[dhalltoyo]

Originally Posted by Tennesseahawk

Nice ride, Padre!!!

BTW, I thought of you when we passed Touchdown Jesus on 75.

Too funny!

We refer to that chunk of concrete as the same.

What a waste of money!

Act 19:26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: (Emphasis mine)

Thanks for the kind words!

[dhalltoyo]

Originally Posted by Packmule

David,

Nice ride!! I really like the flat floor above wheel wells, makes for a lot of extra cargo space.

Is that a single wheel rear axle under 10K GRVW or duel rears with a 12K rating?

Did you go Gas or diesel?

I might suggest you insulate the overhead in the cab, it will make it a lot quieter and COOLER.

Excellent job!!

Thanks for the tip on the overhead.

So far the cut out roof hasn't seemed too hot yet. It looks like it will hit 90 today here at Rock Hill, SC. I'll jump in later and feel the roof.

I went with a 6.0L. The Duramax is a great engine, but it adds 700lbs more to the GVW. I traded extra living room for reduced cargo weight and the Duramax would have turned me into an RV and not qualified to haul the minimum required.

It is a Dual Rear Wheel at 10,000lbs GVWR.

Believe me, it was a difficult chassis to locate.

One thing for sure, it rides so much smoother than my regular SRW cargo van built on the same platform. The wheelbase on the new truck is also 4 inches longer so that has a positive effect on the comfort level as well.

Thanks for your advice!

[dhalltoyo]

Originally Posted by MR.SNAPPY

Dave,
I seen your truck sitting in Blacksburg,SC at the Flying J Tuesday morning and was going to come over and talk to you and check out the new ride but you had the window shades up and the cones set up. I was parked across from you in the RV parking.

I got a load around 11:00 so I will catch you the next time...looks like the only thing you need to do now is update those faded orange cones with that shiny new truck....LOL... Be Safe......

Oh, wow! Sorry I missed you. Usually, I am inside. Just look for a guy with a ton of junk on the table in the Driver's Area or the Restaurant.

PS. I'll polish the cones for you. Uh, while I am waiting for the QC to beep!

[HotFr8Recruiter]

David;

Beautiful truck! You really put some time into making it comfortable.

I am curious, what does this vehicle now weigh "empty" - meaning sitting full of fuel, with you and your belongings in it?

Thanks,
HotFr8Recruiter
John

[dhalltoyo]

Uh, yes....belongings is the issue with me.

I am carrying a mobile office in truck, so I am in the process of transfering most of it back into the house.

I have enough capacity to run for any carrier, but I have a goal of 17mpg. 15mpg is the best I have achieved to date. Reducing weight is one of the easiest ways to improve fuel economy.

7000-7500lbs would be a realistic estimate after I make a few adjustments.

Being only two weeks into the dynamic testing, you can be certain that I am tweaking a few things here and there.

I am still on the Maiden Voyage.

[are12]

Very nice! Wish you all the best with the new ride.

[dhalltoyo]

are12,

Now that I have the six-wheelin feelin, and chicken lights, can I park next to you at the truck stop?

Thanks for your kind words of encouragement.

Hope to see you soon!

[are12]

We will even save you a spot but, with that fancy van of your's, you may put our truck to shame!

We will definitely be watching for you, would love to see your ride up close.

[theoldprof]

Nice ride, Rev. When the Espar is installed, how will you get heat and cool up to the penthouse? Are the mirrors electrically controlled and heated? Do the mirrors have flat as well as convex surfaces? Seeing this rig makes me want to order up a van just like it and come out of retirement........................Not!!!!!!!!!! Let's see more pics when you get it lettered and all your stuff in it.

[RLENT]

In my experience, getting heat to go up is rarely a problem.

The bigger problem is how to arrange things so that your shoes are not ice cold when you climb out of that bunk in the morning sweating ...... because the temp at the ceiling is 85 or 90 degrees.

[CharlesD]

I learned early on not to put anything on the floor during the winter. I put some carpet down and it helped keep my shoes from turning to blocks of ice.

Nice job on everything there. Maybe you're more of a handyman than I am. I managed to get my sleeper built, but there was a bit of trial and error and quite a few mistakes before I got everything in there right.

I agree with you on the Touchdown Jesus on I-75. You'd think there are more pressing needs in the community that money could have been put toward, something more evangelical than a big statue that directs more laughter toward the church than anything else.

[OntarioVanMan]

Originally Posted by RLENT

In my experience, getting heat to go up is rarely a problem.

The bigger problem is how to arrange things so that your shoes are not ice cold when you climb out of that bunk in the morning sweating ...... because the temp at the ceiling is 85 or 90 degrees.

Your not going to believe this Rlent...I actually bungee cord my shoes to the ceiling in the winter!!! And hang my clothes as high as I can!

[theoldprof]

RLENT, heat goes up in the winter, and heat also goes up in the summer. How does Rev get heat AND cool up?

[dhalltoyo]

Originally Posted by theoldprof

Nice ride, Rev. When the Espar is installed, how will you get heat and cool up to the penthouse? Are the mirrors electrically controlled and heated? Do the mirrors have flat as well as convex surfaces? Seeing this rig makes me want to order up a van just like it and come out of retirement........................Not!!!!!!!!!! Let's see more pics when you get it lettered and all your stuff in it.

I had a very difficult time finding a chassis.

Had American Axle not been on strike, shutting down the GM production plant, I would have ordered power/heated mirrors.

My other 08 van had them and it is an excellent option!

Yes, the mirrors do have two separate surfaces. The upper is a very large regular mirror and the bottom mirror is a convex type.

One thing I would also recommend is the "Quad" headlamps. They provide much better visibilty at night. You have to take the chrome bumper to get them, but that is a plus too, because it is easier to clean bugs off chrome. Moreover, the black bumper gets stone chips and begins to show rust spots wherever there is a stone chip.

As my other trucker brothers and sisters have stated, getting heat to the bunk won't be a problem. I do have some ideas about how to evenly distribute the nominal heat rise, but more on that after I get the Espar.

Cooling? Actually, I like hot weather. I also like fresh air. Here is a great product that everybody wants to order after they have seen them on my truck.

Camping, RV, Camping gear, Van, Bee, West Nile Virus, Van accessories, bug screens, insect screen, bug shield, mosquito screen, mosquito netting

[theoldprof]

Rev, do you have an intake/exhaust fan in the bunk area? Had one in my van directly over the bunk. Not quite as good as AC, but worked quite well in the summer. It could run to blow in or out. I actually used it in the winter to exhaust the body heat moisture out of the van. Also was a great source of sound to drown out diesel engines, gunshots, screams, etc. Remember, I was a Wally World Camper. Are you going to show pics when the van is lettered?