Buying & Building a Medium Ambulance into an RV – The FAM-BULANCE

[patoz]

Bob, I hadn't updated my thread in over a month and started feeling so guilty I just made a similar post on it myself.

Tunneling through water tank catalogs looking for water tanks that will fit in my #1 compartment - the current question is do I install two tanks side by side, or one on top of the other?

I wondered about the same thing. In your case you have more and bigger compartments than I do, and a lot more freezing temperatures, so I understand why you're mounting it in a compartment. Two tanks side by side is better as far as center of gravity goes, but one on top of the other is probably better as far as remaining useable space is concerned. In my case, it rarely goes below freezing here, and I have nothing but 12' of free space between the frame rails since I removed the drivetrain and exhaust system, so that is a no brainer for me. All tanks are going there, even if they will be harder to get to for maintenance.

I still don't have a definite solution for Heat/AC yet, so I'll be interested in seeing what you find out about the ProAir System. I still have my evaporator coils and fan, and it can be reinstalled if it will work.

The swing out rack for the spare tire is good because you can mount many other things on there also, including fold down shelves for stoves and cooking, fuel and water cans, etc. I thought about that option for mine also, but I have plans for some other things on the back and that would just be in the way. The tires I have on there now are slightly larger diameter than the original ones, but if the spare will fit between the frame rails in front, I'll mount it just behind the tongue and barely under the front of the body on a winch lowering system like my F250 has. I'll still have to reach under it to drag it out once it's down, but that's not too bad with the aid of a long tool or piece of rope with a hook on it. To get it back under there, I'll just make sure the winch cable is long enough to pull it back under and then up into position.

 

[mk216v]

Wow Bob, there is an overload of awesomeness in here!!

While I haven't purchased anything from GEV, Shawn has been terrific in answering my questions on units they've had. They look like a first class operation!(Brindlee Mountain is right up there with them).

-Jeremy

 

[rlrenz]

I'm glad that you were also impressed with GEV. They were easy to work with, and they even asked me if there were any changes that I needed. I didn't want a lot of extras, just some small stuff - but they were all done perfectly. Some painting, a multiple-tap set of 12 volt outlets in the cab (for cell phone chargers and my all-so-important Rand McNally GPS, installing a new cab radio & speakers so I'd have my Sirius/XM for the drive home (I sent them the radio & they installed it), replacing the 120 volt floodlights with LED lights, and some other small stuff. They picked me up at the airport to save me an expensive cab ride when I flew in to pick it up. I still talk to them with questions.

When they removed the old lettering, they knew how to remove it so the original white paint wasn't gouged. This sounds like it would be simple, but the lettering used on ambulances is heavier than normal sign vinyl lettering, plus a clear coat was sprayed over the finished lettering to help it stay in place forever. If I had removed it, there would have been gouges....

They needed time after I had purchased it to prep it for delivery - the list included changing all the fluids and filters, and removing the lettering, siren, and red/blue lights, as required by PA law. Clear lenses were installed in place of the red & blue. I had also bought two new front tires through them - I figured that they would get a better price on installed tires than I ever could. Because I bought a "refurbished" ambulance, everything worked as it would have on a operational ambulance -- the heater, the AC, the lighting, etc. I bought the ambulance in April of 2014, and I picked it up a month later. I picked it up on a Friday, my son flew in for the drive back to MN on Sat, and we headed home.

As I've worked on my ambulance, I call a variety of sources for parts and supplies, and it's amazing how many of the dealers and ambulance suppliers I talk to have heard or worked with GEV.

I guess my overall summary would be "They do what they do very well!"

 

[rlrenz]

I got a deal several years ago on a surplus bid, and I wound up with about a footlocker full of crimpers, contact removal tools, and wire strippers. I managed to get the footlocker down to four drawers, but I can crimp darn near any terminal I'll probably ever see. The photos show less than half the stockpile, but the hydraulic crimpers are tucked away in a cabinet (since they don't get used daily, thankfully!). The blue crimpers on the right side are used for Bendix-type circular crimps, while the crimpers in the long tray can be equipped with the dies and locators that are in the multi-compartment box. The blue strap wrench is used on Bendix-type circular connectors if they stick, and extra oomph is needed to unscrew them. The small box in the upper rear corner contains a petroleum-based wax I used to mount accelerometers in my lab, but it also does a great job in a screw slot to hold a screw onto a driver. There are several tie-wrap tensioning tools as well - I have about 5 of them - somewhere.

I probably only have 3-4 of the plain plier-type crimpers - all the rest are ratchet. The pliers type have been modified so they are down to just a crimping jaw, and any wire cutter has been sliced off. That way, they can handle a flag-type terminal just fine. For the very few flag terminals I run into, I don't see any reason to buy a unique crimper just for flag terminals





I've been cleaning out my garage, and all kinds of things are crawling out of the woodwork - I had forgotten that the same surplus deal included some Mosler gun safes - they are designed for guards to use at their duty station so each guard can keep their own firearm locked when they aren't on duty. I don't think they are used any more, but one of them will probably find its way into my buggy.

 

[patoz]

Ah, the old Weller Soldering Gun! I got my first one when I was 12 y/o.

That safe looks interesting and probably would work pretty well in a camper, which I want to do also. Does it have mounting holes inside or some other way to secure it to a structure?

I'm also looking for something to put in the cab of my F250 for those Anti-2A places that won't allow you to carry inside. I'm planning on building a custom center console for it to handle the electronics I'm adding, so I may just build a 'lock box' in it. Maybe one of those James Bond things that allows you to push a secret button on the dash, and it opens automatically and the firearm springs up and presents itself.

