My new ambulance, starting the conversion
- Thread starter carcrafter22
- Start date
bettyboarder
New member
Love the build. We have a 1990 ambulance and have had a blast with it. Cant wait to see the rest of your build
carcrafter22
Adventurer
So whos up to see a ZF6 E350 ambulance? I've been thinking about it and after pricing the cost of a used zf and manual shift transfer case in my area with a single mass flywheel and new clutch its about the same cost or a bit cheaper than just having the e4od rebuild minus the transfer case. I havent heard much good about the e4od trans so this may be a good oportunity to ditch it, guess we'll see. I am going to get a willwood clutch pedal assembly tomorrow to see if I can make it fit, it I can then its a go.
Not a whole lot to report on the interior, I put a couple new door strikers in to fix the annoying rattling doors, all is nice and tight now. We put paneling on the large passenger side wall as well as the insulation. The seats are still at the upholsterer and will be for the next 2 weeks or so, we went with 5" for the bottoms and 3" for the tops.
There isnt a whole lot left to do to the interior box just a little more paint, trim out the kitchen area, install 2 110V plugs and 4 12V outlets as well as the TV mount then were pretty much finished.
I'll get some more pics up in a few days.
Not a whole lot to report on the interior, I put a couple new door strikers in to fix the annoying rattling doors, all is nice and tight now. We put paneling on the large passenger side wall as well as the insulation. The seats are still at the upholsterer and will be for the next 2 weeks or so, we went with 5" for the bottoms and 3" for the tops.
There isnt a whole lot left to do to the interior box just a little more paint, trim out the kitchen area, install 2 110V plugs and 4 12V outlets as well as the TV mount then were pretty much finished.
I'll get some more pics up in a few days.
Hi there:
I have also been studying 4x4 ambulances for quite some time and just haven't found the one that I want for the price that I can afford to pay.
I am wondering if you have run the unit over a scale yet to be able to know what kind of load carrying capacity you will actually have when finished.
It would be interesting to compare your GVWR with the actual scale weight. I think you may be surprised at how little carrying capacity is left for "stuff".
I am also wondering which 4x4 conversion you have in YOUR ambulance? Quigley?
The Class III units seem to be inadequate for my purposes unless I get into a E-450 special build unit. I haven't seen one come on the market yet, in my price range. I will probably end up with a Class I unit to achieve more cargo carrying capacity. I'll be interested in what you might report.
Regards,
I have also been studying 4x4 ambulances for quite some time and just haven't found the one that I want for the price that I can afford to pay.
I am wondering if you have run the unit over a scale yet to be able to know what kind of load carrying capacity you will actually have when finished.
It would be interesting to compare your GVWR with the actual scale weight. I think you may be surprised at how little carrying capacity is left for "stuff".
I am also wondering which 4x4 conversion you have in YOUR ambulance? Quigley?
The Class III units seem to be inadequate for my purposes unless I get into a E-450 special build unit. I haven't seen one come on the market yet, in my price range. I will probably end up with a Class I unit to achieve more cargo carrying capacity. I'll be interested in what you might report.
Regards,
naterry
13 Cheeseburgers
Can you supply the GVWR info off of the vehicles data plate? GAWR, would also be of interest.
Are you weighing all of your additional components as you prepare to install them? Optional equipment installation weights have a tendency to sneak up on you, if you are not careful and attending to that kind of detail.
Regarding long trips without a "towed" I suggest that you re-evaluate as we have found in over ten years of full timing, it is advantageous to have a way to get repair parts and other needed items in the event the primary vehicle dies, enroute. Especially if you are on a time schedule or a remote Alaskan service road that looked interesting. Also, if you are really going to be doing a lot of remote tripping getting your Amateur Radio License would be a GOOD thing.
Are you weighing all of your additional components as you prepare to install them? Optional equipment installation weights have a tendency to sneak up on you, if you are not careful and attending to that kind of detail.
Regarding long trips without a "towed" I suggest that you re-evaluate as we have found in over ten years of full timing, it is advantageous to have a way to get repair parts and other needed items in the event the primary vehicle dies, enroute. Especially if you are on a time schedule or a remote Alaskan service road that looked interesting. Also, if you are really going to be doing a lot of remote tripping getting your Amateur Radio License would be a GOOD thing.
carcrafter22
Adventurer
I will try to get those numbers for you. I am keeping track of things installed and I am taking out less than I am putting in for the most part. The bench seat we removed weighed more than the countertop, bench seat frame and tv combined. The paneling we are using is half the weight of the original paneling and we have less cabinets than before which will make up for the weight of the fridge, all in all we are doing good on weight.
I wont be towing anything behind this but our boat, this should be a reliable vehicle and parts are readily available for it.
