Thought on Converting this freightliner News van?

[MMOSER5150]

Hi Guy's,
Thanks for the Add. First post although I have been lurking for a while drooling over all of the cool builds.
I found this Freightliner M2 106 locally that used to be a news van and I am heading out to inspect tomorrow. I think this would make a great foundation for me next build, but I would like to get some feedback from others with more experience.
Thoughts on the platform?
Price seems to good to pass up unless i'm missing something..
Engine? DD MBE900?
Any major issues I should be looking for besides the obvious?
I do have a current CDL but it has been 10 years since I've been in one.
Here is a link to the add and if this is not allowed I will try to upload pics. Hope I am in the right area with this, Admin please move if needed.
https://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/cto/d/winlock-2007-freightliner-business/6851208754.html
Appreciate the feedback in Advance

 

[luthj]

You may need an extra endorsement on your drivers license to operate it. Since you have a CDL you should be good to go.

No shots of the interior, so it must all be equipment racks with access doors. Take a good long look at the structure. It may not be suitable for gutting/conversion.

Being a TV truck, it may have been idled a fair bit depending on how the power systems are rigged. Either for aux power, or more likely for heat/AC in the cab.

 

[Joe917]

2wd???
Freightliner can be serviced almost anywhere in the Americas.
Budget $10000 for new rings. Top end rebuild.

 

[NatersXJ6]

Lots of us seem to be antenna farming but having a satellite uplink on a telescopic pole has to get some sort of extra style points!

 

[john61ct]

Can pass anything but a fuel stop

 

[CampStewart]

That undercarriage would hang up on lots of driveways

 

[shortbus4x4]

Look at the engine idle hours, probably a gazillion. My oil field work truck is a 14 Ram 5500 with 61k miles on it, 2100 drive hours and 11k idle hours. Trucks like that will spend a disproportionate amount of time idling compared to driving.

 

[billiebob]

Excellant buy !! 154K miles, it is just broke in.
The M2 is one of the best trucks out there, way better buy than a bus.
Fuller 9 speed, I drove that same truck for Coke for 4 years. Put 200K miles on it.
Looks like it might have been parked indoors too.

That body is pretty big, lots of low hanging rear overhang but if you plan on never leaving the road it should be fine. I don't think you can do better than the M2, DD, 9spd. And 2007, so non DEF?

Idle time, looks like it has a generator so idle time is likely not high. Even if it is high, those trucks can hit 1M miles and in Seattle, it might have never seen freezing temperatures. I'm curious about all the compartments, what they were used for? what you will use them for?

 

[Ozrockrat]

There are a couple of other things to check. The M2 has a couple of mileage displays. Make sure they haven’t selectively picked the lowest one (like a sales yard in Florida accidentally does regularity).

Also depending on which MBE900 engine it has it could be a dog. That’s a lot of truck if it is only a 906.

The GVWR being over 26,000 is a bonus for you as it limits the potential buyer pool a little. But get it registered as a motorhome and then no CDL required.

Being a 2007 truck it should have the DPF. This can be problematic both from a maintenance/reliability point of view as well as taking it south of the border. These engines also have issues with EGR valves and coolers.

And I can give you some tips on getting its belly off the ground a bit.

 

[john61ct]

Would something like that be allowed to pull a 30+' trailer behind it?

As in a boat.

Or would you need to start with something shorter?

 

[Ozrockrat]

Looking at that VIN number it has the OM926 engine 7.2 liters. 250 - 330 hp and 800 - 1000 lb ft torque. Air brakes.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

Dude... that would be awesome to convert to an RV. The fact that it's a stick makes it even better. The box on it looks like the mobil lab I have at work, they will outlast the truck.

You can easily "turn up" the diesel to get more power.

 

[b dkw1]

Look at the engine idle hours, probably a gazillion. My oil field work truck is a 14 Ram 5500 with 61k miles on it, 2100 drive hours and 11k idle hours. Trucks like that will spend a disproportionate amount of time idling compared to driving.

^^^^ This.

 

[sharkbait73]

What was the outcome? Did you get it? I may be looking at something similar, 4x4, I'm told no DEF.

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