Point Five Ambo Build

[rlrenz]

Back when I was still thinking about buying an ambulance, I had a chance to ask a MN Highway Patrol Officer about how well an RV did in an accident. He commented that every at-speed RV accident he had been to had resulted in the RV frame being identifiable, but the rest of the RV was a pile of lumber and scrap. He commented that they were about as durable as a back yard garden shed.

And that's why I bought an ambulance.

 

[huskyhauler]

Top Gear has a couple of episodes where they destroyed some RVs, thereby showing how they fall apart:

https://youtu.be/ohkAxbeMxVo

 

[patoz]

It looks like they fell apart mostly just from vibration and erratic driving.

 

[mk216v]

Holy isht!

 

[patoz]

When ya gotta go, ya gotta go - emergency toilet trick!

When ya gotta go, ya gotta go!



If you have a lid for the bucket, that's even better. You can remove the 'seat', close the bag up and secure it with a twist tie, and seal the bucket with the lid until you get someplace where you can safely and legally dispose of your 'deposit'!

Adding a couple of cups of flushable cat litter to the bag first will help contain any liquids, and can be safely dumped along with the other contents. Double bagging is not a bad idea either.

There are two styles of those 'noodles', One has a large hole like in the picture above, and one has a small hole like in the picture below. I think the style with the small hole would hold the bag more securely, and give you much more padding also.



However, I would like to know how they got that roll of paper on the handle like that, because most of them are almost impossible to remove.

 

[Shawn686]

I just bought one of these

 

[patoz]

Yeah, it's the same concept, but the one I posted is just the poor man's version. Or it's something that could be put together in a disaster situation using junk you find laying around.

 

[ambo camper]

whats it weigh?

I just bought an old ambulance with the same idea as you. Just wondering if you have ever weighed it? I apologize if you mention it already, I read a lot of the posts but not all 40 pages, not yet.
thanks Ben

 

[patoz]

I just bought an old ambulance with the same idea as you. Just wondering if you have ever weighed it? I apologize if you mention it already, I read a lot of the posts but not all 40 pages, not yet.
thanks Ben

Ben, I weighed it right after I cut it in half and added the tongue, so with it empty it weighed 5,100 lbs. Since then I have added aluminum diamond deck plate to the front and swapped out the OEM Ford axle for a 10,000 Rockwell trailer axle with electric brakes. The Rockwell is a little bigger, but it doesn't have a differential, so I figure weight stayed about the same.

By the time I get everything in it that I want, i.e. generator, 4 battery bank, 4 solar panels, propane tanks, water & gray water tanks, etc., I figure I'll be looking at 6,000 lbs easy.

I'm towing it with a 2004 F250 Super Duty PU truck with the V10 Triton engine, and I barely know it's behind me. 65-70 mph on the interstate was no problem.

Once you start a build thread, let me know and we can compare notes. I've done a lot of research on this project and it's components, and have build up a pretty good size file of information for it.

 

[ambo camper]

Thanks. I'm going to the junkyard on Monday to start cleaning it out and removing the cab. Once that is off I'll pull the engine and trans and then bring it home to start the real work. Maybe we will try to do a build thread, its going to be a family project.

 

[cjken]

I just bought an old ambulance with the same idea as you. Just wondering if you have ever weighed it? I apologize if you mention it already, I read a lot of the posts but not all 40 pages, not yet.
thanks Ben

Did you end up with a wide box or mini-mod?

 

[patoz]

Thanks. I'm going to the junkyard on Monday to start cleaning it out and removing the cab. Once that is off I'll pull the engine and trans and then bring it home to start the real work. Maybe we will try to do a build thread, its going to be a family project.

If you can, post some pictures of it (both inside and out) on here, if you would like.

Here are a few tips I'll give you before you get started:

1. Don't be in a big hurry to cut your frame off even with the module (rear body). Leave it long to start with and then trim it back once you determine how much length you will need to mount things, like a generator, propane bottles, spare tire, or even just a storage box. Also the longer the tongue is, the better the trailer will track behind your tow vehicle. I left 30" (finished) on mine between the A-frame and the module, and now I wish I would have made it 36".

2. If your electrical system is intact, and before you disconnect anything, put a good battery in it and test all lighting, devices, control switches, door switches, etc. and take notes about what and how things work. This will save you many headaches down the road. If you have an EMS history and have operated ambulances before, most of this will be obvious, but if not then a lot of it will be a big mystery. I neglected to do this, and even though I operated ambulances for 10 years, I'm still guessing at things. Also, knowing what works and what doesn't work establishes a baseline from which to troubleshoot from.

3. Carefully uninstall the wiring between the cab and the module! Don't just assume you're going to rewire it all yourself and start ripping and cutting everything apart. I disconnected everything from the engine compartment first, then the cab, and then pulled it all back inside the module so I could work with it.



Most of this wiring and equipment is very expensive, and a lot of it can be reused. Just because you remove an item you definitely won't need, like the medical vacuum pump, doesn't mean you can't use that circuit for something else. By Code, all wiring in American made ambulances must have the circuit name printed on the full length of the wire itself, such as 'Rear Load Lights' etc. This is a big help, but not foolproof.

Good luck, and looking forward to seeing what you got!

 

[rlrenz]

I totally agree with Pat.

Don't be in a rush to chop out the wiring to something you obviously won't use, like the suction pump. Disconnect it (both ends), add an ID tag if needed, and leave the old wiring in place. All the wiring is originally installed before the interior is finished, and sometimes access to add something down the road is darn near impossible.

Take lots of photos - you'll be surprised how often you go back to the old as-built photos for reference.

Look for any leftover paperwork - if you are really lucky, you'll find some of the manufacturer's build data. Build data would also be available through the manufacturer, particularly wiring information, but they might not be very responsive to a request for help.

When in doubt, save it. Some of the leftovers can be traded to others, some can be sold, and some can be reworked into something else. Most parts for these creatures are available pretty easily - for instance, my side cabinet locks didn't work, but I was able to buy all new lock cores very easily. I also had a side door hold-open that was damaged, and the replacement cost less than $20.

Be careful and really think things through before you plan to gut the interior and start over. The existing cabinetwork is built like a brick phone booth, and usually can be modified instead of replaced. If you do decide to empty the interior, remove the old cabinetry carefully so it can be reused.

 

[ambo camper]

I'm not sure about wide box or mini-mod, but the approximate dimensions are 84"x140"x60".

 

[ambo camper]

Thanks for all the advice. I would/will keep the interior intact depending how clean we can get it. It is currently in a junkyard and has a bunch of mouse crap in it, the guy said when it gets hot it smells. We have to be able to get it clean which might mean stripping it down to metal. I would also like to lighten it up anyway possible, but I think it will clean up ok and remain mostly intact. And I will start a build thread of my own one of these days.