# Pictures of my new conversion



## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Pictures of my new ambulance conversion
terry


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

Looking at the pics I would never have knowen it was ambulance. Its looks very professional and good quality.

Well done, hope you enjoy using it.

Richard...


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## 98064 (Mar 10, 2006)

Looks very smart!


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## badger (May 9, 2005)

Gerrof..............that was never an ambulance!..........If I'd have done the conversion it would still have the flashing blue lights on the top.. :lol: :lol:


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

Brill. Must have been a BUPA ambulance.


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*New van*

Hello Terry

Well done! It looks an excellent finish. Hope you have many a happy trip.

Russell


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## 2Dreamers (Jun 11, 2006)

Looks fab! Would be interested to see inside your washroom :wink: Nosy I know, but you have made such a good job elsewhere, perhaps the door on the right of the pics is not the washroom but the resuscitation area left over from the ambulance days.:lol:


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## 88927 (May 10, 2005)

Hey Terry
What a fantastic job mate, you should be well and truly proud of your achievement :lol: :lol: :lol: 
I can honestly say that I have never seen such a superb conversion (from the piccies anyway) and you have managed to completely loose the old ambulance in the process...
Well done indeed

Keith


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Bazzing*

Hello Maddie,

Looks Top Drawer to me!

Who chose the colour scheme? Goes very well Warm red and clean white. Where did you get the cabinetry material from?

I have considered converting our rear garge into a rear lounge though a bit worried about playing around with major re-work.

Hope you enjoy it, you might be better getting some of these to make sure you dont scrape those lovelly clean sides!

<<<Blind Spot Mirrors>>>










Trev


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## 96105 (Aug 23, 2005)

hi maddie what a great job  any more photos i am nosy :lol: 
plus where did you get the side decals from :?: looks great :wink: 

happy travels

ray


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi all thanks for all your nice comments(will take pics of washroom tomoz)
just a few bits to ponder on 
it took myself and my mate 12 weeks from start to finish,working 10 till 4 about 4 days a week.
2 days to remove all stickers!!!!
2 days plus to remove all glue left from stickers
about 6 hours for Paul to remove all wiring/lights etc for ambulance(Ihad kittens thinking nothing would work again)
2 days to remove all internal ambulance fittings and cut hole into cab.
1 day to remove skylights and backdoors,then sheet over holes with 1.5ml alloy
about 1 week running about for parts/materials
1 day and lots of different colored tape to agree on layout(the boss put her toopennerf (does not look right) on this bit
15 to 16 days to complete inside
the rest was taken up on the outside filling painting filling again etc,fixing clean/waste tanks-cutting windows roof vents etc.
only the upholstery was not done by ourselfs and the graphics hence hb autocampers, my mate who did graphics made this name up from mine and pauls surname initals and stuck them all over the van whichwe quite liked when we saw it 
on her maiden voyge the only thing wrong was we let the waste pipes into the bottom of tanks instead of cutting them off just inside the top (we know now)
we added a small drawer and cupboard behind drivers seat on our return
just got some new METAL spotlights to replace 6very nice looking crap plastic ones!!!!!!!!!!
the second outing was to york rowntree park for christmas fare nov 23 ish where I saw a large mhome with a MHF sticker in the bottom of it's screen but did not dare knock on his van to say hello!!! this proved faultless as have 3 other trips with no rattles or squeaks
the van is made from
1.5ml alloy bonded to 4/5ml ply bonded to 45ml styrofoam bonded to 1.5ml alloy on all sides roof and floor with an extra ply to floor and just for good measure there is about 1.5 inches of some kind of sponge from the cab to the back axle covered in underseal!!!!!!!!!!! 
it is very warm
cheers terry


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## 101368 (Oct 12, 2006)

kands said:


> Hey Terry
> What a fantastic job mate, you should be well and truly proud of your achievement :lol: :lol: :lol:
> I can honestly say that I have never seen such a superb conversion (from the piccies anyway) and you have managed to completely loose the old ambulance in the process...
> Well done indeed
> ...


Be fun to see what it looked like as an ambulance if you've got a piccy.


