ChestonScout
opinions are like Jeeps..
- Location
- Clinton, Ut
Having the overly heavy, massive wheeler that I do.....towing situations can be interesting. 4 years ago I bought a 04 F650 crew cab medium duty truck and made it into a crawler hauler. The build thread can be found here.
http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php?71024-the-MAN-sized-crawler-hauler-build-thread&highlight=
I absolutely loved that truck. It was VERY underpowered but it could have been upgraded some. The problem with that truck was the expense. I had a 16k loan on it, it was a 04 meaning insurance and registration was spendy. Work got slow and I couldnt afford the truck so it had to go. Ever since that, Ive wanted another rig that would be big enough to put the Scout on the flatbed and haul a camp trailer behind.
For me this is the best towing situation there is. I did the long trailer with a camper mounted on the front. Problem is you get to moab, you have to pack up camp every time you want to run a trail and then your hauling and parking a long trailer between trails. For guys with street legal rigs, this would work. Not for me.
SOOOO
Ive been watching for a long time trying to find the ideal truck for me. I didnt want a semi. I wanted another crew cab medium duty truck. Prices for them have skyrocketed lately. If I would have kept the 650, I could have almost doubled my money for it! I was looking in the 5k range. Even 1980s crew cab medium duties, beat to hell, no bed are selling for 9000!
Im sure deals still pop up but I wasnt having any luck.
Well....this thing popped up and I drove by to take a look.
First impression was bad. The bed was to short, wheelbase was to short, interior wasnt great. I left without hearing it run or even talking to them, But for whatever reason the thing kept haunting me. I went back the next day with the same result. Not for me. Finally a week later I went again and had them fire it up. I didnt know how to drive it so they took me around in it for a ride. It sounds friggin awesome! Seemed to have good power and it seemed to be working fine. BUT there were still so many negatives. I left.
Well about a month later this thing is still for sale. I go back again. He asks whats holding me back, pointed out a few issues and he has them fixed. Well now Im out of excuses. A week later I go back AGAIN and decide I want it. I gave a deposit and then went to North Dakota to learn how to drive a semi by helping a buddy out with the sugar beet harvest. So when I got home, so did the truck.
Here is the first day home
The drive home was interesting. Lots of problems I wasnt expecting. Nothing major. But lots of things associated with a 27 year old truck. Stuff that will nickle and dime me to death Im sure,
So anyway...Its a 1986 Volvo with a 6v92 Detroit motor and a 9 speed transmission.
This is not going to be an over the top fancy build. Quite the opposite. Im going to make it functional with as little cash as possible.
Initial plans for the truck are
-extend the flatbed
-add stacks
-replace the horrible air ride seats in the front
And after this I will just use it. Eventually I would like to update the paint, maybe the interior but this will always be a ugly old semi. I dont see much sense in throwing a ton of money at it to try to make it otherwise.
http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php?71024-the-MAN-sized-crawler-hauler-build-thread&highlight=
I absolutely loved that truck. It was VERY underpowered but it could have been upgraded some. The problem with that truck was the expense. I had a 16k loan on it, it was a 04 meaning insurance and registration was spendy. Work got slow and I couldnt afford the truck so it had to go. Ever since that, Ive wanted another rig that would be big enough to put the Scout on the flatbed and haul a camp trailer behind.
For me this is the best towing situation there is. I did the long trailer with a camper mounted on the front. Problem is you get to moab, you have to pack up camp every time you want to run a trail and then your hauling and parking a long trailer between trails. For guys with street legal rigs, this would work. Not for me.
SOOOO
Ive been watching for a long time trying to find the ideal truck for me. I didnt want a semi. I wanted another crew cab medium duty truck. Prices for them have skyrocketed lately. If I would have kept the 650, I could have almost doubled my money for it! I was looking in the 5k range. Even 1980s crew cab medium duties, beat to hell, no bed are selling for 9000!
Im sure deals still pop up but I wasnt having any luck. Well....this thing popped up and I drove by to take a look.
First impression was bad. The bed was to short, wheelbase was to short, interior wasnt great. I left without hearing it run or even talking to them, But for whatever reason the thing kept haunting me. I went back the next day with the same result. Not for me. Finally a week later I went again and had them fire it up. I didnt know how to drive it so they took me around in it for a ride. It sounds friggin awesome! Seemed to have good power and it seemed to be working fine. BUT there were still so many negatives. I left.
Well about a month later this thing is still for sale. I go back again. He asks whats holding me back, pointed out a few issues and he has them fixed. Well now Im out of excuses. A week later I go back AGAIN and decide I want it. I gave a deposit and then went to North Dakota to learn how to drive a semi by helping a buddy out with the sugar beet harvest. So when I got home, so did the truck.
Here is the first day home
The drive home was interesting. Lots of problems I wasnt expecting. Nothing major. But lots of things associated with a 27 year old truck. Stuff that will nickle and dime me to death Im sure,
So anyway...Its a 1986 Volvo with a 6v92 Detroit motor and a 9 speed transmission.
This is not going to be an over the top fancy build. Quite the opposite. Im going to make it functional with as little cash as possible.
Initial plans for the truck are
-extend the flatbed
-add stacks
-replace the horrible air ride seats in the front
And after this I will just use it. Eventually I would like to update the paint, maybe the interior but this will always be a ugly old semi. I dont see much sense in throwing a ton of money at it to try to make it otherwise.
