rlrenz
Explorer
My wife had suggested several times that we look at buying a small motor home when I retired so we could do some traveling, and have limited living accommodations on the road. I grumbled that any RV that met my standards for durability wouldn't fit in the driveway, and would probably cost as much as our home. The RVs that I could financially justify had the physical ruggedness of a back yard tool shed with aluminum siding and coffee can lids for shingles. End result – no RV.
Months ago, my friend, MNtal, told me that he was thinking about buying a medium ambulance for conversion to an RV. I had never heard of a medium ambulance, so he explained the finer details to me. I mentioned what he was doing to my wife, and she said why don’t we do that (besides, it gave me a retirement project - one of many).
Moving ahead, MNtal bought an ambulance and transported it back to MN in only a few days in the absolute dead of winter. After he recovered from the trip, we talked some more about medium ambulances, and I started to do some research. I found that:
• Medium ambulances appear to be more common in the east than anywhere else in the country – nearly all the ads I saw were for ambulances located in the east.
• Various makes of trucks are used as the base for medium ambulances – Ford, Chevy, IH, Sterling, and Freightliner are the primary vehicles, though now Kenworth is also getting into the business.
• Because there are multiple trucks used, there are multiple engines to choose from – Mercedes, Caterpillar, Cummins, and IH. More people swear by the Cummins, followed by the IH.
• There are also multiple ambulance body manufacturers. They are all working from the same GSA Federal standard (KKK-A-1822E), but each has their own features and quirks. There are four primary brands out there: Medic-Master was built by American LaFrance, which is now bankrupt. Horton, Braun, and Road-Rescue build ambulance bodies, and all have their own advantages and drawbacks.
• Medium ambulances are manufactured as 8 ft and as 8 ½ ft width. The module (ambulance portion) is usually either 12 ft long or 14 ft long.
• Even with a Federal specification, external and internal layouts are largely as per the buyer’s wishes, so every ambulance you look at is slightly different than the last. Some of the various features include: extended cabs, auxiliary body air conditioning, diesel generators, built in refrigerators, multiple stretcher mounts, bariatric (large patient) capabilities, and combinations of whatever sirens, lights, and emergency equipment are as per every communities’ wishes. Cabinets and storage are also whatever the customer desires.
• If you purchase from an ambulance dealer, they are generally required to deactivate the emergency equipment – the red lights and siren. If you buy from a fire department or a private seller, it may come with the emergency equipment, but deactivating it may be required by your insurance company and your PD.
• You can buy a medium ambulance from a private party, a fire department/ambulance company, or from a dealer. You gets what you pays for. Dealers charge more, but they refurbish used ambulances so you can head home with a high likelihood of making it. Private party sales are probably the riskiest – you are leaving on a trip, driving a strange vehicle for the first time, whose repairs may not have been done by a qualified emergency vehicle mechanic. Any roadside troubles, and you may have a problem.
• Medium ambulances are built on a truck chassis, but there are many differences between a truck and an ambulance. For example, ambulances have battery disconnect switches, multiple batteries, strange plumbing for heaters and ACs, “high idle” (the engine idle speed increases to about 1500 RPM when the body is powered up, the transmission is in neutral, and the parking brake is on. This is so the 270 amp alternator and AC can deliver their full rated performance while the ambulance is parked and loading), and air suspension with an air dump feature (so you can load patients more easily). Believe me, there is a learning curve when you start to drive an ambulance (even a retired ambulance).
• If you do buy an ambulance, get all the documentation that you possibly can. Not just whatever is needed to license it, but as much data on the ambulance portion (the module) as possible. If you’re lucky, you will be able to get the official manufacturer’s manual on your vehicle included with your purchase.
• After the Ghostbusters movies came out, old Packard and Cadillac ambulances became an instant collectible, and they are still priced outta sight.
• The Bible for existing ambulances is KKK-A-1822E. This GSA Federal standard specifies the precise details that every type of ambulance must meet. Virtually every ambulance (except possibly an old Cadillac or Packard hearse-ambulance) has the same equipment (warning lights, inverters, oxygen gear, heaters, ACs, etc). You can easily track down a free copy through Google.
