Thanks. That's actually [sort of] the same route I took. One side was already braced from the factory, the other I plan to run either a piece of angle or box tube underneath to shore it up, but we'll get to that after this weekend's camp trip.
The Belafonte - aka "Poor man's EarthRoamer" Ambulance Build
- Thread starter CLynn85
- Start date
Thanks. That's actually [sort of] the same route I took. One side was already braced from the factory, the other I plan to run either a piece of angle or box tube underneath to shore it up, but we'll get to that after this weekend's camp trip.
In effort to get us camping in WV this weekend I'm trying to blow through some of our upgrades. To that end I notched out the structure and threw the fan in yesterday/today. Need to re-route some legacy wiring still and finish the ceiling, but that can wait til after this weekend.
OMGHOLEINTHEROOF!
![IMG_20130730_182026_646 [50%].jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/127/127704-dbb150e6c10b3b8fa7cd065edfa7b298.jpg "IMG_20130730_182026_646 [50%].jpg")
Old Star of Life remnants
![IMG_20130730_182031_185 [50%].jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/127/127705-9e597587a394e83db52115132d3debd8.jpg "IMG_20130730_182031_185 [50%].jpg")
Installed Exterior
![IMG_20130730_191613_726 [50%].jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/127/127706-89c527f95364798457050b03fbb5e274.jpg "IMG_20130730_191613_726 [50%].jpg")
"Installed" Interior
![IMG_20130730_194106_614 [50%].jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/127/127707-bb180e6486dcad5172971f446cb75751.jpg "IMG_20130730_194106_614 [50%].jpg")
Hope this thing was worth the effort!
OMGHOLEINTHEROOF!
Old Star of Life remnants
Installed Exterior
"Installed" Interior
Hope this thing was worth the effort!
gringorick
Adventurer
Looks nice from the outside. How did you seal it?
Why such a large cutout in the ceiling panel?
Why such a large cutout in the ceiling panel?
Used DICOR 501 as recommended by Maxxair, worked really well. Wish I had used that when I re-sealed the roof on our last camper!
See Post 97. Main reason was a complete lack of knowledge of what was on the other side of the ceiling. Couldn't really get a feel for it just by removing some covers/lights and it would've been a HUGE leap of faith to just go up on the roof and start cutting downward from that side. Figured best approach was to remove a moderate section of the ceiling and make a plan from there. I intend to reinstall the section I removed and trim out the cut lines with aluminum flat stock.
So just an update. We wrapped up our preparations for Monongahela with a quick aux-battery install. Just dropped in a Walmart special group 24 and tied it in with a blue-sea battery combiner switch to have power to run our fridge/lights/fan for the weekend with no starting issues.
And what's a camper without some stickers??
![IMG_20130801_200132_976 [50%].jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/129/129556-a4ffb3a4d3aef258a39e7694e59972c9.jpg "IMG_20130801_200132_976 [50%].jpg")
Then we headed off to Monongahela with the A.R.S.E.S. for a great weekend. No real issues to speak of other than the ambulance complaining over some of the steeper mountain passes. The size of this thing really does make itself apparent on single lane dirt roads, especially the vertical clearance. Makes me often wish we had gone with a truck-based chassis.
Full trip report here with input from Jay and Mark also: http://americanadventurist.com/Forum/showthread.php?689-ARSES-attack-Monongahela-National-Forest
And what's a camper without some stickers??
Then we headed off to Monongahela with the A.R.S.E.S. for a great weekend. No real issues to speak of other than the ambulance complaining over some of the steeper mountain passes. The size of this thing really does make itself apparent on single lane dirt roads, especially the vertical clearance. Makes me often wish we had gone with a truck-based chassis.
Full trip report here with input from Jay and Mark also: http://americanadventurist.com/Forum/showthread.php?689-ARSES-attack-Monongahela-National-Forest
kchristian
Adventurer
Any updates?
We're actually considering selling the Ambo.
We built it with the intention of doing longer road trips with a more comfortable platform than our previous campers and with the thought that we'd convert it to 4WD to gain back the lost mobility.
After having it for a year and a half we've stayed in it a total of 8 nights, for a number of reasons, but one significant one is the limiting size of the rig, and the fact that we have to break down camp every day. For that reason we're considering a jump back to a trailer. We're debating on selling the ambo as-is, or stripping the RV amenities out and selling it as a utility vehicle.
We built it with the intention of doing longer road trips with a more comfortable platform than our previous campers and with the thought that we'd convert it to 4WD to gain back the lost mobility.
After having it for a year and a half we've stayed in it a total of 8 nights, for a number of reasons, but one significant one is the limiting size of the rig, and the fact that we have to break down camp every day. For that reason we're considering a jump back to a trailer. We're debating on selling the ambo as-is, or stripping the RV amenities out and selling it as a utility vehicle.
theburtseoni
Observer
Bummer- I mean selling it will be somewhat of a bummer! I was looking forward to your 4X4 conversion, but I can appreciate your logic! It is a pain to have to 'break camp' for day trips, or other excursions. But- you could just add a tow-along dingy for those day trips, or off road adventures and come back to the big 'A' camper at the end of the day? Maby something small like a Suzuki Samurai?
We've considered it, but a big part of it too is that it's already one extra vehicle to maintain, adding a dingy would just be another vehicle on top of that, and would kind of duplicate the capabilities I have with my Tacoma. Initially we thought we'd haul the KLR on the back, but the wife doesn't ride at all, and we could never really make the logistics work.
I'd love to do a HUGE truck like you have, and this was kind of testing the waters in that direction, but I just can't figure out how to make that work here on the east coast.
mtnbike28
Expedition Leader
Good luck with the decision. The rig has lots of great points and some of those negative ones you mentioned.... one thing James and I have discussed a bunch is, there is no ONE perfect set-up. Made even tougher when you add multiple "hobbies" - solo trips, biking, kayaks, family trips, lots of highway driving vs lots of east coast trails, etc. I know we talked once and you said (if I remember right) the FWC was your favorite, my question is other than size, how is breaking down camp from a FWC different from Ambo? I have done several solo and just me and my daughter trips this fall using the Flippac, and even as simple as that is, I have wondered if a hard side set-up would be nice - LC set up as camper, Ambo or van.... again no ONE solution.