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Old 07-25-2020, 02:06 AM   #21
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Still working on the truck. Removed the engine/trans and got a whopping $26 for 1600 lbs of heavy metal. Finished cutting up the motorhome down to just the chassis.

Been spending hours and ordered two wrong parts to replace the 5/8 dually studs on the rear to let me use a 1/2 studs for a normal wheel, but finally found the chicken tooth part, which had a few in stock at local CarQuest, probably been on the store shelf for 20 years, had to order a few more to get 16 which will take 2 weeks to come in.

So got the drums off and put in a few 1/2 studs to mount the single wheels.
My plan is to replace the drums with disk brakes using the e450 Bus front calipers and pads and a Dodge rotor.

So I got the truck cab on the old motorhome chassis. Going to move the rearend make it 'short bed'. You can see how even 30.5 inch tall tires look a bit silly in that big front wheelwell. The 35 inch tires look so much better, but alas the ones I got to prototype were ford 170mm not 6.5in so don't bolt up. I got these wheels, but the tires are small. Will do for now.

So now I turn to the Bus and work on getting the wiring stripped down to just what I need to put the v10 in the truck, along with the bus steering column, brake master, and the dash gauges. The bus has a starting issue, it sometimes doesn't start, the seller thought it was some safety controls, but oddly if you try enough times it eventually does crank and start, so I have to figure this out before dismantling it. And see where all the oil and trans leaks are coming from.

(oh just wanted to add, there was a 18ft 5th wheel trailer goes up for sale for $1000 on CL, all good condition, tried to buy it, but was sold within 1 hour..so some real deals out there if you are quick)
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Old 07-26-2020, 01:08 AM   #22
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Removed the passenger fender and they fiberglassed right over the bolt heads inside, lol, so had to cut the fender off. I removed the bus doors. Bolts rusted in, made it time consuming process. Removed the frame too. Pretty heavy stuff, 200-300lbs I'd guess.

But what is most interesting is that part of the "Almost Free" plan, I picked up a free dryer today, and guess what it has? A nice big double pane round port window!! Free.



It's the 70's, gotta get Nauti in the Chevy Van.. ;)



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Old 07-26-2020, 08:27 AM   #23
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Sounds like you had some great finds! It seems I'm always too slow on CL also...

One question and I'm not sure if anyone has asked this: Are there any concerns with going with a short bed rig to haul your trailer at highway speeds etc?
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Old 07-26-2020, 10:06 AM   #24
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On your hot water setup, look into solar pool heaters and solar hot water heaters for an RV.
Your tow rig is pretty cool.
How are you going to seal up the front of your camper?
Lookin good and keep at it.
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Old 07-26-2020, 01:00 PM   #25
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A longer wheelbase on the truck would certainly be better for towing. But it won't look good, particularly because the truck cab has a short hoodline (half a COE) than a C10, so the bed length needs to be shorter to look right. It also makes the total rig length shorter and easier to move the trailer around, which can be useful.

Here is the layout with the stepside bed, 35in wheels. It is about 2 ft shorter wheelbase than the motorhome.
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Old 07-26-2020, 01:24 PM   #26
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On your hot water setup, look into solar pool heaters and solar hot water heaters for an RV.
Your tow rig is pretty cool.
How are you going to seal up the front of your camper?
Lookin good and keep at it.
Yeah a pool solar heater would work great. But then it covers the solar panels. So I will get a two-fer and cool the solar panels and get hot water.

The idea of the non-hot-water tank on the roof has been changed, since you really don't get enough pressure. Good enough to wash hands, etc, but not for a shower. So if I need some pressure increase, I will just put in down under the floor. And the idea now is use air pressure in the tank to increase water pressure instead of a water pump.

The front of the trailer is a good question. When it wasn't trying to be 'almost free', I would just make fiberglass panels and use diamond plate, but those are not close to being free. So still thinking of this plan. Now there are free boats all the time, and could use those for fiberglass panels if I really really want to go that kind of length to be almost free..
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Old 07-26-2020, 01:41 PM   #27
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Originally Posted by BeNimble View Post
A longer wheelbase on the truck would certainly be better for towing. But it won't look good, particularly because the truck cab has a short hoodline (half a COE) than a C10, so the bed length needs to be shorter to look right. It also makes the total rig length shorter and easier to move the trailer around, which can be useful.

Here is the layout with the stepside bed, 35in wheels. It is about 2 ft shorter wheelbase than the motorhome.
I think it'll look awesome!! I just wondered about the towing aspect. You see some short rigs with no problems though. A friend of mines dad pulled mobile homes all over the US with a very short rig... Keep the pictures coming!!!
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Old 07-27-2020, 10:25 AM   #28
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I took apart the dryer and was disappointed that what looked like metal in the portal door is actually plastic. That will not last outside, so disappointed.

The good news is I came up with a plan for the free covering for the removed cab, instead of a free boat, a free truck bed shell. They are not hard to find free, good sized, fiberglass. Have one might get today.

So continuing with the Almost Free (change the bus name to that now?) I saw some cubicle partitions available. I googled what they are made off but no info, just completely overwhelmed by useless Google with ads and business selling them.
I was hoping they had some foam insulation inside, and could use them to line the interior walls, and maybe the bathroom walls. Anyone know what they are made from? I guess I could just get them and find out, while free, still takes time to get them.

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Old 07-27-2020, 12:15 PM   #29
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We have 2 kinds of cubicle walls at work. One type has a steel subrame with cloth and some kind of padding stretched over it. The other type feels a lot like balsa wood, with a thin layer of fabric stretched and glued over it, and plastic strips around all 4 edges.

