[Highway OPie]

Hello Jakep:

I converted a 2003 Pete 379 into a motorhome, not a toter. I am very pleased with the way it turned out; took me abt five years. Truck has a pre-emission Cat C-15 and an Eaton-Fuller 18 speed; 3.36 rears. Abt 870,000 miles on it when I got it. I've put abt 40,000 miles on it. I spent $30,000 for the truck, plus another $6,000 to drop the front drivers and extend the frame. However, these pre-emission trucks have gone way up in price in the last few years. I bought when the market was low; I lucked out.

A few repair items over the course of my ownership so far, but nothing I would consider "major." New brake chambers; new pitman arm; replaced rear seals; new batteries; replace the windshield; so forth and so on. Plus, of course, regular oil and filter changes.

Here is my advise to you: define very specifically to yourself exactly what you want your vehicle to do, and how you want it to look. Take your time in the design phase of your project; put together a plan; and then stick to it. When you get all done, you want to end up with what you wanted and not something which changed as you built it.

Start with the best tractor you can afford, whatever it may be. These class 8 trucks last a long time and most everything can be repaired. Don't be afraid of a high mileage unit if it offers everything which important to you.

When you get all done, and stand back and look at, you don't want to be in a position of "wishing" you had done something differently, or something which turned out "less" because you could save a few bucks.

It took me five years to find my "perfect" truck; I'm glad I waited; it turned out just exactly like I wanted it to; and it is awesome.

Best of luck to you. Enjoy your project!

Speed Gray, K8SG
Grand Rapids, MI