AmboVan Restarted

[McZippie]

McZippie, you really need to do a build thread on your rig, every time I see more details on it I love it more! The dual sofa-beds is genius.

Thanks... don't want to hi-jack this fine build thread, but took your suggestion and started my own thread.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/84103-McZippie-s-2009-Ford-E350-Diesel-Cutaway-Limo-Bus?p=1184481&highlight=#post1184481

 

[hobietony]

Committed

No going back now...

My 'Dexter' look

Good thing all these will be covered

More to follow...

 

[ben2go]

:luxhello::bowdown: I couldn't do it.

 

[bknudtsen]

Those are some SERIOUS jack braces! This project constantly makes me go searching the interwebz for an ambo project. Love it!

 

[hobietony]

Got the last of the opening prep work done this morning

Too bad I can't make all the welds with the piece sitting on the bench - These are not bad

Ready to go

Took it all down to my project site where I could use the forklift for the grunt work.

In the air

In place

Team photo

When we pulled onto the job and they saw the 300' crane on the site, they got pretty excited - Sorry, just using the forklift today.

It is sitting about 1 1/2" above it's final height, I have it sitting on blocks and clamped down so I could get it home, where I can raise it up again using those handy post jacks, get the sealant on, etc. The proportion is right, though - Pretty much how I have been visualizing it all along. Yay!

 

[bknudtsen]

Nice work! You are lucky to have great helpers and heavy equipment at your disposal. I am interested to see the interior space now. How does it feel inside?

 

[VanIsle_Greg]

Very kool...big moves.

 

[r_w]

You need to put some diamond plate on the front of that topper, bent over the front edge if possible. Don't ask me how I know what a low branch can do...

It does look awesome.

 

[Sponge]

^^^^I agree. It'll help with airflow also!^^^^

 

[hobietony]

You need to put some diamond plate on the front of that topper, bent over the front edge if possible. Don't ask me how I know what a low branch can do...

It does look awesome.

I agree - I was thinking that I would use some tubing to make an exo cage following the perimeter of the topper, but a sheet of diamond plate makes sense as well, maybe some kind of corner guard following the top edge - Definitely need protection, without too much weight

 

[hobietony]

Nice work! You are lucky to have great helpers and heavy equipment at your disposal. I am interested to see the interior space now. How does it feel inside?

Feels awesome, no more crouching, and half expecting a head impact. It better be worth it, since this topper thing drove the need to remove the existing roof and paneling and wiring, which drove stripping out the interior, which has added tremendously to the time (and $) comittment. If I could tolerate crouching, I could have worked with the existing millwork (like everyone else who has done one of these - Natery, Clynn85, that ************ one that just came out of Ujoint), I'd probably be way done already.

 

[McZippie]

Feels awesome, no more crouching, and half expecting a head impact. It better be worth it, since this topper thing drove the need to remove the existing roof and paneling and wiring, which drove stripping out the interior, which has added tremendously to the time (and $) comittment. If I could tolerate crouching, I could have worked with the existing millwork (like everyone else who has done one of these - Natery, Clynn85, that ************ one that just came out of Ujoint), I'd probably be way done already.

Congratulation ... all the work will soon be forgotten.
You got something special going.. don't ever sell it, you'll regret it years later.

 

[hobietony]

Little time after I got off work this morning

Got the dunnage out from under the topper, got it set in position, and then rigged up some scrap bracing to stabilize it while I suspended it with the screw jacks. Got the surfaces cleaned with acetone, and put down a strip of butyl tape where the flange sits. I had pre-drilled mounting holes 6"OC around the mounting flange perimeter, and installed 14 gage tek screws to mount

Tony, you better be using SS screws or weld it. Those coated steel screws are going to be a problem with corrosion.

Even though I haven't seen much problem with galvanic corrosion, I did a little google-****, and found that in a steel-to-aluminum situation, the doner material in the galvanic reaction is the aluminum, the zone of reactivity is small, and the reaction is much less active without water. Rusting of the fasteners, clearly, is also much less of an issue in the absence of water. If I have water present at the flange mount, I have bigger problems than galvanic corrosion, or rust. With the butyl tape under the flange, and a bead of high quality sealant at the outside, I think I'll be fine.

While it appears that I have some water damage at the window openings already, (which happened when it was at the painters house without the windows in it, and no cover - Grrr) it is just surface discoloration, with no structural impact. More reason to get it covered so I dont have to look at it

Windows and sealant next

 

[VanIsle_Greg]

Topper will be worth it in the end... good call and nice work.

 

[hdemetrious]

Awesome Build!!