Found my next truck

Davey Cracker wrote:

milspec6 wrote:

.........The negatives would be that I would need to cut access holes to connect hoses between spaces and it would prevent warm air flow from reaching all areas in the winter.  So, I am thinking of cutting out the lower portion of the dividers to allow better access.

Do you think 12 inches would be high enough or maybe go higher?  Each panel should be about 48 inches tall.

What about cutting the tops of the panels rather than the bottoms?  If it's also for winter heat transfer it seems like that might be better, since heat rises?  Or maybe I'm missing the point??

Panels 48" tall?...makes me think I'm missing it?
I thought they went floor to ceiling/roof?

The panels are open at the top by about 2 feet already, but I will need some access through the lower part of the panels and I am afraid that all that heat will stay in the ceiling and not reach the other areas. I just don't know if I want to just cut out access ports in the walls or open them up completely.

It will make more sense Tuesday when I get it home and can post some pictures.

Well, I am almost home with it.  It was as expected with only a couple of nagging things (cig lighter doesn't work and dash bulb is out).  I was liking this decision.

Despite having pedals designed for a child's foot, it was a pleasant drive for the first 5 hours.  Then the GPS died (that's how I found out the lighter didn't work) and ended up about 20 miles past my turn off before realizing it.

The gas tanks are pretty small...about 20 gallons, which surprised me.  The cruise worked great and this motor had better power than my old powerstroke, really surprised me.

Unfortunately, I hit a snag as I passed Albert Lea.  I decided to find a hotel after my stomache took offense to some airport food and tried 5 of them without a vacancy.  Then, I got a check engine light.

Fluids all looked okay and it was running well, so rather than sleep in the cab next to a gas station, I pushed onwards to the next hotel outside a casino about 20 minutes away.  They had 1 vacancy....the King suite.  So here I am after 11 pm sitting in a highly over-priced suite with a check engine light to make me worry about how the next 5 hours will go tomorrow.

Road trips were more fun when it was someone else's car.

you have a whole campground right behind you.
Why didn't you just bring a tent?

That's right, you're shaped like a beer bottle right?
.............why not just make like a bottle and sleep in the back of the truck? :

I missed this thread. I hope you got home safe.

Joe Bristor wrote:you have a whole campground right behind you.
Why didn't you just bring a tent?

Rain forecast....lightning....

I am home...just in time for a severe storm, but I am home.

These trucks are great!  Drove like a van and turned sharper than one, plus all the neat accessories (throttle control, overhead vent system, etc.)...never going back to a van.  The mileage wasn't great, but I was busting wind the whole way and I still haven't diagnosed the "Check Engine" light yet.  

She has more road salt damage than I expected after 3.5 years in Northern Michigan, but nothing that isn't fixable...just cosmetic.  With the exception of the engine light, it performed flawlessly...well, the speakers kind of sucked, but again, minor issue.

Here are some pictures:









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That last one is the top of interior box.  You can see how none of the dividers reach the top, but they do help support the doors.  I plan on keeping the dividers except for the one that runs down the middle of the whole box...that one has to go.

That thing on the back bumper is to mount a hand truck to and I am really surprised the previous owner didn't just remove it years ago.  That rusty pos is hitting the dumpster right away.  A set of wheel simulators should hide the rusty rims, but I still might look at replacement just from structural concerns.

Really wish it would stop raining...I am anxious to get to working on it.

I hope to get it cleaned up and start hitting the dividers with the plasma cutter this weekend.  Then I can start working on getting the TNT set up next week.

Looks like a great work space. I need something like that. I'm some cramped in the Chevy express.

If the auto giants would build a cargo van that was 8 ft wide, they would have a huge winner. That is how this thing feels when driving and is super easy to back up and maneuver...it surprised me.

The whole time driving, it reminded me of my old VW Bus that I used to drive...I kept smiling thinking about it.

Looks like you're going to be busy this winter. Do you know how many time I've bumped my head jumping in the van trying to get my wand? If you're really good with that plasma cutter maybe you can build some shelves out of that divider that your going to cut out.

Mo wrote:Looks like you're going to be busy this winter. Do you know how many time I've bumped my head jumping in the van trying to get my wand? If you're really good with that plasma cutter maybe you can build some shelves out of that divider that your going to cut out.

I have the lumps on my head too Mo, the last time almost required stitches from the broom hangers.  The concept with this truck is that I don't even have to get in it.  That low curb height allows me to grab anything that I need from the side of the truck...no bending, stooping, etc.  That was why I never went to a box truck before now as you still had to get up into the thing so you waste a lot of time and effort, plus need a ramp or lift.  Not with a beverage body and not with this build.

Those aluminum panels sell for over $200 each, so I intend to be very careful how I remove them and yes, probably use them for shelves or a base for the LG heater.  It is a thick marine grade aluminum after-all.

Once the panels are removed, I decided to go with horse mats on the floor.  I was going to use a liquid bed-liner, but I don't have to worry about rust so it didn't seem necessary.  Those thick horse mats will help insulate, deaden sound, and provide a nice surface to kneel on when performing maintenance.  It also only costs me about $160 instead 8-10x that in bed liner sprays.

It's coming into focus, even though my eyes aren't right now.  That drive fatigue is now kicking in, so I am calling it a night.  That 4 am will be here soon enough.

Any updates?

Hose reels are installed, chemical shelf has been cut down to fit, a fold down mixing shelf is on order, Pick up water tank and garden hose reels this week, and I am still on-hold waiting for the welder to save the project.

Until the welder does his thing, I haven't been doing any more with the install. I would hate to have to remove everything and patch holes if I had to sell it off. He is supposed to get to it this week...it is his busy season with all the farmers needing repairs to their grain trucks.

IF all goes well, there will be an old fashioned barn raising next week with an operational truck by the end of the month. I could sure use it these days.

I look forward to the pics. Is the box insulated?

Fuzzsucker wrote:I look forward to the pics. Is the box insulated?

Not really. The walls are double walled aluminum like a thermos, but doors sure aren't much of a barrier to the cold. The horse mats helped a ton on the floors and there will be some neoprene foam applied to the walls in some compartments that warrant it. I still need to iron out the heating aspect of it when driving to the jobs....not certain what I will go with right now.

Single digit wind chills all week at night in the forecast....froze my butt off today and it is just the first day. The TNT is sitting in the garage winterized for now.