My Perfect Ambulance Platform?

[Pangle]

Hello again everyone...

I wanted to introduce my latest Ambo project. I am always on the lookout for the "next" one anytime I move one on (i have an ambo problem). I enjoy taking them from what they were are re-purposing to their second life.

Anyway I just bought this 1997 Ford F-350 4x4 7.3 powerstroke, with winch site unseen from a very small town in the middle of nowhere AZ. This particular rig only had 10k original miles from new! And before anyone says "yea but what about idle hours..." This rig was used at some sort of "mine" in az for its entire life. So it was not used daily, not idled daily, and barely ever had anyone in it. This is exactly how I like to buy them, also being in AZ there is no rust. The mine "gave" it to a small fire department where it spent its last two years sitting in a garage waiting to be cleaned up enough to use. However, they were not able to, or not willing to make if work for them so they put it up for auction.

I bought it. Flew to Denver, connected to El paso and bribed a taxi driver 175$ cash to drive me the three hours from there to the small town in AZ where I would first lay eyes on her...

After a quick shower, checked the lights hopped in and drove it back to VA 2200 miles or so. I am always expecting a rig to break down or to have some issue driving such a distance anytime I am in this position. You will color me flabergasted at how well this unit performed. I cruised the entire way without incident (except for blowing a dry rotted tire in TN, where I went ahead and put a new set of tires).

So now as she sits I have just begun to clean her up and do baseline maintenance. Below are some before and after pics

12,500 miles

 

[fasteddy47]

SCORE!!

 

[Desert_Explorer_75]

Wow, the back of that looks almost untouched! Engine bay looks awesome after cleaning. Can’t wait for updates.

 

[Pangle]

Yeah and that pic was before I had cleaned the walls etc. I think it came out really well.

Next on the agenda will be getting it inspected so Ill be removing the light bar and painting the red lenses black.

 

[Sock Puppet]

Excellent find! What did you use to clean the engine bay?

 

[Pangle]

Thanks! so far just degreaser and strategic pressure washing..

 

[Coachgeo]

awesome score. will make great overland rig

 

[givemethewillys]

Awesome find, I've been casually looking at ambulance rigs in the local Richmond area, I never even considered driving one from 2000+ miles away! I'm eagerly going to follow this build to see what you do with it!

 

[Pangle]

Thanks! Yea I find that in order to get the really good ones you sometimes have to travel. AZ was for sure the farthest but I have gone to Wisconsin, WV, Colorado to find them. This will be my 5th ambulance build and I hope to make this one my best.

 

[Pangle]

So over the past few days I have managed to get a little work done. I have put in some laminate floors, which I think came out ok. I will typically do a laminate with a nice insulation, i find it works pretty well for this application. I doubled up the underlayment which should make it nice and quite. I also removed the light bar, painted a few of the lenses black, and removed the decals! Removing the decals is prob my least fav thing about the process.

I have decided to go with monstaliner again on the cab. I have done the last few in light gray, and medium gray, but this time I went with 'desert sand." That should be here in a few days. I have also ordered the missing Warn winch controller which was missing. Also is anyone knows why my ambo would have been installed with a european shore plug Im all ears...

 

[Pangle]

The past few days I have done some work both to the exterior and interior. I finished painting the red lenses black and began to play with how im going to get this "dirt/dust" which is embedded in the paint, out...

I have decided to go with wainscoting to dress up the interior and I think it will look good with the floors. I have also ordered a bunch of parts, such as a new bluetooth stereo, shocks, buffing compound, etc....

I was also able to get it inspected so now it is 100% legal and I have been driving it around shaking it down.

 

[Sock Puppet]

Comin' along great, man, keep it up!

 

[Pangle]

Today I installed a new bluetooth sony head unit with some new door speakers and dynamat.... Hope to finish the wainscoting tomorrow..

 

[Pangle]

Today I installed the rest of the Wainscot. I still have to do some finishing, putty, caulk etc... I think it dresses it up nice and is gonna look good when all said and done.

 

[Pangle]

I was able to make a fold out table for the jump seat today. I think it came out really well! I finished it with some aluminum from another ambo project. Perfect for doing work or eating while looking out the back with a view! I also made the bed platform. I went a bit narrower than I have in the past so I can leave it down and have a good amount of floor space. I still have to decide what to do about the legs.