Questions about ambulance box modifications...

Acheateaux

Adventurer
Looooooonnnnnngggggg time lurker, first time poster...

So I have a line on a low mileage 96' Chevy 3500 4x4 diesel ambulance. I'm a firefighter, know my way around a box or 2, but have some idea's I was wondering if someone had any experience with...

1. How hard would it be to pop the existing top, as in cut the top off, fabricate in the hardware and get a custom skirt sewn up? Wedge style? Straight up?
2. In the completely bat$hit idea department, what about robbing some hardware off a popup trailer and making it with slide out beds up top, either over the cab, off the back (where you could hang a netting setup) or both.
3. Anyone have any experience widening out a walk through? Ideally the whole back of the cab would be exposed to the interior of the box.


Ideally this GnaRV would be for primarily bumping around Colorado on ski trips, flyfishing and paddling fun. Prob 2-3 runs to the coast for surf trips/year. It will have to be able to carry a kid or 2, so I would like a bed acros the back that converts to a dinette, but having the beds up top would real nice as well...

Am I totally off base here?
 

hdemetrious

Adventurer
I cut a hole in the top of my ambulance. The box was constructed with aluminum 2x2 tubing. I contacted the manufacturer and got their input on how to strengthen the box after the cutting. I then installed a Vanagon pop top that I got from a junkyard. Keep in mind pop top parts are hard to come by like the hinges and the locking mechanism. Also sometimes the spring mechanism can be worn out making the top a real pain to open. Modifications were necessary like installing shims to where the hinges attach and creating a perimeter all the way around to keep rain out. I installed the tent part to the top only. I never attached the tent to the ambulance box. I bought the tent for $500 from a guy in Canada who makes them out of sunbrella. I ended up ditching the set up and installing a permanent hardtop. I did this to integrate the plane I installed on top of the truck cab and to create more space for solar. But I think you could do it and it would be very functional. You can also add beefy shock openers to assist in opening the pop top. I think Go Westy sells them. Also there is another ambo build in the van section with a hard top extension installed. Good luck with whatever you decide.
 

Ozrockrat

Expedition Leader
I have the top off an old Chinook waiting to go on mine. There are some photos of the top in this thread

http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...top-off-a-Chinook-on-my-E350-today?highlight=

Seating 1 extra is not too hard. I have installed the jump seat out of a Honda Odyssey as it had child seat mounting points. But as my grand daughter has grown I now have the jump seat from an F550 ready to go in. It has a shoulder belt built in so we can use the booster seat.
 

Acheateaux

Adventurer
So is it a better idea to try to find a top to fit a hole cut, orrrrrr

Can I cut the top off maybe 4-5" down from the top, use that as my cap, weld in some form of channel to keep water out when seated and then try to find hardware for my purpose. I could either steal the hardware off a popup trailer, order new or use lifters for a pop top. I plan on pulling ALL the interior out down to the frame, so access to beef up the cut side shouldn't be a problem.

I'm actually really handy with an industrial sewing machine and could probably sew up a skirt to fit whatever I come up with if custom fabrication is too pricey.
 
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Ozrockrat

Expedition Leader
So is it a better idea to try to find a top to fit a hole cut, orrrrrr

Can I cut the top off maybe 4-5" down from the top, use that as my cap, weld in some form of channel to keep water out when seated and then try to find hardware for my purpose. I could either steal the hardware off a popup trailer, order new or use lifters for a pop top. I plan on pulling ALL the interior out down to the frame, so access to beef up the cut side shouldn't be a problem.

I'm actually really handy with an industrial sewing machine and could probably sew up a skirt to fit whatever I come up with if custom fabrication is too pricey.

If you go this route you will lose all the rigidity the frame (roof). If you put in a hole you still have the outer frame and the ability to add bracing around the hole. But it has been done.
 

Baloo

"The Bear Necessities"
I would consult the manufacture for prints before cutting. Road Rescue (people made mine) have been great with both blue prints and wiring diagrams. Good luck with your project!
 

hobietony

Explorer
This build is the most comprehensive on this site. Lots of good pics of the stripped interior, as well as, mods to the existing roof.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/63380-AmboVan-Restarted

I agree with this as a resource for chopping the tops off of ambulances:sombrero:

1. How hard would it be to pop the existing top, as in cut the top off, fabricate in the hardware and get a custom skirt sewn up? Wedge style? Straight up?
2. In the completely bat$hit idea department, what about robbing some hardware off a popup trailer and making it with slide out beds up top, either over the cab, off the back (where you could hang a netting setup) or both.
3. Anyone have any experience widening out a walk through? Ideally the whole back of the cab would be exposed to the interior of the box

1. The problem is not so much the structural aspects of cutting the hole/adding the top, I found the big issue is the reroute of all the wiring that currently occupies that space. Three subdistribution wiring assemblies parked right in the middle of the ceiling, big PITA.

2. Sure, why not?

3. My walkthrough door/wall assembly was just millwork, and came right out. Most boxes that I am aware of stop at the cab perimeter, and have the opening filled in with wood - should be easy enough.
 

Acheateaux

Adventurer
This thread: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/34294-building-the-Bullet-XV?highlight=uhaul recounts a man that started with an old uhaul box, cut it down and made the top go up and down. There may be some learnings about the process and thoughts that went into the design and execution.

He has an additional website with more info here: http://bulletxv.wordpress.com/

This was exactly what I was looking for!!! Now I just have to figure out the wall cap like he did. Might just be a weld in place.
 

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