Truck Conversion & Toterhome Community - View Single Post

BTERRY · 08-22-2003, 10:34 AM

Hey Thunder Valley ...

Let me give you a little more food for thought. Racers are a unique breed as they can build or buy stuff and make treasures out of stuff people call trash. A guy we used to race with built a unit that might just fit your needs.

Dale started out with a VW Rabbit diesel engine but any 2 cylinder or 3 cylinder "D" series Kubota engine would probably work equally well. Anyway, the engine was fitted with a dual Serpentine pulley on the front, and a Sanyo compressor bracket was built. A Leece-Neville alternator was mounted too and the belt laced around them.

Then he pirated a couple of Rear A/C evaporators and blowers off of a GM Van with dual air-conditioning. The condensor was off of one of the vans too I think and it was mounted on the outside with a 12v electric fan on it for cooling. He mounted the two van A/C units inside of his RV box in a regular cabinet at the front and back, and ducted the discharge air both fore and aft. I know he tied in a wall thermostat but I don't recall how he connected it. Maybe to the A/C compressor clutch allowing it to cycle.

The alternator he used was like 100+ amps (maybe 105??) and he bought a Heart Invertor for use where he HAD to use 120v but the majority of his unit was 12 volts. He went and bought 12 volt ballasts out of the flourescent bulbs in a transit bus and then used them in shop type flourescent fixtures. I remember that he used gell-cell batteries and had them turned on their side so he could get to the battery terminals.

For air, he used the truck's brake system to charge his tank going down the road. I am sure you could find a way to add an air-compressor to your aux. engine.

The hot water heater was a unit he bought from an RV surplus place up near you called Bontranger's (??). I think it is in White Pidgeon, MI. I went with him to the place and all I remember it was about a 20 minute ride up from Elkhart. Evidently this company buys up overstock from RV manufacturers. They had rows and rows of RV windows, doors, and everything you could think of in new or slightly damaged condition. The VW engine had a waterpump port that piped water into the hot water heater and it would heat his fresh water in the tank.

I feel sure some aux. heaters out of a school bus could be used to heat your box. School buses are pretty poorly insulated too, so they must put out some decent BTU's and my guess they would work well for your application. With a handful of 'Tee' and ball valves, you could probably figure out a way to use the truck cooling system to circulate through the heaters while driving down the road and then when you are at the track, flip the valves to let the aux. unit cooling heat the heaters. Might be handy as a way to warm the truck's engine too.

I don't know exactly what Dale had in all of his scrounging but my guess $100 was about right for the trashed out Rabbit. I'm sure he sold the salvage for something too. The A/C units probably had little re-sale value too at a Pick-A-Part place. My guess he had about $500 in everything except for the Invertor and his time. I hope this can give you a little thought provoking. I wish I would have taken pictures then. Might have been some help to you now.

08-22-2003, 10:34 AM	#6
BTERRY Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Eastern Tennessee Posts: 1	Hey Thunder Valley ... Let me give you a little more food for thought. Racers are a unique breed as they can build or buy stuff and make treasures out of stuff people call trash. A guy we used to race with built a unit that might just fit your needs. Dale started out with a VW Rabbit diesel engine but any 2 cylinder or 3 cylinder "D" series Kubota engine would probably work equally well. Anyway, the engine was fitted with a dual Serpentine pulley on the front, and a Sanyo compressor bracket was built. A Leece-Neville alternator was mounted too and the belt laced around them. Then he pirated a couple of Rear A/C evaporators and blowers off of a GM Van with dual air-conditioning. The condensor was off of one of the vans too I think and it was mounted on the outside with a 12v electric fan on it for cooling. He mounted the two van A/C units inside of his RV box in a regular cabinet at the front and back, and ducted the discharge air both fore and aft. I know he tied in a wall thermostat but I don't recall how he connected it. Maybe to the A/C compressor clutch allowing it to cycle. The alternator he used was like 100+ amps (maybe 105??) and he bought a Heart Invertor for use where he HAD to use 120v but the majority of his unit was 12 volts. He went and bought 12 volt ballasts out of the flourescent bulbs in a transit bus and then used them in shop type flourescent fixtures. I remember that he used gell-cell batteries and had them turned on their side so he could get to the battery terminals. For air, he used the truck's brake system to charge his tank going down the road. I am sure you could find a way to add an air-compressor to your aux. engine. The hot water heater was a unit he bought from an RV surplus place up near you called Bontranger's (??). I think it is in White Pidgeon, MI. I went with him to the place and all I remember it was about a 20 minute ride up from Elkhart. Evidently this company buys up overstock from RV manufacturers. They had rows and rows of RV windows, doors, and everything you could think of in new or slightly damaged condition. The VW engine had a waterpump port that piped water into the hot water heater and it would heat his fresh water in the tank. I feel sure some aux. heaters out of a school bus could be used to heat your box. School buses are pretty poorly insulated too, so they must put out some decent BTU's and my guess they would work well for your application. With a handful of 'Tee' and ball valves, you could probably figure out a way to use the truck cooling system to circulate through the heaters while driving down the road and then when you are at the track, flip the valves to let the aux. unit cooling heat the heaters. Might be handy as a way to warm the truck's engine too. I don't know exactly what Dale had in all of his scrounging but my guess $100 was about right for the trashed out Rabbit. I'm sure he sold the salvage for something too. The A/C units probably had little re-sale value too at a Pick-A-Part place. My guess he had about $500 in everything except for the Invertor and his time. I hope this can give you a little thought provoking. I wish I would have taken pictures then. Might have been some help to you now.