Belafonte Reboot....Ambulance to 4x4 Camper Conversion

[rlrenz]

That looks very, VERY nice. You done good!

When I use that kind of carpet, I have the same problems - sometimes it cuts fine, and other times, not so fine. I use a utility knife to cut it, but I sometimes hone the blades a bit on a fine Arkansas stone, plus I replace the blades real often (the used blades get used in other utility knives). I've also used a single edge razor blade for cuts - the blades are more delicate, but sharper.

 

[frig84]

Define blown if you could. If it's anything like the ones I've looked up online that element looks like it could take about a 1000 amps before burning up. If it burned through then what you said makes sense, at least to me, but I can't picture how the element could "blow" enough to cause current to seek a path through the coolant. I had planned on putting a meter on it to see if that sheds any light but haven't gotten around to it while working on my bench.

Failed due to age, it's not so much an amperage issue as much as they do corrode over time and expose the internals to coolant.

 

[frig84]

BTW the bench looks great. I like the idea of using fold flat captain's chairs instead of just a bench.

 

[flightcancled]

I had the same issues when trying to carpet the transmission hump in my cab. It seems to cut fine when you aren't worried about it and then freak out when it counts. I think cutting it before it sees any adhesive makes a big difference.


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[tgreening]

Holy crap this little project turned out to be way more work than I expected, but she be done.

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I mounted the factory seat sliders to 1x2x.120 tube steel and then bolted that through the bench, through the bottom of the box, with 10 -9/16" grade 5 bolts each and backed it all up with big fender washers. I would imagine any accident bad enough to tear all that apart would probably snuff us all outright anyway. Tightening all that crap up was a pain in the ********. Vise grip on the bolt head, jump out of the box, reach up in fender well and tighten. Back into the box to swap the vice grip to another bolt head, and then back outside to tighten. Rinse and repeat for 20 bolts.

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There she be. Bench all covered. Console lids hinged up and actually working. Seats bolted down and seat belts installed. The only other thing I want to do to the bench at the moment is some drink holders. I was going to install run of the mill inserts into the lids of the consoles but I'm rethinking that. I think what I'll do is bolt something like a bicycle drink holder to the front of them. This way you can get into the console without having to remove your drink from the lid first.

I think next I'll work on getting that wall installed again. I'm up in the air on that window though. It works and doesn't appear to leak, but it does not really fit. At the very least it should be grabbing frame structure on at least 3 sides. Top, bottom, and on the left. It's not near big enough to grab the structure on the right. The problem is it's not tall enough either. It's only grabbing framing on the left and on the bottom. I need to either weld/bolt in some additional framing so it can grab on 3 sides, or source a new window that fits. Problem is I've had just about zero luck finding a source for a slider that is the right height, width, and depth.

 

[flightcancled]

What pops into my mind is making something similar to the little holder for a CB radio to attach cup holders to the compartments out of bar stock aluminum. Mount the female side on the consoles and store the holders inside when they aren't needed.

Hope the quick sketch makes sense.


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[Bronco bobby]

Nice work

 

[rlrenz]

Check out the guys who make windows for boats - they're available in about any configuration you could ever want. Also look at Hehr windows (http://www.hehrintl.com/) - the side door window in my ambulance was made by them, and it's a very solid window that also opens.

 

[cjken]

The rear seating is really looking great!!!
What is on the other side? Still the ambulance cabinets?

 

[tgreening]

The rear seating is really looking great!!!
What is on the other side? Still the ambulance cabinets?

Thanks. Yep, the other side is still just how I bought it. For the most part I think it's going to stay that way. I'll have to pick a spot to stuff a small microwave and a place for a coffee pot to ride, one of which might require some cabinet modification, but that's pretty much it. I think most everything else is functional as is.

One space that has my thinking cap on is the wasted space behind the vent for the exhaust fan. That thing is loud and doesn't move much air and plus I have the Max-Fan in the roof which is way better. I'm trying to come up with a way to use all that space. What I would like to do is turn it into some sort of secure storage that doesn't immediately jump out and say "Secure Storage HERE".

I'm a bit of a firearms enthusiast and always moving something about, so it would be nice to have a spot to at least semi-securely store a hand gun or other valuable item I might not want to have on my person when dashing into The Burrito Warehouse for lunch, or something. There are a couple long-ish slider cabinets above those seats I think I might turn into a spot for securing some black rifles. Major security there is not a huge issue since they'd only be there moving to/from the range or when running from the zombie horde. I have a mid length Colt that might not fit, but my SBRs wont be any problem. I have an idea for some secure yet quick diconnect mounts, if I cant find anything reasonably priced already on the market. Any info on those would be great.

