Belafonte Reboot....Ambulance to 4x4 Camper Conversion
- Thread starter tgreening
- Start date
You are correct. Load range D: 3850 lbs, Load range E: 4540 lbs. supposedly has a bit softer sidewall than what we're running.
guidolyons
Addicted to Gear Oil
Early on, you mentioned making a custom switch panel? The custom switch guys http://www.otrattw.net/home.php all kinds of contura rocker switches with standard and custom labels, switch panel, etc. They are the same switched used for ARBs, etc.
Agreed, I wouldn't aside from the safety concerns, seat belts don't hold dye well. The PO dyed the seatbelts in my wife's '66MG...the belts would leave black marks on your clothes.
Can't wait to see the lift/4wd with the H1 rims and 37s mounted up :sombrero: As for the gearing, in my '65 Scout I have a 7.3L PSD/ZF5/4.10s and 37" BFG KM2. ~1,800 RPM at 65MPH,~1900-2000@70MPH feels pretty good, good low end and cruise, but my Scout is ~6,000lbs and ZF5 vs 9,000 lbs ambo with E4OD, and the PSD has a little more umph than an IDI, E4OD with 4.88s and 37s would be ~2,000 @60 MPH - 2,300 @70MPH. What axle gears do you have now? give it a shot with the 37s and see what you thing before shelling out $$ for a gear swap (x2 for 4WD)
Agreed, I wouldn't aside from the safety concerns, seat belts don't hold dye well. The PO dyed the seatbelts in my wife's '66MG...the belts would leave black marks on your clothes.
Can't wait to see the lift/4wd with the H1 rims and 37s mounted up :sombrero: As for the gearing, in my '65 Scout I have a 7.3L PSD/ZF5/4.10s and 37" BFG KM2. ~1,800 RPM at 65MPH,~1900-2000@70MPH feels pretty good, good low end and cruise, but my Scout is ~6,000lbs and ZF5 vs 9,000 lbs ambo with E4OD, and the PSD has a little more umph than an IDI, E4OD with 4.88s and 37s would be ~2,000 @60 MPH - 2,300 @70MPH. What axle gears do you have now? give it a shot with the 37s and see what you thing before shelling out $$ for a gear swap (x2 for 4WD)
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Not much of an update. My springs will be delivered on Monday, at least that's what the carrier said on Friday, but other than that nothing much accomplished. Been down hard for a solid week with some kind of intestinal issue. Didn't get out of bed or eat for 3 solid days, which didn't matter cause I couldn't keep anything in anyway. Upside is I lost 8 lbs. 
But, one little thing. I've been looking for a way of storing various things that were quickly accessible, yet out of the way when I didn't want/need them. One of those things happened to be a couple of 1st aid kits. My solution...
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That panel is about 11"x16". One side is covered in Pals webbing and the other side is covered in velcro and it has a plastic stiffener inside to keep it rigid. I bought 3 of these (so far) and will mount a couple to an access door just inside the main door into the box. This one has a small and medium sized first aid pouch attached.
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The little pouch is just a smaller copy of the bigger one. One word of advice to anyone using Pals webbing, do yourself a favor and ditch the malice clips. I've come to the conclusion they're called malice clips because during the process of trying to thread them through your pouch and the webbing you develop quite a bit of it towards whoever invented the blasted things. Spring the extra money and buy the Molle Stix. They are worlds easier to install and have the added benefit of turning your pouch into a quick release item.
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The Molle Stix are rigid which makes threading them easier, and you only have to thread one direction. Once in place you snap the top part down and it keeps everything in place. Tie those two cords together, then you just give a good yank and the clips release, pull out, and drop the pouch free.
Anyway, one panel will hold my 1st aid gear and maybe a decent sized fixed blade utility knife. Another will hold some general "stuff"in a pouch. Leatherman, pen, paper, etc. There will be space on the outside for a flashlight, HT radio, etc. One of the panels will probably be mounted with the velcro side out to hold pouches with velcro backing for REALLY quick release stuff, whatever that may be.
Once I get the stuff mounted up I'll get some installed pics. Won't be all that exciting but it might give folks some ideas for non-traditional storage on what would otherwise be empty wall space.
But, one little thing. I've been looking for a way of storing various things that were quickly accessible, yet out of the way when I didn't want/need them. One of those things happened to be a couple of 1st aid kits. My solution...
That panel is about 11"x16". One side is covered in Pals webbing and the other side is covered in velcro and it has a plastic stiffener inside to keep it rigid. I bought 3 of these (so far) and will mount a couple to an access door just inside the main door into the box. This one has a small and medium sized first aid pouch attached.
