Recent content by tkj23qe1387

The chassis alone would probably be about 120k-150k USD. China’s import duty for this type of vehicle is hefty. Apparently they are also keeping it below 6m so that regular license holders can drive it legally.

Continental MPT81- 335/80R20 (41 in.), 68 MPH-rated super singles (6,779 lb. @ 95 PSI)

Great analysis on the order of magnitude estimates! Ignoring tire limits, I think the top speed would probably be no more than 90 mph. At that speed, air resistance would be at least three times more than ~55 mph, so the tranny likely must shift to fourth or even third gear. For the Straya...

This is a super relevant comparison. I think a diesel with 200-250 max hp would probably do great in anywhere but North America where trucks must remain under a strict speed limit. However, in North America, trucking speeds on highways are crazy by any other standard. Acela needs to appease the...

Does anyone have a sense of the remaining surplus LMTV supply as of now? Acela's class 6-8 options rely on those surplus trucks as the basis of refab. The supply of LMTVs' Austrian ancestor (12M18) kind of dried out as of now I think. Interesting that Acela mentions the lack of a high-powered...

Great points. Consumer supply could be a huge problem. Gov contracts are much more stable and lucrative. However, on the specs sheet, Acela explicitly mentions how their brake system complied with FMVSS 105. I suspect that they might be trying to match EC/CORE’s marketing of how much testing...

Thanks so much for the video! That looks so effortless. For the class 4/14000# chassis, how much payload capacity is available after conversion? Other question would be: Isuzu's brochure says that the in-frame gas tank is 30 gallons. Assuming that the truck gets 8mpg as a camper driving in mixed...

Sounds amazing! Congratulations with your project. Could you share more about the subframe that holds the TC box? Does it use a 3-point mount or spring mount? I am also interested in the core chassis, but might pair it with a box from Bliss Mobil instead. The subframe part is most confusing for...

Thanks Lance. One question about the "kinetic subframe" that comes with the CORE - is it a spring-mount subframe or a 3-4 point torsion-free subframe? Any plans to publish the updated CORE specs based on Isuzu on your site yet?

Hi Charlie - Very interesting suggestion. A well-optioned Acela (for XV) without the transfer case will actually cost closer to 150K, according to this pricing schedule I found online...

I tried searching the web for f-series 4x4 conversions and haven't found anything meaningful. Isuzu sells factory 4x4 FTS in Oz/NZ, but those are right-hand drive only so no reason in trying to import them state-side. If the lighter trucks also convert to Cummins that would be a god-send...

Apparently the Cummins is going to the Class 6 variants (Isuzu FTR/Chevy 6500XD) only. The shortest wheelbase is 150 Inch, which is 18 Inch longer than the NPR-HD/4500 series used by EC (class 3 and 4 only). If the Class 6 variants offered a shorter WB with the Cummins, that would arguably be...

Thanks everyone for the input. Looking forward to the latest CORE updates. Very interested in a gas platform for various reasons. A heavy-duty (class 4 or 5) Isuzu COE could come in very handy as a highway-legal (lite) medium duty chassis in the US. I am surprised that it hasn't often been...

May I ask how does the cab-to-cabin access work with the torsion-free mount/chassis? How does the seal work between the camper body and the cockpit?