Box truck conversion

[boxtruckdreams]

I am converting a 1999 Ford e350 7.3 box truck into my house, and have very little idea of what I'm doing. I joined truckconversion.net today to see what advice is available to me, but I also wanted to share my blog:

boxtruckdreams

thanks!

 

[Doc Weaver]

Welcome to the forum.

Search through the past post and you will find many answers. After that, ask and the guys here are good at advice and experience. I converted a box as well.

 

[AKat777]

Welcome to the furms, even it's a little late, lol. Like Doc, I have a box truck. Mine isnt as nice as his, but it gets the job done. And I am rearranging the inside for a 2nd time. Added another 4 feet of living space for an extra bed.

 

[Doc Weaver]

that's funny. I have been contemplating the same thing. My family has started to join me on some of my trips, and we need some more bed space. I would love to see some of your ideas.

 

[AKat777]

that's funny. I have been contemplating the same thing. My family has started to join me on some of my trips, and we need some more bed space. I would love to see some of your ideas.

My truck is a little different than yours, but not much, I have the attic over the cab for the kids. I dont have kids, so its storage space atm. In truth, if I had to do it all over again, I wouldnt get another furniture truck. Or if I did, I would make sure it was the taller version. Mine is only 11'8" and the extra foot or so in the attic makes the difference between the attic being a viable bedroom for a grown person.

I didnt do much different this time out, I took an extra 4 feet of tool space and added it to the living area. That means I needed another 4' flooring section (2X3's and ridgid foam) walls and ceiling.

The one thing I did run into that I wasnt paying attention to initially, the roll up door. I originally left 9' of tool space and 12 or so feet living space because I was carrying that many tools, and living alone and the bed being over the cab I didnt need more. The overhead door rail system also came into the truck about 9'. So I needed to shorten the walls to allow for the rails to pass over the new ceiling. Not exactly what I had in mind, but it works.
Pics to follow shortly

 

[Doc Weaver]

i am contemplating building an attic for my kids. they have started traveling with me some. It would take some creative structuring to support attic. I also want to move the back wall about 4 feet. I'll have to organize tools and such to minimize the garage space.

 

[bushpilot-TC]

regarding the "grandma's attic"...we also use ours for storage (chairs that wont fit in the basement and bedding/pillow/blankets for the sleeper sofa & jack knife sofa)....it also gives as a place to put our guests duffle bags.

ive seen on coach that had the attic bed...the put cabinet doors on it (to give it a finished storage look)....w/ dbl doors in the middle it allowed them to crawl thru & use the bed, if needed.

I prefer the truck WITH the attic...just for the ADDED storage.

 

[AKat777]

My only concern with the attic is the almost always there temptation to start loading stuff into it... and some of these trucks have the supports from the corners of the attic down to the frame. This one does not, so I always worry about too much weight causing damage. I am sure I am just being paranoid, I dont have anything of any real weight up there anyhow. A mattress, some clothes, and the space heater when it's not in use. That's about it. Less than 250lbs total I would guess, well within what the frame can take (not to mention there is a frame within a frame now.. it has a 2X3 frame with rigid foam insulation)

 

[bushpilot-TC]

i have considered that - but when i think of MOVING truck, I'm sure they load the attic pretty heavy.

weve never had more than 150lbs up there.

 

[papa skwirl]

I have a 20' box truck ( 2001 International 4700 DT466E). My real rollup door is somewhat of a pain, but all I have done is make sure that nothing get in the way. I did have a curb side rollup but took that off and put a door there. Got tird of water dripping off when you opened it and it took up too much room.
We sell at Renn Fairs so the back 1/3 of the box has our sale stuff and the side boxes hold tent etc.
The longest we stay in ours is 2 1/2 months. Course when you total the 1 1/2 month stay at the first of the year and weekends/weekdays it equales to over 6 months.
Make the inside the way you want, don't let anyone say that is not right. Our setup wouldn't fit a lot of people but we like it. We are making it to fit us and it's been a 4 year project so far. Lots more to do.
Enjoy your project because you won't have a cookey cutter rig.

 

[AKat777]

Hmm. Another IH4700. And you have the same engine I do. That makes 3 IH4700's on the forums that I know of. Mine is a tad larger, but for the most part, we have the same truck. My curbside door was a regular cargo door, not the rollup kind. Dont think I would have bought it with a rollup.
Selling stuff from the back is a neat way to travel and make money. Puts you under DOT regs though, and that's a PITA. And if you are claiming it's an RV for rec use only, I hope they never look in the back. Because they will tag the truck on the spot if they do.

 

[papa skwirl]

We do have it reg as a motorhome in CA. Meets all requirements. Oh, we do follow Dot rules. We even have a dot #. The problem with us is we do not fall under any concrete rule. Or as our Dot inspector told us we are neither fish nor fowl.The rules are if you, gross over 10,000 lbs and sell out of state (yours) you need a #. Lots of people would fall under this if the Dot had enought inspectors. And yes it is a pain in the ---.
We wanted the curb side so we had to get the rollup. Took all of that out and have a regular door. Really is our second one, seems a sharp turn-dark night-ticket booth moved farther in road than it was= oops. New door.
My wife calls it a industrial strenght motorhome. Not very pretty inside, kinda rough but it is strong. We could make pretty but that would take a lot of time we would rather spend making product.
Besides we like the rough look and the fact it doesn't look like anyone elses.

 

[AKat777]

I can certainly relate. My kitchen counter is 1" plywood. You wont see that kind of construction in today's motorhomes.

I had hoped to finish the inside before heading back on the road, but the show changed it's starting date, and I will be arriving late to the show as it is if I head out beginning of next week. *sigh* guess I will finish it as I go. Harder to do that way, living in the space you are trying to work on is always a pain.

What did you do to the inside? Dont remember seeing pics of this project.