The little pouch is just a smaller copy of the bigger one. One word of advice to anyone using Pals webbing, do yourself a favor and ditch the malice clips. I've come to the conclusion they're called malice clips because during the process of trying to thread them through your pouch and the webbing you develop quite a bit of it towards whoever invented the blasted things. Spring the extra money and buy the Molle Stix. They are worlds easier to install and have the added benefit of turning your pouch into a quick release item.
The Molle Stix are rigid which makes threading them easier, and you only have to thread one direction. Once in place you snap the top part down and it keeps everything in place. Tie those two cords together, then you just give a good yank and the clips release, pull out, and drop the pouch free.
Anyway, one panel will hold my 1st aid gear and maybe a decent sized fixed blade utility knife. Another will hold some general "stuff"in a pouch. Leatherman, pen, paper, etc. There will be space on the outside for a flashlight, HT radio, etc. One of the panels will probably be mounted with the velcro side out to hold pouches with velcro backing for REALLY quick release stuff, whatever that may be.
Once I get the stuff mounted up I'll get some installed pics. Won't be all that exciting but it might give folks some ideas for non-traditional storage on what would otherwise be empty wall space.
patoz
Expedition Leader
Well gee Tom it's an ambulance, so I hope you can find a place for a first aid kit!
I read a review last week about that company and the gear they make, and it's supposed to be pretty good stuff.
I read a review last week about that company and the gear they make, and it's supposed to be pretty good stuff.
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Well gee Tom it's an ambulance, so I hope you can find a place for a first aid kit!
I read a review last week about that company and the gear they make, and it's supposed to be pretty good stuff.
But it'll look cooler, more tactically, and a bunch more bug-outish if it's stuck to a wall somewhere.
Springs arrived today. Haven't seen them yet because generally I avoid my shop like the plague. Anytime I show up there somebody wants me to do work type stuff. Yechhh. My kids are having their Veterans Day thing at school tomorrow, and as uncomfortable as those things make me I'll go because I know it makes them feel special, but after that I'm going to try sneaking in and snagging my springs without getting caught.
I know I should do the front end first because that's where all the work is, but I doubt I'll be able to resist the quick gratification of jacking the ******** in the rear and seeing how those tires fit. Holy crap those things weigh a metric farq ton! They've got to be pushing 200# each. I really don't remember them being that heavy.
Need to pay my tranny guy a visit as well and find out why he's been so silent. It was supposed to be done over a week ago.
Yea they are really heavy.
Mine still have the run flats in them. At some point I want to take my four spares and mount up fresh tires w/pvc or some type of beadlocks without the run flat hump.
Probably not till spring
Mine don't even have the run-flats in them, but they do have the PVC internal beadlocks. I was going to go with the runflats but the seller told me it would ruin the tire within a couple miles. Since IMO the likelihood of the mythical SHTF scenario happening that might need me to beat feet on a flat tire is slim to none, I opted for the pvc beadlocks. I know of folks that take the runflats and cut the run flat portion off, keeping the beadlock, but I hear it makes the tire almost impossible to balance.
patoz
Expedition Leader
But it'll look cooler, more tactically, and a bunch more bug-outish if it's stuck to a wall somewhere.
And don't forget to mount a V-Blade Rescue Knife for cutting those seat belts! We had these mounted on the doors of our Aircraft Crash Rescue Vehicles in metal holsters made for them.
Actually, I'll probably do something similar, but on a compartment door. I want to keep my egress areas as unobstructed as possible. I also thought about replacing the glass in the lower windows in the doors with the same thickness aluminum, and making the new recessed areas into small compartments or areas for quick access stuff like that.
patoz
Expedition Leader
Hey Tom,
Like an idiot I never bothered to check all of the lights on my ambo when I got it to see which ones worked and which ones didn't, and what they actually do. Now that it's cut in half, I'm trying to trace out all of the wiring for the tail and running lights, etc. Mine has separate turn signals so it has a converter mounted under the floor in the rear between the frame rails. This makes identifying the wire almost impossible because everything reads continuity or nothing reads. As a last resort, I sat a battery on the tongue, grounded the negative side, and started applying power to the leads one at a time to see what happened. I can hear relays clicking in the electrical panel, so that means the builder has tied into and modified the normal Ford wiring harness.
I did find an Orange 10 ga. and Blue 12 ga. wire that runs the entire length of the vehicle from the fuse panel? to the rear just before the last cross member, inside the factory wiring harness. Both of these wires are just terminated with an open butt splice, as if they are for optional equipment. I will get you some pictures if you need them. I thought that was a pretty nice find!