 

[rlrenz]

Yep, the old Weller. I don't dare use it on anything delicate since it has about a 3/16" tip, but for odds and ends in the garage, it does fine. I also have an assortment of smaller irons for electronics. Funny isn't it - the life expectancy of a soldering iron is about ""forever". I still have one that I used to use building Heath Kits, and Eico Kits many, MANY moons ago.

The gun safes are welded from 1/8 & 1/4 steel plate. The rear panel is 1/8", and has two 1/4" holes so it can be bolted down. They aren't fancy - they just provide protection against someone picking up your gun or your wallet. I have another one that had the combination lock removed sometime in the past. That one may get a Simplex lock or a key lock - f I install one in the buggy, a standard combination lock will be more of a headache than carrying a key.

 

[patoz]

Yeah, that looks like it would work perfectly in the back of an ambulance/camper.

I wonder if Mosler sells just the lock mechanism? If they do, you could build your own custom size metal box, to fit a compartment for example, and then just add the lock.

 

[rlrenz]

Mosler doesn't sell the lock anymore since they are out of business....

You can find them on ebay, but the sellers want nearly as much for a dial combination lock as the price for an electronic combination lock - MUCH easier to use - none of the three turns left, then twice right, etc. Electronic combination locks are sold by McMaster and by Amazon (surprise, surprise...) - I believe the premier brand is Sergeant and Greenleaf (http://www.amazon.com/Sargent-Green...-3&keywords=s+&+g+electronic+combination+lock) at a cost of $224.



You may also be able to scare up a used safe lock on ebay, or just use a key lock. Me? I have some of the electronic locks in my stash, but I'm going to use a keyed lock instead.

 

[patoz]

Pricey little buggers, aren't they?

I may end up just doing something like this, at least to start with. It's no where near as secure as what you have, but it will keep the honest people honest.

http://www.amazon.com/Ammo-Can-Lock-Hardware-Count/dp/B00SNOQR66/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

 

[mk216v]

Glad to hear more about GEV--they're definitely at the top of my list if/when I ever find the ultimate ambo!

 

[rlrenz]

Now that my Christmas shopping is done and under the tree, I had time to order some stuff I need. I needed some 22" drawer slides for my hiding cooktop, so I started by checking out Foster Coach's surplus parts listing (www.fostercoach.com). They had the slides I needed, and I also found some exhaust vents. The vents will be used in several locations - first, to increase the return air to the AC blower, and second, the refrigerator that will be installed needs several hot air vents. I had considered using a square vent, but that would have required sawing a square hole through the interior Formica, plywood, and aluminum. It's easy enough, but a bit of a PITA, especially if you have to clean up an angled cut from the other side. The vents will fit nicely through a 4" round hole - the ones for the refrigerator will have the damper butterfly removed. I also found some stainless Southco latches that I have plans for.

 

[rlrenz]

Everyone who uses one agrees that the Hondas are the quietest generators that are out there. Except, I have an Onan 4 kW RV generator. This unit is completely packaged in a fiberglass enclosure and has internal sound baffles. It also is internally mounted on vibration isolators. It will be installed in one of my side compartments (see photo).



(Note - the small gas tank on the generator will not be used)

In order to minimize noise as much as possible, I'm planning on air intake louvers on the compartment doors so it can be run with the doors closed. Cooling air will be exhausted down through the aluminum compartment floor. I'm also going to add some 3M noise damping strips on the compartment interior panels.

The exhaust is designed to discharge down through the floor - I'm going to add a resonator and route the exhaust adjacent to the vehicle exhaust pipe.

I'm debating mounting the entire generator on another set of soft rubber vibration isolators as well.

Does anyone have any ideas, suggestions, or thoughts?

 

[tgreening]

That's designed for an RV install right? If it's anything like the 5500 in mine I wouldn't get too crazy on sound/vibration dampening. I think the one in mine is just bolted down as is. It's right under my bedroom and I never feel a thing. The sound is just a steady low pitch drone that your head tunes out in about 5 minutes and never bothered me in the least. If I were going to remount it in my Ambo I'd just reinstall the way it already is, make sure I'm good with exhaust routing, forget about it, and move on to thinking about more coolish stuff. Like a front axle and transfer case! (Wink wink nudge nudge, say no more...)

 

[patoz]

Bob, what do you have in mind for preventing water from entering through the air duct going through the bottom of the compartment? I'm thinking more of driving through standing water, rather than road spray.

 

[Ozrockrat]

Bob, what do you have in mind for preventing water from entering through the air duct going through the bottom of the compartment? I'm thinking more of driving through standing water, rather than road spray.

The ducts on the side of my storage boxes (the are inside towards the chassis) originally had rubber flaps. I have supplemented these with sponges used for tiling to reduce the bulldust, feshfesh or whatever you guys call the really fine dust. It still allows the vents to work but does reduce the dust into the storage. Obviously that will not work for standing water. Maybe a solenoid controlled flap that you can use to close the flaps. Normally open or opens when you are using the genset.

For the one in Australia which will see a lot more dust. I am currently working out how to get clean air from the rooftop level and put it through a Donaldson cleaner with a pressure fan supplying the box. This will provide positive pressure in the box and hopefully stop some of the dust.

My answer to standing water is too have a high clearance vehicle and limit the depth of water you traverse (unless it a SHTF moment).