45' moving van conversion
 

GREAT site with Tons of information!!! I could, and have, spent hours searching different threads for useful information and will continue to do so.
Like many of you I have always wanted to own my semi truck and am so consumed that I can name the brand of oncoming truck from a long distance, almost turning it into a game i play by myself when traveling, and I am in sales and drive 40,000 miles a year. My wife and also love camping and have a 31' Winnebago we take to the lake and horseshoes but there has always been something missing.
Ten years ago we bought a 1989 International 9307 and an older drop van trailer, cut some windows and doors in the trailer and had one heck of a horse hauler for 1/10 the cost of a dually and goose neck horse trailer would cost, but we never got around to putting an interior in it and the kids came along so at a time when we needed the money we sold it, not losing a single $ I might add.
Rules and regulations were different back then and I am still not sure what the best options are for me or the setup yet but we will figure that out when the time comes, right now we are still building.
So what I have is 1987 White with a Mack engine it, don't know much about it and this point other than its a mechanical motor. Plan on cleaning it up and painting it flat black with dual chrome exhaust. Bought it sight unseen aside from pictures for $3K. Have it home now, a $450 tow bill since I didn't want to the chance of driving it until I know what condition it is. It starts, stays running, shifts into reverse and at least the first 3 years, it has an Eaton 9 speed.
The trailer is a an old 1988 a mayflower drop deck moving van. Paid $3500 for it. Back 16' will be horse stalls and the remainder living quarters, for me, the wife, and two boys under the age of 8. Front section will be living room and use the hard wood floor already in the trailer, kitchen is next and then the bathroom leading back to the horse stalls. Bedrooms will be two lofts.
Here are a few photos of what I am been able to get done in just a few short weeks.....

A few more photos, sorry but I couldn't figure out how to attach more than one photo for my first post.

The trailer

Before any construction

First wall being built

Looks great. I have absolutely no building skills so I love seeing other people able to do stuff like this.

So as a follow up for all those that like to bend the rules or the folks that are Stickler for the rules........

When I had my previous set up I lived in Michigan and applied for a farm endorsement. This allowed me to operate a vehicle with airbrakes and pull any size trailer as long as I stayed within 150 air miles of my farm. Some will argue with me and tell me this wasn't possible but I managed to find a loophole that allowed me to drive that truck and trailer anywhere I wanted to in the United States, without a CDL. How? It was quite simple when you understood what a CDL stood for, as long as everything on board belong to me and was not for sale I was a not for hire vehicle and fell under no more rules and regulations then the Griswold family on a family vacation. That was back in 2008 2009 timeframe and the rules have since changed.

Now I live in Ohio and from what I could gather the rules now stipulate that if you are driving a vehicle that weighs over 26,000 pounds you must have a CDL class a to operate. If you want to pool a commercial trailer, one that is defined again is having a gross vehicle weight rating of over 26,000 pounds, you then also must take the combination skills test.
I have read a few threads that indicate to me that it is possible to have this commercial trailer that is 45 feet in length re-registered to an RV trailer. Again, I am building the trailer to be an RV anyways so all of the requirements such as a stovetop a refrigerator etc. will be Met. I have also read other state that if your truck and trailer is under 65 feet that it can be registered as an RV as well. I don't have the room in the truck to go through the effort of putting in all the necessities for an RV, never mind the fact that the RV laws state that if the vehicle is over 26,000 pounds it cannot have a fifth wheel hitch attached and be considered an RV.
So my question is simply if I am successful in registering the trailer as an RV, can I then only take the written airbrakes endorsement for the truck to be legal?
I hope I explained this correctly and look forward to what I'm sure will be very in degrees of opinions.

The CDL laws vary so much state to state it seems. I have Zero clue.

But I will say that floor in your trailer is gorgeous!!

Surprised by the lack of opinions...I mean responses. I figured I would get 20 different suggestions for registering the tractor, trailer and myself. Guess I better do my homework. Been cold here for the past week or so so I haven't been able to make much progress. More photos will come after I get a few walls up

Best information might be found here: HDT - Escapees Discussion Forum

There are some threads at the top there that probably have the info you need.