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi again, the colours were decided mainly by the BOSS (wife) who did a splendid job keeping us supplied with none stop coffee (about 12/16 mugs a day)and dinners,essensual as we drink while we work.
most materials we got from Knolbeck caravans(barnsley) and a few from O,learys(beverly) and graphics from Mick at mc tints at doncaster.The upholstery was from Albert Flecter(thurnscoe)I will post all phone numbers later as the boss is asleep with the numbers at her side and I dare not wake her teehee cheers terry


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi Keith I am sorry I don;t have original pics as my hard drive packed up 3 weeks ago and I lost all pics of ongoing project from start to finish plus all my christmas pics of young grandson and everything else since july (the last time i saved everything)I know i should back up more often but never expected h/drive to pack up.
it was a typical ambulance with yellow bonnet and BL--DY STICKERS ALL DOWN SIDE AND BACK good thing was we did not have to remove back door ones!!
Fill in holes from original windows cut new ones and away we go/// bought a compresser and played ---30 yrs since I messed with car paint
cheers terry


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Brilliant work, Terry. I thought it was a wind-up at first, it looked so good.



maddie said:


> Hi Keith I am sorry I don;t have original pics as my hard drive packed up 3 weeks ago and I lost all pics of ongoing project from start to finish plus all my christmas pics of young grandson and everything else since july (the last time i saved everything)I know i should back up more often but never expected h/drive to pack up.


Sorry to hear that. I hope your experience is a lesson to all of us who store digital photos on hard disk drives - backup to CD / DVD / external hard disk. Some of these pictures are precious.

Gerald


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## Snelly (Aug 20, 2005)

Thats the best ambualnce conversion i've ever seen... brilliant work! Its good to see an old battle bus turned into a pleasure mobile!


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

If it's not a rude question - how much did you spend on the conversion?

Ever since my dad did his own conversion on an ex-greengrocer delivery minibus in the 60s, I've always had a hankering to do it myself. Something in the genes, I suppose.

Gerald


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi Gerald,
(Itried to post on the link you sent me on fuel consuption post it's different) 
total cost for materials just under £7500
van cost £2400 and about £100 for fuel-a lot of fetching and carring-
I could have sorced 2nd hand stuff,but knew from day 2 we were going to keep her and sell my own van
(this is prooving to be the hard bit at this time of year)
we toyed with the doner caravan bit but I know the Boss would not use a 2nd hand toilet no matter how clean, and it would comprimise layout plan etc.
When I sell my old van we are toying with a CITREON/DUCATO LWB conversion on the IH/TIMBERLAND type van,I am confident we can do 1 for about £21-22,000 (timberland £40,000)but then selling 1 of these for about £27,000(wages) may proove a step too far, especialy with Triangos at £28,000.Plus at the moment we love our ambulance,and need to use/enjoy it more.If I win the lottery who knows???At least I will have a van to my own likeing with out having to buy a new 1 to find myself ripping it to bits,and it.s something different to do.
cheers terry


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## ingram (May 12, 2005)

Yes, does look good Terry.

I wonder why it is almost only ever self-builds that have decent size kitchens!

Harvey


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi here are some more pics,1 showing how the bed slides across doorway to form the 2 singles then you can slide 2/3s to form a travese double or full 6ft 6 ins square.The bathroom is 4ft sqare with a 6ins tapered side to the full height wardrobe


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

And a few more
terry


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Maddie - you've proved me wrong ! . . from looking at your pic's of the van conversion IT CAN BE DONE ! and to a high degree too - congratulations, I wish I'd have at least had a go at converting
vic


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi Vic, hers a few more and remember you are resonsible for the SOG
terry


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

and more
terry


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## Fatalhud (Mar 3, 2006)

Hi I also have an old Ambulance ready for conversion
If I offered you A few hundred quid do you think you could work your magic on it for me (price would include all parts and labour)
looking forward to working with you
Alan H


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi alan,-a few hundred quid-
I spent £7,500 quid on parts plus van plus labour :lol: 
YOU WOULD have to convince SWMBO for me to do it but I would'nt mindd as I am bored :lol: 
terry


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## IrishHomer (May 30, 2006)

Hi Terry

Congratulations on a job well done. Looks so clean and unfussy, simple design is best design. May I ask what is door behind driver's door - gas locker? Looks large - no messin with 6kg cylinders maybe? Exterior looks very nice, best I've seen of home conversions. I would have been tempted to keep the blue lights!  

