Ambulance body

[jagular7]

I've been weighing back and forth about a TTT. I had a small utility TD (Pleasant Valley 4x8 flat top), but it wasn't big enough. I once had a 16' Scamp and it was too big and heavy. I need something that will fit through my 78" gate, be light-weight, more primative the better (limited luxuries), and sleep 3 comfortable/4 cramped.
I had an idea of using an utility trailer to hold an import slide-in (small) for my camping needs. This would have worked out well for what I need to camp. Most of my camping involves trailriding in a Jeep. Alas, I found this for a conversion:




This ambulance box is mfrd for the Pinzgauer 712. It appears to be all fiberglass. The base appears to be 1/2" thick. The walls appear to have 2 layers with some kind of medium between. The roof is strong enough to stand on. It is a 10' long 70" square, sort of. The middle is 32" wide and 12" tall. I need to come up with a frame to carry it. It basically sets in a well secured at the sides with 3 bolts that are spring loaded.




I'll load up the album with the pics from today. Its configured with 4 stretcher areas. The front cavity is 20" deep. It once housed a heater but is now just an open cavity. Couple cabinets up top are molded in. The outside door on the front left is a spare tire room. Its sealed from the interior and sets in the front cavity.
Since getting home yesterday with it, I've come up with a trailer design in mind. Since the unit rests on the center, a 2x2x1/8" frame, flat bed design w/1/4" wood planks, 12" high rails, wheelwell is within the rails and slightly less wider than the unit itself (to secure the 3 bolts each side). To fill the deck space, I'd have 3 boxes in front of the axle (1 across the front, 1 each side) and 2 behind the axle. Problem I'm thinking is the location of the axle since I have no weight information nor any completion to a usable camper.

Potential design layout (similar to a Compact): remove both rear doors and configure a center single door, remove front cavity to expand interior, kitchen/cabinets just inside rear door, front diner/bed. Add removable drop down beds over top the diner/bed.

Cool buy for $450? Or like my wife states, more like $4500!!!

[Podunkfla]

Mike... I think, if you are careful, you could prolly venture off-road with that!


450 bucks??? Wow.

[madjack]

Jag, that truly issa COOOOLLL score ...heck, you could use it just like it sits on the utility trailer.........

[toypusher]

Mike,

Great find! Looks like a real project and I think maybe your wife might be right on the price until it is said and done!!

Maybe there is a way that you could 'rebuild' the sides to eliminate the 'tunnel' that is there now and have the walls straight down to the floor. Or, maybe that is just too much work, I don't know. Guess if it will work for you the way it is, then don't mess with it.

[bledsoe3]

If I bring home another project I'd need a different ambulance. But that is just about cool enough to be worth the risk.

[jagular7]

The pic with the box installed is just a representative of the way it sets in the 712. Owner name is Rick and actually lives ~30 miles from me.
The utility trailer is a borrowed trailer and is way too wide to store. I live in a city where trailers are considered a hinderance. I can store a trailer hidden behind a fence, thus



Reason its limited to width is due to the ac condensor.

Here is a picture of the wall thickness. Rick converted his to a camper-like unit couple years ago. I don't have appropriate software to get a closeup but it looks like a pretty thick insulation filler.







The Compact design:





If you look at the Compact, the wedge on mine forms the walk-way right down the center and the cutouts are basically storage near the door and a seat area for the dining/bed. Going to a single door may be best but I doubt I'd be able to keep its 'originality' look to it.

[Nytewyng]

On the right frame, maybe a home built or a refurbed boat trailer that is going to be way cool. The middle drop floor could be some cool storage area. Perhaps check out some floor plans of ready made campers for ideas for the inside. Wow agin great find and great price......lots of themes abound...."Code Blue" " Emergent T".........and so on...........

[Europinz]

@ Jagular7,

I'd love to see the end result of what you will have done with the ambulance shelter as I had 2 of them and sold both of them (one for 100 € and one for 250 €).
"In my mind" there was no way I could really use all of the space + it weighs 550 Kg (empty) has no reinforcement anywhere inside de walls and has a tendancy to absorb water when it rains as these shelter were often banged against tree limbs and received damages to the top corner and sides. Sure, they've been repaired but not in a way that will avoid water from getting in between the walls. The stuff to repare the sides and the paint are not watertight. After a while (several years) these shelter easily add up to 100 Kg in weight due to water being in between the walls.
I recently registered in this forum => look at "new member from Europe".

Regards,

Jacques

[Steve Frederick]

I want the truck!!!

[jagular7]

@ Jagular7,

I'd love to see the end result of what you will have done with the ambulance shelter as I had 2 of them and sold both of them (one for 100 € and one for 250 €).
"In my mind" there was no way I could really use all of the space + it weighs 550 Kg (empty) has no reinforcement anywhere inside de walls and has a tendancy to absorb water when it rains as these shelter were often banged against tree limbs and received damages to the top corner and sides. Sure, they've been repaired but not in a way that will avoid water from getting in between the walls. The stuff to repare the sides and the paint are not watertight. After a while (several years) these shelter easily add up to 100 Kg in weight due to water being in between the walls.
I recently registered in this forum => look at "new member from Europe".

Regards,

Jacques

Thanks for the info. I haven't weighed it just yet as I'm getting the trailer together slowly. Other life commitments..... wife, kids, house, school, inlaws, family and not in that particular order


Started off with a ~4'x8' C-channel frame and added a boxed tongue from a boat trailer. Need to extend the tongue down the center to the 2 front crossmembers for more support. Then it should be done.



550kg converts to 1212#s. That's pretty heavy for a dual walled, insulated fiberglass box without any inner framing. I'll be removing the gerney beds, removing the inner front wall, reconfiguring the back half with a full-width floor for closets, counters, etc, adding front bed/table, fold down bunks, and enclosing the back side with a single door.

[jagular7]

I want the truck!!!

In Arkansas, Swiss Army Vehicles sells them. I got the box from this place.

[cguardsman]

how much does the ambulance box weigh??

[Europinz]

The Ambulance box complete, including spare tire, the gerney beds & seats, The air tank, ...etc the box comes to a total of roughly 550 Kg. When everything is removed one can get it down to 460 Kg.

Regards,

Jacques

[angib]

In case Jacques' weights mean nothing to you:
550kg = 1,200lb
460kg = 1,000lb

Andrew

[cguardsman]

thanks for saving me from finding a conversion chart.......metrics just didn't quite catch on with us regular folks in the states