Trail Van (picture heavy)

Thought id share my van project. Its now 12 months in. But I will start at the begining…..

After a night ride on the mountain bike. Standing in my bills with the sleet pushing me towards a hermaphrodite!!. I’m too old for this sh*t!!
Anyway, bloke opposite nips into his van, does a superman and jumps out changed.
This gets me thinking, if I sell my mountain bike carrier and trailer, I should be half way to getting a van right?
Wrong!! I can only get a rusty shed. I plan to have seats in the back and room for mountain 4 bikes and have plenty of mountain points and the space for three race bikes.

So a day van….. nope adds £2k and would still need work. So this pops up on related items…

has a ramp, has a diesel heater, space for three bikes (at a push) windows in the back and flashing blue lights…. bid bid bid.

First job was to strip off the decals. I planned to wrap the bugger (this all changed when I got the quote)

three full days later, armed with the hot gun melting off my finger prints. I uncover a massive yellow rectangle. Next my attentions turn to stripping out the interior.

sold the oxygen lines, seats,work bench and ferno (stretcher mounts) £600 better off to blow on parts.

The heater was making noises but not producing any heat!! After an on line search, I found the stat flashed a fault code. Its the consumption fan, easy fix? Nope cant fix them!! cheap part? nope £300 +vat!!
Arrived next day and fitted, I could of bought a new one for the price but this thing is 5kw and its a big space. with fingers crossed I swapped them over and it fires up.

Next up fixing points. Due to the ramp being central, I cant fix the bike chocks (left and right) into position, as the chock needs to face the ramp then moved later when strapping.

The floor is timber, with all existing bolts located through the subframe. It does limit bolt locations a little. All bolts used have additional square washers placed under the nuts to distribute the load.

Decided to run chequer plate under the chocks and add fold down lashing points and additional unwin rail.
Rust spots on the cab dealt with I turned my attentions to the bulkhead window. Despite there being a sliding window a walk through door was required. supporting beams in the cab limiting space.

Next up was the 12v charger. I had been working via torch as not to flatten the batteries (there are three!!) The van uses an auto eject connector, that shoots out when the car starts.
I found a supplier close by, and I work for a cable manufacturer so OK on that side. Turns out they could be a potential customer. So charger sorted. I have also managed to shoot a few mates that I have statically positioned.

All lashing points completed….

The middle rails had different spaced holes and non of the Unwin type clamps would fit in. I had to grind an opening in each rail to try out clamps for the R+R bed.

Next up the door in the bulkhead. Window off and hole cut above the winch and to the side ot the supporting beams. A vinyl privacy curtain made and press studs added to clip to.

How much for Ambo?

Original purchase cost £3700

Current project running total errrrm wouldnt like to admit it!

They cost an arm and a leg.

previsions made for Jerry cans and mountainbike clamps adapted (these have now been changed)…..

Next the sound system, I managed to get a deal on a clarion head unit. I had to re route the original ambulance controls (flashing lights heater etc) to make space for a double din.

The unit only had 4 amplified outs, so stuck an amp in the back. Managed to get a boy racer woofer, next to nothing on ebay. Its too big and looks ridiculous but it works. Speakers are cheap halfords, but good enough.

Awesome…

should have left it stickered up and just changed the word ambulance to party bus. Could have earned its keep as a pissed up hen party wagon on a saturday night with that sound system…. might want to put a lockable door on the entry to the cab 😀

You fitted a Gopro on the roof??!! Cool!! 😉

More please!

great stuff. Adding a bed for solo weekend trips? would be high on my list.

Roter… your cheating and looking ahead.

More to post later. These pics are 2 months into the build

Nice! Is it a 3.5t or more? (i.e. does your license cover it without downrating)

how long is the total vehicle length btw ?

curious as im looking at a van thats 22Ft in length for camper conversion.

downsides = ferry prices /narrow roads/parking

upsides = space to live for 4 and concealed bike areas.

Brilliant.

its rated total gross weight at 5.5 tonne. But it actually weighs 3.4t

I can drive it as I have upto 7.5 ton on my licence.

