Five person expo ambo
- Thread starter JeEpXjSaM
- Start date
patoz
Expedition Leader
jeepdreamer
Expedition Leader
Not like it sounds as if you're in need of ideas but your thread made me think of the old Military Gama-goats. Weird... that's me. But after seeing the boxy design and knowing these won't be light weights, it gave me an odd thought.
What if the trailer ambo had an available PTO driven driveshaft for that rare situation you find yourself extra stuck?
Yeah... Probably not worth the effort (or even thought) but I thought I'd share it.
What if the trailer ambo had an available PTO driven driveshaft for that rare situation you find yourself extra stuck?
Yeah... Probably not worth the effort (or even thought) but I thought I'd share it.
i had that thought when i was researching a duce and a half expo build. a duce has the rockwell axle with the front and rear pinon flanges. my thought at the time was to build a bearing just below the pintle hitch with a pinon flange. then build a driveshaft with a matching flange down to a rockwell on the trailer. effectively making an 8x8 or if you had 2 axles on the trailer on bad @** 10x10. but the cost and not very good fuel mileage brought me to the ambo conversion.
PGGRS
Observer
Welcome- Echo the thoughts on saving everything. Take your time before you tear anything apart. Sit in the rig and try to visualize different layouts, then do it another day and again several more times. My original plan changed several times in my head before I removed a single screw. I re-purposed almost everything by the time I called it done. I have an extended motorcycle rack on back & tow 2 different trailers. My rig is over 13K lbs loaded.The 10' cargo with my RZR inside isn't a chore for the old 7.3 powerstroke on most hills, but my track 242 Volvo on a 16' car hauler is a bit much & I won't even try pulling the 80 pass out of Sacramento in warm weather with it. I'd build your ambo & find a nice Bigfoot or Escape to pull. Probably 1/2 the weight. As stated previously box is rugged & heavy. Good luck with the build.
rlrenz
Explorer
Memories-- The old 'Goats were a giant PITA to work with. There was a zerk lube point that required you to remove the engine for access, and the blasted engines (located right behind the driver's ears) were so loud that anyone in the cab had to wear hearing protection. I challenge anyone over about 25 years of age to crawl into the driver's compartment without using lots of profanity - since the 'Goats were swimmable, the cab access required climbing over, instead of stepping into.
PGGRS is dead right - make haste slowly when you plan to remove anything. Any cabinet on the outside is echoed on the inside, so the space that looks like it would be available if you remove some interior cabinetry isn't as available as you'd think. Take lots of photos as you go. Do research before you reach for the crowbar. Ambulance interiors are built like a brick phone booth, and you can't buy anything off the shelf that will be as durable.
Just for laughs, go to an RV show, and look at the cabinet construction in an RV - it's usually one step above particleboard. Ambulance cabinets are most often Formica faced 3/4" plywood.
PGGRS is dead right - make haste slowly when you plan to remove anything. Any cabinet on the outside is echoed on the inside, so the space that looks like it would be available if you remove some interior cabinetry isn't as available as you'd think. Take lots of photos as you go. Do research before you reach for the crowbar. Ambulance interiors are built like a brick phone booth, and you can't buy anything off the shelf that will be as durable.
Just for laughs, go to an RV show, and look at the cabinet construction in an RV - it's usually one step above particleboard. Ambulance cabinets are most often Formica faced 3/4" plywood.
patoz
Expedition Leader
I just wish we could get a forum section specifically for ambulance and ambulance related conversions, since there are so many of them. Even though they are located in the 'Other Custom Expedition Campers' section, you still have to hunt for things because they are thrown in with all the other 'miscellaneous' builds. That way you could subscribe to the section, instead of just each thread, so you don't miss any new builds.
Maybe I'll send a suggestion to Admin about his and see what happens.
Ozrockrat
Expedition Leader
I know of a Freightliner extra cab Ambo complete plus a spare box off its sister (key the music for the "do you think my sister is prettier than me" jokes) that is for sale just outside Phoenix. I think they want $15k for the Ambo but I am sure with some wheeling and dealing you could get the package for a good price.
Depending on the size of the kids you could actually sit them all in the cab facing forward. Much better than in the back.
Depending on the size of the kids you could actually sit them all in the cab facing forward. Much better than in the back.
patoz
Expedition Leader
Bevan, do you have a link for it? If so, would you please send to me so I can daydream about it, because I sure won't be able to afford to buy it.
Last edited:
Ozrockrat
Expedition Leader
Bevan, do you have a link for it? If so, would you please send to me so I can daydream about it, because I sure won't be able to afford to buy it.
No links. It is just in the guys "yard" along with about 30 other vehicles. He is the only guy I know with a private 18000 lb 2 post lift and a dual cab FL60 4x4 truck, 2 cab over jeeps and I could go on.
He is going to send me some photos and details and I will share them around.