We could have afforded to buy a nice used 40' motor home then pull our diesel powered jeep grand cherokee behind it but we didnt want that we wanted something we could drive in and move around in while occassionally towing our boat as well as taking off the beaten path sometimes. I couldnt ever justify towing a spare vehicle behind this rig.
I wont be towing anything behind this but our boat, this should be a reliable vehicle and parts are readily available for it.
We could have afforded to buy a nice used 40' motor home then pull our diesel powered jeep grand cherokee behind it but we didnt want that we wanted something we could drive in and move around in while occassionally towing our boat as well as taking off the beaten path sometimes. I couldnt ever justify towing a spare vehicle behind this rig.
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carcrafter22
Adventurer
Looked at the tag I took a pic of on my phone and it says curb wt. 8255, pay load max 2245, gross wt. 10,500. I plan to go back to the scales with the finished interior in a week or 2 so I will post up the current weight when we do.
naterry
13 Cheeseburgers
Note the stated GVWR is based on the OEM suspension. The axle, suspension, tire, chassis combo you end up with alter this. I.E.- any upgrades in carrying capacity/stiffening you make will likely increase the theoretical GVWR. The axle is likely your limiting factor.
carcrafter22
Adventurer
Good point Nate, I'm trying to make it as light as possible yet still have everything we want, guess we'll see in the end.
carcrafter22
Adventurer
Lots of things going on with the ambulance. I've been out of town working alot but still making progress what little I've been home. Finally got the 4wd kit ordered from Chris@ Ujoint offroad early this week, decided to go with his 6" kit. We picked up a 2004 F350 Dana 60 in great shape for the front and a 10.5 sterling for the rear. The interior is finished with the new custom made seats as well as the 2 middle inserts for to make the queen size bed. The tv and hard drive are mounted as well as the rear radio system. I have the new Hehe windows just need to get them installed. Wiring is almost complete we went with extra heavy wire for everything using 1/0 wire from the alternator through the battery seperator to the dual 6V golf cart batteries and 4 gauge wire to the fuse panel. We also installed a 13.5K btu roof top a/c after thinking more about our hot Texas summers (105* heat isnt any fun). We picked up the new black wheels and 35" tires today, we did end up going to a single wheel setup. The wife decided on the 18" rockstar wheels so I go to choose the tires and went with 295/70/18 nitto terra grapplers with a 4080# load rating, more than enough for our van since it weighs in at 8820#'s total right now. I'd post up some picks but the van has been at the painters since tuesday this week getting changed from that ugly bright blue and white to a much cooler charcoal grey pearl. I will get picks up this weekend. We plan to get all the diamond plate and aluminum pieces coated in Line-X bed liner to go along with the blacked out theme. Oh I almost forgot, the old school tow mirrors werent going to go along with the blacked out theme so we ditched them and welded up the door holes to install some modern F250 style telescoping tow mirrors.
Thats about it for now, we don't have much left on the van really just waiting on the 4wd kit which should be in tomorrow then waiting on the front and rear springs before we can actually start on the install. I have been planning on converting to a 6spd manual for a while even went so far as to buy one but the wife has slowly convinced me to just build the auto and be done with it. I'm still on the fence at this point. For now we will get the Ujoint offroad kit installed and drive it around with the larger tires for a few weeks and let the wife take it to arkansas april 1st (her cousins wedding) if she likes it with the auto then we will keep it.
Photos will be coming very soon, stay tuned.
Thats about it for now, we don't have much left on the van really just waiting on the 4wd kit which should be in tomorrow then waiting on the front and rear springs before we can actually start on the install. I have been planning on converting to a 6spd manual for a while even went so far as to buy one but the wife has slowly convinced me to just build the auto and be done with it. I'm still on the fence at this point. For now we will get the Ujoint offroad kit installed and drive it around with the larger tires for a few weeks and let the wife take it to arkansas april 1st (her cousins wedding) if she likes it with the auto then we will keep it.
Photos will be coming very soon, stay tuned.
Ozrockrat
Expedition Leader
No more photos :Wow1:
The ones you already posted just cost me a chunk of change. Just sent off the deposit for a big red and white, oversize, 4wd, diesel box.
NAH seriously I look forward to seeing your progress. This thread was one of the things that kicked me over the edge. (And in seeing the other Ambo at UJOR shop late last year) Will you be coming to OVEX11?
carcrafter22
Adventurer
Sorry, I've been in the hospital for a few days, I did get the brackets made and holes drilled for the new rear bumper/spare tire carrier I'm making though. Everyone tells me to take it easy I just say whats that LOL.
I have alot of new update photos to show everyone but I've been way too busy with the hospital BS, helping my dad get a new truck and gathering the parts to do a cummins conversion on it, and many other things. I'll get some more pics up asap, espeically of the interior which I'm very proud of how its turning out.
