AmboVan Restarted

[derjack]

Well, a hut trip to the San Juans and a week+ of working on my neighbors house set me back a touch, but back to the van this week.

When I set the location of the tank, I knew the valves and protective shield would be into the door a bit
[/IMG]

So, needed to build a recess into the door interior panel. Salvaged some of the material from the roof removal, and built a recess box.


Replaced the key lock with another matching barrel lock (only a few more to go...), and lined the aluminum panel with butyl for soundproofing and

Built a new shelf above the tank, the rest of the compartment will be sealed from the open area

Welds to the existing box, all these got covered with a bead of sikaflex (Thank goodness)

Got the regulator and the pigtail all plumbed up, put new trim seal around the compartment, and a 'D' bulb seal across the front of the shelf to complete the waterproofing of the upper shelf area. I was feeling pretty good at this point, went to close the door and move on, and found out that the regulator hit the door also. A little work this morning with a 4" hole saw and some aluminum tubing, and I had a recess for that as well.

Rack goes on the roof next.

Man you got welding skills! Where I live propane compartments needs to have whole to the bottom due to the specific weight of propane vs oxygen.
Great ambulance, you have probably not thought about lifting the roof of the cutaway, the driver cabin, right? Having a clean line from the windshield to the roof of the ambulance would give a nice look, good feeling in the interior and better aerodynamic, imho.
I think if anyone here would make that in a serious way than probably you. Any thought about that?

 

[rebar]

This thread makes me want to set up my mig for aluminum..

 

[VanIsle_Greg]

This thread makes me want to buy an old ambulance!!

 

[Abitibi]

This thread makes me want to buy an old ambulance!!

I can help you with that

 

[hobietony]

Rack on, dude.

And it is never coming off again

Prepped it by using Dow 795 silicone to adhere strips of 3/8 rubber mat to the contact points, while it was still sitting on the sawhorses, and gave it overnight to cure. I am hoping that silicone+compressible rubber mat+sealant at the fasteners themselves is enough of a belt-and-suspenders approach that the holes will never leak. Had a neighbor help me get it up on the van yesterday -

And then I monkeyed it up into the air to give room the get sealant behind and under the contact points. Tape help keep the black goo off the paint

Dropped down and bolting

Notch around the front rain gutter

Tight fit

Gutter mount, now with speed holes

Tires on and strapped

Need to get the AC on now, and work out the ducting from the bottom of the AC support rack to the front of the box. Lights too, last ones were the wrong pattern, sold them here, and have new ones winging their way from China as we speak. Going to get it on the road tomorrow to Flagstaff for the closing ski day, we'll see if it feels a bit more top heavy with that load shifted to the roof

 

[hobietony]

Great ambulance, you have probably not thought about lifting the roof of the cutaway, the driver cabin, right? Having a clean line from the windshield to the roof of the ambulance would give a nice look, good feeling in the interior and better aerodynamic, imho.
I think if anyone here would make that in a serious way than probably you. Any thought about that?

Kinda got that space filled now

 

[McZippie]

Stupendous! You have perfected the conversion of Ambo to Expo.

 

[Sponge]

When does the interior work start?

 

[TheThom]

Awesome

 

[hobietony]

When does the interior work start?

You been talking to my wife? This rack is one of the pre requirements for the interior, the AC will duct through the front of the box, need to get that in to start the cabinets in that area. So, right away!

 

[ujoint]

Sweet!!!! Lookin good

 

[hobietony]

Aluminum Origami

Building the ducting from the AC to the box

Tacked together

Test fit

Starting welds

I thought I was going to tack it together and have someone TIG it to finish, but I seem to be getting something I can tolerate out of my spool gun. I can do a functional fillet now, and worst case, I can grind the outside corners if I need to. Having it way up there and behind a bunch of lights and tires may mean I can live without perfect stacked-dime beads

 

[bknudtsen]

Very impressive work there! I assume you will have this powdercoated when you are done?

Also, what are you using to cut the aluminum?

 

[hobietony]

Very impressive work there! I assume you will have this powdercoated when you are done?

Also, what are you using to cut the aluminum?

Actually, my intent is to leave it raw - Lots of other exposed aluminum on the vehicle, I think it will blend fine

Cutting - Longer straight cuts, skilsaw with a 40 tooth blade. Shorter cuts, (most of them), grinder with a cutoff wheel. I mark the lines with a scratch scribe, and just float the wheel along the scribe. A little wax on the disc helps, and of course a good cleaning before assembly

 

[bknudtsen]

Raw will work too. Thanks for the info. Never heard of waxing a grinding disc before.