SILVA.GYPSIES
New member
Thanks again for the tips. How is the overall process going? On the electrical side are u using only batteries?
AmboVan Restarted
- Thread starter hobietony
- Start date
SILVA.GYPSIES
New member
Finishing up the compartment doors -
I am replacing the key locks on the compartments with barrel locks, all matching. They are a bit proud of them, but it will be nice to have a good secure lock for all the doors and compartments, that all work with the same key.
Installed
When I got them installed, I was a bit annoyed that the reveals were not as precise as I thought they would be, but then I looked at how all the rest of the doors fit from the factory, and I am WELL within the tolerances set from the factory.
New seals as well
Other thing to do prior to getting the bumper built was rework the fuel filler - It hung down below the cutoff line of the body
Chopped it down a bit... We will see if the fuel nozzle bottoms out when I gas up!
and then trimmed the aluminum a bit so the hoses can tuck up and out of the way
1/4" diamond plate should protect it a bit better
Could you please provide the vendor for the barrel locks. Both of the rear/side door locks are damaged goods. thanks for sharing your ideas.
Juan
Ozrockrat
Expedition Leader
+2 on the barrel info.
Also if you are interested I have a bunch of new electric lock actuators I bought to replace the ones on my ambulance. It would of probably been a better idea to get the right size ones
But I will sell them cheap if you are interested.
Actually just looking at the photos it does not look like yours have any electric locks????
Also if you are interested I have a bunch of new electric lock actuators I bought to replace the ones on my ambulance. It would of probably been a better idea to get the right size ones
But I will sell them cheap if you are interested.Actually just looking at the photos it does not look like yours have any electric locks????
hobietony
Explorer
Also if you are interested I have a bunch of new electric lock actuators I bought to replace the ones on my ambulance. It would of probably been a better idea to get the right size ones
Actually just looking at the photos it does not look like yours have any electric locks????
Electric Locks? I just have plain ol' locks. As far as suppliers, I just went to a local lock shop and had them order them for me - They are NOT an exact match, and I have to disassemble/reassemble the old and new to get them to work. Definitely not plug and play.
hobietony
Explorer
Time for another update...
A while back I got the coach AC working as well as I could (one engine AC compressor only gets so far in Tucson in the summer...), but the coolant valves going to the rear HVAC unit did not function - which I found out driving it back from NC last winter. The vac valve just didn't seem like it was the best solution, so I changed it out for an electronic unit:
Pretty slick unit, although they could have used another foot or two of pigtail between the unit and the valve - no lengthening, it will throw off the valve settings
Put the control rheostat in the side panel of the switch bank, right where the hole is in this pic
Extended the lines to the heater core
Had to do a bit of rebuilding of the sheet metal box the heater/ac unit is in, here is a pic of the area before I extended the lines - It will live all the way to the right, by the door.
A bit of a trick to get the air out of the lines when I was done, had to get the engine warmed up, start to pressurize the system, and back off the hose clamps to the heater, while holding it up to be the high point in the system, until all the air got out. Now I have fully functioning rear heat/ac, seems like a while to get here.
A while back I got the coach AC working as well as I could (one engine AC compressor only gets so far in Tucson in the summer...), but the coolant valves going to the rear HVAC unit did not function - which I found out driving it back from NC last winter. The vac valve just didn't seem like it was the best solution, so I changed it out for an electronic unit:
Pretty slick unit, although they could have used another foot or two of pigtail between the unit and the valve - no lengthening, it will throw off the valve settings
Put the control rheostat in the side panel of the switch bank, right where the hole is in this pic
Extended the lines to the heater core
Had to do a bit of rebuilding of the sheet metal box the heater/ac unit is in, here is a pic of the area before I extended the lines - It will live all the way to the right, by the door.
