Trucks over pick up

[Phillip marvetz]

In 2004 I bought a 1989 freightliner COE and a 1984 kentucky drop deck furniture trailer, $8000 for the pair. A little paint and a set of aluminum ramps and I was in business. We hauled two bracket car's this way for two year's until my partner quite racing. The tractor never gave me any trouble but was a pain to park. It would cruise at 100mph all day long on the cruise control and would get 5 mpg no matter how I drove it. I sold the whole setup to a fellow back east for $7000 and bought a used 1996 class A motorhome and a new 24 ft enclosed trailer for $22,000. When my wife decided she wanted to race two years later I sold the motorhome and trailer for $20,000 and bought a 98 Dodge dually diesel and a old 44 ft gooseneck trailer for $15,000. We are still using the Dodge and gooseneck but I wish I still had that old freigthliner instead and all that cash I spent on the motorhome.
Next on my wish list is a toterhome and stacker....

I did have to get a CDL to drive the tractor, The licensing (tabs) was expensive as was the insurance. The fuel mileage was about the same as the motorhome and I could sleep very well in it, The Dodge gets double the mileage but we have to get hotel rooms when we race away from our home track so it kind of a wash there.

Bottom line, Semi's can be bougth cheap but the repair bills can be huge and the state police are going to look at you alot closer so make sure you are 100% legal to drive one.

P.S I have been looking for a cheap semi to replace the old Dodge. LOL

[cicero819]

I've decided to sell my Bluebird Wanderlodge and replacing it with a Peterbuilt Cab-over, main reason better brakes and safer ride plus the fact that you can pick up a tractor at pocket change prices. Here are some of the candidate I'm loking at. I've notice a couple of racers all who have also gone this route. let me know if I'm going the wrong way. Price vary for a good truck from $20k to $9k a lot of life left on those rigs. Claude

[Chad Rhodes]

a) a cab over will beat the crap out of you
b) you will have to have commercial truck insurance, CDL, fuel taxes, etc

[Dgal]

Originally Posted by Chad Rhodes

a) a cab over will beat the crap out of you
b) you will have to have commercial truck insurance, CDL, fuel taxes, etc

Chad is spot on! Look at the positioning of the front axle in relation to the driver's seat. You are being bounced straight up and down all the time. Even the more aerodynamic tractors beat you up a little compared to something like a Peterbilt 379 that has the front axle farther ahead.

I think the main reason the cab over trucks were produced in the past was to push the envelope of overall length of the trailer for more cargo capacity at the expense of the drivers. Enough of the drivers protested the beating that the trucking companies quit buying them. They are also more maneuverable in tight locations than a conventional rig, but the ride is not worth it.

Of course, you have the CDL issue like Chad pointed out.

[cicero819]

Chad most states and Canadian Provinces allow you transfer and register your tractor as a Motorhome Rv. In my province all you need is an air brakes classification and of course pay the fees for taxes. Insurance is actually cheaper than my Motorhome since I'm not cooking in it(propane is one of the cause of expensive cause of insuring your motorhome). Don't forget that it will be registered as an RV not an income producing vehicle hauling tons of cargo. I've always love cabover and I know that conventinal cab do offer a better ride but I find the cabover design easier to drive and park, after riving a bus motorhome for many years and actually driving a cabover across North Ameria acouple of times I've enjoyed the ride. I'll be blogging the conversion as soon as I've made my choice on which rig I'll end up with. I'm planning on a lot of mileage next year. Thanks Chad. claude

[Belair 7548]

Phillip and Claude,

I have a bit of a conversion project going on here in Arizona........on a budget. I wanted a single unit with "power"........and I wanted to stay at the races........if you want to write I can share a number is pros and cons about this setup and issues I've had converting it to Motorhome........oh did I say I'm on a budget.....Contact me if interested for my thoughts: belair7548@cox.net

[Phillip marvetz]

First off let me say this is Claude's post, I'm not sure why it show's me as #1 now, Weird.

Second of all I need to haul 2 car's but I do like your idea.