Frame Welding

[Kenn]

Thanks for the kind words. I installed the stronger (stacked magnets) and they hold much better. I will be going to an RV outing next week and should be able to test them.

[Kenn]

I finished the entry steps and the aluminum trim. I used the same rubber coin material that I used for the cab floor. I glued flat sheets to the plywood steps and then used a black caulking in the joints. I like the look but the black shows any dust. I also installed the trim around the entry door. I had the window maker bend a clamp ring to fit the door opening. I used my plasma arch to cut off one flange and leave what looks like a piece of black angle iron. Next I sanded the rough edge and put some rubber fender trim over the edge. I used # 8 black sheet metal screws to hold it to the plywood. A lot of work and $$$ but it looks finished.

[Kenn]

My sister and I made an RV trip to Seven Feathers Casino and RV resort in Canyonville Oregon. We spent four days and the weather was hot (95). We used the A/C for several hours each day. The park welcomed my truck conversion with open arms. We had a great time and were able to make a side trip to check out "Kustom Truck" in Coos Bay. The two hour drive was worth it because the temp was 75 and we saw a very cool Pete 359. The owner of Kustom Truck gave us a tour showing us new and old trucks. Check out their web site at WWW.kustomtruck.com/restoration. They use new Peterbilt electric window motors in the old truck (same door frames for several years). When we got home I ordered motors for my truck. It took some fabricating of brackets and they work great. I mounted toggle switches in the old fog and driving light spots on the dash and can now open or close both windows while driving.

[Kenn]

I have been building the face frames for the base unit in the kitchen. I will have a total of six drawers, three under the cook top and three on the L section. I plan to have a cabinet shop build the drawers and I will build and install the drawer fronts.

[Kenn]

My brother and I have been working on bending oak to trim the white formica counter top. It took several tries but we got it to bend. I used a router to cut a bevel on the edge and then put the first coat of black finish on.

[Kenn]

We finished the work on the kitchen cabinets today. I now have six drawers under the counter top. I also finished the folding table with the bent oak trim. Good to be done with the kitchen. Next up will be the bathroom cabinet work. I will hold off one the bath until after I do some major repairs and upgrades to the race car.

[Headache]

This build is very inspiring! Have you done any work on it since your last update or still working on the race car?

[Kenn]

I have been working on repairs to the race car body and also making some mechanical upgrades. The race season starts for us in March. I plan to do the bathroom cabinets after the season starts if the car is healthy.

[Kenn]

I have not worked on the motorhome for a while because of the race car. We are between races so I thought I would try to get the bathroom finished. I have removed the plastic sheeting that I got at Lowes from the walls around the sink. I used formica on the counter and the walls. I am now making face frames for the closet and under the sink. I will have three drawers made for under the wardrobe and a total of five doors.

[Dragonslayer140]

Kenn, good to see you making some progress again... Hope you are having a good race season. We have not had a chance to get down your way in a long time, would love to see your progress in person, you have come a long way since we saw you at the truck show.

I noticed the CHAMP truck circuit is making a stop at Portland the first weekend of October, we are going to try to get down and watch some big rig racing. Think its only 30 bucks for a three day pass.

Keep up the good work as allways

Dave

[Kenn]

My brother and I finished the bath today. The worst part is trying to get good pictures inside a small space. I had the three drawer boxes build from birch plywood with dovetails. The cost was $111.00 and it took about ten days. They do good work and save me a lot of time. I made the faces for the drawers with 3/4 x 1 1/2 oak and plywood in the centers. They are held to the drawer boxes with the handle screws. We used self closing full extension drawer glides. Each drawer is 22" wide, 18" deep and 8 1/2" tall. The two large doors are for the hanging closet and the door at the rear is to the generator and water heater exhaust compartment. I will also store my broom in that space. I built the under-sink doors so they look like a base unit, but when both doors are open I have clear access to the plumbing and water heater. We used Formica for the countertop and the walls. It feels good to have one part of the interior done.

[Kenn]

More pictures of the bath.

