When you’re travelling the country in your motorhome or other RV, whether you’re towing a travel trailer or a teardrop trailer, you don’t want to sacrifice power, particularly when you’re towing a lot of weight. And these motorhomes and semi tractors with trailers do pull weight, because the RV units they make are big, comfortable units, some sleeping 4, others 6 comfortably. And their interiors have it all (see the photos), from hardwood cabinetry to high end entertainment electronics to more necessary features like water, energy and lights.
These guys go right for the power pullers for their trailers, and their motorhomes are big too, with multiple slide outs, satelites, and pristine custom paint. The company we’re looking at today is RJF American Motorhomes, and they’ve been specializing in matching RVers to a motor coach or travel trailer that fits them, whether its a big one or smaller unit.
A few words from the company themselves: ”
Our team are also perfectly placed to deliver the ultimate luxury mobile home experience for you from start to finish. We have years of experience in the hospitality and motorsports industries, before deciding to set up our own business. The head of our team and his wife themselves have worked for over 20 years in the mobile RV and luxury motorhome market. So you know you’re in safe hands.
“We have an extensive fleet of American RVs, motorhomes, trailers and fifth wheelers for hire. So we’re sure to have the vehicle that’s just right for you, your guests and your budget. All you have to do is tell us where you’re going and when, and we’ll deliver the vehicle to that location ready and waiting for you.”
They not only sell these custom coaches and trailers, but they rent them out, too, particularly for events such as motorsports, equestrian and horse races, festivals and movie shoots.
You can find them indexed in our directory of motorhome and RV builders and retailers. For more RVs and motorhomes to peruse, click here.
Rubber truck tracks? What’s the big deal? Well, there’s nothing like going off-road, and 4×4, 6×6, and other wheel-based vehicle solutions are out there. Who still remembers the first time their friend let them ride in their Argosy or other small bush-mobile and you climbed up some seriously steep bank or something, like a tank? More tires can be good, because you have more places you touch the surface and can push forward. They can also be a negative, because you have less weight pushing down on each one, and if the ground is soft or slushy you might spin instead of getting a good forceful contact. This is one of the criticisms of duallys, which look so tough but sometimes can get stuck where a regular 4-wheel truck wouldn’t.
Well, today we’re looking at another off road solution: replacing tires with tracks. It looks cool, and it works cool. With a set of these, your regular vehicle (often its a Jeep or other already-off-road-type vehicle, but you can put them on a town car or SUV) can coast over snow, soft grass, the shallow water at river banks, gravel, and some swamps. You can go where you wouldn’t go with tires, just by putting tracks on.
There are a number of companies doing t his right now. One is Mahindra Roxor Mattracks, which is getting a lot of attention right now. Another we noticed is American Truck Track, which sums up the use of truck tracks nicely: “Rubber Track conversion systems for off-road transportation insnow, ice, wetlands, mud, and other challenging terrain.Simple bolt-on installation in minutes!”
The Roxor Mattracks we read about, for example, come with a special rubber torsion anti-torque system and full rubber torsion suspension while HSLA steel frame construction and presence of aluminium drive sprockets reduce the overall weight. And the American Truck Tracks we noticed come in both standard and XL sizes, depending which fits your application better, whether you’re using your vehicle for pleasure off-roading, off grid transport, logging, surveying, drilling, or any forrest-based industrial work.
Not only are these available commercially, but armies are starting to use these for their vehicles. For example, DARPA is equipping army vehicles with tires that are track tires, but more. They actually transform between round tires and the triangular configuration. And there’s also people making these for other applications, like amphibious transport. Bill Feeley built custom tracks for his Exteme Hagglunds All Terrain Vehicles, which are so cool.
We’ve actually take a look at a couple of really cool-looking older trucks set up with truck tires recently, such as this one. And for more RVs and off-road vehicles, click here.
