Project `52 DiamondT towrig/RV

[Papastruck]

i`m actually adding a turbo and stacks in the next couple weeks

That'll be night and day. Interested to see how it performs on something that big. Can't wait to see it.

 

[Jon Jacobs]

beautiful, hats off.

 

[gipraw]

Awesome work. thanks for posting. I love those old Spartan trailers. They can bring big money restored.

 

[madoc1]

that's a lot of awesome talent and energy. well done.

 

[Playwme]

French doors on the trailer are a brilliant idea. I've always hated how narrow caravan doors are and often think about doing the same to mine. It's a pain in the **** trying to get a full sized dirt bike through a skinny door.

Tell you what, if I ever win the big lotto you're getting a 5 year fully paid vacation to Australia to help me out on a few projects.

 

[schmoldty]

bad ***

 

[GAwheelin]

You are very talented. Nice work. Cant wait to see it finished

 

[Tamper84]

Awesome work!!! Maybe I didn't read it, but what transmission do you have in this?

 

[adam728]

Absolutely fantastic build.

I was going to go get some more stuff done around the house before I stumbled on this. That was over an hour ago.

 

[RoosterBooster]

again, thank you all for the comments

Playwme
sounds good ... now i hope you win the lotto as well

Adam
sorry for that ... i hope you had time to catch up with the cores this weekend

Tamper
right now i have a POS Spicer 5-speed
the gear splits are HUGE ... what does not help the N/A 7.3 liter performance at all.
i was on the lookout for a Fuller RT6610 (aka "baby 10")
but i just found a used Fuller RT910 10-speed locally (5 speed trans with air shifted range)
the 910 is waaaaay overkill behind the 7.3 ,
but the gear splits are just perfect
here are the ratios;

Spicer ES42-5 : ......................................7.22, 3.88, 2.21, 1.42, 1.00
Fuller RT 6610: 8.94, 7.00, 5.46, 4.26, 3.42, 2.61, 2.05, 1.60, 1.25, 1.00
Fuller RTF 910: 8.05, 6.30, 4.99, 3.95, 3.20, 2.51, 1.97, 1.56, 1.24, 1.00

the tight splits especially in the top 3-4 gears is what i badly need to keep the engine in its sweet spot on hills

i hope the trans fits my SAE2 bell
this RT910 seems to have a MDT style "push clutch" ... so i may get lucky
if not i can always clean it up nicely and put it on e-gay

 

[RoosterBooster]

here is some more progress;

with the body roughly finished it was time to shop for seats
luckily there is a guy in Phoenix that is selling brand new "take-out" seats from a handicap van conversion company.
i went with charcoal "ultra leather" seats mainly for the easy care (my dogs will be all over the seats )
they are out of a 2012 model Honda Odyssey
(production time stamp indicated that they have been produced less then 6 months prior to me picking them up)

i got the two sets for $400 after "repeat customer rebate" (i already bought 4 sets for other projects)
he raised his prices to $450-500 per set now ... i guess i was lucky

anyway... here is a "mockup" shot in the truck;

i really liked the center seat/armrest , but just could not fit it into my narrow cap ...
it would also defeat the purpose of the passage to the back
so i decided to flip the front seats (arm rest towards center) and go with door mounted armrests on the outside

to preserve floor space (for the rare moments my dogs actually lay on the floor ) i decided to remove the center seat base and fabricate a little subframe to attach it permanently to the seat

here are pics with all the seats mocked up in final position;

with the seat configuration figured out i started fabbing the mounting points;
i actually re-used the factory quick release mounts of the seats
now i can take them out in seconds if they are in the way for finish work etc

btw
i do have two of the quick release/slider bases left over if anybody has a use for them

 

[karpesh29]

Wow! I just read through this, and I am happy to announce that I am hooked for the rest of this build! I absolutely love these old fire trucks being rebuilt in such a cool custom way. I might have missed this in the thread, but what will occupy the remainder of chassis space behind the sleeper?

I was hoping you were going to go with a cool seat like from a semi tractor, bus, or RV with the integrated suspension, but I can also see the appeal of having all matching seats, and also I assume the thing will ride well enough on the chassis suspension that such a thing would not necessarily be beneficial.

All in all, awesome build. Have you already done designs for finishing the body? are you going to go with a traditional scheme that might pay homage to the cabs history, or maybe something a little more custom? Looking forward to updates!

