Vehicle Specs ?
Our campulance chassis is a 2007 Ford F-450 single cab DRW with the following:
- 4WD (Factory)
- 6.0L OHV Diesel V8
- 5 Speed Auto 5R110W
- 4.88 gears
- 189″/4795MM Wheelbase
- 16,000 LB. GVW
- Excellance Inc. 14 FT ambulance box with heat and AC
- Overall length 24 FT
- Inside height 70 IN
- Outside height 9 FT
What modifications have you made ?
So far we have done the following mods:
- Single rear wheel (SRW) conversion with DBL 20×10 aluminum bead lock wheels
- Continental MPT81 tires 335/80R20 (about 40.5 x 12.5 inches)
- Front hitch (for winch and other accessories)
- 12k Apex Winch
- 2.25 in rear spacer lift
- 2.5 in readylift front lift
- Bushwacker Cutout Fender flares
Why an ambulance ?
Previously we were using a pop-up tent trailer. Our pop-up trailer just wasn’t working. It didn’t have the ground clearance to go deep in the woods and the construction was not holding up to the rough roads we travel on. Also, we froze our ass’s off on cold nights as they have no insulation. So we sold it in the summer of 2020 to fund an RV.
The original plan was to buy a M1079 military truck. These have huge tires, inflation system and 12 foot insulated habitat on the back. Perfect for an off-road camper we thought. However, there were some serious draw backs like no air conditioning and a 60mph top speed. The prices for the truck used to be reasonable but have recently sky rocketed to insanity. We also noticed some parts were hard to find and expensive (like a grand for a windshield). So we decided to look for an alternative.
Ambulances have most of what we liked about the M1079 and fewer disadvantages. Factory AC and top speeds well over 60 mph. The box part of the ambulance is typically welded aluminum which makes them safe and more durable than most RV’s. They are also reasonably priced at auction and parts are cheap and readily available.
So we purchased our ambulance in October 2020 at an online government auction.
