What year is your ambo? Going by memory here but I think the ambo doors changed about 94-95(?) as far as mirror mounting goes. Superduty mirrors will fit these later doors without significant mods. Mine is a 92. There are only 3 holes in the door for mirror mounting, and the mirrors are meant to mount to the outer door skin. The superduty mirrors have 4 mounting posts that are fairly long because they're meant to mount to the inner door. Iirc only one of the mounts of the superduty mirrors mounts in the 92 hole location, but still needs some kind of mod to make work. The trim base of the mirror doesnt work either if I remember. It's too big. Anyway, I decided they weren't worth the amount of work required to make them work, and the write up I read from the one guy that successfully did it said the only reason he did it was because he was past the point of no return before he figured out how difficult it would be. His suggestion was to just keep your eyes open and but a complete set of doors that either had, or would accept the correct mirrors.
Belafonte Reboot....Ambulance to 4x4 Camper Conversion
- Thread starter tgreening
- Start date
What year is your ambo? Going by memory here but I think the ambo doors changed about 94-95(?) as far as mirror mounting goes. Superduty mirrors will fit these later doors without significant mods. Mine is a 92. There are only 3 holes in the door for mirror mounting, and the mirrors are meant to mount to the outer door skin. The superduty mirrors have 4 mounting posts that are fairly long because they're meant to mount to the inner door. Iirc only one of the mounts of the superduty mirrors mounts in the 92 hole location, but still needs some kind of mod to make work. The trim base of the mirror doesnt work either if I remember. It's too big. Anyway, I decided they weren't worth the amount of work required to make them work, and the write up I read from the one guy that successfully did it said the only reason he did it was because he was past the point of no return before he figured out how difficult it would be. His suggestion was to just keep your eyes open and but a complete set of doors that either had, or would accept the correct mirrors.
flightcancled
Explorer
Well I don't know about all that. I have read other threads that said that you could pull the studs out and replace them, and leave the one out that didn't line up with the other holes. Lots of conflicting info on the whole thing, but when I open up my doors I will post photos of what I find. I'm a 1992 as well so it should be interesting.
Doors aren't the worst to find though, there's a set by me for 100 that look perfect. The 08+ front parts are impossible to find a bargain on.
Doors aren't the worst to find though, there's a set by me for 100 that look perfect. The 08+ front parts are impossible to find a bargain on.
rlrenz
Explorer
Years ago, I wanted to install a set of West Coast mirrors on a military 2 1/2 ton truck that I had. The original mirror was about 4" diameter and on the end of about a 12" arm, so when the engine was running, you couldn't see anything in the vibrating mirror. I bought a set of current MIL mirrors knowing that I might have to do some modifying - the only thing I didn't have to modify was the mirror itself. Thankfully, all the arms were painted, so I could cut and weld them as needed - and I did. They came out great.
There's a lot to be said for something that's steel and painted when you have to fiddle with it.....
There's a lot to be said for something that's steel and painted when you have to fiddle with it.....
On mine two mounting studs lined up with the 3 holes currently in the door. Of the other two one didnt line up with anything and the other had no hole. If I remember from the write up even if you use the two that do lin up it tilts the mirror a bit wrong, so in effect only one hole was actually usable.
Plus as I said, the superduty mirrors mount to the inside door skin, so even the one hole you can use has to have a big honkin washer because its about a 3/4" hole, so you can get a socket on the mirror nut on the outside door skin.
I should have taken some pictures but to be honest I was pretty disgusted since they were advertised as a direct replacement, and just tossed the whole mess in the back of the ambo, where it still sits.
Plus as I said, the superduty mirrors mount to the inside door skin, so even the one hole you can use has to have a big honkin washer because its about a 3/4" hole, so you can get a socket on the mirror nut on the outside door skin.
I should have taken some pictures but to be honest I was pretty disgusted since they were advertised as a direct replacement, and just tossed the whole mess in the back of the ambo, where it still sits.
Nothing to do with the build, or Ambos in general, but at least part of the reason nothing has been happening. Trying to track down one of these that wasn't gold plated and/or a continent away.
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2010 Toyota Tacoma with all kinds of blingy bling. Better pics after tomorrows pickup.
2010 Toyota Tacoma with all kinds of blingy bling. Better pics after tomorrows pickup.
patoz
Expedition Leader
At first I thought you meant you were looking for one, but I guess this means you found one. Is this it?
I had a 4-Runner the same color, and loved it. The only reason I got rid of it was because I wanted something a little larger...you know, to accommodate my aging body.
That 4-Runner was an off-road camping machine!I'm just the opposite. I got the Taco because I wanted something smaller. I'm getting tired of driving this around every day.
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Love that truck but man, it's a trucks' truck and it rides like one. It doesnt smooth out till you stick about 3-4,000 lbs in the back of the thing and I'm becoming a sissy. I want something a bit easier on the bones for my day to day.
The Tacoma in the pic is the actual one, though that photo is kind of crappy. Way too much reflection going on and you can't really see any detail of the truck. Pick it up tomorrow. Almost ditched the wife and kids at dinner to grab it tonight but something told me that probably wasn't such a good idea. Jury still out on that one.
