M2 Freightliner Ambulance Conversion Project. 2007 Crew Cab

[java]

We keep about $1000 in small denominations. That’s for the dozer/excavator times?

The other issue I have with a winch is finding anything big enough to winch from. There is little likelihood of there being a vehicle big enough to use as an anchor and the place I am most likely to need help is sand.

Yep anchor does certainly become an issue.... I thought my truck was heavy, yours is a whole nother level.... For sand, have you thought about maxtrax? They hold up to heavy trucks surprisingly well. Works good for little stucks, not so much for buried all the way tho....

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[Ozrockrat]

Yep anchor does certainly become an issue.... I thought my truck was heavy, yours is a whole nother level.... For sand, have you thought about maxtrax? They hold up to heavy trucks surprisingly well. Works good for little stucks, not so much for buried all the way tho....

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We will be carrying Maxtrax and also Marston Mat. (2 @ 8’ and 2 @ 5’). They are heavy but work really well for vehicles my size. The good part is they can be used as mats around the camp if it’s really sloppy.

With the Maxtrax we will only get the ordinary ones as having replaceable studs is not really a requirement for us. I don’t see my truck spinning the wheels (especially with lockers on both ends)

 

[Ozrockrat]

Ok no Big Red updates because I have been out of the country for the last couple of weeks. But I did get to checkout some interesting machines. Sorry stock photos only as it is sort of frowned upon to take photos where we were.

These are International trucks classed as MilCOTS (commercial off the shelf). Factory 6x6 in extended and dual cab versions.

The other fun part was being on a conference call and having to explain the background noise was machine guns, mortars and armored vehicles.

Now back to Phoenix and extreme heat warnings

 

[Third]

Yeah, one of the FB groups I'm in has one at a banner image. I'd drive one but I want the mega cab....

 

[Ozrockrat]

The Mega cab holds 9 people. Very impressive you could nearly live in the cab.

 

[Third]

I was like "Oh snap, did he paint it and I missed it?"

 

[Ozrockrat]

That is a great setup. Where did you see it.

 

[Third]

Just popped up on a FB group. Someone saw it and snapped a pick. I'll ask where...

 

[Third]

I hit the guy up for ya.

It was in this group/thread

https://www.facebook.com/groups/639008852959721/permalink/1054728418054427/

 

[Third]

Outside of Portland Or

He posted a video of the outside

 

[Ozrockrat]

Link doesn’t work for me.

 

[Third]

This is the group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/639008852959721/

The truck is a UNICAT build

https://www.unicat.net/en/info/TC52...VPcB3TSLn-x7iHH6B9dWxYcg1Vi2xqdbNEpElJEGdmXtc

 

[rlrenz]

Regarding your cab heat-- I did a lot of digging before I figured out that the ambulance module was the governing factor for both cab heating and cooling. I found that once I turned on the console "heating-cooling" switch, and I set the module temperature (warmer than I wanted in the winter, and cooler in the summer). Then the cab temperature controls do a lot better.

 

[rlrenz]

Regarding COTS - as I recall, back when the military wanted to look at off road heavy trucks, they asked all the US class 8 truck builders for quotes and time to build a prototype. Oshkosh won when they said the military mods and OD paint would take a month. By pure luck, the Army had spec'd a truck nearly identical to a truck they were already building for service in the Arabian desert.

 

[JamesDaily]

Good grief, I just read all 46 pages of this thread.... this is one ************** rig! I’ve been hunting for a decent medium duty ambulance for a while, and you’ve got me reconsidering some things. Where do you keep finding these awesome rigs?! Bummed I missed you at Overland Expo, I’m from the east valley but only got up there one day and didn’t get much time in this year. Maybe I’ll see ya around tho. Amazing rig! Love this build.