Black Friday Ambo
- Thread starter flightcancled
- Start date
flightcancled
Explorer
Pat I saw those too, but I'm looking to separate my AC/DC systems to reduce my loss to the inverter. It's also a little older, so I would like to extend its life if possible.
Yeah Ken we are on the same page. I was looking at those sliders as well. As per usual it's a standard RV size, so we do have options. That's exactly what I was thinking for the DC outlets as well, USB ones on the counter, and behind the bed.
SO:
All new ball joints and tie rod ends, new front tires, and the tranny has to be pulled to replace the seal. In retracing the fluid stains the seal appears to have failed as I pulled into the shop. Really scary stuff. My tires nearly blew out and that would have collapsed my front end.
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Yeah Ken we are on the same page. I was looking at those sliders as well. As per usual it's a standard RV size, so we do have options. That's exactly what I was thinking for the DC outlets as well, USB ones on the counter, and behind the bed.
SO:
All new ball joints and tie rod ends, new front tires, and the tranny has to be pulled to replace the seal. In retracing the fluid stains the seal appears to have failed as I pulled into the shop. Really scary stuff. My tires nearly blew out and that would have collapsed my front end.
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patoz
Expedition Leader
Wow, nothing like major expense while you're on the road and in a bind, to put a damper on things. No chance to shop for better prices.
I have the same sliding windows on the side and back doors, which I'll be wanting to add screens to also, so if you guys find a good solution be sure to post up.
Alex, I understand what you're saying about the USB outlets, and in your case that makes sense. In my case, I want them because:
1. The majority of my camping will probably be in pay campgrounds with facilities and shore power. Not much wilderness where I live, and the beaches and rivers are all restricted or private property.
2. My camper (it will be a trailer remember) will be for bug-out purposes also, and will have much more electronics aboard including a weather station, complete computer system, and communications equipment. I may end up in a parking lot somewhere if need be.
3. It will also have an onboard Honda EU3000iS generator, in addition to the 12VDC batteries and inverter for power. This generator is extremely quiet, and uses inverter technology so it is clean enough to run sensitive electronics as well as an A/C unit.
I have most of this stuff already and have it planned out in my head, just need to get started on it. It's starting to cool off some here, so hopefully I can get on it soon.
Hopefully, you won't have any more problems on your trip!
~ Pat
I have the same sliding windows on the side and back doors, which I'll be wanting to add screens to also, so if you guys find a good solution be sure to post up.
Alex, I understand what you're saying about the USB outlets, and in your case that makes sense. In my case, I want them because:
1. The majority of my camping will probably be in pay campgrounds with facilities and shore power. Not much wilderness where I live, and the beaches and rivers are all restricted or private property.
2. My camper (it will be a trailer remember) will be for bug-out purposes also, and will have much more electronics aboard including a weather station, complete computer system, and communications equipment. I may end up in a parking lot somewhere if need be.
3. It will also have an onboard Honda EU3000iS generator, in addition to the 12VDC batteries and inverter for power. This generator is extremely quiet, and uses inverter technology so it is clean enough to run sensitive electronics as well as an A/C unit.
I have most of this stuff already and have it planned out in my head, just need to get started on it. It's starting to cool off some here, so hopefully I can get on it soon.
Hopefully, you won't have any more problems on your trip!
~ Pat
flightcancled
Explorer
I'm actually really happy with the mechanic I found. Half of this town is custom shops. His focuses are actually vintage drag racing, dune buggies and old VWs. He actually invited me to crash on his couch while telling me how to get to another shop in town that was recommended to me. After that I knew he was my guy.
Yup I totally gotcha Pat. We are all building to specific niches which is what I find cool.
Wound up ditching her and getting a ride home.
As upsetting as this has been all I can think is how awesome it looks with the front lifted.
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Yup I totally gotcha Pat. We are all building to specific niches which is what I find cool.
Wound up ditching her and getting a ride home.
As upsetting as this has been all I can think is how awesome it looks with the front lifted.
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cjken
Explorer
It's great to find a good honest mechanic.
We got really lucky in Colorado.
The aaa approved shop we got towed to sucked. Owner said "what time next week do you want me to look at it!"
The tow truck driver suggested Miguel's auto shop.
Miguel was awesome really skilled mechanic. attention to all details and allowed me into the shop to work help and problem solve. He is Mexican and his entire family is involved in running his shop. They treated us like family. Driving us places and feeding us. Although his English was limited we communicated well.
He deserves all the business that the aaa approved shop gets. He could have taken advantage of the situation since we were stuck, but actually went above and beyond to help us out.
Good luck getting back on the road Alex.
Keep us posted.
We got really lucky in Colorado.
The aaa approved shop we got towed to sucked. Owner said "what time next week do you want me to look at it!"
The tow truck driver suggested Miguel's auto shop.
Miguel was awesome really skilled mechanic. attention to all details and allowed me into the shop to work help and problem solve. He is Mexican and his entire family is involved in running his shop. They treated us like family. Driving us places and feeding us. Although his English was limited we communicated well.
He deserves all the business that the aaa approved shop gets. He could have taken advantage of the situation since we were stuck, but actually went above and beyond to help us out.
Good luck getting back on the road Alex.
Keep us posted.
flightcancled
Explorer
The rig is still at the mechanic. Everything up front was the stock original so most of the job has been heating or cutting with a torch to remove parts. When I was out there I managed to draw down the battery bank enough to get the low voltage light on my switch board. Interesting, don't know that it would actually work, and that it came on for my starting batteries as well. My system should have the banks isolated so that's a bit confusing.
In the mean time work had me at the hospital for a project so I used my break to wait for another MedTec high/extended cab to come along. Took 3 days but I finally lucked out.