 

[memphisnate]

I believe he said that space at the rear is for another ATV.

 

[nine4gmc]

Much talent, thanks for posting!

 

[RoosterBooster]

karpesh

in the rear there is a wood decked flat bed that is ~ 78" long and 97" wide
very handy for hauling an ATV, firewood, building material, my portable Lizard bar
(i dont go anywhere without it ), or whatever needs hauling

i`m a CL bargain hunter... so it was important for me to have a bed for picking up stuff when i travel
there is also a gooseneck ball in a recessed well.

i made a photoshop pic of how i envision the paint of the truck;

i may go with a gold stripe between red and black (classic FD paint theme)

i absolutely love the old FD seals on the doors, but the rest of the paint is in poor shape so i definitely want to paint everything freshly
(and i never really liked the "Patina" craze much)
i made lots of pics of the FD seals and plan on re-creating them on the new painted doors and hood
(plotting the negative out of vinyl and hand brush paint them for a "vintage" look)

here is a photoshop from the side;

however, the stacks are missing (i`m actually working on them right now ... twin satin black 5" straight tubes with slant cut top)
and i also decided to go with Alcoa rims in the rear (and not the painted steel ones i photoshoped in there)

all the aluminum will eventually get a polish to near mirror finish mostly to get rid of the clowdiness and the streaks ..
it will dull to a satin glow quickly (i bet the other peeps on the road will be thankful for that )

 

[Fyrme]

As already stated, Great Job man.

 

[George in Rancho Cordova]

My aunt lived in a Spartan trailer in Phoenix, as well as on both coasts.
Hers had automotive roll-up windows in the back bedroom, and the bathroom WAS the shower.
There is a whole row of them at Dillon Beach north of the Bay Area. Weekend/permanent homes.

 

[e30bradley]

I am completely blown away.. Incredible!!!!

 

[RoosterBooster]

George
maybe the Spartan Mansion i picked up in PHX is the one she lived in ?!?
yeah, the aluminum crapper/shower/sink combo stall was very unique
some of the Spartans have been very high end for that time (and as expensive as a stick build house )

more progress;

with my moving date rapidly approaching i had to really hurry up with a lot of things (plan was to use the <T> to move the last load up to Utah)

i fabbed the side step/battery box structure out of the original heavy U-channel parts of the original step support;

i knew already that i`m going to replace the 5 speed trans sooner or later,
so i made the front middle section removable to make the swap easier;

the removable dropped section is actually the original <T> rear cab mounting crossbrace ...
the shape mirrors the front axle drop perfectly
(the axle is still the lowest point of the truck... so if the axle clears the rest should clear as well)

unfortunately i managed to somehow loose one of the formed steel steps during the moving ...
decided to fit some deck wood steps instead and stain them to match the rear deck

finished the tank mounting brackets as well as the large SS straps that hold it in place;

i connected the two hangers with a 1.5 x .120 "nerf bar" to protect the tank from ground contact
and to help avoid that the hangers "hang up" on stuff

(note my filler nozzle dummy for figuring out the needed clearance )

here are the hangers all painted and ready for final tank installation;

my bro gave the tank a quick cleanup with 3M rubbing compound
to prepare it for the polish it will get when all the construction work is finished;

Ozzy just had to lay there ... so he got a grey coating from the removed aluminum oxide

here is the tank installed ;

now i could finally finish the removable side section that is overhanging the tank;

i used a section of a window frame for finishing the filler cutout ;

just another 300+ rivets in that detail alone

 

[bullnerd]

Love-it Mr B. !

 

[RoosterBooster]

with the fuel tank done i shifted my attention back to the bed

figured that i need some kind of "headache rack" to protect the sleeper
so i started with building a big <T> for its center
i used 1" tubing to form the surrounding diamond;

(wow ... i got dirty hands & arms in that pic ... lots of grinding )

draw the T and cut it with the plasma out of some scrap plate
and rigged up the little mill for some finishing...

...and spot welded the T into the diamond ;

i then framed the <T> with some heavy square tubing, added a section of E-track and a chevy driveshaft on top to finish it off (recycling at its best );

this pic also shows the gooseneck recess as well as the stack pockets that i added 50" away from the rack for hauling 4x8 sheet material;

i plan on adding replaceable hardwood "wear strips" to the rear facing rack surfaces after it is painted.


the bed "floats" on the truck frame on 6 rubber mounts,
to deal with the frame twist as well as to provide some cushion.

