This show hauler conversion motor home came up for sale a while ago and caught our attention, partly for its comfortable-looking luxury RV interior, which looks like it has everything these big luxury motorhomes usually have, but doesn’t go too over the top.
It looks to be a manageable size, while still having power and sleeping accommodation.
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With a lot of the RV conversion motorhomes we see, they feature a large bedroom. With this particular one, instead they’ve opted for a bedroom with two bunks on each side (kind of might remind you of a tour bus).
There’s also the queen-sized couch foldout bed for a larger surface to sleep on.
This unit is a 2008, but from the photos it looks like it’s in pretty good shape. It shines up nice and the look of the whole RV overall is a striking one. And I guess that might make sense, considering the show hauler has been garage kept and only has 15,400 miles on it.
Here’s some of the main things I noticed: 44 feet long, Kenworth T660 chassis, 525 horsepower ISX Cummins engine, 13-speed automatic transmission, outfitted kitchen, TV tucks away (pulls down), large (residential size) shower.
It also has a 40,000 pound trailer hitch, which the seller said it can haul “no problem.”
It also has 24 foot awnings with wind sensors, full basement storage, rear backup cameras, GPS, lots of leather on the luxury interior of the RV unit, rear ladder and roof rack, hydraulic leveling, and a 3000 watt inverter.
What do you think?
When I wrote this, the unit was still for sale, for $225,000 on RVzez (click here to visit this RV dealership online).
This big toterhome / trailer combo is a team truck, and not much is known about it. So, Black Drag Racers, who own this truck as far as I can tell, if you’re out there reading, let us know a little more about your rig there.
I’d be surprised if the trailer was anything but a garage, but what about the RV conversion there? Is that just a garage for hauling too? or is it customed up inside?
These guys are out in Florida, so maybe you Floridans can fill us in.
This big custom motorhome slash semi tractor is the work of a custom motorcoach company we’ve featured here a couple of times, Davies Motor Company, because their work has caught our attention and other peoples attention as well.
They take semi tractors (which don’t look much like these finished toterhome products they come up with) and strip them down and re-build them up into these luxury motorhomes. Basically toterhomes. They seem to have their own style though, Davies motorcoachs I mean.
The process: they buy a semi tractor, strip it, stretch the frame out, lift the sleeper off with a folk lift (if there is a sleeper on the truck).
Then they modify the cab and hood: they cut open the back of the cab wider (if needs be), rework the wheel fenders, remove the hood and pretty much everything else, paint prep by grinding and filling, do a paint prep layeer over the whole truck (all the parts that will be painted), mount new steps, boxes and other chrome features.
Then then built the sleeper frame and put the sleeper walls on — I’ve seen them use these big ones like the photo above, studio sleeper units some call them, put in windows, build the roof of the sleeper, grind it all for painting, brace it all for strength, secure the skylights, and then mount the sleeper on the frame.
They paint the truck body with its final paint, paint the sleeper with its, and then assemble the two parts.
Then they do finishing work by adding lights, frame metal, and other features, decals, and any semi truck customization.
Then there’s just the interior to customize. These are usually custom luxury interiors or even just custom comfortable interiors, depending on what the buyer wants to do with the RV.
Since posting our original write up on this big yellow custom semi with its big sleeper unit, enough people have commented to add information and questions and sent a bunch of photos of the truck that we thought we’d do an update on it.
Randy Kenley said that this truck used to haul jet engines. He also specified the lengths of the tractor and sleeper: the wheel base is 385 inches and the sleeper is a 205 inch double eagle — which, he said, is the longest factory-made truck to date.
The truck, according to many, was Tony Bennett’s old one, which was used working for Southern Pride. And now, according to Tammie Chapman, it’s hauling a flat bed trailer and is based out of Salt Lake City, Utah.
For those wondering about turning in this truck, Aaron Newman had some valuable info. For anyone who has driven a bus before, he said, it shouldn’t be overly hard (as a bobtail). However, he also said, for lots of P&D lots, it would be too big to be very useful, because you’d need a fairly large area for maneuvering — like they used this big sleeper unit semi for, driving around airport tarmacs picking up and delivering freight.
Finally, a big thank you to Bill N Kristy Thompson, who answered many people asking for photos of the custom interior (we put the three photos into an all-3 collage). UPDATE: A new interior photo was shared by Dave Chapman, who is a lifelong friend of the current owners of this custom semi sleeper truck, currently in Salt Lake.
This big white custom RV motorhome is built on a Peterbilt chassis, and it was seen as an ideal truck for a couple of fulltiming travellers/bloggers who have been looking into getting their own custom RV conversion for years.
The bloggers made a post about this truck a couple of years ago, remarking on the rarity of finding a truck that so closely resembles some of the plans they had been thinking over the years, and the rarity of finding an RV conversion company that worked converting Peterbilts.
The couple want to design their own motor home and put it on a Peterbilt chassis like this one. They were truckers themselves.
This truck they spotted in Las Cruces, New Mexico at Hacienda RV Park.
If you end up needing to find a RV conversion company closer to your area, there are a lot of toterhome converters we have written about here. Also, feel free to contact us if you want to locate one in your area.