• KKK-A-1822E is being replaced by NFPA 1917. Unfortunately, NFPA 1917 is not available unless you buy a copy from the NFPA.
My plan was to build an ambulance into a legal RV. Here in MN, that requires:
Subd. 17.Motor home.(a) "Motor home" means a recreational vehicle designed to provide temporary living quarters. The motor home has a living unit built into as an integral part of, or permanently attached to the chassis of, a motor vehicle or van.
(b) A motor home must contain permanently installed, independent, life-support systems that meet the American National Standards Institute standard number A119.2 for recreational vehicles and provide at least four of the following facilities, two of which must be from the systems listed in clauses (1), (5), and (6): (1) a cooking facility with liquid propane gas supply, (2) a refrigerator, (3) a self-contained toilet or a toilet connected to a plumbing system with a connection for external water disposal, (4) a heating or air conditioning system separate from the motor vehicle engine, (5) a potable water supply system including a sink with a faucet either self-contained or with connections for an external source, and (6) a separate 110-125 volts electrical power supply.
(c) For purposes of this subdivision, "permanently installed" means built into or attached as an integral part of a chassis or van, and designed not to be removed except for repair or replacement. A system that is readily removable or held in place by clamps or tie-downs is not permanently installed.
(d) Motor homes include a:
(1) type A motor home, which is a raw chassis upon which is built a driver's compartment and an entire body that provides temporary living quarters as described in paragraph (b);
(2) type B motor home, which is a van that conforms to the description in paragraph (b) and has been completed or altered by a final-stage manufacturer; and
(3) type C motor home, which is an incomplete vehicle upon which is permanently attached a body designed to provide temporary living quarters as described in paragraph (b).
(e) A motor vehicle with a slip-in camper or other removable equipment that is mounted into or on a motor vehicle is not a motor home, is not a recreational vehicle, and must not be registered as a recreational vehicle under section 168.013
With these thoughts in mind, I started checking the web sites, and following leads. Ambulance Trader (www.ambulancetrader.com) and Fenton Fire (www.fentonfire.com have many listings (all of which are at least one time zone away from me). I finally settled on a 1999 Freightliner / Medic-Master that was available from a PA dealer. Several e-mails and phone calls later, I flew to Philadelphia to see what they had. The on-line video of the Medic-Master had me 90% convinced, but there was no way that I’d cough up that much green stuff unless I saw it up close, and had a chance to drive it. Good old Hertz set me up with a car that was about the size of my shoe, and I managed to get to the dealer despite my Garmin trying to take me on a sight-seeing tour of the eastern seaboard.
I was impressed. It looked great, and sounded even better. My sources who drove emergency vehicles had told me that the ONLY engine I wanted was the Cummins 5.9, which meant a Freightliner. Medic-Master and Horton also have slightly more headroom than some of the other builders, but their 72” clearance still meant that I had to stoop a little (but at my age, stooping a little is easier than it used to be). The vehicle had 5 exterior compartments, and 18 interior compartments of every size and possible location. A little tape measure work showed me that the exterior compartments would nicely hold an RV generator plus a decent sized fuel tank, and there was an interior compartment that looked perfect for a 2.7 CF refrigerator (the dealer confirmed that that same location was often used for refrigerators – obviously, great minds think alike.) The vehicle only had 51,000 miles on the clock, and also had a Cummins 5.9 diesel, an Allison 6-speed transmission, air ride seats, air suspension, and nice large air horns. What more could anyone want?
We took it for a drive through the area, and I was hooked. I decided that this unit was the one that had been calling to me from 1200 miles away. We cut a deal, and the vehicle was mine, with delivery as soon as it went through the shop for some refurbishing, including some new tires, paint, un-emergency-fying(?), fluids change, and all the rest. I had planned to ship it to MN for about $1600, but my son suddenly decided that we needed a road trip to “bond”. He’s 32 years old, but I guess bonding happens when it happens. I ran the math, and I figure that a “bonding” trip would cost me more than shipping, but it is what it is. The other thought is that after driving it home, I would have a pretty good idea of any problems I would have to deal with.