4 of them are grouped around the gooseneck hitch structure ...

... in a inverted V shape to deal with the push-pull forces ...

... and two large rubber blocks up front at the headache rack;

i added the "King racing shocks" stickers on the sleeper shocks as a joke to mess with "diesel ricer" guys

 

[RoosterBooster]

the <T> came with a nice set of aluminum "west coast" mirror arms ...

but i didnt like the way they where mounted
the spacing of the lower arms was too narrow so the steel door flexed what would make for a shaky view
on top of that i needed to extend the arms to clear the 96" wide sleeper & trailer.
so i used the outer mirror arms from the donor U-haul truck and completely reworked the arms;

added a door plate to spread the load as well as a new lower front arm

ordered new heated SS mirrors, so i had to improvise a way to run the electric wires to the cowl

the flex sections are from a SS shower hose

the mirrors are now just perfectly spaced to give me a clear view back ;

 

[George in Rancho Cordova]

I think the last stop for my aunt's Spartan was in Nebraska.

 

[mtnkrake]

I gotta see how this turns out.

 

[HOTFR8]

Interesting the way you used the conduit to hide the mirror wiring. Model A head lights and tail lights used a similar conduit.

 

[bigmikes50chevy]

subsribed! Great build. Definately thinking outside the box.

Sent from my SM-T217S using Tapatalk

 

[RoosterBooster]

here are some pics of the finished sleeper air ride setup ;

i just rattlecanned over some bare spots ...
may sandblast & paint it properly later down the road
but the dry climate here does not make it a urgency

note the MIL-spec socket under the passenger side shock:
all the bed & trailer wiring is plugged in there for a painless bed removal

the big shackle mounted to the frame crossmembers is for my crane attachment
the rubber mounted bed would not take the pull.
i plan on adding some marine plywood and two 30 gallon fresh water tanks on each side of that shackle mount sometimes later.

replaced the worn IH susp level valve with a new and better quality Haldex valve.
(bags look a little sketchy ... probably not a bad idea to also replace them in the near future)

the sleeper & rear susp auto-level valves can be dumped individually from the cab.
this way i can drop the truck into the weeds in seconds...
so there is no need for an additional pull out or electric step at the side entrance door.

to stop the sleeper from rocking when camping i added a "stiff leg" on each side;

a 1.5x.120" tube inside a 1.75x.095 one with a collar welded on for extra strength.
they are angled slightly to bind/fight rocking
drilled at every inch they allows me to level the sleeper fairly well on uneven ground.

you simply set them to desired height and dump the air bags ...
and it sits solid as a rock

 

[nine4gmc]

Always exciting to see the updates! Keep them coming!

 

[Strouty]

So your bed sits in rubber and you have a fifth wheel hitch on the bed? How will that act? I love the design, keep the updates coming.

 

[RoosterBooster]

So your bed sits in rubber and you have a fifth wheel hitch on the bed? How will that act? I love the design, keep the updates coming.

Strouty
it adds a little extra cushion and isolates the bed from the main frame rails
the rubber mounts are surrounded by steel bells
(iirc they are called captive mounts ?!?)

they can take side loads ... but not upwards pull,
thats why i needed that chassis mounted shackle for my stinger crane

here are some more pics;

i swapped the complete pedal box & steering column from the IH over to the <T> cab ...
fitted surprisingly well ;

note the temporary spacers/allthread to adjust the column angle
the IH MDT cabs have very short cabs (max payload is obviously more important then driver comfort )
the longer <T> cab as well as the lay back steering column angle make a huge difference ... ergonomics are very comfy now

the cab floor had a crown, but i actually pounded it flat before i welded the cab to the subframe
thats the reason why i had to fab a new trans cover

the brown lever next to the brake pedal operates the cowl vent scoop
it works very well to scoop huge amounts of fresh air into the cab
(my dogs love that thing )

i also fitted the IH HVAC under the cowl
still needs some air hoses fabbed to direct the air flow

here is a pic of part of the wiring harness i made for the truck;

the truck and sleeper will have individual battery banks & main fuse blocks
this way i can run the inverter, stereo or whatever without fear of draining the starter batteries
but it added considerably to the complexity of the wiring harnesses

here is the dash with the harness in place and the trans cover finished;

 

[Strouty]

Very impressive.

You are adding a knuckle boom or what type of boom?

