Sleeper cab on a deuce?

Hey man, sorry for the late post but just to give you an idea. I saw two great conditioned Peterbuilt classic 379 sleepers at a truck dealership for 500$ each. They had really no interior appointments besides the bed but they were in perfect used condition. G

I think a peterbuilt sleeper would flow very nicely with the body style of the duece but I am now leaning toward a shelter with aftermarket air ride seats to soak up the bumps. If it were safe and legal, I would just let everybody ride in the trailer but thats only allowable in 5th wheels(I think). The shelter would be removable for when I need the full length of the bed. Anybody know what kind of shelter is the full width of the bed instead of the S-250 that has the cutouts for use in the pickups? I think 6 or 7 feet long would be ideal. Thanks

Hookin1 said:

I think a sleeper would look cool...if you decide to go that way i would get one that fit a pete,or kenworth or older frieghtliner.....i would get a flattop sleeper but then again a nice doublebunk would be cool just not sure about how high it would be....

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A double sleeper on the back of a deuce would likely exceed 13' 6" the DOT max for tractors.


However, try to imagine this:

Start at the cab in the deuce, and remove the bench passenger seat for another driver's seat on the right side. Grab a plasma and cut out the back of the wall of the cab and the front section of the cargo bed, and mig in some metal framework as well as close-up the gap a bit.

Add in the same gasket-type of kit that a Western-star or Peterbuilt 379 uses to attach the cab to the sleeper, and then build in a simple sheetmetal cover that will fit under the cargo canvas, using the bows as the outline. Maybe even add in a small back door and some sound and thermal insulation? then you have a sleeper that still looks like a regular deuce without the extra parts and hoisting large pieces on and off of the truck. I could draw a crude photo if you're still lost, but I was thinking about doing the same thing with Wallew this spring, or at least we discussed it once at length. i'd be happy to talk with you about it and share drawings, if you can de-crypt my handwriting.

With the amount of "armor" interior lights and electric element heaters in 28VDC, you could have a pretty nice setup!

You'll get the best of both worlds, having a deuce without the look of any mods, and a sleeper area for those hunting trips or boy-scout campouts.

Why not just get an M109 van bodied truck and connect the cab to the box with the same method. You would have to crawl through the hole, but it wouldn't look much different except for the side view where the connection was made.

An M109 is too big to park here at my house and I dont want to pay $75 a month for another storage spot. I have some drawings of what I guess could be called a mini camper that rolls into the bed. I was thinking about mounting some wheels on it and using a winch with some ramps to load/unload it. If I get a shelter that would be the same system I would use. I think I can picture what your thinking Doc and it sounds like a good idea. Another idea is to build a mini camper that slides in but has an integrated roof for the cab of the duece. You would, like in my case, remove the soft top the slide the camping unit in that has its own cab roof built in and would have a big open area to get between cabs without cutting up the truck. I'll try and figure out how to post drawings because it probably sounds cunfusing.

The S250 could be modified with drawers/bins in the cutouts for storage (battery compartments?) and allow for the space you want and easy removal.

I am in the process of bobbing my deuce and i think i might put a sleeper on the back of my cab. Single axle on the back with the M105 trailer bed. Would look BAD ASS!!

Figured this would be interesting. It is a shot from one of my fav movies of all time Red Dawn (1984) Looks like a standard long frame deuce with a 12' bed and a sleeper. Anyone ever seen one???

that has been posted on site a few times before

Here's one. New pics for an old thread.

unclemikey said:

Here's one. New pics for an old thread.

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Got any interior pics??

Wow that is one slick looking rig it really looks mv ish.

unclemikey ..thats awsome...I have been wanting to get another deuce and set it up with a sleeper .Now i really want to push it up on my to do list

inside pics

Thank you for the post. Got any inside pics?

Justin Wehring

Unclemikey, you can't post those pics and leave it at that. Tell us more about that rig.

yea, Unclemikey. you know the rules, you cant post pics unless your asking what it is, or are willing to elaborate on the pic.

That thing would make a sweet tractor if it was just that first sleeper section, a longer frame and a 5th wheel

Towman2277 said:

Djfreema, I saw a truck boneyard that had a 60" sleeper on a mack without the front clip and asked if they would sell the sleeper unit, and they said "Sure, we'll take $250 for it". I looked it over, and it was very nice, just needed a few odd and end pieces of interior. As I drove around, I saw two others, and they would also sell them, so i'm sure with just a little looking, you can find a sleeper in your area very reasonably priced. Good luck on whatever route you decide to take, and keep us posted!

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if he(they or whatever) have any 36-48inch sleepers- tell me, im looking for one for a 818.... i like the 818 at the momentroll but if i can get a sleepr cheap then im fine with it sitting in my back yard(clubhouse!!!) 818 to be added later

and also wreckerman is right about the whole... violent ride issue-if people will be riding back there while driving- id tie them down or something..... mine will just be for ME to sleep and pile junk in

As far as the height, when I picked up the duece I now have, I drove my 1009 up to Indianapolis, and loaded it into the rear of the duece. 12.5 feet tall to the top of the blazer. As far as the ride, with just 500 gallons of oil in the bed, the ride is 3 times more comfortable than empty. With the blazer in the back, it drove like a dream.
The sleeper on the back is the best way to go. Just build a partial hard top , and boot between the cab and sleeper. Some states require the rear passengers to be in contact with the front ones, plus it will be a whole lot easier to load them in.
As far as how it looks, check out davep's xm818a2 he built, you will be amazed.

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This rig belongs to a bud of mine, he builds really cool stuff, most always out of the box ( see thread of trailer campers ). I don't have any pics of the inside of the sleeper, but it is set up to seat his family of five in a simi-circle with the open end between the cab seats at the step through. The sleeper has a heater and A/C. You can see where he took a damaged bed and cut off the front to fit the sleeper. The rear is a secure metalized encloser that carries gear. The rear carries two 90 pound propane tanks ( you can see the covered vents about mid roof ). The water tank in the pic, generator, spare tire inside rear, as he has a second gas tank where the spare use to be. Note the crains, small hand crank unit and an entending rolling electric chain hoist for heavy items, like a motorcycle or whatever. There is a pile of things he has done, but this give you something to think about.