If you’ve ever visited Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, you may have wandered through an area that seemed to have been frozen in time. Jukebox Junction is a favorite with old and young alike, but perhaps the most reminiscent area of the Junction is the Rockin’ Roadway. A simple ‘car’ ride that winds around Burma-Shave advertisements, this ride would probably be of little interest to those not fascinated by vehicles from that time period. One of the most popular vehicles of the decade features prominently in this ride, albeit as smaller models rather than the original bodies. The Chevy Bel-Air is a beautiful antique from happier times, and though they were only made for two and a half decades, they remain lodged in the public’s memory as a gorgeous vehicle from days gone by.
The Bel-Air made its first appearance in 1950. It was classified as a full-size muscle car, with unique roof and rear windows (other parts of the vehicle were similar or shared by the Styleline Deluxe Coupe). It sold for $1,741 when it arrived on the scene, and was purchased by over 700,000 customers. It had a three-speed manual transmission, either a “Thriftmaster” or “Blue Flame” engine, and was available as a 2-door coupe, 2-door hardtop, 4-door sedan, 2-door convertible, or 4-door station wagon. As time went on, the trim was used on other vehicles that were then called “Bel-Air”, but the original body, a GM A, is what most of us have seen.
The Chevy Bel-Air lasted in the United States until 1975, and was assembled in several states, including California, Ohio, and Georgia. All told, there were seven generations of the Bel-Air made in the U.S. Canada kept making and selling the Bel-Air until 1981, although it sometimes went by another name, the Laurentian. Eventually, however, the Bel-Air was retired, and made way for the Chevy Impala.
Today, we’re familiar with the Bel-Air because of places like Dollywood’s Jukebox Junction, older shows and films like Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Quantum Leap, and photos featuring families proudly showing off their beloved Bel-Air.
They only made a few of these, and there’s just no other RV that’s like them. But you can still get them, because they come up for sale on used RV and motorhome listings once in a while.
This is a luxury motorhome with a 12″ garage bay in the back. A 40″ motor coach with a 12″ garage bay in the back, actually.
And it’s got enough power for its size, plus enough to carry everything you need for serious luxury RVing, including a vehicle that can park inside the motorcoach’s garage bay: It has a 6.7L Cummins ISB Turbo Diesel (which puts out 350 horsepower, 650 pound-feet of torque) and is equipped with a 5-speed Allison auto transmission. The chassis for this luxury motor home is a Freightliner custom one. It’s a Gulf Stream Bounty Hunter, and you could easily be comfortable riding around in one of these on an extended road trip around the whole continent.
It also has a 12″ slide out unit on the drivers side which adds 3 feet and turns the living room into a much bigger space. In terms of amenities, it has all the luxury motorhome features other RVs of this type have, from AC to kitchen appliances to hardwood and bathroom. The ceiling in this motor coach is 9 feet, and it has a 2×3 foot shower in the bathroom.
You probably noticed one of the unique things about this motorhome is the raised section in the anterior of the vehicle, which you can see in the exterior photo. That’s a loft that is located above the garage bay. You can sleep more people up there, or use it as additional accessible storage. You can find these around, and we’ll definitely keep our eye out for great ones. One of the best we’ve seen is the “Windseeker I,” the first incarnation of the travel RV used by the couple behind wind-seeker (although they’ve changed RVs a couple of times since then!).
Members of our groups occasionally send us in photos and write-ups of their custom rigs, eye-catching RVs and motorhomes, and outlandish and weird vehicles, and we get a chance to share them with the other members. You can click the photos to make them bigger.
This one is by Dayle Greening. “This beauty was a few years in the making for my Dad who just turned 78 years old.
“It’s started with the chassis, which is from a one ton Ford Econoline Van. The body itself is two different trucks. It’s a mix of a 1953 Ford COE and a 1954 Ford Pickup. It has a 100 gallon gas tank placed between the can and the box. My Dad is a body man and fabricated, painted and customized this truck to his liking all on his own.”
