15893
Ripped down 7/8 in cleats and pre drilled, cross drilled holes for 1&5/8 screws in the corners. This entire box is still to be attached to the brackets once I'm sure just exactly where everything will live.
I'm still incubating ideas and this configuration will maybe change
BUT
The beginning of the plumbing bay the hatch will cover.
Attachment 15894
I'll have 125 gal fresh water and it will stay this side the 150 gal fuel tank directly to the left is going to be converted to a waste tank. 125 fresh 150 holding tank good numbers.
To balance things the 150gal tank on the other side will remain fuel and its accompanied by 2 8d house batteries, the inverter and the propane tanks in a similar bay I've already constructed over there. that will pretty closely equal the loads left to right and all the heavies r forward of the drives.
2 things I've picked up on. The details consume a great deal of time and u will also be constantly looking for that extra 1/2 in that u ain't got.
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Closes on the same car door striker post everybody always uses. Way heavier than I expected. It's got to be close to 50lb. Sept for the hinge it's entirely aluminum.
Nothin fancy
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Been raining here for days suppose to be nice tomorrow might get something done.
So Joe:
What do you do in your spare time ? LOL
Chuck