I want to get the ceiling trimmed in around that Max-Fan, but to do that I have to cut and extend a couple of wire bundles. And I want to come up with another solution for the overhead lighting. The fixtures are about 4" and inset up in a channel that's about 6-8" wide. These channels run the lenght of the box and are covered with light diffuser panels which rattle like freakin death when moving down the road. Drivin me bat-guano crazy. I've seen those lights somewhere with individual lenses, which would let me lose those panels, but I wouldn't mind making the jump to LEDS in the process. A little bid of led lighting in/under some cabinets and I think inside will be done. Maybe some different carpet.

After that and the ujor completion I'll stuff it full of MREs, guns, knives, chainsaws, bazookas and cheetos. Grow a beard, stop washing, pull some teeth, and then call the discovery channel and se iffin I can get myself on one of them there prepper shows.

 

[rlrenz]

I just installed LED lights in my S-250 shelter - I wanted to see how they would work in my Freightliner / Medic Master ambulance, and I wanted every inch of room I could get below the ceiling - the thread is located at: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/131312-Military-S-250-Shelter-Conversion - see page 2 for the details.

The price was the best I could find - $19.95 each, and they do a very nice job. Some will wind up in my ambulance in the reading nook (AKA CPR seat area), and maybe in the lounge (AKA squad seat area) as well, plus in the generator compartment. Amazon has a dimmer that could be added to them as well.

 

[patoz]

Very nice job Tom! You've got me leaning towards doing something like that with mine, now that I see what it looks like finished.

The problem with bicycle drink holders is most are designed to fit a skinny water bottle, and will not hold a cup or can drink with a huggie. Here is my suggestion for drink holders back there. These are gimbaled mounted holders used for boats. We had these installed on the 32' sailboat I used to race. and we would heel that thing over 45 degrees and never spill a drop. Most marine supply places carry them, and so does Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Attwood-Mug-Size-Beverage-Holder/dp/B001O0D6D8/ref=fs_patw_1


I had this type on my pontoon boat near the seats, and the nice thing is they will fold up when not needed but they are a plastic material.

http://www.amazon.com/Shoreline-Marine-Drink-Holder-White/dp/B004LRBJ12


However, they do come in stainless steel also.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0R3H6AMS4MGR16RBWN85

 

[tgreening]

patoz: I used those last ones in my camper to put some cup holders bedside. The seats I installed each have a built in flip down cupholder so there's no hurry. Not sure which way I'll end up going.


Cutting a new panel to go against the wall behind the seats. The one that was there was just kind of chewed up and I couldn't see my way to reusing it. Blech! And of course, in order to cut the opening for the window there was just no way around having to go buy a spanky new roto-zip which made short work of that little project.

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I could of sworn I slid that panel into place and snapped a pic but danged if I can find one. Anyway, tomorrow is prime and paint and hopefully have it installed. That will go a long way toward making the box look a bit more "done". Below is an overview of the DS cabinets.

The spot were that little round vent is is all dead space behind. That's the spot I'd like to reclaim and make into some sort of hidden pistol safe. Not sure how to tackle that.

The two cabinets right below are wide and tall but shallow. Great spot for canned goods and some boxed stuff I guess.

The bottom cabinet just to the right is deep. It goes all the way back to the wall. Pots, pans, & dishes I guess, though I'm not sure I need all that space for that. I don't envision doing a boat-load of cooking and certainly not for a bunch of people. Not from this unit anyway. The two cabinets at the top left are just as deep and if I recall just about the same height and width as the bottom right one. One of these I'm thinking to re-purpose as a microwave cubby. As long as I can get power to one of them without having to pull that whole mess out to do it. I'll eat manifold burritos before I do that.

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Pillow storage! Hehe. I don't know what that space will end up as, but I don't see it staying as is. I'll finish it off in some fashion to hide all the under sink plumbing, yet keep access to it readily available. Then maybe a door across the front and use that pocket under the pillows as a space for cleaning stuff.

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Left little cabinet, dunno. Middle one is where I keep service manuals and such. The one on the right will be the switch panel, thermostat, etc. Pretty much what it is now, just cleaned up.

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Oh, there's the one with the panel in place. Derrrr. Anyway, those cabinets up top are where I'm thinking of housing the rifles I mentioned. That's pretty much it for now. I've got the tires and wheels on the way, 37/12.5s. Now I just need to get off the pot and get the ujor stuff ordered.

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[flightcancled]

Belafonte Reboot....

I love that hide away cabinet lighting! How is that installed in there?

That while driver side setup is super simple and elegant.


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[papaduc]

For the gun hide away, it would be nice if you could leave the vent in place and make a lockable access inside the existing cabinet on the right side of the vent. It would be out of sight inside the cabinet and only accessible when you slide the door open. There might even be a way to make it more stealth by not having any obvious door on the inside.....