Rivian Electric Truck
The Rivian Electric Truck seems like it would be something of a conundrum for the regular truck buyer. Most trucks these days are large, loud, and powerful, capable of hauling thousands of pounds of materials whether for work or pleasure. An electric truck conjures up the image, at least at first, of a quiet, smaller vehicle. Rivian, however, has decided to change the game when it comes to capable work trucks and recreational trucks with the induction of its newest vehicle, the R1T.
The Rivian name may be new to most of us, but the startup is already making waves in the automobile industry, most recently at the 2018 LA Auto Show where it not only introduced the R1T, but their electric version of an SUV, the R1S. Another way Rivian has made a name for itself is in its decision to retain the rights to sales and services instead of extending that possibility to car dealerships. The reasoning behind this is the knowledge that the world of sales has been changing and that buyers are now more savvy when it comes to vehicles and their pricing.
The electric truck is scheduled to be rolled out and ready to drive off the lot in 2020, while the SUV will arrive one year later. While dealerships won’t have the traditional relationship with the company that others have come to expect, there will still be ways in which dealerships will be involved, though these details have yet to emerge.
With a 55-inch bed and a choice of three different battery packs, the vehicle may just change people’s minds about the likelihood of an electric future. Its power derives from four different electric motors, which, when combined, will create about 820 pound-feet of torque as well as 750hp. The truck will also, depending on the battery, be able to travel 300 to 400 miles (with two of the three options) before needing another charge.
At this critical moment in time, it is a good point in which to stop and reconsider our usage of fossil fuels and look into other ways we can still live our lives relatively easily without having to waste precious resources. It might take some time to adjust to the idea of quieter, less powerful vehicles that need to be recharged instead of refilled, but it is an idea worth promoting, especially with the continued trend toward a complete drain of our resources.
Whether you support alternative means of energy or you think what we have is good enough already, I urge you to explore options like the Rivien vehicles when purchasing a new model. In order to enjoy our world and to make it enjoyable for the next generation, we will need to make some changes (and perhaps sacrifices) so that the world is around for quite a bit longer. One of these changes doesn’t have to be horrible, however. The Rivien R1T looks like it packs quite a punch, with modern, clean lines, bright lights, and the ability to drive us toward the future.
Rotating Dump Truck Beds
While most of us have seen dump trucks used to haul gravel and other construction materials, what you may not be aware of is that dump trucks are used in many other capacities, and sometimes, those capacities warrant a rotator on the truck bed.
Some companies sell rotating truck beds specifically for special jobs. Hulcher Professional Services, Inc., for example, sells dump trucks with rotating beds to railroads because it is easier to turn the truck bed and dump materials than turn the truck this way and that for just the perfect angle. The rotator can turn 180 degrees, which provides the driver with many options for dumping.
Some rotating dump trucks are even capable of going off-road, if equipped with hi-rail gear. They can travel to remote locations and dump sites, whether they’re hauling things for lumber companies, mining groups, or construction projects. Tartaglia Railroad Services offers custom built rotating dump trucks for their clients, as well as maintenance, such as alignment, inspections, and oil changes.
It’s worth getting to know the big names in the business if you’re looking to join the market, especially if you’re in an area where railroads are the main business. Names like Tartaglia, Hulcher, Danella, V&H, Deere, and ACW Railway Company are all worth checking out at least to get an idea of what you’re looking for, what it needs to do, and which place is the closest or offers the best package deal.
Of course, you may not be a working professional who needs to upgrade to a rotary dump truck, you may just happen to be a hobbyist or enthusiast, or someone looking to purchase a dump truck and refinish it to your own specifications without the need to haul railroad materials. You can find vehicles and information on the rotating dump truck types online at places like Ebay, Amazon, and manufacturers’ websites. If you want to try one out before purchasing, there are companies such as the above mentioned Danella that provide rentals.
