Best small cars to fit inside a class 8 truck conversion?

[BravestDog]

I'm trying to get an idea of what small cars would be a good idea to put inside a class truck conversion.

I like the Toyota Xb. They remind me of a mini Suburban or Excursion at a small scale. They can comfortably seat 4 big adults and a dog in the back.

Toyota Xbox measures 13' long, 5'6 in width and height, 65" wheelbase and weigh 2,400lbs.

Mini coopers are 12' long, 5'6 wide, 4'7 high and weigh 2,700lbs.

If you built an inside garage for the Xb at say 14 0r 15' long, how much length would you have for the conversion if you wanted to stay under 40' total (CA laws for standard license) and how much could you put inside that area? Is there enough room for a couch, diner, kitchen, bathroom...?

What would be the choices on how to get it into the back of the truck? Ramps or a lift?

How much would a platform lift cost like the ones that become the rear door? They seem really nice. When you are not using the lift, it could be used as an observation platform, dining area...

 

[LooseClu]

All questions I was asking a year ago but here's what I decided on: a Mini, 13' garage, 17' living room, beaver tail & attached ramp. You would have to drive a Mini to understand why buy a Mini. The garage needs a minimum 1' beyond the Mini's 11' 11" length. Mine weighs in at 2,905 Lbs. The same garage will easily hold all my windsurfing gear as well. My wife isn't sure she can stand having me that close all day so if needed for peace, I can also sleep in that little car. A slide out would make it roomier but we're both kind of skinny and I don't want to deal with their problems or additional cost. The beaver tail & ramp/door should be low enough so that the car can just pull in and therefore won't need a big league wench to raise the ramp when half the car is still sitting on it. Hadn't thought of using it as a porch... maybe thread on adjustable legs at the top corners of the ramp/door? Those were my decisions but so far, I've only got the Mini.
Roy

 

[Dave B-TC]

The liftgates I've seen on the internet generally are rated at 4,000lbs. So, they certainly could lift the Mini C or Toyota. The BBC(bumper to back of cab) length of the tractor used for the conversion would determine the amount of space left for living after the garage space is deducted from the overall 40 foot length. Most day cab tractors are 120 inches or 112 inches BBC.

 

[BravestDog]

LooseClu

Do you want a roll up door or a ramp door on the back of the conversion to drive the mini into the conversion, or would you attach a power winch to it and pull it in with a cable? The cable seems to be the safest way to get it inside. Bring it inside nice and slow. If you have only 6" of space between the front and rear bumpers and you're driving it inside, one small miss and boom, you could easily hit the forward wall. Would you need additional ramps or would the door be sufficient? Would you put windows and a translucent roof inside the garage?

If you have a 13' garage and 17' cabin area, what can you include inside of it? Have you drawn any floor plans or do you know of any websites that offer a click and drag program where you can design these floor plans using somebody else's website, like Showhauler, Haulmark...? Would you have a diner and couch on seperate sides forward, kitchen, then bathroom with a pass through door into the garage? Is 17' sufficient for this?

Is there a maximum length you want to stay under? I'm in CA so I would want to be under 40' so anyone can drive who has a standard drivers license.

Dave mentions 120"/10' and 112"/9'4 for the cockit section. So you figure you would have approx 28-30' of usable space if you used a day cab front rather than a sleeper version.

Dave, would you know the links to who builds platform type lift ramps or their costs?

Does anyone here have a garage unit with a small car inside?

 

[Oakland Mike]

I have a ramp door with lift gate on my trailer. Not quite the same as a conversion, but close. I also have an XB and am planning to take it with me sometimes.

The trailer is used for motorcycle drag racing and associated equipment.

I bought the lift from wildside trailers, they do not advertise them anymore but do still sell them. I think it was close to 8k with shipping but did not include the door itself. The kit included the rams ready to weld on and all the hydraulics and electrical mounted on an aluminum plate. I made an aluminum box for the hydros and sunk it in the floor between the frame rails. All the chains, small parts, etc. to make the job easy were included.

 

[LooseClu]

Do you want a roll up door or a ramp door on the back of the conversion to drive the mini into the conversion, or would you attach a power winch to it and pull it in with a cable?

Ramp door. About 50-50 on driving in versus winching (drive it half way in, winch the last portion. I expect the door to incorporate ramp strength/structure.

would you put windows and a translucent roof inside the garage?

windows yes, translucent roof no

If you have a 13' garage and 17' cabin area, what can you include inside....

Anthony Desnick (ToolSet) has given me a few floorplans to ponder. Everything is 'fitable' in 17' except the rear bedroom. I will also have a bed over the cab... extra cot in the garage. ToolSet has a beaver tail in progress with good photos http://homepage.mac.com/desnick/PhotoAlbum13.html

Is there a maximum length you want to stay under?

yes, 40' is a self imposed max for me.
Roy

 

[medent]

Nappanee Windows make a ramp gate that is spring loaded so it can be lifted closed quite easily by hand: www.nappaneewindow.com

One of these that will hold 2500 lbs + is going in my RV-Garage rig to get up to a full sized car into the garage. We are putting a winch in there to pull anything in slowly. The cost for the ramp gate is about $1100.

This is being built on a KW T2000 and the living quarters are rather minimal, 14 ft behind the drivers seat and then an 18 fr garage behind that. The garage drops down to a lower level behind the drive axles and we have a removeable ramps to get motorcycles, gokarts or a car's front axle on the upper level. No sloping beaver tail. We've put this on a 301 inch wheelbase and let the thing get out to 42 ft. total length. Hope to have it completed in a month or so.