Tune in tomorrow---
Months ago, my friend, MNtal, told me that he was thinking about buying a medium ambulance for conversion to an RV. I had never heard of a medium ambulance, so he explained the finer details to me. I mentioned what he was doing to my wife, and she said why don’t we do that (besides, it gave me a retirement project - one of many).
Moving ahead, MNtal bought an ambulance and transported it back to MN in only a few days in the absolute dead of winter. After he recovered from the trip, we talked some more about medium ambulances, and I started to do some research. I found that:
• Medium ambulances appear to be more common in the east than anywhere else in the country – nearly all the ads I saw were for ambulances located in the east.
• Various makes of trucks are used as the base for medium ambulances – Ford, Chevy, IH, Sterling, and Freightliner are the primary vehicles, though now Kenworth is also getting into the business.
• Because there are multiple trucks used, there are multiple engines to choose from – Mercedes, Caterpillar, Cummins, and IH. More people swear by the Cummins, followed by the IH.
• There are also multiple ambulance body manufacturers. They are all working from the same GSA Federal standard (KKK-A-1822E), but each has their own features and quirks. There are four primary brands out there: Medic-Master was built by American LaFrance, which is now bankrupt. Horton, Braun, and Road-Rescue build ambulance bodies, and all have their own advantages and drawbacks.
• Medium ambulances are manufactured as 8 ft and as 8 ½ ft width. The module (ambulance portion) is usually either 12 ft long or 14 ft long.
• Even with a Federal specification, external and internal layouts are largely as per the buyer’s wishes, so every ambulance you look at is slightly different than the last. Some of the various features include: extended cabs, auxiliary body air conditioning, diesel generators, built in refrigerators, multiple stretcher mounts, bariatric (large patient) capabilities, and combinations of whatever sirens, lights, and emergency equipment are as per every communities’ wishes. Cabinets and storage are also whatever the customer desires.
• If you purchase from an ambulance dealer, they are generally required to deactivate the emergency equipment – the red lights and siren. If you buy from a fire department or a private seller, it may come with the emergency equipment, but deactivating it may be required by your insurance company and your PD.
• You can buy a medium ambulance from a private party, a fire department/ambulance company, or from a dealer. You gets what you pays for. Dealers charge more, but they refurbish used ambulances so you can head home with a high likelihood of making it. Private party sales are probably the riskiest – you are leaving on a trip, driving a strange vehicle for the first time, whose repairs may not have been done by a qualified emergency vehicle mechanic. Any roadside troubles, and you may have a problem.
• Medium ambulances are built on a truck chassis, but there are many differences between a truck and an ambulance. For example, ambulances have battery disconnect switches, multiple batteries, strange plumbing for heaters and ACs, “high idle” (the engine idle speed increases to about 1500 RPM when the body is powered up, the transmission is in neutral, and the parking brake is on. This is so the 270 amp alternator and AC can deliver their full rated performance while the ambulance is parked and loading), and air suspension with an air dump feature (so you can load patients more easily). Believe me, there is a learning curve when you start to drive an ambulance (even a retired ambulance).
• If you do buy an ambulance, get all the documentation that you possibly can. Not just whatever is needed to license it, but as much data on the ambulance portion (the module) as possible. If you’re lucky, you will be able to get the official manufacturer’s manual on your vehicle included with your purchase.
• After the Ghostbusters movies came out, old Packard and Cadillac ambulances became an instant collectible, and they are still priced outta sight.
• The Bible for existing ambulances is KKK-A-1822E. This GSA Federal standard specifies the precise details that every type of ambulance must meet. Virtually every ambulance (except possibly an old Cadillac or Packard hearse-ambulance) has the same equipment (warning lights, inverters, oxygen gear, heaters, ACs, etc). You can easily track down a free copy through Google.
• KKK-A-1822E is being replaced by NFPA 1917. Unfortunately, NFPA 1917 is not available unless you buy a copy from the NFPA.