Well done again!

IH


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## teckie (Feb 25, 2007)

What a SUPER job ! Well done there... \/ 


Teckie


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi IrishHomer 
the large door doubles up as a exterior under bed locker access,and yes I have to mess with a couple of 4.5/6kg bottels as I made it to take 2 x 20ins high bottles not knowing that the nect size was 21 ins high  :lol: so never got around to making the locker/ gas cupboard the 1 ins higher as we store filling hose cables etc there It was made to take our windbreaks as well but they have now progressed to the roofbox and we are left with lots of unesed space under the bed .Who else can say they have empty spaces in there van?SWMBO will figure somthing to put there in time :lol: 
terry
Alan what is your ambulance?


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## Fatalhud (Mar 3, 2006)

Hi terry was only pulling your leg (no ambulance) 
Must admit I did convert a Merc 608 panel van for quad racing many years ago and sunk about £11000 into it 
but the finish was no where near as stunning as your baby

Alan H


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## jamiealana (Nov 18, 2006)

*well done terry*

Hi Terry What a lovely job you have done . You should take it up full time mate if thats the finish you turn out they would sell like hotcakes ,When did you do the van as i have seen the pics of the outside before some where just can,t think what site i,ve seen them on ALAN.


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## LPDrifter (Aug 17, 2005)

Wow it looks terrific. You must be very pleased with the outcome
And you should be. Lovely job. Wish I had hands and talent like that.


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi Alan she was completed for her maiden trip for my 50th nov 02 but went to Blackpool on oct 30 / 06.Since then we have been as far as Lands end and just short of Inverness on a couple of 3 week trips and lots of shorter stays inbetween.Nothing has broken or fell off apart from a hingestay on the roof box :lol: I feel a bit cheated as I cannot moan over build quality :lol: (swift or overwise :lol: )Sorry Swift only joking :wink: You probably seen them on here as this was posted 1 yr ago and was brought back on by a lead from another post BY Vic.-----(avatar)
terry


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## moblee (Dec 31, 2006)

Hi Terry.
8O What a excellent job you've done :!: 
I read earlier that financially the project cost you £10,000,what
do you think you could sell the vehicle for :?: 
Just curious


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi moblee,how long is a piece of string?I think it is worth around 16k comparing it to what people are wanting for same year etc, but none at the same spec,At this moment someone would have to offer a bit more than this before I considered selling. :lol: 
terry


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## rowley (May 14, 2005)

I am really impressed. I once did a self build and was very pleased with it, but it was not as good as yours.


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## moblee (Dec 31, 2006)

maddie said:


> Hi moblee,how long is a piece of string?I think it is worth around 16k comparing it to what people are wanting for same year etc, but none at the same spec,At this moment someone would have to offer a bit more than this before I considered selling. :lol:
> terry


A £6/7000 profit per vehicle,How many could you do a year :!:


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

£6,000 profit???? I would need to sell them,which may prove harder than making them :lol: 
terry


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

heres a list of 90% of what went into her

Alarm immobilizer
Full size cooker
Trauma blow air heating
Trauma hot water heater
Dometic 3 way fridge
Sink & taps
5 x new windows and seitz blinds
Shower tray 
Swivel loo
Plastic combination sink cupboard, taps & shower
3 x mirrors
5 x drawers
Full size wardrobe 
12 x cupboards & 6 doors
18 push button locks
20 spring door assisters
2 gas bottles & regulators etc,
6 x 12v metal spot lights to replace 6 crap plastic ones 
2 x 240v spots
2 x twin sockets
2 new clean & waste water tanks
Approximately 30 boards & 72 tubes glue
50 metres edging strip
2 swivel seats modified & moved from back to front
New seating / beds for rear
New seating foam & covers inc drivers / passenger seats cab roof & door panels
Heki roof vent 
Roof rack & ladder 
Roof box
Status 530 Ariel
Lcd tv/dvd player
12volt on digi box
Cd mp3 player & speakers
3 stage battery charger
2 x 10 x 5 ft alloy sheets-roof / back
New custom rear bumper
5 litres fibreglass filler
5 litres bodywork filler
Full re-spray
Graphics 
Tints
plus bits of trims etc that I forgot about


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## moblee (Dec 31, 2006)

Phew 8O One a weekend then :wink: :lol:


phil


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

What was the original vehicle a 2.8 l Transit?

