The Transmogrifier

[dirtydeeds]

Bikes are my hobby. Mostly dirt bikes. To get the show on the road at one time was easy. I hung the bike off the back of the jeep, loaded the gear, tools, bacon, beer and then took off. Life has become complicated. Apparently, passing out in the dirt is no longer an option.

I've been considering trucks - from Rangers, Sprinters to Ram 3500 type trucks, gas, diesel, 2 vs 4wd, motorhomes, trailers, campers... it all entered the thought process. I had a hard time justifying price, the trucks capabilities, limitations and the price. Did I mention price? I'd rather buy 6 more bikes than drop 10's of thousands on a truck. I wanted something that could haul the bikes, tools, gas, a few people, get reasonable mileage and use for camping.

I've been looking through several forums, learning from what coworkers and friends have done and have come to the conclusion that I don't want any part of it. I have other priorities than an expensive truck and wicked toy hauler. They're sweet but I'm WAY too cheap and they won't work for me. And I won't fool myself into 'investing' money in a camping set up.

Truck/Camper/trailer - too complicated, takes up too much space and I can't bring it to work.
Motorhome/utility trailer - same. Can't bring it to work.
Truck/travel trailer - again, can't bring it to work and I don't want to leave bikes exposed for long periods of time in the parking lot. Things go missing that way.
Sprinter- Pretty damn sweet. Really pricey. Where do you get parts? Service? Still probably the best option at this point.

I figured a van would be a good option but they're pretty small for carrying multiple bikes, gear, tools and people all at once. So, a bigger van? YES.

I ended up getting an older Medium Duty Truck with a box on it - 16'Lx8'Wx7'H. It's a Hino cab over FB1715 with a 5spd and 3.8 turbo diesel. I named it.


So without further adieu, a pic of the new to me Transmogrifier!




I've only had time to do a bit to it. First, clean it. Cab and box. Cab still needs some cleaning but all the Tim Horton cups are now out.

Room for 3!





When I was last down in the 'States, I found a few bike chocks at Harbor Freight. They're in now. I installed them against the walls at opposite sides. I figure this has saved me about 2 feet of space versus mounting them front to back.



Chock with a 21" wheel:




The box has E-Track running down the length of it. While wandering the aisles of Princess Auto, I found these little rings that clip into the side. The plastic bag said they're good for 6000lbs. Even if that's a lie, I'm sure I can tie bikes to them without worry.



The next phase will be to insulate and fix the walls a bit. Some pallets have taken their toll on the sides, near the bottom.

It has the typical hardwood floor found in the back of van trailers. I'm not sure if I should refinish it or just cover it with something.

I'd like to wire it for 110VAC with a couple lights on 12V. I'm going with the idea that I'll have a generator with me.

Things that may/will be going in is: a bunk, storage shelves, mini fridge, wood stove (winter) and plumbing of an unknown scope. I'd like to put some racks under the box as well, to carry gas cans. A power tail gate will be going on, too.

I'm sure some here have made their own toyhauler/toterhome type unit. Others have thought about it. I invite your ideas as to how and why I should be adding these and other things to make it more liveable. Keep in mind, I'd like to keep it light. If you know of a source for a piece I may be able to use, please share.

 

[gordhunt]

Very cool was going to do that last year but bought a small toy hauler instead.

Sent from my Note2

 

[Summiteer]

Bikes are my hobby. Mostly dirt bikes. To get the show on the road at one time was easy. I hung the bike off the back of the jeep, loaded the gear, tools, bacon, beer and then took off. Life has become complicated. Apparently, passing out in the dirt is no longer an option.

I've been considering trucks - from Rangers, Sprinters to Ram 3500 type trucks, gas, diesel, 2 vs 4wd, motorhomes, trailers, campers... it all entered the thought process. I had a hard time justifying price, the trucks capabilities, limitations and the price. Did I mention price? I'd rather buy 6 more bikes than drop 10's of thousands on a truck. I wanted something that could haul the bikes, tools, gas, a few people, get reasonable mileage and use for camping.

I've been looking through several forums, learning from what coworkers and friends have done and have come to the conclusion that I don't want any part of it. I have other priorities than an expensive truck and wicked toy hauler. They're sweet but I'm WAY too cheap and they won't work for me. And I won't fool myself into 'investing' money in a camping set up.

