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ZOMGWTFBBQ!!! Ambulance to RV to 4x4 Snafu o.0

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90K views 346 replies 76 participants last post by  greygoose 
#1 ·
Blame Obama, insanity, brain damage... for my next great idea, I bought an ambulance. Now you ask why? Because i say! You shake your head in disaprovement. Do I have an autorama TJ to finish building? Yes and that is my main priority once i buy a house, this is a backburner mental obsession. As a simple justification i have always liked expedition vehicles. Custom vans, offroad trailers and rv's... something with go anywhere capabilities and comfort. I looked into custom vans and 4wd campers are knew they wernt for me as they cost more then what i want to pay for my own house. So the only alternative left is build something :confused: :eek: :fish:

On pirate, i ran across people converting ford e vans to 4x4 and it clicked thats what i want. I did look around for an all ready coverted van (quigley) but couldnt find anything. At this time i ran into this and feel in lust!
yes, that is a 4x4 ambulance. Search Ujoint offroad and six13 metal works for more info. That is when i decided i want an Ambalamps! After 1 week of searching i found myself in Andover Ohio buying this.








Its an 05 Ford E450, 170k miles with 40K on a new 6.0 diesel (yes its a dreaded 6 leaker). Why you ask? Cause i basically stole it! Nothing is wrong with it, just the city that owned it was going private so the firehall basically gave this and 2 others away.
 
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#89 ·
I hate you Andy :fish: I have been stuck on expeditionportal.com for the last 2 days :sonicjay: and was thinking on going with the same ideas to convert a 4x4 van, but came to the conclusion I have no extra time, because of my work schedule.

after looking at a few builds, I came accross this 1, YOUR'S :sonicjay:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/101066-The-start-of-my-own-Ambo-Expo-rig

and

after looking at the interior pics of the Chinook Van on the bottom of this page,
http://www.valiantautos.com/inventory/CHINOOK_CONCOURSE-1999_WHT_A23340/gallery.htm#Pictures

I have all the interior parts, plus A/C roof unit, elet. converter, 3 way fridge, stove, oven, sink, water pump, all above roll up cabinets/door so shit dont fall out while going down the road, full pullout couch, dinnet, captain chairs, all re postered in solid color, not that flowery shit, all bathroom fixtures, LP forced air floor heating, and the list goes on, all from a 1981 motorhome, I am parting out.

If your interested , send me a PM, and can send you some pics.

I will even toss in the Honda ie2000 geny. for a reasonable price
 
#90 ·
I hate you Andy :fish: I have been stuck on expeditionportal.com for the last 2 days :sonicjay: and was thinking on going with the same ideas to convert a 4x4 van, but came to the conclusion I have no extra time, because of my work schedule.

after looking at a few builds, I came accross this 1, YOUR'S :sonicjay:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/101066-The-start-of-my-own-Ambo-Expo-rig
Somebody needs to link them project failhorse before they get too excited.
 
#97 ·
I'm willing to go out on a limb here, but I bet when your dad refers to you he calls you, "The Dud." What kind of asshat buys an ambulance while living in his parents basement with the intentions of turning into a 4x4 motorhome? Your track record with projects is not stellar. You moving out of the basement won’t help the situation either. Mr Green was right, you do have a problem, and you do need to seek help.
 
#98 ·
I'm just gonna go with the flow here and just critique this build like it would actually be completed. Why are you wasting precious floor space on a shower? The shower should be on the outside of the rig. A shower curtain on a fold out hoop and a shower head on a hose hooked to your on demand hot water heater.
 
#99 ·
Good question, seeing how I have the 1 storage compartment that is the right size it allows for an interior bathroom, a step tub and a place to put a portable toilet. I do not want to have permanent waste tanks, just a portable waste tank. This simplifies the waste water system. Also by placing the bathroom in this location, on the other side (inside) will be a counter top for the sink/stove top combo. As I had shown in another a picture above there is a place where I will need to build a floor extension and can incorporate a fresh water tank in this area. So If you are following closely everything water related will be on the same side on the vehicle. Simple and easy.

Step tub


Tankless water heater


Portable waste tank
 
#104 ·
All the more reason to not have it inside. Just because there is a spot that is the perfect size for a fooze ball table doesn't mean you should put one inside. But whatever. This is all just mental maturbation anyway.
 
#108 · (Edited)
get a small 10 gallon black water tank for your toilet to go into with its own drain valve.
let all the grey water(shower/sink) go to a different drain valve with no tank.
it can go on the ground, or in your portable waste hauler.
a small 10 black tank can be mounted almost anywhere.
in my last truck camper, it was inside above the floor, toilet mounted to it.
ya you had to duck, head room was not great. it raised the toilet about 6 or 8 inches.
my wife and i could easily go a week, often 10 days, with a 10 gallon black tank.

or get a stand alone marine toilet.

many small pop ups, and small truck campers have no grey tank.
they let it go in a portable tank, 5 gallon bucket, or on the ground.

i would suggest a urinal that runs out on the ground too!
for longer stays in the back woods.
a marine toilet will fill up quickly if its your only option.

as long as you dont use formaldehyde in your tanks you can dump into your houses sewer clean out.
storm drains are a no no!
 
