The BILLAWAYGO

[Bill Turner]

My expandable pantech started life as a tired 79 Hino 8 tonne truck. I required a relocatable house for travel and retirement. I had owned a caravan earlier in life and did not like the 2.4m wall spacing, ok for weeks but not permanently. My solution was Billawaygo, the super slide-out to give a 7x7m cat-swinging space with room for a bath and a toilet in separate rooms. The kitchen has a full size SS sink and extensive SS bench space. Originally built with one window, this has now been converted to a screened and louvered opening feeding a forced ventilation system which is light-tight. Closed up in full sun it is not quite photo lab darkroom dark. The design requirement was for no light to escape at night, to minimize bug attraction at night in the tropics. It works. The downside is you need artificial light always. At present I use CFLs for working and have 2 2w LED lights for permanent moonlight.

It went together over 6 months with the build posted on facebook(search charles.turner.7967). The Triton ute toad caused much grief(camshaft related) and was eventually replaced with the Great Wall look-alike. Same tray, drive one out, back the new one in, perfect changeover. The slide-on is designed to interlock closely with the tray for hold-down. The Great Wall is not converted for A frame towing as plans and circumstances have changed and the truck no longer needs to travel.

The truck no longer can travel is closer to the mark. Last wet season enough water found its way into the clutch compartment to wash enough dust down to block the bottom drain and subsequently nearly filled with water. The result was a starter motor that wouldn't and a frozen clutch throw-out bearing slide. The starter motor was easily fixed, but the clutch is a real headache,and the cab is rapidly rusting. Long term plans envision a final set-up in the Mackay district, and reality says it may need to get there on the back of a low-loader. Short term plans are fossicking locally for a while, then Australia wide on the big lap. All of this only requires the truck parked in its ideal location for use as a base. There is no pressure to move for several years at least

Billawaygo was built to meet my requirements, and still does, and should into the forseeable future. I'd be the first to admit it's not a replacement for the general motorhome. It takes a week of camping out to change location. When closed up for travel, the bath,toilet, and laundry, are still accessable through the entry door, but everything else is locked away in the container-like space created in the kitchen, which is packed so tight it can't jiggle.

[ozfueler]

Sounds interesting Bill, I'm sure those that those that are not on Facebook would love to see some photos posted on the site.

Looks like you have everything sorted out for the future, good onya!

[Dot]

Hi Bill and thanks for such an interesting post, hopefully some pics will follow later on..No matter what people think of other peoples set ups as long as it suits the owner. Your set up sounds very interesting. I would love to give the fossicking a go but might try to ?? hire the equipment first to see how things pan out as I understand those machines are big bucks.. My parents place at Beechworth was one big gold mine and if only it was still in the family. The dog was groomed every night and dad always got gold dust off the coat.

[Bill Turner]

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Hope this works, a shorter list than on facebook.

[Dot]

Now that is one hell of an extension Bill, wow. Time to head over to FB...

[T1 Terry]

Wow, that is some set up. Would it be possible to remove the pantec body and slide another truck under it? Or is the need for it to be self propelled no longer important?
The gearbox/clutch will be a real bugger to get out as the input shaft will now be rusted into the clutch and spigot bearing and the clutchplate will be rusted onto the flywheel. A piece cut out of the bellhousing so the presure plate can be unbolted and then inching wedges to get the whole thing appart. Having done a few I know it's not a fun job.