I think you won't find a lot of specific information because there are so many ways of making them. Even wall segments from the same manufacturer might be incompatible and built differently, as part of different product families.

Also, they are EXPENSIVE when bought new, especially the ones with steel framing. The other ones were "only" a few hundred a panel from staples I think.

I suspect that the only way you'll know for sure how the ones you're talking about are built, would be to examine it yourself.
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Old 07-27-2020, 07:32 PM   #30
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Thanks for the input on the cubicles. They don't come up for sale very often. What does though, are Fridges! Three of them free today. I picked up one just a mile or so away.
I am thinking they might work great as insulated panels, once you break them down into just panels. For doors, have to cut away the shelves, etc. But they are all nicely insulated with well-enameled steel on one side. I'm sure I could gather up 10 of them in a few weeks!!! Maybe use them UNDER the floor?? I already got a free small fridge that my plan is to make into a top loader freezer and fridge.

Anyway, the good news is the dryer I picked up, I was able to use the wiring for my shop neighbors boat ignition he is having me fix and make work, so if the portal isn't good, at least got some wiring recycled from it.

Also picked up that truck cap, definintely free was the right price for its normal purpose, but for mine, free was a great price, nice and big.
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Old 07-28-2020, 09:51 PM   #31
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Like your ideas...i have made solar collectors from fridge condensers... The style that is mounted on the back side..the better ones use serrated metal sheet and not the wire style..

They are steel and you need to use a coolant with anti corrosion inhibitors .

Like your idea about fridge sides as insulated floor panels.. If you have a good way of reconnecting the condensor tubes then it could be floor heating
..but no kidding... Commercial style kitchen fridge and freezers would be pretty cool for that... Stainless as well.

Good luck.
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Old 07-29-2020, 12:27 PM   #32
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Free bathroom surround.
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Old 07-29-2020, 03:19 PM   #33
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The bad news is this tub enclosure was pretty rough. The good news is its old-school fiberglass, not plastic, so easily fixed and if not for the bathroom, good thick fiberglass panels to use elsewhere.
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Old 07-29-2020, 07:31 PM   #34
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Boat wiring job finished, back to bus. Amazing amount of wiring for the bus. I would guess 100-200lbs of it. Modern cars have huge amount of it. My 71 Midget which is about as basic as it gets was still 15 lbs of wiring. Modern car, 100 lbs. I made a rookie mistake reducing the cab down, and cut a bit into the harness. OOPS. A hassle to fix, but just time.
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Old 07-31-2020, 01:11 AM   #35
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After chopping up a lot of the cab front and removing all the bus wiring, got the motor to start and run after hooking up the grounds removed when cutting away metal.
So happy about that. Looking at the schematics, there was not any starter cutoff, so not sure what the problem was before.

And picked up a free file cabinet on the way home.
I went to pick up another one yesterday, but it didn't have the locking drawers, but they did have a nice reclining chair that matched the futon I got the day before, and a nice oak chair, so that wasn't a total waste of time.

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Old 07-31-2020, 09:42 AM   #36
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Good score, The old ones are still heavy duty. The drawers lock. We have two of these in Dory.. Bolted to the wall and floor.. Mice can not get in. Very handy.


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Old 08-01-2020, 12:42 AM   #37
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Got a few more free things today. Two folding twin beds frame with wood slats.
And two nice wood stools (no idea what I'll use them for yet, but nice wood),
and two great folding camping chairs thrown in. Just went for the bed frames, but they had this other stuff.

Tomorrow I'm getting two big wooden desks to use the wood for something, kitchen counter likely, although I was thinking stainless steel. Or glass, as I am looking for a glass-top electric stove top, so far nothing free, but was thinking making the entire kitchen counter glass and one section I put in some induction burners.

Hey there is a free hamster available, should I get that too? lol


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Old 08-01-2020, 07:11 AM   #38
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Hey there is a free hamster available, should I get that too? lol
I think the standard advice around here is to avoid any sort of organic insulation, but you could maybe try these guys out in one of your walls and see how they work. I'd guess about an R3 but that will probably decline over time.
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Old 08-01-2020, 01:37 PM   #39
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I think the standard advice around here is to avoid any sort of organic insulation, but you could maybe try these guys out in one of your walls and see how they work. I'd guess about an R3 but that will probably decline over time.
I was thinking mascot, Campster will call her,
but perhaps she can run the generator when the sun isn't shining? ;)
BTW, the Campster was gone within 24 hours.



I picked up the desk and was very disappointed it was fake wood. Hauled it back to shop anyway, maybe use it for something.
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Old 08-02-2020, 10:46 AM   #40
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Have all the wiring removed from the cab now. Remember my plan is to move everything from the cab to the 72 truck.

I am starting from scratch on the floorplan layout now since the entry door is being moved to the back where the wheelchair doors are currently. So putting the shower there as a fold-out is out so to speak.
The bed will now be moved to the front instead of the back. And so now I think I need to move the A/C unit that is on the back wall. And given that, I'm wondering if I should remove this A/C system entirely. It is quite large, much larger than needed, but of course it is free and already in there. The evap coils under the floor are also quite large. So trying to decide what to do now.

As I have a bunch of fridges, they have all the parts to make a new A/C system.
I was thinking to use the existing evap coils for both the a/c and fridge/freezer for the trailer.

In addition, given the 'bedroom' move, I am thinking to make the rear wall hinge up to open it and make the kitchen able to swing out so you can cook "outside".
And then put more solar panels on the back wall so when it swings up you get more solar power. Any examples anyone knows of like this?
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