You have done an excellent conversion, it looks superb, better than many new ones, well done!


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi Penquin, no a 2.8 td Ford Iveco (a rebadged fiat)
tery


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## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

I tell you something, I speent 25+ years working in ambulances, and they never, ever, ever looked like that.

Its exceptionally good.



In fact, given the last one I worked in cost over £100,000 for the vehicle, your is so much better.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

What a fantastic piece of recycling.
Years of life left in the old girl.

Well done

Dave p

nice to see bandaid about again.


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

Many of you do not know that I was once a keen DIY until I was struck down by a lack of skill.

Here is my first conversion. It was, believe it or not once an Ice Cream Van but hardly any evidence of that now dare I say. 8) Bound to get someone who is picky pointing out something.  

What you cannot see unfortunately is the twin fold up sleeping bags, the porta coke bottle and the sink that I designed from an old plastic bucket. I removed the handle.

Those were the years when craftsmanship meant something but not anymore. Stuff nowadays is just thrown together.


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## 104477 (May 13, 2007)

Nice job Pusser, only one criticism if I may? The awning tent looks a bit ..erm.. oversized! :lol:


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## rowley (May 14, 2005)

Rob, sorry to be off subject, but that is Pusser's toilet tent. :lol:


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

That's my Number 1 tent you can see. Out of shot is my twice as large Number 2 tent. This holds a Porta Sewerage Farm for those with XL tummies. 8)


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Those were the years when craftsmanship meant something but not anymore. Stuff nowadays is just thrown together. 
Hi Pusser, Air con / cold air in your van all them yrs ago :lol: 
Must sayit will have erarned a lot more than my conversion over the yrs :lol: 
Mine is now 20 mths old and so far only had to replace starter battery (which I took out of the back and put a new l/batt,being an ambulance they used 2 starter batts) and restick a pice of self adesive trim that came unstuck.Entirely my fault as I stuck the rest on when we made her, (don/t trust self stick stuff)quality control eh,72 plus bits of trim and I missed 1 :lol: just not good enough :wink: Interior still looks new.
terry


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## 104441 (May 11, 2007)

You two guys should go into business I can see it now 'Rum Conversions'


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## Autoquest (May 16, 2007)

Excellent jon Maddie. I wish I had built my one instead of buying a flimsy. Did you use an ex caravan for the furniture?

Pusser - ROFL


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi Autoquest, no my mate and I made all the woodwork ourselfs,but did buy drawer liners and the doors because it was cheaper than making them.We did everything else (using new stuff) except the upholstery & graphics. 
terry


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## Tucano (Jun 9, 2006)

I recently saw an ambulance conversion in Scotland still with the "Ambulance" sign above the cab but the owner had changed it to Ambivalence, brilliant.
Norman


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## lindybell (Jun 9, 2007)

HI

The Motorhome conversion is fantastic. I am after a bit of advice if you can help. we are considering converting a van ourselves and have managed to source most things but it is the furniture we are struggling with. My other half is confident he can make the doors, cupboards etc but we are not sure where to buy the lightweight ply we need. Can you help? Your furniture looks great. Regards

lindybell


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi lindybell, I bought my doors from a firm at Manchester/kithen door maker as it was a lot cheaper than buying the Voyranger ply you want,with the added benefit that they were edged perfect & probably better than I could achieve (without buying a couple of grands worth of machinery)
http://www.doors.homestylekitchens.co.uk/?gclid=CPic-vicmZQCFQyR1QodL2hDtg
They were extreamly helpfull at matching wallbords to doors,and I used them again for my kitchen refurb as they were great on quality and price/service.
Our van has a 4.2 ton weight so that was no problem. On another van I made hardwood frames and filled in the centre with the wall/cupboard ply but this was v/time consuming and not as good a solution/effect. I have made doors for another van out of plastic as was the upper cuboards but non matched the finished product I have now.
Look in the back of mmm or the free (from tesco) m/h mag as somone advertises the Voy boards cheap but did not colour match what I wanted.The doors did not weigh that much anyway :wink: terry


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## