motorhome convert to pickup

[stevecobb76]

idea pool (for my personal recollection)
removable sliding 5th wheel hitch
reese hitch
expanded metal & angle iron flat bed
1990 chevy 3500hd pickup body
g30 frame measurements here Chevy Truck Frame Dimensions and Specs - Chuck's Chevy Truck Pages.com

When you detect the smell of rubber burning, I am either thinking hard or having safe ***!

 

[MikeInEburg]

I could leave frame like it is and just put a flat bed on it too! from what I read, the body mounts are all the same on the frames.

This is what I'd do. Easier and more functional.

 

[BHD]

If you wanted a little fancer look see if the van cab is the same as the van, (my guess it is), and find a old van and cut off the back for the rear of the cab, and then put a flat bed or small dump box on it,

 

[Sprinklerman]

If you wanted a little fancer look see if the van cab is the same as the van, (my guess it is), and find a old van and cut off the back for the rear of the cab, and then put a flat bed or small dump box on it,

This would work and probably be easier .

I would just go with a used flatbed .

 

[4570Man]

Her is a picture of the door tag on the Chevy 3500. There was another tag, but somebody painted over it.

 

[stevecobb76]

.... now the smoke has cleared (i was thinking)


obviously I was not thinking about gas mileage... or lack of gas mileage!

 

[Threepoint]

Steve, you probably know that the welded-on frame extension in a Class C motor home of that length with that Chevy chassis is intended only to support the back end of the coach and a light-duty Class III hitch. Structurally, it will be a major weak point of your conversion if you leave the extended frame intact. I wouldn't plan on being able to do much bumper-pull towing. What is the current tow rating on the MH? I'm betting it is only 3500 lbs, with maybe a 350 lb tongue weight. You won't be able to increase that very much. Your idea of adding a fifth-wheel hitch is interesting. BTW, I hope this will be a labor of love if you undertake it, because it sounds like a lifetime project.

 

[stevecobb76]

yeah your right threepoint.. I cant do as pictured above. because I will be towing / hauling on a regular basis. I just hope they didn't butcher the frame too much. I am hoping they just drilled new holes and used studs to relocate the hangers. and then I hope they just bolted and not welded a extention onto the back that I can just take off.

 

[stevecobb76]

here is the beast!

 

[BHD]

my guess is the van frame is different from the pickup frame, I suggest keep the van cab and close of the back of it, (my 78 ford van and pickup frames are different, that much I do know) I do not know if there close enough to set the pickup body on and then reconfigure the steering and clutch and brake set up, and the transmission shifters,