Rotary dump trucks usually come with a diesel engine, engine brake as well as air brakes, a tandem axle, and manual transmission. The GVWR varies, but the type sold and/or rented by Danella typically falls between 56,000 and 66,000. The fuel tank typically holds around 100 gallons.
When looking at the various types of rotary dump trucks, you will want to pay attention to the specialties and equipment that comes with each model, whether you’re wanting something that can haul long-distance or short, through mountains or around cities, or just to show off at the local truck show.
Members of our groups occasionally send us in photos and write-ups of their custom rigs, eye-catching RVs and motorhomes, and outlandish and weird vehicles, and we get a chance to share them with the other members. You can click the photos to make them bigger.
This is Scott Ehnke’s RV set up. “It’s a 1977 transtar2 I dont know too much about I bought it from a good friend of mine a few years back it was the first truck I learned how to drive when I was younger it gets used around the farm a bit I haul my camper with it in the summer take it to the big iron classic in kasson mn it has a big cam 400 Cummins in it and a 13 speed. It has a little over 1 million miles on her.”
Will Thornton sent in these vintage shots. “This is what they would do at night in the truck stop. Get your grill and furniture out and party!!! Back when they were moving families across the country.”
And these ones: K100. 3408 cat.
Cory Andrews sent this one:
“This photo was taken for company advertisement for the company my father worked for back in the day.”
And this one. “This photo here was a white/ freightliner I believe . Taken is middle 80’s . Was my uncles . He pulled mobile homes with.”
This one I don’t think belongs to the photographer, but member Brandon LeClair sent it after seeing it in Virginia.
It went slightly under the radar when it was released, but these are the new Nissan e-NV200 / NV300 Camper mods. It’s a totally electric vehicle meant to be used as an RV, a type of vehicle that so far hasn’t received an serious electric vehicle entries.
The benefit of an electric RV is obviously that you don’t need gas stations, just power bays, which can be installed at campsites, rest stops, or anywhere else on the road, plus, as we see improvements in solar charging, we could eventually see electric RVs that don’t need to be charged, only occasionally maintained.
The current challenge in electric RVs is how to meet power requirements (for towing RV weights) with an electric battery. The e-NV200 by Nissan recently was upgraded to a 40 kWh battery pack, which brought its range up to 124 miles (200km) based on the WLTP combined cycle. That’s a limitation, but if you think about it, how far are you going RVing with your unit? Obviously this would not be the unit to tackle cross-country touring, but when you go camping near your house, it’s often less than 50 miles to the destination. Actually, when I go camping or just out to have a bonfire with friends it’s less than 20km. So for that purpose, something like this would work. So far, the modified e-NV200 / NV300 electric camper van has only been released in Spain, I guess because Nissan expects it won’t be as popular in North America yet, but it’s a sign of where RV Camper Vans are going. If The venture works in Spain, they’ll expand to other markets.
And to see an electric motorhome that is totally powered by solar panels, click here.
The Tesla Model X is the Officially the Safest SUV on the market.
SUVs and trucks are usually safer than cars, because they’re just bigger. But they traditionally have a failing: they roll over fairly easily. 1% of crashes have rollovers (not a lot), but 1/3 of deaths from collisions happened during rollovers (a lot). That means rollovers are very dangerous. So SUVs can be improved.
But the Tesla Model X is different from most SUVs. It doesn’t roll over as easily at all. The design is the key here. It has a large, rigid battery pack located on the floor of the vehicle, which gives the car a much lower center of gravity than other SUVs. What you see in test footage is other SUVs rolling over when they corner too hard, while the Model X starts to roll over, but then comes back to land on its wheels again, because the lower part of the car is heavy enough to anchor it back down.
Not only that, but the Model X SUV doesn’t have a motor in the front, so instead Tesla has provided that area with crumple zone to absorb frontal energy. It also has rigid side pillars AND side cells that absorb side energy.
The only down side of this luxury RV for most people is the price tag, at around $80k, it’s 10s of thousands of dollars more than other SUVs.
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