Jump to content

citizenx

Members
  • Posts

    19
  • Joined

  • Last visited

About citizenx

Profile Information

  • Gender
    Male

Recent Profile Visitors

The recent visitors block is disabled and is not being shown to other users.

citizenx's Achievements

Newbie

Newbie (1/14)

  1. Would you happen to have a link to that thread? I'd be interested in checking out those mods.
  2. Possibly, but I'm not really comfortable with the idea of towing something behind the rig. And I'm leaning more toward a scooter or moped than a motorcycle, so the weight shouldn't be more than 200-300 lbs + 100 or so for the platform.
  3. I just got myself into a '91 Dolphin and am looking into scooters/mopeds/motorcycles to haul on a rear platform. I'm having a hard time finding any specific information on how much weight these rigs can handle without affecting the overall balance of the vehicle. And, although I don't expect the overall weight of the scooter/platform will exceed 300-400 lbs, I also plan on doing some custom mods to the interior which will add some additional weight; so I would eventually be concerned about putting too much of a strain on the 1-ton axle. I can't seem to find anything that can definitively tell me how much the coach weighs, or, alternatively, how much the chassis weighs so that I can just get the vehicle weighed and then do the math. If anyone has access to this information, I'd appreciate pointing me in the right direction.
  4. Between the rig, the axle, shipping costs and repairs, it's sounding like this is going to add up pretty quick. And that's before I even begin renovating the coach. Common sense would tell me to let this one go, but what's the fun in that?
  5. @linda s I'm actually not sure how long the coach is. All I know is that after I get done with the custom interior, catchment system, solar panels, greenhouse, etc. it'll be pushing the limits of the 3/4 ton axle. I'm not so much looking at resell value as much as I'm looking to create the home of my dreams. I've gotten a few estimates that were in the $400-600 range for labor and have an axle (with 6 wheels) lined up for $650. Sounds reasonable to me, but I'm still wondering if I couldn't find an axle closer to home. Do you know if any other 1-ton axles will fit the Toyota chassis?
  6. I'm looking at a '79 Dolphin that still has the original axle. I found a 1-ton axle from a private seller in Montana, but was hoping to find something a little closer to home (Pennsylvania). I've just started my search, so I was hoping someone could point me in the direction of a salvage yard or private seller on the east coast that might have what I'm looking for. Which brings me to my next question: what exactly am I looking for? Which axle will fit the '79 body? Are there other 1-ton axles out there from another make that will fit this rig (perhaps with a little innovation)? What can I expect to pay for an axle, and a rough estimate of labor costs?
  7. By the looks of it, that could've turned into a pretty nasty situation. I'll definitely be inspecting the belts/hoses/seals before pushing off, but at this point I'm strongly leaning toward just having it shipped. If for no other reason, the weather has proven to be totally unpredictable this year.
  8. It's all a matter of perspective, my young friend. To me, crazy would be mindlessly subjecting yourself to four years of indoctrination, only to spend the next forty paying off your student loans. Grinding it out for eight hours a day in a cubicle, only to wake up sometime in your fifties and realize you hate your life and resent everyone around you. Strapping yourself to a 30-year fixed mortgage, only to be enslaved to the aforementioned job (and life) that you despise. Getting married and popping out 2.5 kids because that's what society expects, only to realize that all you ever wanted was to be free. Or...you could live in a house on wheels, with no rent, no mortgage, no property taxes, no utility payments, no neighbors, and no fuggin' limits! The world is your backyard and you answer to no one but the open road. If you ask me, I would tell you to honor your gypsy spirit and live the life you desire; leave conformity to the 9-5ers. If you're looking for specific advice, I've just recently gone through a fairly extensive (nationwide) search for Toyota motorhomes, as I'm about to buy one of my own. I can tell you from my own experience that if you're patient, and willing to travel, you will have no trouble finding a plenty capable rig for under $5k. For instance, I just scored a '91 Dolphin V6, in primo condition inside and out, for $3500. These rigs are normally in the $8-10k range, but I found the right guy at the right time and am willing to fly to the other side of the country to pick it up. Lucky for you, you're already on the west coast - which is where 99% of Toyota motorhomes go to live. The remaining 1% are in Colorado. It's a shame you're not ready to buy now; I just came across a solid looking '79 Dolphin in Colorado for $3500. You'd need to swap out the rear axle, but other than that it looked like it was good to go. When you do start to get serious, I'd highly recommend downloading an app like Daily Classifieds which allows you to search multiple locations simultaneously on Craigslist and also sends you daily notifications for saved searches. I also created a pretty comprehensive spreadsheet to track all of the different rigs I was looking at, which was a lifesaver in terms of keeping my sanity throughout this process. If you think this would be helpful, let me know and I'll get you an editable link and explain my workflow in more detail.
  9. @jjrbus I'm actually buying the rig from a dealer out in Vancouver who was able to arrange something with their transporter. They work with a lot of auto auctions around the country, one of which is 30 minutes from my place in PA, so they're going to drop it off there. So, really, the "deal" is coming from the fact that the dealer is using their clout to arrange this, and not from some sketchy second-rate transport service. I appreciate your cynicism though. @hunkaman That same thought actually crossed my mind, but I figure if I get it shipped here I will still have the opportunity to have a memorable maiden voyage when I do finally set off. It would just be under less risky circumstances. So, instead of "I'll never forget that time I broke down crossing the Cascades when they were getting record snowfall and had to eat my own arm to survive" it might be more like "I'll never forget all of the beautiful vistas I saw while on my trans-Canadian voyage". Which I'm okay with. Cheers, guys!
  10. Right, totally. Gotta love that Walmart return policy. I actually found a pretty decent rate ($850) to ship the RV coast to coast, so I may just end up doing that and be done with it. It would cost me nearly that much in fuel/airfare/various travel expenses (not factoring in any 'unknown' expenses) to get out there and drive it back. Might be the way to go...
  11. Speaking of preparing for the worst... Not too sure about the furnace, or battery for that matter. I got a pretty exceptional deal on this thing, so even if it requires some work I'm sure I'll come out on top. Provided I don't starve/suffocate/freeze to death before I get back. ?
  12. Thanks for the tips, y'all. I've already got an RV mechanic lined up to inspect the rig, so hopefully he'll catch anything before I hit the road. But I'll definitely look into ERS as well. If time allows, im hoping to take a southerly route back east to avoid weather...and, sadly, mountains. Other than that, I'm just preparing for the worst, hoping for the best and keeping the vibes high.
  13. Good question! I'm talking to the dealership about shipping the '91 and then possibly flying out there to pick up the '79 next month. There's a guy in Montana with a 1-ton axle that I may swing through and pick up on the way back, but other than that I'm (naively) hoping that it won't need too many parts, at least right away. Most of the work is cosmetic - which, for me, is the fun part.
×
×
  • Create New...