I'm talking out loud here and wanna bounce some ideas around. This is gonna be a LONNGGGG post, but I'd appreciate you reading it and giving me your suggestions/ideas.
5 ton, 939 series trucks, come in a couple variants. I had an M934, with the NHC250, which gets about 5 MPG no matter what you do, how much you haul/tow, or city/hwy....
The A2 variant has a Cummins 8.3L turbo, which also gets 5MPG city, but jumps to about 10 MPG (some have reported as high as 13) on the highway....
The 8.3 is a newer engine, easier to tune for more power, is quieter, less costly to maintain, and is what most people want nowadays.. This doesn't come without drawbacks.. Namely, $$$$.
As far as rarity goes, tractor units are pretty rare, and an M932A2 being one of the rarest... If you're looking at the difference between 5MPG and 10MPG, it's significant, but if there's a 4k$ difference between the NHC250 and 8.3.... that 4K$ gets you 1333 gallons of fuel @ 3$/gallon...That's 6666 miles.. . a LOT of driving...
Now... Why a tractor, or a 5 ton?
Value for the dollar, and able to be reconfigured in the future. Its unique nature is a double edged sword, as was pointed out in another thread.. 'optics'.. The truck says 'good guy going through bad times', although 'militia nutjob not to be fucked with' is OK too... hahah... Buying a box truck or an RV will just get me lumped in with everyone else... ie 'homeless living in an RV'.... Going up to someone and saying 'hey, I own that army truck out there, mind if I get some rest?' sounds a lot better than 'hey, I have an RV, can I take a nap?'.... The height also means you can't get into it without a ladder.
CURRENT objectives are... Lower cost, ability to fit in a relatively normal parking space, and of course, rule #1...
Here are my options, as I see them currently. All but options 5/6 would also include me selling my maintenance truck. Figure around $11-$12K available if I DON'T utilize option (4)/5/6, or around $7500 available if I went with (4)/5/6.
1. Buy a 5 ton Tractor
a. NHC250 or 8.3
b. With or without winch
c. Buy full size trailer or remove hitch and mount M109 or similar radio/van body to frame.
2. Buy Uhaul or similar box truck/shuttle/coach and upfit it,
3. Buy RV (other than solar, no real outfitting needed)
4. Repair transmission in my mom's ambulance and drive that.
5. Buy trailer I can tow behind my current truck.
6. Stay in back of maintenance truck
Option 2 is sketchy.. While it sounds good, any work I put into a Uhaul or other box truck relies on that box truck actually working and I won't be able to get anything out of it that I put into it. ie if I I spend 2 grand on making a perfect truck, I'm not gonna get that out of it when I sell it, as everyone has a different idea of what they want. Security could be an issue if someone sees an 'unoccupied' truck and decides to try to break in/steal it. Cost would be relatively low , and being able to park just about anywhere and be invisible has its advantages. The advantage would be I could take the box off and mount it to a trailer or bed of a 931, but with added cost/complexity and would kill the resale value of the truck if it's a cab/chassis and not a full box truck anymore.
Option 3 I'm not pleased with because a small RV isn't gonna be well equipped for a guy my size, and I don't like the idea of an RV in general. They're not secure and you'll automatically get lumped into a category.
Option 4 has the 2nd lowest cost after Option 6 , I can sell her car for around a grand, and use that to repair the transmission (yes, I have her permission, it was the plan all along anyway). I'm not too happy about the way the engine is running, but it fits in a normal parking spot and is 90% 'done' anyway (just need to add solar and batteries).. Security is a quasi issue as it's low to the ground and people HAVE tried to open the back (secured from inside) when it was occupied.
Option 5 leaves me with the same issues of Option 2 and includes security issues. Trailers are a magnet for thieves, some opting to take the entire trailer. While I could park it just about anywhere, I don't think the thin skin of an enclosed trailer, even after adding insulation, would be a good idea. I would see someone trying to break into it within a week.... Nice that I'd be able to drop it and go somewhere, but not a great idea, IMO.
Option 6 costs virtually zero dollars, BUT, I can't stand up, I'd crawl everywhere, I can't poo inside it, and there's a security issue just like Option 4 in terms of having what looks like an unsecured latch on the outside. A quick tug will defeat any lock I put on the inside as the doors are aluminum. I don't look forward to losing my hearing for discharging a 9mm inside a tin box that's 4x4x6...
Option 1 presents a couple issues.
a. 8.3 or NHC250? The 8.3 costs more. The NHC250 gets worse mileage. The reason I sold my big truck is, it was costing me $100 a month just in fuel to get from point A to point B where I was being allowed to stay during the day/night (couldn't stay at either for both day and night). Being that it's city driving, it wouldn't really matter much. What would matter is decreased maintenance costs and future MPG when driving long distance.
b. Winch costs more, but adding a winch later adds even MORE money and lots more work.
c. Going with a full on tractor-trailer set up means I do it once, and I'm done... BUT, if I don't have somewhere to park it, it's moot. (all the small, cheap properties in WA that I've been looking at, that I can buy for a couple grand, are covered under HOAs and won't allow vehicles like mine parked on grass). Putting an M109 box on the bed and removing the 5th wheel tractor hitch means it'll fit in a normal parking spot, mostly, so I don't have to worry about taking up 8 spaces, and they can't really complain if it's only taking up one spot... It's high enough that security isn't an issue, and imposing enough that no one will really wanna fuck with it. BUT, it adds back the issues of option 2, meaning my money is virtually wasted on the small box because no one will buy it for what's into it. The tractor and M109 combo would be great off road if need be, whereas a 30ft trailer isn't going on any forest service roads any time soon.
Yeah, that's a LOT, but advice is appreciated.
I know someone will say 'put the money into getting housing'...
OK, let's say I rent a room... that's the cheapest option.. That's going for ~$500 a month... I'm still fighting SS, they still haven't made a determination... and it takes another 3 yrs... 500*12 = 6k$ a year.. I have some place to live for a year and a half and what do I have to show for it?
That same money could be put into a living arrangement that follows me where I'm at.. Anywhere I am is 'home'... $500 a month could be put into improvements or rainy day fund instead of putting towards rent I'll never see a return on. . I see it as buying a house instead of renting one...
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