The color was supposed to be grey, and it kind of looks it in the pic, but when I got there it's black. Swore I'd never do black again but it's a bit different. I think they call it black sand pearl or some other name a woman must have thought up because colors like that don't exist for men. For us it's black, white, brown ,red, blue, etc etc. Women see colors like Moca Cream Whipped Glass and crap like that.
It's kind of like a grey-ish tinged black with some faint silvery flake in it. Anyway, it'll be smokin when it's clean and look like crap when it's dirty. Typical black-ish.
I do know that chrome grill is gonna have to go. Hate chrome. My truck has chrome all over it and I hate it, but could never bring myself to mess with it. Plus side is I'm pretty sure the tires I pulled from the Ambo will swap onto those rims. They're a bit taller and probably a bit more street friendly. We'll see.
Anyway, I don't want this to get me too distracted from my Ambo project because I'm really diggin that. I'm betting when I'm done I will be able to take it to the local all-breeds 4x4 show they have every year and pick up a trophy. I did that a few years back and ended up with a best in show, best engineered, and a spread in four wheeler magazine for a Jeep Grand Wagoneer I built. Kind of fun to do for a weekend event.
Love that truck but man, it's a trucks' truck and it rides like one. It doesnt smooth out till you stick about 3-4,000 lbs in the back of the thing and I'm becoming a sissy. I want something a bit easier on the bones for my day to day.
The Tacoma in the pic is the actual one, though that photo is kind of crappy. Way too much reflection going on and you can't really see any detail of the truck. Pick it up tomorrow. Almost ditched the wife and kids at dinner to grab it tonight but something told me that probably wasn't such a good idea. Jury still out on that one.
The color was supposed to be grey, and it kind of looks it in the pic, but when I got there it's black. Swore I'd never do black again but it's a bit different. I think they call it black sand pearl or some other name a woman must have thought up because colors like that don't exist for men. For us it's black, white, brown ,red, blue, etc etc. Women see colors like Moca Cream Whipped Glass and crap like that.
It's kind of like a grey-ish tinged black with some faint silvery flake in it. Anyway, it'll be smokin when it's clean and look like crap when it's dirty. Typical black-ish.
I do know that chrome grill is gonna have to go. Hate chrome. My truck has chrome all over it and I hate it, but could never bring myself to mess with it. Plus side is I'm pretty sure the tires I pulled from the Ambo will swap onto those rims. They're a bit taller and probably a bit more street friendly. We'll see.
Anyway, I don't want this to get me too distracted from my Ambo project because I'm really diggin that. I'm betting when I'm done I will be able to take it to the local all-breeds 4x4 show they have every year and pick up a trophy. I did that a few years back and ended up with a best in show, best engineered, and a spread in four wheeler magazine for a Jeep Grand Wagoneer I built. Kind of fun to do for a weekend event.
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patoz
Expedition Leader
Yeah, I thought it was that metallic grey Toyota has, that's what color mine was. The names for colors they come up with these days are about as goofy as the names of ringtones on cell phones. What do Bergamot, Chicory, Juniper, and Larkspur sound like?
I guess we are different on vehicle color scheme taste. I like chrome in small amounts, but not bling level pimp-mobile looking stuff. I replaced the charcoal gray center grill insert on my F250 with a chrome one, just to make it stand out a little more. It has all of the other chrome trim yours does except for that, so it didn't look right to me.
Aren't the tires on the Ambo 'E' Rated tires? That's going to make for a pretty stiff ride on that little truck.
I guess we are different on vehicle color scheme taste. I like chrome in small amounts, but not bling level pimp-mobile looking stuff. I replaced the charcoal gray center grill insert on my F250 with a chrome one, just to make it stand out a little more. It has all of the other chrome trim yours does except for that, so it didn't look right to me.
Aren't the tires on the Ambo 'E' Rated tires? That's going to make for a pretty stiff ride on that little truck.
You know I'm not really sure, and that's a good point I didn't consider. I'll have to check that out tomorrow. If so it's no big deal. It's got excellent tires on it so it's not like I'm in need or anything. Not being one to just leave my junk be I have an eye toward getting it up on 33's at some point, and if I recall that's just about where those coopers are, but I hadn't considered the load rating.
Or......some recentered H1s and 37s with a solid axle swap, D60s all around, super charger, and and and.
flightcancled
Explorer
I've run my Tacoma on load E tires, just not on the stock suspension. Didn't even notice a difference besides a stout mileage drop.
Here's a look.
Here's a look.
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Thanks. Not too bad. Its got a bit of a rake to the front end Ill have to get rid of because that drives me nuts, and I might bump the tire size just a bit, but probably not too much else except maybe some cosmetic bling here and there. I just want a a decently off raod capable daily driver. If I want a rock monster I'll get the Mog finished out, or a serious trail machine I'll dig out my old CJ.
flightcancled
Explorer
The rear leafs tend to sag. Probably just needs another added to the pack. (And a shackle flip and.....)