8yearsglobal
New member
After a decade of local and international travel, our small family of 3 (+dog) decided to rent out the house and take off on a 8 year global trip, starting with 3-4 years in Latin America then shipping over the pond. Having been a firefighter/paramedic for 15 years, an ambulance seemed like a solid platform to use. I really liked the capability of the mini mod builds on the site but was denied, by the boss, for the lack of room for such a long endeavor. So after a little compromise, we decided on this nice, heavy, huge ambo. We found this 2006 E-450 Medtec (Pierce) ambulance from a volunteer Fire Department in Oregon with 41,000 original miles and no idle time. I know, 2wd 6.0, I was pretty hesitant too. But, we sent it to a reputable diesel mechanic in SLC, had it completely bulletproofed, and it is currently in Utah at Advanced 4wd for a 6' lift and 4x4. I have driven many ambulances, but a couple things make this one different from all the others. Mainly, the front cab is built into the box an extra couple feet, so it has reclining front seats! If you aren't excited, you obviously haven't spent 56 hours a week sitting in a 90 degree angle while transporting patients to and fro. Second, the jump seat swivels facing front and the passthrough was angled for better access so our kid can watch the road and it lays down flat as a small bed. Anyway, for the build we decided to keep things simple. The interior is like new so we are retrofitting the existing platform with plumbing, secondary heating, solar, etc. It was almost designed to be an RV, pretty much prewired for all the stuff we are going to add. When we ordered the new jumpseat, it accidentally came with heat and massage, and what do you know, there was a 12v socket right next to the jumpseat area. It's gone for another 2 weeks for the 4X4. When it returns, we'll be on a month trip in Thailand, but when we get back from that trip, I'll be installing the fridge, secondary, heater, water heater, winch, etc. and will post more pics. We plan to leave our house and hit the road permanently in September, drive from Tahoe to Overland East, then circle back through the northern states, visit family for holidays and then head south. By that time, the bugs should be worked out, home schooling should be second nature, and the real adventure will begin.