My .02, forget about "commercial" if you aren't using this for anything "commercial." From your description it doesn't sound like you intend to use it for "commercial." If I'm correct about that then build the trailer to satisfy the "recreational vehicle" requirements in your state. You should be able to find those over at the Escapees forum I linked to. Now, about that truck. I would do whatever I can to equip it to satisfy the same rv requirements and get it licensed as a motorhome. You should be able to. I bet others have and that info will be in those sticky threads over there.

If I'm wrong and you are going to do commercial things, none of this applies.

Definitely not doing anything commercial.
If I read the regulations correctly it will be easy to get trailer registered as RV trailer and not commercial trailer. There really is no room in the truck to have it registered as RV. If I had a large stand up bunk it would be possible.
I found the same thread as you noted and have been reading all night. I think that what it comes down to is how hard you can sell it when challenged.

no CDL rules like that in Texas....all that is required (but rarely enforced) is the Class B (air brake) endorsement.

I've been stopped TWICE (by curious Texas Rangers) who used the lack of a front license plate as their probable cause....and not one word was mentioned about endorsements, weights or other requirements.

One of the stops was by a younger (new) officer who had is boss (sergeant) along for the ride/training...we talked about LOTS of stuff - and not once was a CDL, weights or endorsements mentioned.

Well after doing some more research I do believe I am good to go as is with no requirements, although I will take the farm endorsement written test that allows me to use air brakes.
I will keep the pictures coming as I complete more of he trailer and get to the tractor.

Windows for the horses are in

Loft for the boys to sleep

These will cover the aluminum cargo bars

Interior of truck being gutted

I didn't read the link, so forgive me if I'm restating something(a lot of people think they know and are clueless) I have been in contact with FMC and State of Michigan dot. Question #21 on FMC site may answer any questions you have. I race for pure hobby(more like vacation) since I rarely win money(claim it under normal income), don't have sponsors, etc, I am not considered commercial and was told by the FMC that I do not need a CDL, although he encouraged me to get one, to drive my motorhome and 38' stacker trailer. I agreed with the FMC guy that I might get hastled by a road officer, towed or parked, but I'm taking my chances until it happens. I carry supporting documentation from MDOT and FMC and two years tax returns to show I'm not a racing business. I maintain the speed limit and try to do everything "proper" as to not attract attention. The gray area for you is that your truck is not a motorhome. I'm not sure how that plays out. Good luck.

I have moved on from what I need to drive this rig. I am not doing anything commercially so as long as I have air brake endorsement and am marked as nom commercial not for hire I am good to go.
i will put a different spin on the whole CDL thing, if I ain't doing anything commercially why would I go through the effort and cost of a CDL? I had a DOT officer tell me if he pulled me over as a non commercial rig and found out I had a CDL that it would raise red flags, basically saying if I didn't need the CDL then don't get a CDL.

Truck got painted today...semi flat black using nothing but cans of spray paint. The visor will get chrome plaited. Need to clean up the aluminum and get new chrome wheel simulators.

Trailer getting painted over the next few days. The rear is done and half of one side. Using rattle cams again. Sure you can pick it apart but it ain't a Ferrari and at 70 mph you won't be able to tell.
I figured I better get as much done on the outside before the fall and winter months when I can complete the inside. Goal remains to have his finished by next spring

Rear view of trailer with Windows in place

Not 100% sure but I know in Oregon I have seen a lot of "Commercial" trucks (Still with 3 axles.) hauling horse trailers with living quarters and have "Not for Hire" instead of GVW stickers and they drive right past the scales. I know talking with scale master at local state weigh station, he said he doesn't particularly like having vehicles pull in to get weighed that aren't company freight hauling vehicles. I asked him because my service truck by the letter of the law was over 26,000 lbs. and air brakes and should get weighed. He asked me to not stop as it slows things down for him at the scale worrying about the company freight trucks that regularly are doing illegal things or equipment that is unsafe. I look at that as a general understanding of what his job really is... Not "policing" honest RV people. Just make sure your vehicle is in safe operating condition and not overweight on any axle and doesn't look like a freight hauler and you should be fine.