Here are a few shots of the outside. As you can see we also upgraded to the newer style Econoline/ F series side mirrors. I just welded up the holes in the doors before sending it to the painters.
We went with a ford charcoal grey with a very light bit of pearl in it to make it kinda sparkle just a bit.
Here is a shot of one of the windows I got installed its a double pane insulated window from Hehr just like the rest of the windows in the ambulance. I decided to go with a smaller window on the drivers side so I'm waiting on the new one, for now this is the only one done. You can also see the roof mounted A/C we installed, I tried an indoor portable unit but it was worthless and took up valuable indoor space. This thing cools great so far, its a coleman unit 13,500 btu so it shouldnt have a problem keeping us cool even in this 105* texas heat. I had the painter mix up the paint to hold up the plastic and shoot the a/c unit to blend it all in. I think it turned out well.
New wheels and tires, 18" rockstars, I know the rockcrawler guys hate them but the wife likes them and I've never seen them on any expo vehicles so I figured they'd be different. The tires werent my first choice but they were alot cheaper than my favorite BFG's, we went with the Nitto Terra Grapplers 295/75/18 with is a 34.5" tall tire but nitto calls a 35". These should clear everything fine with I get the last few bits for the Ujoint conversion.
Speaking of the conversion, we have most of the parts and will start installing everything we can very soon. I purchased an 04 F350 single wheel front axle (Dana 60) with 4.10 gears, replaced seals, etc. I also ordered a set of warn hubs from Chris at Ujoint and went ahead and installed new calipers, brake pads and turned the stock rotors down since they were plenty beefy still.
I did a quick search and couldnt find a good tow hitch for the cutaway van chassis and I needed a way to mount a spare tire anyway so I decided to make my own bumper/hitch/tire carrier. I went to the local steel yard and bought some high quality 2x6 1/4" wall steel for the main part and 2x2 1/4" wall for the rest of it. I think it will all be plenty beefy to tow our 20ft bass boat or to have a luggage rack attached to the back to haul a generator when we go to alaska or other remote places. I'm using a large hub and spindle assembly as the pivot point and just need to go to grainger to pickup a heavy duty latch assembly to keep it all tied into place.
Trust me there is a bumper in there somewhere.
Let me know what you guys think.
I have alot of new update photos to show everyone but I've been way too busy with the hospital BS, helping my dad get a new truck and gathering the parts to do a cummins conversion on it, and many other things. I'll get some more pics up asap, espeically of the interior which I'm very proud of how its turning out.
Here are a few shots of the outside. As you can see we also upgraded to the newer style Econoline/ F series side mirrors. I just welded up the holes in the doors before sending it to the painters.
We went with a ford charcoal grey with a very light bit of pearl in it to make it kinda sparkle just a bit.
Here is a shot of one of the windows I got installed its a double pane insulated window from Hehr just like the rest of the windows in the ambulance. I decided to go with a smaller window on the drivers side so I'm waiting on the new one, for now this is the only one done. You can also see the roof mounted A/C we installed, I tried an indoor portable unit but it was worthless and took up valuable indoor space. This thing cools great so far, its a coleman unit 13,500 btu so it shouldnt have a problem keeping us cool even in this 105* texas heat. I had the painter mix up the paint to hold up the plastic and shoot the a/c unit to blend it all in. I think it turned out well.
New wheels and tires, 18" rockstars, I know the rockcrawler guys hate them but the wife likes them and I've never seen them on any expo vehicles so I figured they'd be different. The tires werent my first choice but they were alot cheaper than my favorite BFG's, we went with the Nitto Terra Grapplers 295/75/18 with is a 34.5" tall tire but nitto calls a 35". These should clear everything fine with I get the last few bits for the Ujoint conversion.
Speaking of the conversion, we have most of the parts and will start installing everything we can very soon. I purchased an 04 F350 single wheel front axle (Dana 60) with 4.10 gears, replaced seals, etc. I also ordered a set of warn hubs from Chris at Ujoint and went ahead and installed new calipers, brake pads and turned the stock rotors down since they were plenty beefy still.
I did a quick search and couldnt find a good tow hitch for the cutaway van chassis and I needed a way to mount a spare tire anyway so I decided to make my own bumper/hitch/tire carrier. I went to the local steel yard and bought some high quality 2x6 1/4" wall steel for the main part and 2x2 1/4" wall for the rest of it. I think it will all be plenty beefy to tow our 20ft bass boat or to have a luggage rack attached to the back to haul a generator when we go to alaska or other remote places. I'm using a large hub and spindle assembly as the pivot point and just need to go to grainger to pickup a heavy duty latch assembly to keep it all tied into place.
Trust me there is a bumper in there somewhere.
Let me know what you guys think.
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