A new Showhauler was conceived on 5/20/03!

Patrick · 05-21-2003, 07:18 PM

Due date 7 weeks. Here is the chassis.

[This message was edited by warpath on May 22, 2003 at 08:36 AM.]

Warpath · 05-22-2003, 11:46 AM

Where are the details on the truck and the conversion for that matter?

Tell all!

Also what are you doing about the color? And will you be having the coach custom painted?

This is a dalemia I am going through right now. I love the all white, but also think a cool paint job would really change the apperance. I was just shot down by a painter due to to much work. This is the second time and I think it it is a sign telling me to leave it alone. If I do leave it white, I will add a 8" strip of SS down the side.

So far everyone that has seen it in person say's leave it white. And a few of these where people who say it in a picture and thought I should paint it.

Bill

2003 28' Show Hauler Motorhome on a 1995 FL 120 www.showhauler.com

Patrick · 05-22-2003, 02:41 PM

The chassis is a 98' N-14 Cummins 430/470hp,10 speed auto-shift, 3.55 gears,factory refurb w/ a 100k warranty. I'm still undecided on several options but I will post the complete list soon. The truck including bumper will get painted white by SH. I plan to paint some sort of design later using a bright silver color. I don't know exactly what yet but this design: http://www.truckconversion.net/photo....php?photo=145 has caught my eye. My coach will not get back from the chassis stretch and paint for at least 2 weeks, so...7 weeks from then is the estmated due date. Stay tuned for more pics...Lonnie at SH has promised lots!!

[This message was edited by Patrick on May 22, 2003 at 04:52 PM.]

Gary Atsma · 05-22-2003, 05:35 PM

Hey Patrick-
Looks like you're gonna have one bitchin' lookin' conversion. I've also been considering using a Century, only a midroof because I thought it might lend itself more easily to conversion than the full condo roof. That being said, what are you goint to do with your sleeper? Cut it off behind the cab? Leave it as is (but strip the inside) and put the coach behind it? There are many ways to go, as you know by now! Keep us all posted!

Patrick · 05-22-2003, 08:08 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Gary Atsma:
Hey Patrick-
Looks like you're gonna have one bitchin' lookin' conversion. I've also been considering using a Century, only a midroof because I thought it might lend itself more easily to conversion than the full condo roof. That being said, what are you goint to do with your sleeper? Cut it off behind the cab? Leave it as is (but strip the inside) and put the coach behind it? There are many ways to go, as you know by now! Keep us all posted!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Gary, The cab will get cut off just aft of the sun roof, just like the previous conversion of the day pic. This way there will be a stand up pass thru. I'll keep you posted!

Patrick · 05-29-2003, 02:51 PM

Here are the current options chosen:

Standard slide-out.
Slide-out awning.
17' awning.
Upgrade LP tank to 31 gal. w/ accesories fitting.
Thermal windows.
Double insulation.
New cab seats w/ Ultra-leather.
Extra 100 gal. fresh water tank.
Remote camera.
Ultra-leather upgrade on dinette and sofa.
Pergo flooring in living, hall and bath.
Recessed cooktop.
Skylight in bath.

I will do/install later myself:
Cab paint.
Bigfoot levelers.
Docking lights.
King-Dome in motion satellite.
Sub woofer under dinette.

Free options I chose:
All white, no chrome or polished aluminum.
Bull nose formica counter tops.
Berber carpet in bedroom, under sofa.
Oak valances.

Somethings still under consideration:
Inverter or not? Instead of blowing $4000 on an
inverter/solar panel,6v battery bank, I'm thinking about more diesel storage and just running the diesel generator. My thinking is..you can't wear it out, it puts out way more juice than the inverter that only lasts 3-4 hours a charge. Any thoughts?

geof · 05-29-2003, 10:09 PM

I don't even want propane. I want all electric.....a good diesel generator will last along time and if serviced properly, should last as long as the coach....I still want to see Bill's in June at Nashville-that's when I'll make the final decision on a Volvo/Showhauler or a Volvo/trailer as all the Showhaulers I have looked at are new and at the most have 8000 miles on them and maybe 10 days of use at the most....I need to see a older coach with a lot of miles on it before I make the final decision....geof

Patrick · 05-30-2003, 07:06 AM

Geof, You'll need LP for the fridge no matter what. It's a nice redundant feature for heat as well and cheaper(because of it's intermittent use)than the generator to run. I'm hoping w/ my setup I'll be able to boondock for 2 weeks at a time.

Doug · 05-30-2003, 07:32 AM

Why would one need LP for the refrigerator or any other appliance/use? If one is dedicated to going all electric, all that is needed to is to spec all of the accessories accordingly.
Myself, I would probably go that way (don't want the flammable tank of LP), and use solar panels and as many deep cycle (storage) batteries as possible to minimize the generator use.

Warpath · 05-30-2003, 07:58 AM

Patrick -

One other option you may want to consider is a bedroom slide. I really, really wish I would have added that to my options list. Everything else I am really happy with. I did not go with a inverter, but I also stay at campgrounds which have power. I run the generator everytime we travel, for the TV, fridge & AC. You have to run the thing under load at least once a month anyway.

geof -

Are you just stopping by or are you going to be at the rally? I have done a bunch of mod's which I will post in a new topic, and been out camping (can you call it that in one of these?) quite abit lately. Actually the last CG we where at the people there thought I was a country music star coming in for a concert which was going on down the road. I had a bunch a people stopping by in the rain to see who I was. I couldn't figure out what the heck they where doing until someone mentioned that. I had to laugh.

2003 28' Show Hauler Motorhome on a 1995 FL 120 www.showhauler.com

geof · 05-30-2003, 11:28 AM

Patrick....I'm going to use a chest type freezer instead of a refrigerator and just turn it "up" they last all night without cycling anyway....heat will be electric with high "R" value insulation and thermopane insulation/window blankets....I/we have been in one propane explosion and I'm not going to go through it again...I was the lucky one. I just went through a window. One of my business partners wasn't so lucky and eventially died of an infection while healing from burns....so propane inside a vehicle is OUT! I would be using the A/C more than heat anyway as I head south when it gets cold in Cincinnati. With high efficient appliances/insulation, there is a very small generation requirement as well as a low current draw when in a park/camp site. I have no need for-phones- tv-stero-computer-vcr-radio entertainment when I'm traveling- I read. Solar is inconvenient and too costly for now. These are the issues that I have isolated so far.....geof

geof · 05-30-2003, 11:41 AM

Bill: I only have two nights to be off in June for the Nashville-I still don't know which they will be yet....everyone else makes plans for me and then tells me ..."you got'a do this and that"... so some time that week I will be there for two nites....and I,of course, I want your opinion...and I want to see your mods before it's decision time....and I have to reach for the checkbook....{gaggings sound}...Most of the other rigs I have seen up close and people I have talked to are car raceing types and I have nothing in common with their lifestyle-I could care less about Nascar...so far[Satan go away]...you are the only person I know that uses the Showhauler for family camping/vacations.....geof

Warpath · 05-30-2003, 12:06 PM

Look forward to seeing you.

One nice part of using as a motorhome in campgrounds is no one else is. So I usually get about 5-10 visitors per day asking about it or want a tour. I should start charging! So far it is a lot of fun.

Bill

2003 28' Show Hauler Motorhome on a 1995 FL 120 www.showhauler.com

Patrick · 05-30-2003, 02:25 PM

Doug, I guess you wouldn't have to use LP. But if you did the fridge would use about a gallon a month or $1.00 If you run the diesel generator it uses 10-12 gallons a day or $15.00.