Truck/Camper/trailer - too complicated, takes up too much space and I can't bring it to work.
Motorhome/utility trailer - same. Can't bring it to work.
Truck/travel trailer - again, can't bring it to work and I don't want to leave bikes exposed for long periods of time in the parking lot. Things go missing that way.
Sprinter- Pretty damn sweet. Really pricey. Where do you get parts? Service? Still probably the best option at this point.

I figured a van would be a good option but they're pretty small for carrying multiple bikes, gear, tools and people all at once. So, a bigger van? YES.

I ended up getting an older Medium Duty Truck with a box on it - 16'Lx8'Wx7'H. It's a Hino cab over FB1715 with a 5spd and 3.8 turbo diesel. I named it.


So without further adieu, a pic of the new to me Transmogrifier!

View attachment 149287


I've only had time to do a bit to it. First, clean it. Cab and box. Cab still needs some cleaning but all the Tim Horton cups are now out.

Room for 3!


View attachment 149297


When I was last down in the 'States, I found a few bike chocks at Harbor Freight. They're in now. I installed them against the walls at opposite sides. I figure this has saved me about 2 feet of space versus mounting them front to back.

View attachment 149299

Chock with a 21" wheel:

View attachment 149296


The box has E-Track running down the length of it. While wandering the aisles of Princess Auto, I found these little rings that clip into the side. The plastic bag said they're good for 6000lbs. Even if that's a lie, I'm sure I can tie bikes to them without worry.

View attachment 149298

The next phase will be to insulate and fix the walls a bit. Some pallets have taken their toll on the sides, near the bottom.

It has the typical hardwood floor found in the back of van trailers. I'm not sure if I should refinish it or just cover it with something.

I'd like to wire it for 110VAC with a couple lights on 12V. I'm going with the idea that I'll have a generator with me.

Things that may/will be going in is: a bunk, storage shelves, mini fridge, wood stove (winter) and plumbing of an unknown scope. I'd like to put some racks under the box as well, to carry gas cans. A power tail gate will be going on, too.

I'm sure some here have made their own toyhauler/toterhome type unit. Others have thought about it. I invite your ideas as to how and why I should be adding these and other things to make it more liveable. Keep in mind, I'd like to keep it light. If you know of a source for a piece I may be able to use, please share.

Hydraulic lift gate on the back would be perfect

 

[dirtydeeds]

Hydraulic lift gate on the back would be perfect

Already lined up. Just a matter of getting some time to pick it up.

 

[Bnorth]

Sweet dude, please keep this updated. If you hit up pirate4x4 there are lots of guys there that have built toy haulers mostly out of old u-haul trucks. Lots of good ideas.

 

[barefooter]

Sweet dude, please keep this updated. If you hit up pirate4x4 there are lots of guys there that have built toy haulers mostly out of old u-haul trucks. Lots of good ideas.

My dad did the same when we were racing bikes in high school. We just towed an old travel trailer to sleep, cook and hang . The uhaul box was just for bikes and wrenching in. I think it was on a F750 chassis. Truck did not even know that the trailer was there. You could probably pick up a decent 20' for under 5K

Hydraulic liftgate would have been sweet. We just had the ramp


It's not the years, it the mileage........

 

[dirtydeeds]

You could probably pick up a decent 20' for under 5K
...

The reason for going this route is to not pull a trailer. I'm not allowed to park one at work. This is important because I work up north for a couple weeks at a time. I want to be able to leave from work and head directly to the bush - and skip the 650km trek home to grab gear.

 

[higher n you]

sweet looking rig jeff. should work well for your trips down south!

The reason for going this route is to not pull a trailer. I'm not allowed to park one at work. This is important because I work up north for a couple weeks at a time. I want to be able to leave from work and head directly to the bush - and skip the 650km trek home to grab gear.

 

[dirtydeeds]

I was out of the country for a bit. Went south to Phoenix. Did a little ride on my SMT. Lots of giggles.
Im home again, unemployed for a few more days and finally have a chance to work on the Transmogrifier.