I have rock and roll seats in and will send a load of updates tonight.

Really liking this!

Forget about work get some more posted 😀

Top work how secure is the rear compartment?

Excellent work.

Out of interest, how many miles has it done? I once heard a paramedic giving the cashier at a petrol station the mileage for his fuel card. It was comfortably over 350,000.

All doors are central locked and alarmed. Most interia cupboards are lockable. Like any vehicle if the want to get in you can!

Milage is 216,000 full service and new turbo.

Ive spent nearly three days trying to get the DAB to work on the head unit. Ive gone from a powered aerial splitter to a powered window mount. The roof has eight aerial mounts (only for have aerial tops) and there are over 10 coax cables in the cab.

I have been trying to test their continuity with the multi which is proving difficult. There was a strong FM but DAB says no signal after each new effort.

Anyway a friend was helping today and obviously doesn’t know the mans code of conduct and read the instructions. Turns out that you have to do a manual scan first on a different screen before it shows any signal!!

Rear view camera fitted, but the position is useless and all i can see is the point of contact.

It might be on the second engine and new turbo, but the seats have taken 200k of abuse and are looking grim.

I have them whipped out at the moment and a local firm are recovering them. It should be all back together tomorrow. Just the decals to finish it off.

old seats

The flashing lights had been taken off the wing, leaving a 25mm centre hole and two screw holes.

The centres are 147mm and replacement leds are £65 each. I have made do with these shorter models from china and filled the holes.

Seats in front and back

Head unit

I have done a mock up of the Decals but cant seem to finalise the design yet.

Slow progress as I near completion. encountered a few teething problems, the first being whilst getting changed and in my socks, I noticed that the floor was hot?! As no under floor heating has been installed, this was a little puzzling and alarming.

I found the exhaust outlet pointing mm’s away from the fiberglass panel. Being next door to a vortex supplier and exhaust manufacturer Cybox (get a quote from Cybox, they are ace!!!) I had to visit a weighbridge to confirm the vehicle would go on their 4.5 tonne lift.
I weights 3540kg with a full tank and my fat arse on the seat, so might be able to re plate it.
They are also going to remap the behemoth for more torque (200bhb)!!

So next up is wrap.

Here are a few designs the last one is the one im thinking of. The 46 will be coloured.

So here is the finished design

more pics to follow

😀

Have you UV torched the inside? Bet it looks pretty scary

Good work.
I hope it’s got more grunt than the ones we have or work.

That is brilliant*
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*mrs_oab says she wouldn’t be seen in it….. 😆

Brilliant!

Holy crap! That is fantastic 😀

your colour scheme is marmite! I’d be tempted by the mystery machine colours.

Well this has taken a turn for the weird.

Good work OP. You will be the envy of 14-year-old boys everywhere!

Awesome 😀

You’ve got to be kind of sure of yourself to go around in that…

Top work OP. Looking forward to more.

That’s ace! What does it drive like? I’ve always wondered what a disco bus is like to drive.

When you mentioned decals, I expected to see a couple of half arsed ‘swishes’ up the side, but that is brilliant! Hides the size of the vehicle really well 🙂

Also, posh suspended seats, very nice. Managed to get a passenger one to match the drivers on my Iveco so we can float along in comfort (whilst the van bashes itself to bits over the potholes)

Not to everyones tastes but I don’t really care. It drives quite well basically a VW crafter tipper with a fibreglass box attached (OVER £100K NEW !!). The decals are a homage to Rossi. As he is called the doctor it seems pretty apt.

following my latest off, Ive had too much time on my hands, well one hand anyway!! I decided to spray the hospital Green cupboard inconspicuous yellow!!

It then made all the upholstery stand out in a dodgy mint.

I found some cheap eco leather and a local embroider, Measured cut and marked. Armed with 5000 staples, the upholsery begins!!

I also made a table out of a skimmer surf board, Which is where the coffee machine sits when stopped

And added a few internal decals. I would line/carpet it but the mountain bikes and gear would just ruin it!!