medicmike

I'm a day late so Happy Belated Thanksgiving everyone! 

The work involved I believe, is within our skillset (working with my son on this, (I'm an adequate fabricator, he is a darned good fabricator). I was concerned somewhat about the cab structure in carving out enough of the back wall to add a step through sleeper (reinforcement needed once cut? Will I need to add some hat channel etc. or will it be ok as-is?). I have found several sleepers that should work, prices vary wildly ($500-2500 and up). Just wondering if someone had done this in the past. Found a very small amount of info thanks to Google but researching what can of worms I may be opening

And I am really liking the idea of a classic truck!

I found an older single screw KW W900 (1979) that is a day cab at a pretty good price, appears to be in good shape and I love the looks of it. Would it be practical to get something like this and add a sleeper so it could be registered as an RV? It looks like there would be room on the frame. I am more concerned with fit and mounting issues. Anyone on here done something like this? I can stretch the frame a bit if I need room to add an RV 5th hitch.

On 10/28/2021 at 10:44 AM, Cotreker said:

Consider putting off the hdt purchase a year until prices come back down.

That's about the time frame my finances will allow. Finding a few that look like decent deals but prices on many do seem high.

Thanks Cotreker! I am absorbing as much as I can. Years ago I did military vehicle collecting and restoration. Had an M35 deuce and a half that I converted a GI communication shelter to a military themed camper. Was a fun project and I am certainly looking forward to getting stuck in to an HDT conversion. I have been reading every scrap of material I can find and spending hours combing ads for trucks, found a couple I would have jumped on but going to have to build the savings a bit more. 

And nice job on the Volvo BTW!

5 hours ago, bruce t said:

FWIW. Some years back we were at the Holiday Rambler factory having some work done on our motorhome. A DP pulled into their camping area. A 90 year old male got out. As we talked he mentioned getting a ticket for speeding. He was caught doing 90mph in a 40ft DP. It was his first trip in a motorhome!!! Next day a 35ft gas A class pulled in. He was in his 80s. First ever motorhome. He was their because the motorhome could not maintain 80mph up hill.

These are just 2 examples of who is in that RV who just flew past you on the road.

So should there be a test? In Australia anything over 4ton needs a different license. Over 8ton. etc etc. License is based on weight and axles. You can't turn 70. Go out and buy a 40ft anything and hit the road unless you have the appropriate license. And you need to have x amount of experience before you step up to another level.

So think how lucky you are with so few regulations in the USA.

 

This reminds me of an ambulance call I ran many years ago. Got called for a "heart attack" at rest stop along I-5. Elderly gentleman with his wife in a 40' DP pulling a trailer. The guy was obviously postictal (post seizure). Wife said he had a hear attack but he acted like he did when he had one of his seizures, "but it couldn't have been a seizure because he only has one a year and he just had one a couple weeks ago". Fortunately they were stopped for the night when he seized, I can only imagine the damage that could have done if he locked up driving at highway speeds. 

Thank you Sculptor, that will give me some reading material! 

Absolutely right Mr.Cob, and I certainly do admire your Pete!

Nice work!

58 minutes ago, jkoenig24 said:

Welcome Mike! Have you attended an HDT Rally (are you even aware that there IS such a thing)?  The ECR (East Coast Rally) is been held in Crossville, TN sometime between mid-April ~ early May. The WCR (West Coast Rally is been held in Cauldwell, ID in early June. The National HDT Rally is held in Hutchinson, KS in mid ~ October. ALL feature VERY informative seminars about getting started in the HDT lifestyle as well as entertainment and fellowship and other RV related topics. At some rallies, owners looking to downsize (or leave RVing altogether) look to sell their rigs. If you could swing the time to attend an HDT Rally, you WILL be rewarded with a wealth of knowledge! Again, WELCOME!

I have yet to make a rally but hope to be able to make one next year (that is if I can get vacation when one is going). I have watched videos and read the threads here on them and I think attendance for me would be very beneficial! 

28 minutes ago, rickeieio said:

Welcome.  Saving to pay cash is, in my opinion, a good move.  When the financial cycle turns and prices come back to reality, or lower, you might find a rig already done.  Keep an eye open and be ready to pull the trigger.

That's the plan! My assets took a huge hit in the divorce but I have been able to start socking away about $1k/mo and selling off some of my collectibles and other stuff, all the proceeds from that are going direct to savings. 

Thanks guys. I have been researching all I can on the net, looked at countless rigs and am formulating a plan for what I would like. Good call on the insurance Star Dreamer. I will research that out more as the time gets closer to buy a rig (I am figuring a couple years, plan to save up and pay cash). Storage and a place to work on it will be an issue as I am currently an apartment dweller (thanks to a recent divorce) so will have to rent storage or keep it out of state with family.

Hello Folks!

Been lurking for a while and decided I should sign up and say hello.

I am looking at retirement within the next decade or so and have decided that I would like an HDT and 5th toy hauler to full-time for a while on the west coast (friends, family and especially grandkids are in the Northwest). First thought was an MDT but the deeper I researched an HDT seems to be more practical. 

Current plan is to pick up an HDT within the next few years, do the RV conversion, find a 5er and have a couple years to shake them down and work out the bugs before retirement. I am sure I will have a lot of questions and hope you all go easy on the new guy

My son is a diesel mechanic and a good fabricator (I have a bit of experience there but he is better than I am), he has gotten excited about the prospect of the project and has volunteered to help with the conversion. That would however, require me to have the rig in Oregon to do the work so I would be travelling there on my vacations to work on the rig, bit of a logistical nightmare there but I am sure something can be worked out. 

Does this sound like a hair-brained scheme to the hive mind here?