Another Ambo Build

[gnhuntin]

My friend bought an International Medium Duty Ambulance and brought it to my shop. We are converting it into a wannabe Earthroamer. It’s a 2007 with 7.6 litre, 85K miles. We’ve been working on this for several months as time permits. We are lucky to average four to six hours a week so this will take us a while to complete.


We made the decision to completely gut the inside and build from scratch. I want the truck system wiring to be factory without hacked up Medtec wiring. We have removed miles of wire.

 

[gnhuntin]

 

[gnhuntin]

Medtec hacked up the dash for the Mux Screen and the Climate Control was in the floor mounted console. I wanted it the way International designed it, so I pulled the dash.



Welded in a plate where Medtec cut the opening for their screen.



This is the new dash panel.



We need to find a new plastic trim piece; you can see where Medtec cut out the rib that runs beside the Sony stereo and climate control to install the mux screen. Fabricated an aluminum panel to replace the original plastic panel, powder coated it red, added a usb port and switches for the auxiliary backup and the off road lights that will be mounted on the front of the box to replace the red whelen emergency lights.

 

[gnhuntin]

Our push now is to remove all emergency lighting and get the brake, signal, backup and tail lights rewired so we can have the vehicle inspected (annual safety inspection is currently expired) so we can take it on a beer run or 2.

To replace the red lights on the front of the box I made aluminum plates with welded tabs to mount the 9” Rugged Ridge LED Light Bars.


We removed the Emergency Lights and halogen scene lights on the sides. I milled openings and fabricated plates to modify the red emergency lights to accept amber led lighting purchased from Super Bright LED’s for campfire / ambiance lighting.

We will use a clear lens instead of the original red.

For efficiency we replaced the halogen scene lights with fabricated plates that LED lights are mounted to, these came from Super Bright LED’s also.

 

[gnhuntin]

We completely gutted the inside of the box and cut some of the cabinets out to maximize interior space.

 

[gnhuntin]

My friend ordered Continental MPT 81’s (335/80R20) and had Stazworks build custom wheels.



One of the cabinets would interfere with our soon to be larger wheel openings and it had to go.


Welded in tread plate to shorten the box so it will be useable from the inside and welded in a plate to replace the cabinet door. The ambulance had a dent behind the tire and I straighted it enough to weld in the plate. After the wheel opening is enlarged the dent will be cut out.

Some temporary spray paint until I do the body work and patch the holes for removed emergency lighting.

 

[gnhuntin]

Time to install the tires and wheels; they are just a little larger.







Looks more aggressive, hopefully it will deter people from pulling out in front of us, if not there’s still the air horns and finger.

 

[Third]

Our push now is to remove all emergency lighting and get the brake, signal, backup and tail lights rewired so we can have the vehicle inspected (annual safety inspection is currently expired) so we can take it on a beer run or 2.

To replace the red lights on the front of the box I made aluminum plates with welded tabs to mount the 9” Rugged Ridge LED Light Bars.
View attachment 470669

We removed the Emergency Lights and halogen scene lights on the sides. I milled openings and fabricated plates to modify the red emergency lights to accept amber led lighting purchased from Super Bright LED’s for campfire / ambiance lighting.
View attachment 470673View attachment 470670 View attachment 470671
We will use a clear lens instead of the original red.

For efficiency we replaced the halogen scene lights with fabricated plates that LED lights are mounted to, these came from Super Bright LED’s also.

View attachment 470677

Really love this solution !

 

[gnhuntin]

Thanks, keeping some of the existing openings will reduce the amount of body work needed. I couldn't stand to paint over the existing lens, it was either fill the holes or find a practical replacement.

 

[gnhuntin]

We found when the ambo sat for a week or more the suspension would leak down. With the suspension dumped we could see cracks around the circumference of the bags where they were folded. There is a legible number on the bag or bellows but the top was so rusty we couldn't read the actual part number, looking on line we couldn't find a definite part number. My buddy went to the local International dealer with the vin and the parts guy gave him the part #. The international # was a direct goodyear part number and the mounting surfaces and lengths matched up with the original bags. The bellows is a different part number. Ordered the bags the dealer specified and I installed them last night. The new bags are slightly smaller in circumference, hopefully it will be ok. The build will be considerably lighter than when it was an ambulance.

 

[Lenross1]

Looking good ! What are your plans for heating and cooling the box when engine is not running? Rooftop AC ? Minisplit?

 

[gnhuntin]

We are planning on a Coleman Mach 8 rooftop unit for ac and a Suburban 16k propane heater, probably put a Honda 2000 watt generator on a slide inside a cabinet to run the ac when parked. The inverter should run the ac going down the road (International Alternator is 275 amps).

 

[gnhuntin]

We worked on the Ambo Friday and managed to get a little done. Modified the bump stops to prevent the wheel wells from contacting the tires if the air suspension dumps. Finished up the dash wiring and started on the wiring closet for the camper. We also started patching unused light openings - cut an insert to fill the hole with a backing plate attached with 3M panel bond adhesive.

 

[gnhuntin]

Still patching holes, this time in the cab. Used .125 aluminum round pieces cut from scrap with a hole saw without the pilot bit. Used 3M panel bond again for adhesive. Looks like I will be painting the roof of the cab.

 

[B85]

My friend ordered Continental MPT 81’s (335/80R20) and had Stazworks build custom wheels.

View attachment 470679

One of the cabinets would interfere with our soon to be larger wheel openings and it had to go.

View attachment 470680
Welded in tread plate to shorten the box so it will be useable from the inside and welded in a plate to replace the cabinet door. The ambulance had a dent behind the tire and I straighted it enough to weld in the plate. After the wheel opening is enlarged the dent will be cut out.
View attachment 470681
Some temporary spray paint until I do the body work and patch the holes for removed emergency lighting.
View attachment 470682

How mush did the wheels cost ? Great build