To read about the travelling adventures of the couple, visit RVing FT (click here).
Blending crochet hobby with the look of knitted stitches, this knit-look crochet cowl was created by crafter Delia. The photo you see above was created for “scarf week.” Want to make your own?
This crochet project is made with a special stitch called a “camel stitch,” which is apparently a good one to know. Delia said it was her new favorite after making this cowl. In turn, she learned it from a crocheter we’ve written about at Blogunity before, Ami at All About Ami.
The “camel stitch” is also called the V-stitch by crocheters.
For this DIY crochet cowl, you will need:
Super Bulky Category 6 Yarn – 2 skeins or about 135 total yards
N15/10.00 mm hook
yarn needle
(For the cowl in the photo at the top, 1 and a half skeins were used.)
Stitches used: Chain, slip, half double
Delia also noted that she liked the effect of this special “camel stitch” because of the inside: it looks almost like purl stitches, she added. For her pattern, visit Delia Creates (click here).
This crochet beanie project has something unique — a diagonal hatch that gives it a kind of spiral effect. Not your everyday beanie. This DIY crochet toque is one that can be made fast and it’s completely sizeable because of the way its made.
That’s because, as Bethany at Whistle and DIY says herself, you make the headband first, so you can then get your size actually — around your head or whoever you’re making it for — and then work up from there.
What you need for this crochet beanie:
Worsted Yarn
G Hook
Sharp Yarn Needle
As mentioned, you start with the ribbed band, then sew straight up. It turns into a sleeve almost, but then you crochet in the diagonal hatch (onto the already crocheted main peice). Then you turn it inside out, tie the top of the beanie all together in a bunch, and add your pom-pom. For the complete details of the pattern, visit Whistle and Ivy (click here).
In a write up not long ago, I said since I’d taken a look at Show Hauler Motorhome Conversions, I’d do write ups on a couple of their vehicles. Well, this is the first one. A lot of people really liked this one they did for Racing RVs by the looks of it.
Behind the bunks there’s a TV, closets and a master bedroom.
Although these custom motorhomes can be purchased with garages, this particular one wasn’t built with one.
Chassis: International Lonestar
Engine: diesel
Colors: custom, based on what the custom picked out
I’ll also add in here a piece of information someone else mentioned. Besides being less expensive than diesel pusher bus RVs, these motorhomes have that safety barrier in front, just like the argument for conventional tractors instead of COEs, instead of the bus’s big glass windshield.
Although I’ll also mention what I’ve heard others say, which is they still prefer the higher level of road visibility allowed by COEs (and, I guess, that might extend to bus diesel pushers as well by the same token).
Show Hauler showed 2 nice interior shots for this one. Visit Show Hauler (click here).
Here’s another crocheted beanie for you to take on as a crafting project for winter. All you need is a skein of yarn and a crochet hook, and you’re on your way. The pompom you see in the image is optional, and if you want you can attach it to a string, too, so it dangles.
That picture is from the pattern that Ami at All About Ami came up with, which is a slightly modified version of an earlier cabled beanie pattern. It was made a big smaller because these beanies stretch out when you wear them and they can become too loose. Not only that, the new pattern uses just one skein of yarn.
The color yarn you see in the picture up top is called “Oatmeal” from Lion Brand Yarn. Another choice might be a vanilla colored yarn, or anything else.
What you need for this DIY crochet headband:
-6 mm crochet hook
-Medium worsted weight yarn
-Optional: yarn needle to seam up beanie;
-Also optional: Clover Pom Pom Maker or Faux Fur Pom Pom (you can also make these — Ami does)
Stitches used:
In addition to regular stitches, there are a few special ones: front post treble crochet, back post double crochet, and front post double crochet.
Ami wrote that this year’s crochet beanie pattern fits much more snugly than the last one, but it’s quite similar in design and uses some of the same elements, like the cables and ribbed band. For the pattern visit All About Ami (click here and here).
How do you like this crochet headband, called a “cinched ear warmer.” One of the things about making these crochet earwarmers is that you can change things around a lot on them — and add things later if you want, like ribbons or other decorations.
This crochet idea comes to us from Rebecca over at Little Monkeys Crochet, who says that these cinched headbands have got a good amount of attention. They’re simple crafting projects, so don’t take too much space or time, and you can customize them with colors, too.
Sizing: the pattern is for a one-size-fits-most band (for pre-teen to adult women’s heads). It measures 18″ round and 3 inches wide, but it stretches a bit.
What you’ll need for this DIY project:
H hook (5.00mm), 7 HDC = 2″
About 45 yards of yarn
Weight: #4 worsted
Fiber: 100% Acrylic
Yardage: 5oz/142g (251yd/230m)
Gauge: 12 sc + 15 rows = 4 inches on size J-10 [6 mm] hook
Yarn needle
Stitches used: chain and slip, foundation half double crochet, half double and double.
To cinch the band once it’s made, you pinch the roll together and run a needle through it, which is something you can do with most headbands, too, by the way.
For the pattern for this crochet headband, visit Little Monkey’s Crochet (click here).
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