M2 Freightliner Ambulance Conversion Project. 2007 Crew Cab
- Thread starter Ozrockrat
- Start date
shortbus4x4
Expedition Leader
Dimmer switch? Need a disco ball too. Very nice build.
rlrenz
Explorer
The value of light bars is all over the map - the last one I bought was only $50, and the one before that was $65 - but these are both rotator bars with halogen bulbs. LED bars are worth more - if they're Whelen, and you need red/blue LEDs, they seem to go for about $250 on up. Amber or green are a lot harder to scrounge, and they seem to start at about $350. Scratched or hazy domes can be polished with automotive rubbing compound.
If those prices seem high, consider that a new LED bar runs about $2000 (+/-) for American made. Chinese stuff is a lot cheaper, but the quality is all over the place.
You might do OK donating them to the FD in exchange for a future favor.
If those prices seem high, consider that a new LED bar runs about $2000 (+/-) for American made. Chinese stuff is a lot cheaper, but the quality is all over the place.
You might do OK donating them to the FD in exchange for a future favor.
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rlrenz
Explorer
Regarding scene lights - It took me years to find the stuff I wanted, but my side lights are Whelen M9 6500 lumen LED, and my rear scene lights are Tecniq K90 5000 lumen LED. I also have a Tecniq D30 2000 lumen LED load light on each side in place of the original 120 volt halogen flood light
Brewdiak
kodiak conversionator
interesting find - not a fusible link i'd assume, is it a heat sensor that sets it off? is that the small cylinder wired just above in the 2nd photo?
btw I did get those rigid scene lights and cut the panels out of the red painted scrap aluminum, came out pretty good - no pics though was in a hurry to get it done and park it back at the storage place. thanks for the idea on the lights - much better than the frankenstein halogen scene lights that i'd put sockets in for LED bulbs....still looked to 'ambulanc-ey" for my taste even with tint film over the clear.
btw I did get those rigid scene lights and cut the panels out of the red painted scrap aluminum, came out pretty good - no pics though was in a hurry to get it done and park it back at the storage place. thanks for the idea on the lights - much better than the frankenstein halogen scene lights that i'd put sockets in for LED bulbs....still looked to 'ambulanc-ey" for my taste even with tint film over the clear.
Ozrockrat
Expedition Leader
The axletechs drive all the time (I suppose you could pull the intermediate gears from the planetary if absolutely needed). So mileage will suffer when you consider extra axle, bigger tires and the transfer case. The transfer case is AWD as well.
But that part of the build will not be going far in the next couple of months. We have a couple of trips planned and the a wedding in the backyard that will hold up progress.
But that part of the build will not be going far in the next couple of months. We have a couple of trips planned and the a wedding in the backyard that will hold up progress.
Ozrockrat
Expedition Leader
So we just took the truck for a little drive. Pleased to say the latest modification worked wonderfully. The initial couple of caps and the nut I used for testing are still there along with a few hitchhikers we managed to pickup despite the cold conditions.
Truck ran OK except coming up out of Death Valley (4950 ft). It seemed to drop a lot of power including only pulling 55 on a 6% downhill grade. When I finally got the the top of the 2nd long pull I dropped the diesel out of the water separator and checked it. There was a bit of water but no debris and not enough to worry about. Truck then would cruise on 65-60 only pulling back to 5th on the longer uphill section. So I ran the tank down very low going into LA. With the stop and go traffic I was hoping that the sloshing of the tank may clear some debris off the pickup strainer. After we filled up in LA (ouch $$$$) and headed back to Phoenix I could sit the cruise on 70-75 for most of the way. So it looks like a flow test on the fuel inlet side is the next order of business.
But we did get to meet Buck at the Grand Canyon.
And checked out Route 66 including a cool boondocking place on part of the old road.
So it was an all to short but great trip with a friend from Australia.
Highlight of the trip was after continually asking the wife if she wanted a handle in the bathroom and reminder her not to use the faucet as a handle to wake up at 3:30 AM to gasps and "Oh ********" reoccuring!!! When she turned the shower on as she was hopping up from the loo
Apparently a cold shower at that time of the morning when the ambient temp is below freezing is probably a better messenger than me about not using a tap as a grab handle.
Truck ran OK except coming up out of Death Valley (4950 ft). It seemed to drop a lot of power including only pulling 55 on a 6% downhill grade. When I finally got the the top of the 2nd long pull I dropped the diesel out of the water separator and checked it. There was a bit of water but no debris and not enough to worry about. Truck then would cruise on 65-60 only pulling back to 5th on the longer uphill section. So I ran the tank down very low going into LA. With the stop and go traffic I was hoping that the sloshing of the tank may clear some debris off the pickup strainer. After we filled up in LA (ouch $$$$) and headed back to Phoenix I could sit the cruise on 70-75 for most of the way. So it looks like a flow test on the fuel inlet side is the next order of business.
But we did get to meet Buck at the Grand Canyon.
And checked out Route 66 including a cool boondocking place on part of the old road.
So it was an all to short but great trip with a friend from Australia.
Highlight of the trip was after continually asking the wife if she wanted a handle in the bathroom and reminder her not to use the faucet as a handle to wake up at 3:30 AM to gasps and "Oh ********" reoccuring!!! When she turned the shower on as she was hopping up from the loo
Apparently a cold shower at that time of the morning when the ambient temp is below freezing is probably a better messenger than me about not using a tap as a grab handle.