I priced out some cabinets, drawers, countertop etc. Bought a sink at the ReStore, too. I had a nice little set up in mind. I was not convinced that particle board pieces would hold up to being smashed around in the back of a MDT. (You think your 1t is rough?). By luck, Home Depot was selling tool boxes for a good price. I figured I could get 3 of the damn things for 1/2 the price of kitchen cabinets, they'd be stronger, hold more weight and allow a small amount of flex. At the same time, I can recover the tool boxes if I decide to sell the truck.

I picked up some panel insulation, started tearing down the plywood on the walls and ramming the insulation in.






I finished about 2/3 of the walls and about 1/2 the roof today. I'll get the rest in the morning.


I picked up some 6mm vinyl floor tiles as well. They're heavier than I wanted but should work well. They're thick, strong, waterproof, aren't effected by temp change too much and have a 15 year warranty. The guys at Totem/Rona gave me a little discount, too. They're a discontinued style. I'll start dropping them in this weekend. That means unbolting the wheel chocks.


Im still short of a plan to hook up the sink, and a place to put it. Haven't decided how to get water to/from it yet either.
Ive been thinking of building a header out of 4" ABS. I could strap it to the roof. It would heat up in the sun enough to run an outside shower for a short time. A length of it holds 7.5 usg. I could easily get 3 lengths run up there. It's not a good plan for cold temps though.

Thoughts?

The boat show is on in RD this weekend and the trike needs to hit the river. (WTF! no 3 wheeler smiley?)

 

[dirtydeeds]

The insulation was finished before noon!

Had some rice and beans and started on the floor.



I could have finished but that would have meant no riding today. That was not an option.

Loaded up the 350X and headed to the Blindman. Had a good 2.5 hrs out on the ice, got soaked and came back.
Loaded, with the Transmogrifier in the background:




I found a pack of Guinness on the way home, too.

So tomorrow I'll try to finish the floor and get to the Sportsman show.

 

[dirtydeeds]

Been busy on a few projects. The Transmogrifier is coming along though.


The floor was finished, I picked up a nice LED light for the inside, a couple power bars with USB outlets for charging the cameras, iThings, etc, as well as a few hooks from Home Depot. I picked up a futon off of Kijiji to use as a bed, too. The futon idea will be scrapped. In its place I'll use another length of E-track and build 2 shelves/bunks. It'll reclaim a bunch of needed space.


Here's where we're at:





A few Home Depot hooks:






A nice boot rack. The idea came from a nice fellow in Pennsylvania.





As I mentioned, I'll run another length of E-track at a higher elevation to hang some nice big shelves/bunks. Here's the system:

 

[green-horn]

Looking good! Hino is a great little truck with super maneuverability and mileage. (just extremely gutless so I understand the weight thing). Keep us updated on your project.

 

[kbrunlees]

May I suggest velcro to hold your boots in place while you are traveling? otherwise they will end up on the floor in the way. Kwik Racing has a neat set up in his trailer that he hauls his quad in. He has a shelf that acts like a counter but has a plastic sink for weight, he uses a coleman hot water dispenser for didshes etc. I believe that the counter swings up when not in use.

 

[dirtydeeds]

The boots are held with bunji cords. They should hold well. Funny that you mention Velcro though. I found a bunch of left overs in the shop from a jeep project I had. Not cure how to best deploy it yet.

I got rid of the Futon frame. I didn't like the space that it used. I put of another level of E-track in order to build a big shelf/bunk. It's 48" and hinged in the middle. It becomes a 24" shelf rather quickly. Not sure how to use that space more efficiently. Storage of some sort. Ideas?

 

[JDen]

I have a truck with a 15ft van body on it, it is built as a steam truck. For heat in the van i got ahold of a couple old bus heaters and they work great, as long on the truck is running. I have a new plan for it to add a preheat or espar heater or whatever so that I can park the truck outside at night and shut it off, but this way the antifreeze will be circulating hot and the van body should stay hot...I think. May be an idea for you to look at for heat as well.

 

[mb1]

This is a cool build. Van guys always figure out the best ideas for space usage / multiple use space.

Keep up the good work!

 

[dirtydeeds]

I have a truck with a 15ft van body on it, it is built as a steam truck. For heat in the van i got ahold of a couple old bus heaters and they work great, as long on the truck is running. I have a new plan for it to add a preheat or espar heater or whatever so that I can park the truck outside at night and shut it off, but this way the antifreeze will be circulating hot and the van body should stay hot...I think. May be an idea for you to look at for heat as well.

thanks for that!
found a bus heater today for it. $50 at an auto wrecker. Awhile ago I picked up a 1500w circulating heater as well. Probably not enough to heat everything but it'll keep the system warm, without doubt.

I used the Hino as a cube van a couple weeks ago to move. With a full load, it sucked back 22l/100km on the way south. I had it WOT with a good (30-40kph) head wind, between 105-110kph. On the way back north I took it slower. Kept it around 98kph. There was a wicked side wind for awhile which died out after about 1/3 of the trip. The Hino returned 14l/100km. Much more reasonable.
When it's loaded with a few bikes it'll be lighter than moving day. I'll try to keep the turbo from spooling up.

While in Calgary I had the windshield replaced. I brought in 5 jars of peanut butter for the food bank and the windshield shop knocked $100 off of the price. I rolled out for $251. I was very pleased with that. The shop was rather displeased with the amount of glue required to hold the windshield to the rust. It's in now and I can move towards cabbing in something solid on the front.

 

[dirtydeeds]

While it was nice out I changed the oil in the engine, trans and diff. The 2 fuel filters and the cooling filter were replaced as well. Also added some Lucas diesel additive.
In the fuel, I'm running about 1% ATF. I've heard and read that these older diesels don't do so well on newer fuel. With the service and the fuel change there is an audible difference in the engine. It purrs really nicely now.

I've been rethinking the tail gate idea. I may just go with a ramp. I'm not sure that I want to listen to the power tail gate rattle while cruising down dirt roads. The fact that it could interfere with a trailer hitch has me doubting the plan as well. And I'm a fan of KISS. An electric powered, hydraulic lift with arms and hinges goes against that logic.

Still loving the the cube van idea, for now.

 

[dirtydeeds]

My dad did the same when we were racing bikes in high school. We just towed an old travel trailer to sleep, cook and hang . The uhaul box was just for bikes and wrenching in. I think it was on a F750 chassis. Truck did not even know that the trailer was there. You could probably pick up a decent 20' for under 5K

This idea is starting to grow on me. I'm thinking I can keep enough gear in there to keep me going up north and also put a hitch on it for the times when the basics aren't enough.

 

[Rockwerx]

I like to see people retrofiting different machines to fit their needs. Your project looks like it has been working well for you so far!

One thing I want to install on our toyhauler is an exhaust fan in the garage area...you may wish to add some vents and a roof vent fan system. Most of the time the stock venting has worked well except for once. Our grarage has a vent in the front and one near the rear...just like ones on semi truck sleeper cabs. The cross flow of air while traveling helps keep any fumes from acumulating. You may be able to get some at a semi truck wrecker. Our only problem so far was when a float valve on the carb stuck open and I had not shut off the fuel petcock. It leaked about a half liter of fuel while traveling. A fan may have helped clear the fumes a bit quicker. I want to get a fan with variable speed control.

I would use a quaility low ash 2 stroke oil for a fuel additive rather than using ATF. While the ATF has good lubrication properties it also has microscopic grit (helps the clutches grab) that does not do the fuel injection system any good. A low ash 2 stroke oil is a much better additive for many diesel engines and also a cost effective solution.

Good luck with your project!

While it was nice out I changed the oil in the engine, trans and diff. The 2 fuel filters and the cooling filter were replaced as well. Also added some Lucas diesel additive.
In the fuel, I'm running about 1% ATF. I've heard and read that these older diesels don't do so well on newer fuel. With the service and the fuel change there is an audible difference in the engine. It purrs really nicely now.

I've been rethinking the tail gate idea. I may just go with a ramp. I'm not sure that I want to listen to the power tail gate rattle while cruising down dirt roads. The fact that it could interfere with a trailer hitch has me doubting the plan as well. And I'm a fan of KISS. An electric powered, hydraulic lift with arms and hinges goes against that logic.

Still loving the the cube van idea, for now.