Really don't want to try and restore the 3 light mounts that were hacked away by a previous owner. I am thinking more and more about taking the plate and creating a recessed/ flush mount in it for an LED bar.
Really like the way the updated tail lights look on this rig. Certainly appears to have been refitted at some point, I wish I could have pulled these out to see if they just cut into the round holes that are there or welded a plate in and started fresh. Also note that the rear bumper actually says MedTec on it and is larger. Guess my rig was backed into something at some point.
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In the mean time work had me at the hospital for a project so I used my break to wait for another MedTec high/extended cab to come along. Took 3 days but I finally lucked out.
Really don't want to try and restore the 3 light mounts that were hacked away by a previous owner. I am thinking more and more about taking the plate and creating a recessed/ flush mount in it for an LED bar.
Really like the way the updated tail lights look on this rig. Certainly appears to have been refitted at some point, I wish I could have pulled these out to see if they just cut into the round holes that are there or welded a plate in and started fresh. Also note that the rear bumper actually says MedTec on it and is larger. Guess my rig was backed into something at some point.
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flightcancled
Explorer
Oh yeah man! The wheel flare is totally messed up too. I think it was backed into something, and staged along something else on that side. I will say the only ambos I see that are flawless are the sprinter models. Try as I might I just can't get into anything that isn't an E-Series though. I will say that some of the Sprinter ambos have a removable front light array which could be awesome with a little work switching to LED and HID lights.
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flightcancled
Explorer
Yeah when I asked my friends about where to find used ambos my volunteer buddies were stoked while my EMT buddies were mortified. The EMTs tried to talk me out of the idea simply because how how horribly they are treated by other EMTs.
Funny considering how much reverence a typical fire truck gets. Might explain why rigs seem to reach higher mileage with volunteer fire departments than private companies.
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Funny considering how much reverence a typical fire truck gets. Might explain why rigs seem to reach higher mileage with volunteer fire departments than private companies.
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patoz
Expedition Leader
Well, from someone who drove them for ten years, they're not the easiest vehicles to back up. They have all kinds of blind spots, and a lot of the time you're in a big hurry. The new ones have backup cameras, and some even have the camera on the sides. When I was driving them, all we had was the mirrors like we all have now.
However, when I started in 1975, this is what we were driving...
However, when I started in 1975, this is what we were driving...
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flightcancled
Explorer
Who you gonna call!?
Started butchering this docking station to make my main charging station/ future data port to a rear head unit or multimedia system.
The little blue LEDs are rigged to a micro processor to show data transfer activity. I'm going to try and put them between the female port and the ground so they light up when charging.
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Started butchering this docking station to make my main charging station/ future data port to a rear head unit or multimedia system.
The little blue LEDs are rigged to a micro processor to show data transfer activity. I'm going to try and put them between the female port and the ground so they light up when charging.
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patoz
Expedition Leader
flightcancled
Explorer
Thanks Pat! After staring at it and reading the board i was able to figure that out without looking it up.
Hopefully picking the rig up this weekend. It was supposed to be done for last weekend, but it took longer than expected. Added to the bill is all new tires and inner tie rods.
Somebody shoot me. I really didn't want to sink any money into the front end since it would all be ripped out anyway in a 4x4 conversion. Same thing for tires, although I knew the ones I had wouldn't last long.
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Hopefully picking the rig up this weekend. It was supposed to be done for last weekend, but it took longer than expected. Added to the bill is all new tires and inner tie rods.
Somebody shoot me. I really didn't want to sink any money into the front end since it would all be ripped out anyway in a 4x4 conversion. Same thing for tires, although I knew the ones I had wouldn't last long.
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patoz
Expedition Leader
Hi Alex,
I'm working on my ambulance now that it's a little cooler, and I hope to get the cab, engine, transmission, etc. removed some time in the next 10 days or so. I guess it's about time to start my own thread too now that I'm making some actual progress!
Anyway, the cab and just about everything in it is going to be scrapped. I'm trading it, the engine and transmission, and everything else I don't need to a friend of mine in exchange for removing all of it, and fabricating and welding on the tongue.
You mentioned a while back you needed some dash parts, so you need to let me know asap what you need in detail, so I can go ahead and get it pulled. Once it goes out to his house, we won't have time to pull stuff like that and it'll end up in the scrap yard.
BTW, I have already been to see the DMV here, and they said it will be no problem registering it as a RV after it is converted. As long as it has one of these three things, it qualifies.
1. Water system - no specification of what it consist of.
2. Propane system - no specification of what it consist of.
3. 115VAC electrical system - no specification of what it consist of - she saw the outlets in a couple of pictures and said I was good to go.
I'm working on my ambulance now that it's a little cooler, and I hope to get the cab, engine, transmission, etc. removed some time in the next 10 days or so. I guess it's about time to start my own thread too now that I'm making some actual progress!
Anyway, the cab and just about everything in it is going to be scrapped. I'm trading it, the engine and transmission, and everything else I don't need to a friend of mine in exchange for removing all of it, and fabricating and welding on the tongue.
You mentioned a while back you needed some dash parts, so you need to let me know asap what you need in detail, so I can go ahead and get it pulled. Once it goes out to his house, we won't have time to pull stuff like that and it'll end up in the scrap yard.
BTW, I have already been to see the DMV here, and they said it will be no problem registering it as a RV after it is converted. As long as it has one of these three things, it qualifies.
1. Water system - no specification of what it consist of.
2. Propane system - no specification of what it consist of.
3. 115VAC electrical system - no specification of what it consist of - she saw the outlets in a couple of pictures and said I was good to go.