Any comments on this Topkick?

[PDoane]

http://www.racingjunk.com/exec/ca/view/429553/GMC-TopKi...hief-Conversion.html

The low lileage is appealing, but being idle for so many years (5) has me worried about seals and the like that may have dried out. The only RV fixture is a bench seat that pulls out to a bed and a TV.

[KAYE RIVERCITY]

....too much money for what your getting....a lot of water damaged rigs coming out of NJ from the hurricanes in Fla....I have been told by insurance adjuster.....a '92 is obsolete...13 years old! ....geofkaye

[Warpath]

PDoane welcome to the site!

I think the main thing that would concern me is the fact that it has sat for 5 years, although not a deal breaker.

I am sure that a brand new rig decked out like that today would easily be in the $90,000 range. It mentions air front and back and I am not sure if that is AC or suspension, but I would look into that. Air-ride front and back would make that ride real nice.

The other item that I would look into on this is the 10 speed. I know the autoshift was not around back then so it might be a upgrade done in the late 90's.

No truck is ever to old, you can easily update trucks, they are not like cars. I would have put my 95 FLD up against most any truck after I did all my upgrades to it. That truck has so little mileage on it, could be interesting. Definitely want to work that price down to maybe the mid 30's and you could have yourself a real nice rv puller as l;ong as everything checks out.

Alot of guys on here would steer you toward a Class 8 and convert it, and that maybe something to look at depending on what your pulling and where your pulling it.

Keep us posted.

Bill

[spooner]

PDoane
welcome

yes, Warpath is right: i`m one of the guys that will steer you towards a class 8
if you look at the Topkick you have a big truck frame/axle/engine... with a little Pick Up cab on it. IMHO the cab of a truck has more room, is easy to enter, better all around view, many have air cab ride, room for air seats, ......just to name some reasons

[PDoane]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm new to all this heavy duty hauling and diesels.

For the last 7 years I've been towing my 20' race trailer/7000lbs with a 23' Class A Winebago (454 engine) all over the Northeast.

Now I'm looking for something to haul a bigger race trailer (at least 30'/10,000lbs) all over the country. The toterhomes look like a great way to avoid the need for a CDL, keep insurance costs down, and let us grow into a bigger trailer (if the sponsor $$s come in as planned).

This TopKick was local to me and looked like something that could haul the 36' gooseneck trailer he is also selling and still get the crew of 6 back and forth to the hotel.

I also looked at this truck/trailer combo

http://www.racingjunk.com/exec/ca/view/431035/Top-Kick-...ler-Pack-wLivin.html

but the mileage, Rental truck conversion, and auto tranny didn't impress me. I read on the other forum that you should avoid rentals w/automatics and based on how badly I beat up on my rental cars, that makes sense to me. The trailer was laid out really intelligently on this one, so part of me wanted to go for it and pop a new motor/tranny into the toter. How much more would that be?

[spooner]

hmmm...$69k for the truck and trailer sounds not too bad to me if you live/drive in mostly flat area that engine should be fine... but IMHO way too small for the killer hills here in the west.

the rig looks to be in very good shape i like that paint (the penske yellow "flaming" into the red of the toter/trailer is a cool idea)

[KAYE RIVERCITY]

......3126 may or may not be turned up...if at the usual 200-250 hp you are going to be disappointed.....geofkaye

[Jim Gehlen]

If memory serves me correctly, the hills in New Jersey don't hold a candle to the ones in the Rockies or Sierra Nevada ranges.

[vela1]

Yep! Jim
Not a flicker. We also like the class 8 conversions. The major "conversion" is in use not function. I read a thread on another forum that said the Volvo VLN770 was all ready a motorhome in everything but name. I can't argue the point.
If you can register your class 8 as a motorhome then you are exempt from needing a CDL in most states. Texas has a non commercial class A licence.
Scott, Barb, Mutley, & Tinker Bell
Shadow, 1995 WhiteGMC/Volvo 235" Wheel Base
WIA64TTES, Cummins N14, 500 hp. Super 10 speed,
Tandem driver, motor home with P/U bed
38' 2000 Alfa Gold 5th wheel with Trail Air king pin.
Spokane, WA.. Today

[OLDphoneman]

I'd like to bring one point to light that caught my eye --

You are moving up to a larger trailer -- Depending on Sponsor Dollars -- This indicates to me that you may have a race car.

If your hauler is registered as a motorhome -- You may be challenged by the intended purpose of your setup.

Sponsorship and/or prize money -- I believe will necessitate a commercial tag on your setup -- Along then with a CDL.

I'd check with your DMV before I'd go much further with your intentions .......

Dave

[KAYE RIVERCITY]

......if they really really want to get you-they can for being commercial......It's one of those gray areas where fun and winning and money cross lines.....I'm technicly commercial if Maxx is "working" finding cadavers....but NOT if we are just traveling. If I except/charge money for the find-I'm a commercial enterprise.....bound by a lot of laws, but if I am given a gift/honoerium/ reward-I'm not a commercial enterprise......and all the legal crap is forgotten.....So I insist on any reward money to be held in an Escrow account until I'm home and then have it wired to my account......this is just one way around the idiots and their idiot laws....'course the real issue is finding the cadaver and getting it back to the family/police/pathologist......and believe me a lot think Maxx and I work free.....and the family should keep/I should give back-the reward money.......geofkaye