Started the Pallet Wall in the living room

Wow
 

I'm looking to do something like this, but more like the concept of a "Tiny House" for all year living (winterized++) that I could cross Canada or the US if I ever wanted (If I ever get a truck to haul it too). I'm in the design phase and trying to squeeze the max out of a 53' air suspension dry van. There aren't a lot on YouTube and other sites on such big trailer conversions. If you ever do a video tour and post it on YouTube, please add like in this post. I'm guessing many would love to see the finished product (or the construction phase).

I have been plugging along but not finished yet. I have 1500 other projects around the farm that keep me busy but I have been back at the past few weeks. Keep in mind I also have the truck that I rebuilding as well. I will post some new photos this week

Love it. The black paint makes the windows invisible and much more stealthy!


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I think that is going to be a very cool setup. I am sort of catching up here. I had just remarked that I was curious why there were not more dry van conversions.

I'm looking to do the same thing. I haven't really found many dry van conversions on the internet either. The conversion I'd like to do won't be able to happen for a few years yet, but I plan to document the whole thing when it's time.

There are already some things I would do differently and it by no means is perfect but the great part is that I am building it.
Pallet walls are 80% complete and I have decided that I am not going to cut and RV door. Instead I am going to build a screen door on the side inside the existing door and have another entrance through the rear of the trailer. Creates some issues but makes it a lot easier than cutting about door. If I put a enclosed awning off of the side I should be ok. Truck is gutted and now starting to put it back together, I am doing all of the interior myself as well. Got the dual stacks mounted on the rig!!

Interior of trailer looking at what will be the kitchen. The bathroom is behind the kitchen

The truck....

Almost two years now and still working on this project. I will have to get some updated photos but have the interior completed and all of the electrical wire done, I chose to run all of the wire internal to the trailer (exterior to the walls). Next few weeks I will start to tackle the plumbing. There has been 50 different ideas I have thought of as I have built this thing. If you wanted to you could put hundreds of thousands of $ into one of these. I like the challenge of completing this thing with as little out of pocket $ as possible and will be into this for under $10K total when finished, and that includes the tractor.

10k...great job! Looking forward to seeing some updated pictures.

What a great find a mayflower! Where did you find one of these so cheap? I need one so I can haul all the clothes my wife likes to bring along!

Sam

Update
 

Running low on time to get this trailer conversion completed. I gotta have it going in about 60 days if we are going to use it this year and there still is a lot to do on the trailer. The interior lights needs completed and all of the plumbing needs done.
The truck is not even half way put back together either. All of the ceiling and side panels need installed, the floor needs installed, and the seats need installed. The engines runs and I know it will move but I really don't know what I have or don't have on the truck.
So, I decided to pull the trigger and buy the truck I always wanted.....2007 Peterbuilt 379EXHD. Here she is...…

I bring home in about two weeks. It was traded in by an O/O the morning I bought it so it still has to go through the shop/. This will expedite the process of getting this on the road for sure. Not really sure what I am going to do yet with the old Volvo but for now she will put in the barn.

Liking it all, best part was spray paint...did the same with a vehicle that showed rust....kept spray cans in trunk..worked great...maybe not worry about getting it all done before you use it...just camp in it till done?

Mmmmh, I like the Pete.

Still dreaming about that 1949-1955 "needle nose" Kenworth, they can be found cheap, but bringing them over here in Europe is expensive.

75% done!
Interior just needs the toilet and holding tanks. Electric is done and to my suprise it worked the first time!
Trailer has sat for so long that brakes won’t release. I worked on it for several hours today and got the front axle to spin but not the back. Any luck I will have it rolling tomorrow and we plan on taking it camping for the weekend.
Here are some updated photos

A few hours of swinging a large hammer and the brakes finally freed up on the trailer so we will be camping this weekend in her. She is ready to go and I am ready as well.