#112 ·
These are all great ideas that Andy will not use when / if he ever gets to the point of actually having to cross these bridges. This has been proven over and over in the past. Andy asks for advice, then does what he originally wanted to anyway. We (5 of us) used to go for weeks on my sail boat with 2 x 12V batteries and a pump sink. We did have the big lake to shower in though. Andy, if you cant handle doing a little plumbing to make this thing functional, then I will hate to see the suspension, kitchen, important details when this project is "completed". I think I am going to join that other web site with the other expedition vehicles that you have your build thread in so I can rally them up too.
 
#123 ·
WTF is wrong with your parents? Why would they not have kicked your sorry hoarding ass to the curb?

I have a friend similar to you. Has a good job (for longer than a couple months) and makes good money. Worked while putting himself through college. He finished his degree a couple of years ago. He still lives with his parents, and in the past two years has bought at least 10 guns, a $40,000 Camaro SS, and leased a new truck. This doesn't include all the other shit he blows money on, or the fact he owns a snowmobile, snowmobile trailer, and a motorcycle. He is almost 30 years old, and his parents obviously don't have the fucking balls to tell him to get the fuck out. His defense is that he pays them $500 a month for rent, groceries, etc. Bitch please.

WTF is wrong with parents these days? If you were my son (I just shuddered saying that), I would have kicked your ass out years ago. Your priorities are completely fucked up. With your situation living at your parents house (seriously, get out), you could be investing or banking money and be able to retire when you're 50. Instead you're a fucking idiot with your money and completely waste it on dumb shit. Not to mention, I'm willing to bet you still have at least $30,000 of student loans, or did your dumbass parents pay for that?
 
#125 ·
Wow! lots of hatred there Jeff, when you lost weight did your genitals shrink at the same time? That's the only excuse for so much built up venom & anger.

I was going to write a diatribe disproving all that you had wrote above but arguing online won't accomplish anything as it wont change your uninformed assumptions. If you have questions feel free to ask me and Ill gladly write you a novel about my life but here isnt the place and its unwise to just assume. I'm pretty sure that you or anyone else here is not God and therefore I have to make no justifications for my actions to you.

Your biggest assumptions that I live at home by choice and I foolishly waste money are so far from the truth that the toilets flush backwards. I may be stupid and a dumbass with some aspects in my personal life but when it comes to my career and personal finances I'm one of the sharpest around.

Getting back on track, after thinking over Green's and Rhino's comments regarding the grey tank setup I found an area where a small tank will fit, around 5 gallons. That should be perfect for a quick shower or to fill up the tub portion with water. Below the tank I will have a waste valve with a bayonette connection to empty itself.
 
#124 ·
I think you are jealous of "the dud". I for one think this is a great idea, I know my parents would drive me nuts when I lived with them. Now whenever they get on "the dud's" nerves he can take off the beaten trail for a little r&r.


I can hear it now:

"Hey dud, clean your room and don't forget to take out the trash" says the dud's mother. The dud, at his wits end responds, "fuck this, I'm going camping!" Realizing the dud means business, his mother takes out the trash, while his father clans the room. The dud relishing in his success buys three pieces of taxidermy off of Craigslist. Two fish and a wild bore. He names his bore "Havilena" and proudly displays it in his parents living room, the fish howeve haven't found a place in the home are currently sit next to a pile of parts.
 
#129 ·
Sorry dude but you are not the sharpest person around when it comes to personal finances, not even close. You said you are forced to live with your parents, not by choice. The only thing that prevents people from leaving their parents house is finances. And I'm not judging you right now, I'm stating a fact....only an asshole would continue to spend money the way you do and still live with their parents. Stop white trashing up their yard and move on with your life.
 
#131 ·
I am not sure why you are laughing, it wasn't a joke or a compliment. Over the last 5 or 6 years I have wondered when you would finally look in the mirror and realise you have a problem.

It's not a matter of being like everyone else, it's a matter of hording, unfinished projects, and spending money on junk you'll either:
A) never use
B) never have anyone to use it with
C) disassemble and never finish
D) never sell to recoupe your losses

It's one thing to collect some stuff, it's another thing to collect junk and only make it less useful as soon as you take posession of it.
OK :whiz:
 
#133 ·
Its ok Charlie; what works you'z guys is great, I'm different and I'm ok with that.

Moving on, I'm rethinking the electrical system. Originally I considered 2 different and isolated battery systems. 2 batteries for starting the engine and then 2 that only run the interior power needs. After checking out another guys bus build, I'm now thinking 3 batteries for the whole vehicle. That should be more then enough for all the electrical needs of the vehicle with the engine off. What I will need to figure out is a transfer switch for the shoreline hookup and the generator. I think tomorrow Ill look into the A/C system. I dont know if it was recharged when the engine was replaced.
 
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