A bit of a trick to get the air out of the lines when I was done, had to get the engine warmed up, start to pressurize the system, and back off the hose clamps to the heater, while holding it up to be the high point in the system, until all the air got out. Now I have fully functioning rear heat/ac, seems like a while to get here.
hobietony
Explorer
Had to take the rig out to Chiva Falls to celebrate, and to bounce the new springs around a bit - Not quite as much articulation, especially with it empty, but no bottoming out, and very balanced front and rear
Last time I went out, when fully twisted up, the wheel was jammed against the top of the wheel well - much more cushion now
Trac bar mount holding up fine
Last time I went out, when fully twisted up, the wheel was jammed against the top of the wheel well - much more cushion now
Trac bar mount holding up fine
hobietony
Explorer
And, very excited about a new doner vehicle - I must have been a year ago I told my wife as I was scouting the interwebz for seats that wern't spent, some proper mirrors, interior trim pieces, plus all the little pieces that an RV will need, that somewhere out there is a nice class C motorhome that has been rearended by a semi, got totaled, and is full of all the stuff I need. Sure enough, it was true
Almost looks like nothing is wrong from the front
A bit rougher on the passenger side
99 E450 cutaway chassis, only 30k miles on a v-10, I drove it home! Runs awesome! I paid $3000 for the whole thing - Heck, I can get almost that much for the engine/tranny. It has all the RV stuff, a fully functional drivetrain - even has an dually axle with disks, plus power windows/mirrors, and all the interior trim pieces that are battered on mine - Seats are in great shape, I'll just be able to swap the whole cab doors over intact, I'm a little giddy.
I made a deal with my dad to keep it on his property until I cut enough of the rig away to fit it in my alley - I'll park a roll-off dumpster next to it, and cut until I am down to a flat bed, and it can park in the back without sticking up above the fence - I'm already in danger of becoming 'that guy' in the neighborhood - Luckily the neighbors think it is a cool project, but parting out a full size RV might just push them over the edge.
Almost looks like nothing is wrong from the front
A bit rougher on the passenger side
99 E450 cutaway chassis, only 30k miles on a v-10, I drove it home! Runs awesome! I paid $3000 for the whole thing - Heck, I can get almost that much for the engine/tranny. It has all the RV stuff, a fully functional drivetrain - even has an dually axle with disks, plus power windows/mirrors, and all the interior trim pieces that are battered on mine - Seats are in great shape, I'll just be able to swap the whole cab doors over intact, I'm a little giddy.
I made a deal with my dad to keep it on his property until I cut enough of the rig away to fit it in my alley - I'll park a roll-off dumpster next to it, and cut until I am down to a flat bed, and it can park in the back without sticking up above the fence - I'm already in danger of becoming 'that guy' in the neighborhood - Luckily the neighbors think it is a cool project, but parting out a full size RV might just push them over the edge.
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njtacoma
Explorer
I love the RV idea!
What does the interior of the RV look like? The way RV's depreciate I'm not surprised they are even cheaper as a salvage.
A buddy of mine works in insurance and said RV's are the easiest/hardest things to total. Easy, because they are hard to put back together. Hard because people are shocked at how much they have actually depreciated and he is the one that gets to break it to them.
Love the ambovan!
What does the interior of the RV look like? The way RV's depreciate I'm not surprised they are even cheaper as a salvage.
A buddy of mine works in insurance and said RV's are the easiest/hardest things to total. Easy, because they are hard to put back together. Hard because people are shocked at how much they have actually depreciated and he is the one that gets to break it to them.
Love the ambovan!
I think we're all too jealous to post
Sweet work.
Plus I'm trying to find wrecked RVs to steal from as we speak!
ben2go
Adventurer
If I was closer,I would make an offer on the cab and chassis complete with running gear.I can't afford to make and offer and ship or drive a van all the way back to SC.
hobietony
Explorer
Not yet...
hobietony
Explorer
This is pretty much how I plan to part it out - Demo the coach, save the windows/fixtures/propane tank/etc, sell off the appliances, pull/install all the body parts, trim, and RV pieces I need, maybe pull the axle, and sell the engine/tranny with the stipulation that the rest of the cab/chassis has to go with it. Expo folks will have special access to the bits I cant use :sombrero:
Herbie
Rendezvous Conspirator
As somebody who's bought a 350,000 km van with no interior, no AC, and barely running - only to drive it from Vancouver, BC to San Diego, CA in 21 hours (AND convince a friend to fly up and co-pilot for me), just so I could transplant the pop-top and a few goodies.... I'm not really in a position to criticize. :ylsmoke: