How many got this email?

[Warpath]

Received a email from Powerhouse Coach about their new 2005 rig.

Go to www.powerhousecoach.com to check it out.

I am sorry guys, but I will never except a Truck Conversion that uses a fifth wheel trailer as it motorhome section. Not only that but anyone building a conversion whether they are a OEM or self builder that is cutting corners in structure has missed the point of what truck conversions are all about.

Selling my conversion has opened my eyes to alot of problems in the industry. All I can say is you get what you pay for and sometimes you pay for something you don't get, so do your homework!

Oh and one more thing, I am glad I own a Show Hauler! And if I didn't have this burr up my ass about doing the M2 Show Hauler, I would just keep the one I have.

Bill

[Gary Atsma]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by warpath:
Received a email from Powerhouse Coach about their new 2005 rig. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I got it. What an overblown pile of fluff. One good thing; the truck is a late Volvo. That way if a 5mph crosswind blows the coach off the truck you can put something good on it and still have a good rig.

[KAYE RIVERCITY]

....not a bad idea for a insurance scam Gary....I have to remember Your idea....geof ;;;;&gt

[KAYE RIVERCITY]

.....so Bill....What is your thinking on a new M-2 and a Showhauler body....any plans you'd like to share?....other than a slight downsize.....geof

[Warpath]

We are still in the very early stages of this, and I am trying not to get to far ahead of myself before the current rig sells. One nice thing is that the calls are heating up for mine and I think it should be sold very soon. Who ever ends up with it is going to get a incredible deal. Lonnie at Show Hauler has yelled at me a few times for selling it to cheap. I think he is right, but unfortunately truck conversion buyers don't have a clue at this point in the life of the industry. They just know they want one, but they don't know which builders are good and which ones they should run from. They also are bringing there knowledge of the traditional RV industry with them and incorporating it into the conversion industry. If they see a truck with more than 50,000 miles on it they don't want it. They have no concept of how Class 8 trucks work, how long they last, and the ability for a truck to be updated versus thrown away like so many of the vehicles manufacture red.

Anyway, I have spent a few months researching different design ideas, and look at this project as the building of the ultimate RV versus the ultimate truck conversion. I have to keep in mind that this has to be different in many ways to the one I have or else I should just keep my current rig. So if a RV is the goal, then what is the perfect length? When I talk about a RV, I in-vision a motorhome used to travel to new destinations on a very frequent basis. Used to stay in such places as State Parks or track-side at a Nascar event. So the length we came up with is 36' overall, which should allow you to stay just about anywhere and give you the maneuverability to get in there. The best way to maximize living space is to use the M2-106 and I have absolutely settled on this chassis, and the 28' box.

Here is the floor plan that I have come up with. Note: I have given Show Hauler this print, and they are o.k. with it, but they have not dimensionally checked it out yet.




So this is the start, I am working on the options list and I will also list truck spec's once we get to that point. I hope to get up to the Show Hauler factory sometime in the next month, to check out all of the updates they have made to their coaches. Also I will probably visit Beck's Custom Coach at some point, hopefully to deliver my current motorhome, they are the dealer we are working with on the new one and they are selling the old one. If your looking for a dealer with a ton of knowledge of the industry and conversions in general, check these guys out. --> http://www.becksmarine.com/

Bill

[Gary Atsma]

Warpath-
Lemme get this straight- You want to downsize the rig, YET you still want/need a 28' coach. Just exactly what part got downsized besides the truck's hood? Your present cab length is 10' (hence the FLD120 designation), and the M2-106, at 106" is just 14" shorter than the old rig. So the whole rig shrinks by 1'2", which is barely noticable. If I've got some numbers wrong, please correct me. Maybe I'm missing something here.
Gary

[Warpath]

Gary -

My FLD is 12'. Remember we had a 4' integral sleeper we cut off making the cab it's 12' length. The huge difference wont necessarily be the overall length, we will drop from 40' to 36' 8", but the wheel base will be the big difference. My current wheel base is 28'! Also the cut rate on my FLD is not the 55 degree that is on the M2 and most new Class 8's. Maneuverability will be night and day with the M2.

Now I am loosing a few things by making this move. That 28' wheel base is awesome on the highway. I really am going to miss the 280 gallon fuel capacity. And the M11 power will be missed on steep grades. But as I have mentioned the majority of our usage requires the maneuverability and not the highway prowess the current rig has.

Bill

[Gary Atsma]

Bill-
Ooooookay. I really wasn't sure on your particular cab length, just assumed(that word ALWAYS gets me in trouble!) it was stock length.
True, by shortening your wheelbase AND increasing the wheel cut, it will be WAY more maneuverable. Also, unless I'm mistaken, there is a fair amount of fuel capacity optionally available; 120gal/side, for 240gal total. It ain't 280, but that's still a BUNCH of cruisin' capacity! Keep us all posted!
Gary

[Warpath]

I should have specs on the M2 we will be looking at in a few days.

I did learn that the M2-106 has a max tank size of 100 per side. But that doesn't work out very well for a motorhome since those tanks run longer than the cab. The most popular option are the twin 50's which end at the back of the cab. That would give you a range of about 700-800 miles. Since I would love to gain some storage space over my rig with its twin 140's I would go that way.

Also we are looking at the MBE 926 which I am told is super quiet,(much quieter than the Cat C7) low RPM, 300 hp 860ft/lbs. with engine brake.

Bill

[5erFool (John)]

Bill,
are you going to go with a single axle rear again?

[Warpath]

Absolutely!

My current rig has approx 2,000 lbs tongue capacity if you go by the turnpike rules, and far above that based on the actual axle capacity. I'll never get close to that kinda weight, and I love the ride my current rig has. When I am lite (no water, no trailer, light on fuel, ect..) I notice a big difference in ride (much rougher than when loaded down) I could only imagine how rough a tandem would be without a big stacker behind it. But that is a personnel preference.

Bill

[Boo]

I went to PowerHouse Coach. Very small operation. The were getting a travel trailer box in from somewhere to mount on the motorhome chassis. Was not what I was looking for! Look yourself before you take my advice!

[Boo]

Originally posted by Boo:
I went to PowerHouse Coach. Very small operation. They were getting a travel trailer box in from somewhere to mount on the motorhome chassis. Was not what I was looking for! Look yourself before you take my advice!

[Gary Atsma]

Hey Boo!
Looks like you repeated yourself! No biggie. Just delete the second one by hitting the edit icon on the lowerleft, sorta like you did for the second one.
Yeah, those powerhouse guys get a ton o' mon(ey) for what I call a lot of fluff. They aren't built NEARLY as well as most of the truck conversions around. The only folks that would be attracted to a Powerhouse Coach are those who do NOT know or care how well the coach is constructed. Stick around, Boo, there is a bunch to be learned around here!