As I have an update to share I think I'll move this thread here, seems more active and more diy friendly than the 4x4 build forum.
Preface from previous thread: I really enjoy the planning, building, and fabrication process. I also really like the outdoors. I saw this as a good way to incorporate those two things into one project. My background in off road travel was previously limited to truck camping, which was great for me, but wouldn't get the wife out into the wilderness with me. My background in fabrication is completely as a hobbyist, but I've built some race cars, many shop projects: my garagejournal if anyone cares to look(https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/the-jungle.404733/), and having my Dad, and youtube, as a resource. I knew what I wanted for the truck platform and it was a crew cab 1999-2003 ford with the 7.3 diesel. My Dad owns many of them and its a familiar truck. I wanted the strongest chassis I could start with, and figured making it weaker would be easier than stronger, so I started looking for a F550. As for what to put on it, I've always liked function over form vehicles like service trucks, ambulances, fire trucks... I knew that ambulances were basically just aluminum boxes, and that sounded really easy to work with, so I found a cheap one and kept looking for the truck.
To get caught up: https://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/2003-f550-no-limit.246668/
Update from February: I was able to get the box back on the truck recently, really a moment and I finally can see how it looks together. It isn't small... Before I got to that point though, I needed to get the subframe painted and installed on the box itself. I don't have many pictures of that process, but here is the finished product:
This second pictures shows the top portion of the rear spring-body mounts, and on the left, my mounting method of through-bolts into the side boxes of the ambulance body. Its the same piece of aluminum holding up the walls, so I'm guessing its strong enough.
And the whole thing from the outside. I'm not using the rear jack points because I need to redesign those a bit, but that's upcoming. The jack points themselves are integrated into the subframe, so its not stressing the aluminum body at all:
And a terrible night photo of the truck after I drove it around for about 30 minutes. The weight feels fantastic, so I'm looking forward to the interior build because its going to ride great once its around 14000lbs I think.
Late Feb I had a chance to weigh it, 12740lbs. For comparison it was 11,200 before the subframe and roof raise / cabover. The trucks GVWR is 17,000+, so still plenty of headroom for interior and gear.
View attachment 879145
Finally, some exterior sunlight shots. It sits about 4" higher than it did previously and I'm not sure if I like it 100%, but it was unavoidable as I wanted a specific height in the cabover area.
More to come in the next few weeks, and I'll be taking it on its first trip since the roof raise if all goes well.
Preface from previous thread: I really enjoy the planning, building, and fabrication process. I also really like the outdoors. I saw this as a good way to incorporate those two things into one project. My background in off road travel was previously limited to truck camping, which was great for me, but wouldn't get the wife out into the wilderness with me. My background in fabrication is completely as a hobbyist, but I've built some race cars, many shop projects: my garagejournal if anyone cares to look(https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/the-jungle.404733/), and having my Dad, and youtube, as a resource. I knew what I wanted for the truck platform and it was a crew cab 1999-2003 ford with the 7.3 diesel. My Dad owns many of them and its a familiar truck. I wanted the strongest chassis I could start with, and figured making it weaker would be easier than stronger, so I started looking for a F550. As for what to put on it, I've always liked function over form vehicles like service trucks, ambulances, fire trucks... I knew that ambulances were basically just aluminum boxes, and that sounded really easy to work with, so I found a cheap one and kept looking for the truck.
To get caught up: https://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/2003-f550-no-limit.246668/
Update from February: I was able to get the box back on the truck recently, really a moment and I finally can see how it looks together. It isn't small... Before I got to that point though, I needed to get the subframe painted and installed on the box itself. I don't have many pictures of that process, but here is the finished product:
This second pictures shows the top portion of the rear spring-body mounts, and on the left, my mounting method of through-bolts into the side boxes of the ambulance body. Its the same piece of aluminum holding up the walls, so I'm guessing its strong enough.
And the whole thing from the outside. I'm not using the rear jack points because I need to redesign those a bit, but that's upcoming. The jack points themselves are integrated into the subframe, so its not stressing the aluminum body at all:
And a terrible night photo of the truck after I drove it around for about 30 minutes. The weight feels fantastic, so I'm looking forward to the interior build because its going to ride great once its around 14000lbs I think.
Late Feb I had a chance to weigh it, 12740lbs. For comparison it was 11,200 before the subframe and roof raise / cabover. The trucks GVWR is 17,000+, so still plenty of headroom for interior and gear.
View attachment 879145
Finally, some exterior sunlight shots. It sits about 4" higher than it did previously and I'm not sure if I like it 100%, but it was unavoidable as I wanted a specific height in the cabover area.
More to come in the next few weeks, and I'll be taking it on its first trip since the roof raise if all goes well.