Freightliner ambulance conversion project.
- Thread starter Ozrockrat
- Start date
Ozrockrat
Expedition Leader
Discount Van And Truck or their new alter ego will supply the bed/sofa.
It was from the new company for these guys. You need to call that phone number and you will be transferred across. http://www.discountvantruck.com/
Reasonable cost and comfortable (this is our 2nd one).
It was from the new company for these guys. You need to call that phone number and you will be transferred across. http://www.discountvantruck.com/
Reasonable cost and comfortable (this is our 2nd one).
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Ozrockrat
Expedition Leader
No photos but a little progress. Threw in a basic water/sink system. Mounted the ARB fridge with a spare seat belt. Screwed the sleeper/sofa in with 3 drywall screws. Grabbed the missus's microwave and put it in a cabinet along with the induction cooker. Off to the DMV to get the classification changed and a new title. I now officially own a class c freightliner RV. Rego and taxes along with a personal plate less than $100 a year.
Couple question for you since I'm looking at ordering some stuff and I'd like to pick your brain.
What model bed did you pick up from Discount Van and Truck? Is it the same model you had before?
What size Arb Cooler are you using? How do you plan on powering your box without the truck running?
What model bed did you pick up from Discount Van and Truck? Is it the same model you had before?
What size Arb Cooler are you using? How do you plan on powering your box without the truck running?
Ozrockrat
Expedition Leader
Bed Model : I am not sure of the exact name but this time we went for basically the cheapest one without the arm rests (they looked good but where to put them when you opened the bed was a pain. Always in the way.
The ARB is the 45 liter/quart one I believe. Only using that as I have had it for years. We are looking at using the ARB as a freezer and getting a compressor type front load fridge as well. Got the room and it would make the missus happy.
There is plenty of battery capacity to leave the box powered without the engine running but I will be putting a separate battery in for the fridges/fridges so that I can use the master switch for the box to isolate everything except the fridges when I am driving or leaving it for any length of time. We also have the little remote controlled LED pucks so the whole cab/box can be isolated and we are still functional. I found with the Ford ambo that there was always some sort of parasitic load on the batteries with either the box or just the van powered so I always switch off the master isolator when I leave. That may change if I ever get my butt into gear and work out the electrics or put in enough solar capacity to ease my concerns.
We also carry a EU2000i Honda genset as a backup. Runs the toaster and the coffee machine in the mornings. The inverter has the capacity for the toaster/microwave/coffee machine but does tend to suck the batteries down quickly.
The Toy Guy
Observer
It's awesome.
Love the idea of the EZ trac hyraulic 4X4 - any ideas on conversion cost?
I believe your position of minimal build time/effort is spot on, personally I want to spend minimal time wrenching and more getting the family out and about.
I could not tell from the pics, how big is the extended cab, an extra 2 seats or 3? Love the pass through and the massive flat roof which seems to be about right for a roof top tent for top deck sleeping and a 12' PE fold-a-boat.
Looking forward to seeing it progress.
Love the idea of the EZ trac hyraulic 4X4 - any ideas on conversion cost?
I believe your position of minimal build time/effort is spot on, personally I want to spend minimal time wrenching and more getting the family out and about.
I could not tell from the pics, how big is the extended cab, an extra 2 seats or 3? Love the pass through and the massive flat roof which seems to be about right for a roof top tent for top deck sleeping and a 12' PE fold-a-boat.
Looking forward to seeing it progress.
Ozrockrat
Expedition Leader
No idea on the cost of the EZ Trac system. Until I prove that it is a necessity I will stick with 2WD and just get plenty of clearance which should be fine for most of my traveling.
The extended cab is only about 2ft longer than a standard cab. It really is OK for only one extra seat unless you went with sitting sideways (I think Freightliner actually have a option for that). It is about the right size for a single sleeping area though. So we are trying to work out how to put the middle seat on tracks so that it can be out of the way for a sleeping platform at night. All while allowing a rotating Sienna recliner to be used in either forward or aft facing.
Mounting one of the Magnolia tents directly to the cab roof with access from the inside (like the URsa Minor ) Would keep the roof profile low and allow top deck sleeping and access to the roof if needed.
The extended cab is only about 2ft longer than a standard cab. It really is OK for only one extra seat unless you went with sitting sideways (I think Freightliner actually have a option for that). It is about the right size for a single sleeping area though. So we are trying to work out how to put the middle seat on tracks so that it can be out of the way for a sleeping platform at night. All while allowing a rotating Sienna recliner to be used in either forward or aft facing.
Mounting one of the Magnolia tents directly to the cab roof with access from the inside (like the URsa Minor ) Would keep the roof profile low and allow top deck sleeping and access to the roof if needed.
mk216v
Der Chef der Fahrzeuge
Curious how you envision this working as I've thought about the same. Just a removable "trap door" section of the RTT floor?
Ozrockrat
Expedition Leader
Go big or stay home.
So the day starts with a redeye flight Phoenix to Newark and then a short 100+ mile jaunt to Delaware a quick 4 hours work and I figure I might head to the hotel for a nap. But since it was St Patricks day Murphy decided to pay me a visit. A few weeks ago i had made an offer on some wheels on eBay and been turned down. On the way to the hotel the guy calls and the conversation goes like this
Guy: are you still interested in those wheels?
