Truck Conversion & Toterhome Community - View Single Post

bmzero · 06-02-2013, 10:41 PM

I race UTV's. That's not a confession, because I am not in remission yet. This is an ongoing disease that I have suffered from for nearly 20 years now. All of this time has not been on UTV's. Actively racing dirt bikes and quads has also plagued me for many years.

I have gone through all sorts of vehicle setups to transport equipment and people to and from these events.

Currently, I race out of a 48' Haulmark race trailer. This is the largest of my contraptions. However, it has finally pushed me over the edge. It's literally like driving a semi down the road. Hard to park. Hard to drive, and killing my F450.

I have been thinking about this conversion project for quite a while now. I have bounced back and forth between the 24' trucks and the 17' trucks. The few 24' trucks I have driven just didn't have the road manors for which I was looking.

The Truck

The local Uhaul "clearance" yard had a few retired 17' trucks come in for sale a few weeks ago. I got the pick of the litter, all Arizona trucks. After driving it, I knew I found the one. It's a 1998 E350 with the 17' box. Mechanically, near perfect. No rust. Just south of 200k miles. The box is very sound with only a few superficial dings in the upper corners, for which I already purchased replacement corners.

The Plans

The vehicles I race range from 9' to 12' depending on the vehicle, which takes up most of the 14' floor in the truck. This is the reason I went with the Uhaul - the "Granny's Attic". That's where the "loft" will be built, containing the twin bed. The loft will be walled off from the remainder of the box, with a sliding door to get into the bunk.

There will be a 13,500BTU roof air and a side entry RV door.

I have purchased a Champion 3100w inverter for the AC power. Seen below next to my 2000 Champion. I am a big fan of both of these units.

The primary purpose of this vehicle is a race transporter, with a secondary goal of providing a place for me to sleep. I usually go to the races by myself, as my family is not really into racing. However, soon, my son will be making the trips with me. He's four, so still some growing to do.

Most of the fabrication on this truck will take place below the box. I need to incorporate the following:

Custom generator drawer
Large side boxes
Mount air compressor
Fresh water tank with external shower and pressure washer hookup
Two large deep cycle batteries
Secondary fuel tank for the toys

The only amenities on the inside of the box will be the bunk, sink, microwave, and AC/DC cooler/freezer.

06-02-2013, 10:41 PM	#1
bmzero Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 46	My 17' Uhaul Toy Hauler I race UTV's. That's not a confession, because I am not in remission yet. This is an ongoing disease that I have suffered from for nearly 20 years now. All of this time has not been on UTV's. Actively racing dirt bikes and quads has also plagued me for many years. I have gone through all sorts of vehicle setups to transport equipment and people to and from these events. Currently, I race out of a 48' Haulmark race trailer. This is the largest of my contraptions. However, it has finally pushed me over the edge. It's literally like driving a semi down the road. Hard to park. Hard to drive, and killing my F450. I have been thinking about this conversion project for quite a while now. I have bounced back and forth between the 24' trucks and the 17' trucks. The few 24' trucks I have driven just didn't have the road manors for which I was looking. The Truck The local Uhaul "clearance" yard had a few retired 17' trucks come in for sale a few weeks ago. I got the pick of the litter, all Arizona trucks. After driving it, I knew I found the one. It's a 1998 E350 with the 17' box. Mechanically, near perfect. No rust. Just south of 200k miles. The box is very sound with only a few superficial dings in the upper corners, for which I already purchased replacement corners. The Plans The vehicles I race range from 9' to 12' depending on the vehicle, which takes up most of the 14' floor in the truck. This is the reason I went with the Uhaul - the "Granny's Attic". That's where the "loft" will be built, containing the twin bed. The loft will be walled off from the remainder of the box, with a sliding door to get into the bunk. There will be a 13,500BTU roof air and a side entry RV door. I have purchased a Champion 3100w inverter for the AC power. Seen below next to my 2000 Champion. I am a big fan of both of these units. The primary purpose of this vehicle is a race transporter, with a secondary goal of providing a place for me to sleep. I usually go to the races by myself, as my family is not really into racing. However, soon, my son will be making the trips with me. He's four, so still some growing to do. Most of the fabrication on this truck will take place below the box. I need to incorporate the following: Custom generator drawer Large side boxes Mount air compressor Fresh water tank with external shower and pressure washer hookup Two large deep cycle batteries Secondary fuel tank for the toys The only amenities on the inside of the box will be the bunk, sink, microwave, and AC/DC cooler/freezer.