So since you have a working ambo, maybe you can help me.
Amber light in front - I looked at the pictures Tony took and you don't even have this light. The only other one I found it on is Tribe of Five's rig, and his is clear. At first I thought it may be a side (width) clearance light, but his being clear rules that out. So maybe it's just a courtesy light for the running boards.
Red side light in the rear - We all have this, but is it a side marker light or is it part of the emergency warning light system, or is it both? Does it come on with the running lights and then flash in 'Emergency Mode'. Most of our taillight assemblies face rearward and are not visible from the side like and automobile, so a side light would be required.
If you get a chance, would you check your's and let me know?
Thanks...
Like an idiot I never bothered to check all of the lights on my ambo when I got it to see which ones worked and which ones didn't, and what they actually do. Now that it's cut in half, I'm trying to trace out all of the wiring for the tail and running lights, etc. Mine has separate turn signals so it has a converter mounted under the floor in the rear between the frame rails. This makes identifying the wire almost impossible because everything reads continuity or nothing reads. As a last resort, I sat a battery on the tongue, grounded the negative side, and started applying power to the leads one at a time to see what happened. I can hear relays clicking in the electrical panel, so that means the builder has tied into and modified the normal Ford wiring harness.
I did find an Orange 10 ga. and Blue 12 ga. wire that runs the entire length of the vehicle from the fuse panel? to the rear just before the last cross member, inside the factory wiring harness. Both of these wires are just terminated with an open butt splice, as if they are for optional equipment. I will get you some pictures if you need them. I thought that was a pretty nice find!
So since you have a working ambo, maybe you can help me.
Amber light in front - I looked at the pictures Tony took and you don't even have this light. The only other one I found it on is Tribe of Five's rig, and his is clear. At first I thought it may be a side (width) clearance light, but his being clear rules that out. So maybe it's just a courtesy light for the running boards.
Red side light in the rear - We all have this, but is it a side marker light or is it part of the emergency warning light system, or is it both? Does it come on with the running lights and then flash in 'Emergency Mode'. Most of our taillight assemblies face rearward and are not visible from the side like and automobile, so a side light would be required.
If you get a chance, would you check your's and let me know?
Thanks...
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flightcancled
Explorer
Belafonte Reboot....
The red corner flasher is usually another turn signal. If you were in the blind spot for the mirrors you would also be in a blind spot for the turn signals. A problem we wouldn't have if ford made the nicer tow mirrors available on an e-series base.
I know we aren't the same up fitter, but I had a lot of issues trying to trace back all the wires for my rear signal lights and wound up just making a new harness to run along the frame. I have also found a second person or rigging a test switch with 15' leads is the only way to sort out what relay is doing what.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The red corner flasher is usually another turn signal. If you were in the blind spot for the mirrors you would also be in a blind spot for the turn signals. A problem we wouldn't have if ford made the nicer tow mirrors available on an e-series base.
I know we aren't the same up fitter, but I had a lot of issues trying to trace back all the wires for my rear signal lights and wound up just making a new harness to run along the frame. I have also found a second person or rigging a test switch with 15' leads is the only way to sort out what relay is doing what.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
rlrenz
Explorer
A simple solution to trying to do some things with one person is the old TV repairman's trick -- set up a mirror so you can see what's happening back when you're in front. Flight's dead-on right with the 15 ft test lead idea. Another thought is to just rig up a test light if you need to see if a relay is doing it's thing. If the relays are cycling, but nothing is happening, you may have a hot supply lead that isn't hot. The relays are typically fed from the cab's controls, but they switch power that's fed to a hot bus that feeds the entire module. There is normally a module main switch that has to be turned on - but your may be long gone.
patoz
Expedition Leader
I probably should have asked these questions on my thread and linked to it here, so I wouldn't hijack Tom’s thread. So with that being said, let’s move back to my thread here, and Tom please give us your input also.
In the interest of continuity, I have quoted and copied your two post to my thread also.
In the interest of continuity, I have quoted and copied your two post to my thread also.
rlrenz
Explorer
Take a look at a used ambulance sales web site, and see what the ambulances they have that are about the age of yours have for lighting. Every ambulance is built to the same GSA KKK- standard so they can qualify for Federal grants, and the designs are pretty similar. Also, track down a copy of KKK-A-1822E through a Google search, and check out the FIGURES section, probably about page 87 or so, then check for which type of ambulance you have, and see what they recommend for lighting. If you have a module connected to a van-type body, it's probably a Type-3. Any lighting outside what is shown in KKK was probably optional.