Me: what wheels, who is this???
Guy: MXT 20 x 9
Me: maybe. ( ok I was not the sharpest tool in the shed, I will blame the lack of sleep but I am sure you unkind buggers will probably attribute it to nature)
Guy: they are in my way again, if you can figure a way to get them today I will do a deal. But I am not shipping them and they still have tires on them.
Me: where are they?
Guy: Pittsburg!
Me: (remember the sharpest tool statement) That's in Pennsylvania isn't it?
Guy: ah yeah!!!
Me: hmmm I am just down the road I can make it this afternoon. What sort of deal. Can you get the tires removed?
Guy: names a price 3 times what I offered him on eBay.
Me: what, no I am after Aluminum wheels not bloody platinum!
Guy: bit of a chuckle:
Me: 100 bucks more than my last offer but you remove the tires.
Guy: OK but you pay to get the tires removed and disposal fees.
Me: ah alright text me the address.
By this time I am very full of myself having got a set of wheels for a third to a quarter of what I could buy them elsewhere. Wacked the address into the iphone and head off down the road.
So off I go and pick the wheels up. Bloody 640 miles and 12 hours later I finally get to the hotel.
Now the lessons I did learn yesterday.
Look at the route and ETA before you commit to going somewhere.
Pennsylvania is a fairly wide state. I was figuring 150 miles Delaware to Pittsburg. Nah try 320 each way.
Dodge minivans seat suck. I think I ended up with hemorrhoids, a hernia and a compressed spine.
Pennsylvania's main source of income is speeding tickets ( no I didn't. It was a dodge minivan)
20x9 rims are not light and they will clang together for 320 miles if you foolishly forget to take packing blankets.
The hotel frowns at you when you checkin with your favorite rims on the luggage cart.
The hotel gets really pissed when you use the bath to pamper your favorite rims.
Staples shipping girls have no sense of humor!
Staples will not ship 20x9 rims.
Rims are hard to pack into your checked luggage.
So now hopefully I will be taking 2 back with me On the plane Thursday and the other 2 next week ( free bags, one of the perks of flying so many miles that my ******** is shaped like an plane seat)
And there will be 6 Michelin 11:00R20 tires delivered to my place Saturday. I wonder if the difference between the existing 29" tires and the new 43" tires will do anything to the gearing
So the day starts with a redeye flight Phoenix to Newark and then a short 100+ mile jaunt to Delaware a quick 4 hours work and I figure I might head to the hotel for a nap. But since it was St Patricks day Murphy decided to pay me a visit. A few weeks ago i had made an offer on some wheels on eBay and been turned down. On the way to the hotel the guy calls and the conversation goes like this
Guy: are you still interested in those wheels?
Me: what wheels, who is this???
Guy: MXT 20 x 9
Me: maybe. ( ok I was not the sharpest tool in the shed, I will blame the lack of sleep but I am sure you unkind buggers will probably attribute it to nature)
Guy: they are in my way again, if you can figure a way to get them today I will do a deal. But I am not shipping them and they still have tires on them.
Me: where are they?
Guy: Pittsburg!
Me: (remember the sharpest tool statement) That's in Pennsylvania isn't it?
Guy: ah yeah!!!
Me: hmmm I am just down the road I can make it this afternoon. What sort of deal. Can you get the tires removed?
Guy: names a price 3 times what I offered him on eBay.
Me: what, no I am after Aluminum wheels not bloody platinum!
Guy: bit of a chuckle:
Me: 100 bucks more than my last offer but you remove the tires.
Guy: OK but you pay to get the tires removed and disposal fees.
Me: ah alright text me the address.
By this time I am very full of myself having got a set of wheels for a third to a quarter of what I could buy them elsewhere. Wacked the address into the iphone and head off down the road.
So off I go and pick the wheels up. Bloody 640 miles and 12 hours later I finally get to the hotel.
Now the lessons I did learn yesterday.
Look at the route and ETA before you commit to going somewhere.
Pennsylvania is a fairly wide state. I was figuring 150 miles Delaware to Pittsburg. Nah try 320 each way.
Dodge minivans seat suck. I think I ended up with hemorrhoids, a hernia and a compressed spine.
Pennsylvania's main source of income is speeding tickets ( no I didn't. It was a dodge minivan)
20x9 rims are not light and they will clang together for 320 miles if you foolishly forget to take packing blankets.
The hotel frowns at you when you checkin with your favorite rims on the luggage cart.
The hotel gets really pissed when you use the bath to pamper your favorite rims.
Staples shipping girls have no sense of humor!
Staples will not ship 20x9 rims.
Rims are hard to pack into your checked luggage.
So now hopefully I will be taking 2 back with me On the plane Thursday and the other 2 next week ( free bags, one of the perks of flying so many miles that my ******** is shaped like an plane seat)
And there will be 6 Michelin 11:00R20 tires delivered to my place Saturday. I wonder if the difference between the existing 29" tires and the new 43" tires will do anything to the gearing
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