[Dragonslayer140]

Kenn, are you going to be at the Brooks Truck Show this year? We will be down there on Saturday, will be keeping an eye out for your rig.

Dave

[Kenn]

It has been awhile since I have posted anything. I think I can now call the project done. I have finished the trim on the inside and added a cabinet to hold fire extinguishers. I also have three window awnings and an 18' main awning. That main awning was a challenge to install. It opens and closes in 26 seconds with a push of a button.

[samcrimm]

nice rig, the last picture it reminds me of a bull dog.... errrr

Sam

[Dragonslayer140]

Perhaps you should take some cooking lessons.... might be able to leave a couple of those extinguishers behind...lol Being an ex fireman, I am surprised one of them isn't a pressurized water can, they don't leave an aftertaste on the steak.. Finished product looks great Kenn. For those that have not seen it in person, the quality of construction is superb, no doubt this rig will last a very long time.

Dave

[Kenn]

I just got home Sunday afternoon from the American Truck Historical Society convention and show. Wow! about 900 cool trucks from all over the country and Canada. I arrived on Tuesday and got a great spot on the grass in the shade. The show was held at the Oregon State Fair & Expo Center in Salem Oregon. Salem is about an hour from my house so it was an easy trip. Six days of looking at some old and new trucks. I saw a few conversions so I only got pictures of a 52 Peterbilt owned by the good people of Courtland Truck Works located in Courtland Calif. A nice looking rig built on an early sixties Mack. I went by every day and never saw anyone around to truck. I also made a stainless grab handle for the new cabinet. It works great to have something to hold on to while going up and down the stairs. I gave several tours of the motorhome each day with lots of kind words. I even had a few ask how much $$$$ to build one on their truck. All systems worked as designed except that the plunger on my Tri-Mark door latch broke the Sunday before I left. I was able to have a replacement overnighted to my sister in Salem and by Tuesday night I was hole again. The Show ended Sunday with what they called a "Truck Cruse". About 35 big rigs of all shapes and size toured the Salem area and we stopped to see a great car and truck collection in Newberg and then had lunch at the Evergreen Air Museum in McMinnville the home of the Spruce Goose. I live about thirty minutes away so I was home by dinner time.

[Kenn]

I have been enjoying the completed motorhome but at times it feels very top heavy. I looked at ways to control the rocking and found some motion control units built by SuperSteer. I bough and installed them with little change. I tried changing air pressure in the air spring with no improvement. I contacted Roadmaster in Vancouver Wa and asked if a anti-sway bar could be mounted to the Peterbilt frame. I talked to Wayne Wells and he said if I drove the motorhome up he would take a look. I drove to Roadmaster about two hours north and Wayne crawled under the rig and said they could build a bar and all the brackets. He recommended a 1 3/4" 4130 bar. We talked for a while and I explained that I wanted to do the fab work because I don't have the budget to just say call when it is done. Wayne was fine with me doing as much as I wanted. He dragged out a bar that was made for something else and said that if I built the brackets he could make a bar to fit. Wayne gave me some samples and drawings to take home and study. The next day I called and asked if I could just buy a bar like the one he showed me and he said sure and it will save big time. I drove back to Vancouver (in my pickup) and bought the bar, large bushing and some other pieces and headed to my steel supplier. Well after two weeks working under the rig and lots of time cutting, drilling and welding I am happy to say it rides much better.

[superbird03]

Would really like to understand a little more about the sway bar you installed. Can you post a few pictures of it please? I have that same feeling on mine and I imagine most do? I was looking at air ride motor coaches and I see they are able to mount their air ride bags outside the frame rails by running a piece of large box steel perpendicular to the main frame rails. I imagine this is what prevents the rolling sensation on the nice air ride motor coaches.

[hot rod]

Ken I'd be willing to bet your center of gravity is WAY higher than a factory built unit, so the top heavy feeling and sway makes sense. I followed your build along the way, and the quantity and quality of materials you used to build that box are far in excess of the average factory built unit. The sway bar makes sense. I assuming your are talking about a rear sway bar? Something fabricated similar to a road race type sway bar but way bigger?