I have been toying with making a heavy RV that can do all the things I want, but I was afraid DOT would not look at it as an RV if I am hauling my tools and toys. Especially if I go somewhere to haul back a bunch of junk from the auction. My guess is they would say it is being used in commerce therefore I would have to follow all the FMCSA rules.

 

[RoosterBooster]

i also plumbed the complete air system freshly;

the bulkhead fittings for the air lines helped me to plug some of the many holes in the firewall
(needed to plugweld the rest)

all the air lines are routed close to the cab pivot point to keep movement to a minimum
i also fabbed a bulkhead to connect the Pete fueltank lines to the existing chassis feed and return lines

added shut offs and air hose connectors to the future battery box as well as the rear of the truck (to feed future trailer air suspension and to fill tires etc)

i installed a new air tank (upright to make draining easier)
it is not very large, but without air brakes there is no need for much air capacity.

the engine driven (and engine oil lubed & water cooled) compressor has no problem to supply more air then what is ever needed.

 

[RoosterBooster]

Very impressive.

You are adding a knuckle boom or what type of boom?

I have been toying with making a heavy RV that can do all the things I want, but I was afraid DOT would not look at it as an RV if I am hauling my tools and toys. Especially if I go somewhere to haul back a bunch of junk from the auction. My guess is they would say it is being used in commerce therefore I would have to follow all the FMCSA rules.

Strouty
its just a very simple stinger (i think it is sometimes also called "gin pole" ?!?)
made it for my Pete ...

... but i sold the truck without it so i duplicated the mounts onto the <T> chassis

its basically made of 3 heavy gauge 24' pipes with a 3 ton hoist to change angle and a 1 ton chain fall for lifting
works great for moving stuff around the yard
however, a backup camera is on my "to do" list ...
would make the reversing into a spot a lot easier

here is the stinger in action with the <T>
(setting up the solar panels and wind tower at my new place);

the potential legal problems of driving a class 8 without a CDL was one of the reasons why i sold the Pete.
i got tired of the whole "commercial or not" mess.
in theory it is completely legal, but not all the LEO`s know the exact rules and definition for RV
(or can identify the rig as private when you fly by the scales)

nobody will ever confuse the <T> for a commercial rig
it is clear at first glance that it is a private and/or vintage rig
on top of that i`m under 26k lbs GCVW what does not require a CDL to start with.

 

[karpesh29]

Are you using the motor from the donor chassis, or did I miss the part where you mentioned what was going to be the powerplant here.

Is that boom something that gets put on and off as needed, or does it pretty much stay on the back of the rig?

 

[CumminsFan]

Rooster,

What did you use for your bed mounts? Motor Mounts? Application?

Regards

 

[harrytbagger]

Way too cool. Subscribed!

 

[RoosterBooster]

Rooster,

What did you use for your bed mounts? Motor Mounts? Application?

Regards

they are Ford Exploder engine mounts

when i moved i hauled two flagstone slaps on the bed;
each one was roughly 6'x8' and between 2.5" and 4" thick
i guess the weight was over 3000 lbs each ... the mounts deflected roughly 1/4 inch
so i`m positive they are adequate for what i usually use my bed for

 

[RoosterBooster]

Are you using the motor from the donor chassis, or did I miss the part where you mentioned what was going to be the powerplant here.

Is that boom something that gets put on and off as needed, or does it pretty much stay on the back of the rig?

yes, i`m still using the International IDI

the stinger is only for around the Shop/neighborhood ...
(and even then i have to watch for power lines )

it is quickly removed ;
i just lay it flat on wood blocks, pull the pins in the hitch tubings and drive away

 

[madoc1]

it looks like you are not too far from that crazy rancher. they give you any hassles?

 

[NUTTSGT]

i made a photoshop pic of how i envision the paint of the truck;

i may go with a gold stripe between red and black (classic FD paint theme)

i absolutely love the old FD seals on the doors, but the rest of the paint is in poor shape so i definitely want to paint everything freshly
(and i never really liked the "Patina" craze much)
i made lots of pics of the FD seals and plan on re-creating them on the new painted doors and hood
(plotting the negative out of vinyl and hand brush paint them for a "vintage" look)

here is a photoshop from the side;

It's come along nicely since I last checked in. As far as the paint goes, here's some motivation or inspiration for you.





Notice the black striping at the bottom, that's black Scotchlite and it's reflective.