FIRST TIME OUT E450 Ambulance

[PGGRS]

Some stretching room & a bunk

Here's some interior shots. Made an insulated cover for the inside of the Fantastic fan. Also, padded the bottom of the flip up panel by entry door. The window to the rear removes or can get access to rear from center small window. I'll probably pull it out & paint it white to match . Still have to put panels inside rear storage area & figure out an unobtrusive ladder for access. Also, I still have one Unisolar 68w solar panel on the original roof to the side, but I had to remove the second for the roof conversion( & thats the place where my kayak will sit). Worked much better at 24v so I'll add 2 more to the flat area on top of the shells stretching front to back. Then I can run 24v using just the top 2 or series in the 3rd for 36v. Nice thing about the Uni's being stickon, they don't add any height. I'm at 10'6" to the top of the shells. My Dodge flatbed/Bigfoot 3000 truck camper was well over 12' to the top of the AC...

 

[Deshet]

Do you have any pictures of what you did? I might be copying you. You have one of the nicest builds that I have seen. Did you end up having to relocate a lot of wiring when you cut into the roof?

Is the front of your top a wheel chair van top? I am assuming that is what a Chair Topper is. Did you fiberglass everything together and how did you attach it to the roof?

Is your bed on the drivers side?

Would you have done anything differently if you were doing it again?

Thanks

 

[PGGRS]

Do you have any pictures of what you did? I might be copying you. You have one of the nicest builds that I have seen. Did you end up having to relocate a lot of wiring when you cut into the roof?

Is the front of your top a wheel chair van top? I am assuming that is what a Chair Topper is. Did you fiberglass everything together and how did you attach it to the roof?

Is your bed on the drivers side?

Would you have done anything differently if you were doing it again?

Thanks

Sorry, i'm not so good with taking pictures. I try to keep it simple, some post 5 pages of a light switch installation! Probably should have taken some during the cutting process. Just trying to get 'er done! Andddd...

Yes, had to relocate all the wiring that ran down the center. My job wasn't that hard, as there is a removable cover above the box side door, with a chase under it. One splice is there , the other in the narrow cabinet above the jack knife sofabed. Both accessible in case of failure. I had to add about 7' to each line to the rear(crimp butt connectors) using the mass of wire I pulled out on the initial build(NEVER throw anything out!) Before making your cut make sure where your 2 splices will be or you'll have even more splices. The good news is most ambos have labeled wiring, you'll probably be able to eliminate a few pounds of wire back there. even labeled I'd recommend doing one wire at a time as some are redundant & are multiple.

Front 'air dam' is part of a Braun Chair Topper, an ABS cartop wheelchair carrier I found out in someones trash. Youv'e probably seen them, they look like a clamshell car top pod. I fiberglassed the 2 truck shells together & glassed in the original windows. Front section is just screwed & caulked, as I hope to eventually do fiberglass, but it works well for now. Used big self tapping screws to stick it to the roof, using the sticky double sided tape you'd use on a truck shell & more caulk.

Both sofabed & bunk are on passenger side.

Probably only thing I'd have done different is looked around more for a van top. Gen 2 Chevy because they're flat on the bottom. But I would have had to (for my kayak carrying purposes) section it down the middle.

My advice is DON'T RUSH IT. Take your time & think it out. VISUALIZE !

I will try to dig up a few more pics