Which trailer brand/style for conversion

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Peter Pan, Jan 4, 2014.

  1. true blue

    true blue Medium Load Member

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    Jul 13, 2011
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    Peter Pan. There's a good, honest trailer dealer in Charlotte, NC called East Coast Trailer. They are very knowledgeable and are right off I-85 next to the International and Pete dealers on the service road. If it were me, I'd get a sleeper cab, though. Even if you got a nice old cabover you'd be probably as short a wheelbase as a daycab. Saw a couple on CL and Truckpaper recently. Nice old KW single axles - if that's what you'd want.
     
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  3. Peter Pan

    Peter Pan Bobtail Member

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    Dec 10, 2011
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    I have given some thought about maybe a sleeper cab. It would be redundant when I'm towing my home, but if I needed to pick up some cash I could get some income by hitching up the truck to a load.

    Thanks for the recommendations on the dealers. Very helpful.
     
  4. SHO-TYME

    SHO-TYME Road Train Member

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    If it's registered as an RV, it can't be used for commercial use. You could take the bed out and put a sofa back there. I've seen a few race teams do that for crew seating.
     
  5. Muddy Bean

    Muddy Bean Bobtail Member

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    Feb 13, 2014
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    Avenger79 is correct that some RV parks are picky about what they accept. It may not be a length issue if it's 40 feet or less, but some of them have actually requested a photo of our coach before allowing us to park there. Apparently they don't want us driving up in a tye-dye hippie school bus haha. Anyway, you're wanting a truck conversion so these pics are not 100% relevant to you, but the process is the same. We spent $30,000 to covert ours ourselves. I also agree that as cool and nice and wonderful as our conversion is, it still doesn't match up to the pro conversions. But it's really nice in spite of that. We have washer and dryer and King bed in there too :)

    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
     
  6. Muddy Bean

    Muddy Bean Bobtail Member

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    Feb 13, 2014
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    Sorry duplicate post
     
  7. Muddy Bean

    Muddy Bean Bobtail Member

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    Feb 13, 2014
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  8. Muddy Bean

    Muddy Bean Bobtail Member

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    Feb 13, 2014
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    We wanted it to look like a cabin on the inside so it's all knotty pine hand stained as urethaned by my wife :) who just turned 29! Happy bday to her :)
     
  9. Peter Pan

    Peter Pan Bobtail Member

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    Dec 10, 2011
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    Disagree. It can be registered as anything I want. It has to be insured commercially for me to use it as a commercial transport vehicle.

    I've been through this a thousand times before. I've owned commercial vehicles like buses, box trucks, and step vans registered as non-commercial, and I've owned an F250 that was insured commercially so I could use it as a for-hire tow rig.

    Its also incredibly dependent on the state. For instance, in CA I couldn't register a cargo van as a personal vehicle because it lacked back seats and back windows, but in TX I registered a 26' box truck with air brakes as a personal vehicle.
     
  10. avenger79

    avenger79 Medium Load Member

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    Sep 13, 2010
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    Muddy Bean. Wow that looks very nice. some. Love those old buses.

    yep a lot of places I stay at ask the year of my trailer and truck. if it's too old they require a photo.
     
  11. Mountain Hummingbird

    Mountain Hummingbird Medium Load Member

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    like any other trailer they have the same frame structure, but they are insulated you can even get them with side doors, or multiple side doors. Great bonus to a reefer the diesel engine in the reefer unit well makes a real nice power unit for a generator setup. As for windows have you ever seem how flimsy the travel trailers are for wall structure.
     
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