M2 Freightliner Ambulance Conversion Project. 2007 Crew Cab

Ozrockrat

Expedition Leader
Glad to see some action here. Be careful making those lists. If you're like me they keep nagging at you until complete.

Best of luck with the projects. Hope we get to hang at expo later this year.

Ah we never use the "F" word when it comes to trucks. Finished that is!

Glad to hear that your mini-split has worked well. I am hoping we can house the compressors in a weather proof area and the condenser and fans on the wall.

We are looking forward to expo. Booked vacation for West and Colorado. Now we just need our vaccinations and Covid to pull its head in. (plus get a heap of projects finished)
 

Ozrockrat

Expedition Leader
OK what worked and what didn't part 2.

Composting toilet (Natures Head):
- Worked a treat, I would never go back to the black tanks, porta pottie or cassette toilets.
- We use peat moss generally and I left with a fresh fill in the toilet but no spare. I did try to get more up north but it was "out of season".
- Eventually had to use pine shavings which did not work well especially in the very humid/wet conditions.
- Finally found a pet store with Coir for reptiles.
- Our toilet is in the wet bath area. Never any issues with shower leaking into toilet.
- We have the spider handle on our toilet. It is a bit of a PITA in the confined area.

Changes
- Swapping across to coconut coir bricks so I can carry spares.
- Natures head now have a "shifter handle" so I will be installing that retro kit when it becomes available.

Cooking:
- Induction cooktop on an external power outlet was the primary device for cooking.
- A small George Foreman grill also on the external outlet when fire bans or weather restricted other types of cooking.
- Skottle was the primary gas cooking source. Works great for breakfast lunch or dinner.
- Snow Peak fire pit. Fantastic bit of kit (when there are no fire bans). This is my favorite cooking source. On this trip both the weather, fire restrictions and bears did limit the use. But I did use it whenever time and conditions allowed.
- Iron skillet, works with everything, firepit, induction cooktop, partner stove. Better than any of those non stick pans. Worth the weight penality.
- Bedourie camp oven. Only minor use on this trip so no other comments apart from it is my choice rather than cast iron or a potjie.
- Microwave. Made a good vegetable/bread storage area. I did use it a couple of times to heat frozen burritos but that was just out a the necessity to get food into me in a hurry.
- Dometic ice maker. Bloody life saver on the way up in the middle of summer. Also great for smoothies. I did have an issue with it creating too much heat to make/keep ice in the position I have it at the moment. it is too close to the solar regulator.
- Bullet blender. Smoothies in the middle of nowhere. What else needs to be said.

Changes
- Microwave will be coming out and probably replaced with a glamping special oven if my power consumption tests work out OK. This will be a separate thread as I think it will be a game changer for full time/ long term living.
- Ice machine will probably stay in the same location but the solar regulator will be getting moved outside the living envelope.

IMG_6161.jpegPastedGraphic-1.pngIMG_6161.jpeg

Access:
This one proved to be critical. On my way up there I hoped out of the cab at a rest area and stepped on a bottle spraining my ankle rather badly. Because I was in isolation/quarantine onsite for the first couple of weeks I could not get treatment or suitable first aid supplies. Taking time off for it to heal was not an option so luckily I had a roll of duct tape to strap it up with.
- Little giant steps worked extremely well. Only issue was that they also worked well on the jobsite so a lot of "big climb in and jump back out" was required. This did result in quite a few swear words and wet eyes.
- Chain steps into truck cab. Worked great, actually worked magnificently. Only problem was being a lazy bugger I had only installed them on the passengers side. It took me 6 weeks to get the materials to install one on the drivers side. Prior to the installation there was a lot of swear words uttered usually directed at the lazy bugger who didn't install them on both sides when he had all the facilities available. In Australian this is called a "give yourself an uppercut" moment.