My plan was to build an ambulance into a legal RV. Here in MN, that requires:
Subd. 17.Motor home.(a) "Motor home" means a recreational vehicle designed to provide temporary living quarters. The motor home has a living unit built into as an integral part of, or permanently attached to the chassis of, a motor vehicle or van.
(b) A motor home must contain permanently installed, independent, life-support systems that meet the American National Standards Institute standard number A119.2 for recreational vehicles and provide at least four of the following facilities, two of which must be from the systems listed in clauses (1), (5), and (6): (1) a cooking facility with liquid propane gas supply, (2) a refrigerator, (3) a self-contained toilet or a toilet connected to a plumbing system with a connection for external water disposal, (4) a heating or air conditioning system separate from the motor vehicle engine, (5) a potable water supply system including a sink with a faucet either self-contained or with connections for an external source, and (6) a separate 110-125 volts electrical power supply.
(c) For purposes of this subdivision, "permanently installed" means built into or attached as an integral part of a chassis or van, and designed not to be removed except for repair or replacement. A system that is readily removable or held in place by clamps or tie-downs is not permanently installed.
(d) Motor homes include a:
(1) type A motor home, which is a raw chassis upon which is built a driver's compartment and an entire body that provides temporary living quarters as described in paragraph (b);
(2) type B motor home, which is a van that conforms to the description in paragraph (b) and has been completed or altered by a final-stage manufacturer; and
(3) type C motor home, which is an incomplete vehicle upon which is permanently attached a body designed to provide temporary living quarters as described in paragraph (b).
(e) A motor vehicle with a slip-in camper or other removable equipment that is mounted into or on a motor vehicle is not a motor home, is not a recreational vehicle, and must not be registered as a recreational vehicle under section 168.013
With these thoughts in mind, I started checking the web sites, and following leads. Ambulance Trader (www.ambulancetrader.com) and Fenton Fire (www.fentonfire.com have many listings (all of which are at least one time zone away from me). I finally settled on a 1999 Freightliner / Medic-Master that was available from a PA dealer. Several e-mails and phone calls later, I flew to Philadelphia to see what they had. The on-line video of the Medic-Master had me 90% convinced, but there was no way that I’d cough up that much green stuff unless I saw it up close, and had a chance to drive it. Good old Hertz set me up with a car that was about the size of my shoe, and I managed to get to the dealer despite my Garmin trying to take me on a sight-seeing tour of the eastern seaboard.
I was impressed. It looked great, and sounded even better. My sources who drove emergency vehicles had told me that the ONLY engine I wanted was the Cummins 5.9, which meant a Freightliner. Medic-Master and Horton also have slightly more headroom than some of the other builders, but their 72” clearance still meant that I had to stoop a little (but at my age, stooping a little is easier than it used to be). The vehicle had 5 exterior compartments, and 18 interior compartments of every size and possible location. A little tape measure work showed me that the exterior compartments would nicely hold an RV generator plus a decent sized fuel tank, and there was an interior compartment that looked perfect for a 2.7 CF refrigerator (the dealer confirmed that that same location was often used for refrigerators – obviously, great minds think alike.) The vehicle only had 51,000 miles on the clock, and also had a Cummins 5.9 diesel, an Allison 6-speed transmission, air ride seats, air suspension, and nice large air horns. What more could anyone want?
We took it for a drive through the area, and I was hooked. I decided that this unit was the one that had been calling to me from 1200 miles away. We cut a deal, and the vehicle was mine, with delivery as soon as it went through the shop for some refurbishing, including some new tires, paint, un-emergency-fying(?), fluids change, and all the rest. I had planned to ship it to MN for about $1600, but my son suddenly decided that we needed a road trip to “bond”. He’s 32 years old, but I guess bonding happens when it happens. I ran the math, and I figure that a “bonding” trip would cost me more than shipping, but it is what it is. The other thought is that after driving it home, I would have a pretty good idea of any problems I would have to deal with.
Tune in tomorrow---
. My suitcase will be very close to 50 Lbs for the Philadelphia flight.