Gary Atsma · 05-30-2003, 06:47 PM

As far as space heating and water heating go, have you thought of the Espar(Eberspacher) line of Diesel-fired heaters? They use very little fuel for what they do. Also, I found out that there are even Diesel-fired catalytic cooktops (vented to outside) made by Wallas of Finland mainly for marine use. It would pay to use Diesel for whatever you can, mainly because it's efficient and you're carrying so darn much of it. You really can't bitch too much about running the Diesel genset for 12 hrs. to run the fridge since it's already running to operate the A/C units. And since you're more than likely carrying more than 150 gals. of fuel, 10-12 gals. a day will hardly be noticed, and that number is HIGH even if run 24 hrs. a day. Just my .02
PS I guess my one big thing here is to avoid propane or LP use like the plague. WAAAAY more hazardous than Diesel.

geof · 05-30-2003, 09:39 PM

Huummm...The Espar unite has some merit....have to look into that Monday....IIRC they are about $1500 for the whole unite....heat and/or hot water out of the same unite....valving would be the differance between summer and winter....Great Idea if they can produce maybe 5 gals. per minuite contunious at 110 degrees....Thanks for the idea....I was thinking 220 vt HWH and 220 vt electric heaters with fans...maybe around 13,500 Btu at 20 amps....Insulating the HWH so water would stay hot overnite and/or with a timer come on in the AM 2 hours before wake up time.....maybe not just flip the switch when you awake....and there are some instant electric HWH...requiring NO storage tank for around $500....geof

Gary Atsma · 05-30-2003, 11:29 PM

You bring up some good ideas for electric appliances; what brands are you thinking of in the units described? I too will look into electric stuff because, as you say, the ol' genset can keep it all going cheaply. I guess you can either use Diesel to do the job, or use it to generate the juice to do the job. whichever works best, I guess. This is the place to bring the ideas! Anybody else?

chuck · 05-31-2003, 05:27 AM

geoff et al

There is always spirited debate on the MAK publishing bus conversion board about all electric coaches. Beaware that when you start adding up all the parasitic loads the battery drains can get up there. Having said that.

Danfross compressors seem to the rage for saving electricity. Various refrigerators use them try www.backwoodssolar.com as a source, not sure I got the right number of s in their address. They know what they are talking about.

If you have read phred tinseths articles on all things electric and appliances you should do so, I keep copies of his articles in my rv as reference materials.

The webastos and espars are good, you can also pre heat engines on cold weather with them, do a search for marine suppliers and sometimes they sell compelte systems with toe kick heaters etc. There is a guy that sells complete systems for rvs and the crs has set in and I can't come up with his name, but will do so as soon as I sign off.

re diesel gen sets, they are not meant to be turned on and turned off quickly. i.e. hair curler syndrome. (do I have too explain hcs to you guys?).

re propane, I am still fat dumb and stupid (well two out of three) as I have heated my house with it, and use it in my rvs, not having had a problem with it.

to each his own.

When I remember the web site for the complete rv system will post it.

Chuck

PS Still haven't found a (*&&()^& side mirror for my Volvo, dumb, dumb, dumb.

Doug · 05-31-2003, 09:03 AM

I share the concerns about LPG, and find them enough of a concern that I would be unwilling to have it if I can avoid it. Our office is also the coroner's office due to a crazy law here in Washington, and I've seen the aftermath of serious crashes and fires. No thanks.
I would try to set up the system in such a manner that there would be lots of storage capacity, solar panels to get what I can, and do much of the charging etc while running down the road. Also, I plan to have a decent shore connection so that the self contained options is redundant flexibility, not the primary means of operation.
In addition, the A/C is going to be the main consumer of energy. I have no heat tolerance (it's genetic), and my comfort range is far lower than most people's. I also have big dogs, who need to be kept cool, and I don't like the noise and safety problems of open windows. Given this, the incrimental increase related to some appliances is not likely to be a major issue.

Gary Atsma · 05-31-2003, 02:48 PM

Chuck-
Are you thinking of the company called Vehicle Systems who make the Aqua-Hot and Hydro-hot Diesel-fired water heating and space heating(with hot water) systems? To me, this looks to be the real deal. The "works" of the system hangs off the vehicle frame, and heats the interior w/ small heat exchangers thru which hot water circulates. Website is www.hydro-hot.com. Check it out!
PS- Danfoss has no "r" in it, FYI.

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