Changes:
- I don't think many any of us ever stop searching for the holy grail of easy to deploy, easy to store, reliable access that doesn't affect our ground clearance. Since our truck has rear air suspension the rear always lowers about 5" overnight. Couple this with me being a fat bugger and you have a situation that makes stairs that mount to the vehicle problematic. So the Little Giant steps will stay for now. However there is a Youtube channel called Ambition Strikes who are doing a camper build. I do like the way they have used the lid for their steps box as the quick access stair (Building Our Expedition Vehicle E6 - Hidden Staircase).
- Combat boots. Luckily after a couple of weeks I could get to a CANEX and grabbed a set of combat boots. The level of support is fantastic. I could not of completed the assignment without them.

PastedGraphic-1.png
 

RiderBloke

Observer
We just recently put a set of Glowstep by Torklift steps on our TT. A bit pricey but very adjustable, fold up into same space as standard steps and are very sturdy. They might work well for your rig.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

rlrenz

Explorer
I lucked out and wound up with a Zico electric folding step. Its normal use is on fire trucks, but I'm revising it for my ambulance. It's rated at a 500 pound load, so it should hold up fairly well.
 

Ozrockrat

Expedition Leader
I lucked out and wound up with a Zico electric folding step. Its normal use is on fire trucks, but I'm revising it for my ambulance. It's rated at a 500 pound load, so it should hold up fairly well.

they look good but they sure are pricey. And in my case I would need another couple of steps to get low enough.
 

rlrenz

Explorer
A few years ago, an ambulance manufacturer cleaned out their stockroom. Pat Ozment and I loaded up on Braun's leftovers. I bought an ambulance refrigerator, warning lights, interior lights, intercom gear, spools of wire, and a set of Zico steps. The steps were new, and cost me $125 including UPS.
 

Korey H

Well-known member
We just recently put a set of Glowstep by Torklift steps on our TT. A bit pricey but very adjustable, fold up into same space as standard steps and are very sturdy. They might work well for your rig.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Also you can get glowsteps from the manufacturer on eBay for $350 (used) we just put them on and love them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Ozrockrat

Expedition Leader
After deciding that the sleeper sofa setup was not optimal for full time travel I started entertaining the idea of a murphy bed and dinette setup. We started the project pre/early Covid and with spending summer working in Canada there has not been a lot of progress. Now I am happy to report that it is possible to have a queen size bed and a dinette in an ambulance box. It took a lot of trial and error but we now seem to have it setup so it basically takes up about 12” from the wall when up but still has the full 60” x 80” queen bed with a real mattress. Normal murphy bed hinges available online didn’t allow the bed to hinge high enough without protruding into the box a long way.

IMG_0187.jpeg

The seats fold flat and are new take outs from a minivan that was uplifted for disabled transport. One is currently on the swivel base which used to be the attendant chair on one of our ambulances. The other is currently sitting on a boat base but it is too flimsy so an alternative secure swivel will be made. (probably steel and hub bearing from a little car).

IMG_0188.jpeg

Next step is to get the Maslow router setup and build the external cabinetry including hopefully automatic locking while the truck is running. Also a drop down table mount that does not impede the swiveling of the chairs.



In keeping with me being a tight bugger and as this is a prototype most of the materials were sourced from my scrapheap in the backyard.
 

rlrenz

Explorer
Years ago, I ran a railroad shop that had an 80x300 ft building for passenger car storage. The "north wall" was the storage place for things that didn't fit into any normal category, (sometimes too awkward to fit on a pallet, sometimes a complete assembly). Some pallet racking plus some on-the-floor storage. I'd be asked where someone could find something, and the reply was sometimes "go east from the outside wall about 50 ft, and try the second shelf in the rack". There's a lot to be said for a collection of "odds and ends"
 

RonapRhys

Adventurer
I hadn't heard of the Maslow router - that seems very neat. I can see all sorts of applications for something like that.

Because I don't have enough expensive hobbies already...
 

Ozrockrat

Expedition Leader
After a long wait they have finally arrived. 16 280Ah 3.2 v Lithium cells. Sadly only 8 of them are for this truck. But 560Ah should be enough for most situations. Hopefully I can get them fitted before heading out for a couple of months. More to follow as I start putting the packs together.

5F7ECC5D-D696-49B6-AD9B-C164218225A7.jpeg
 

Forum statistics

Threads
185,540
Messages
2,875,670
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top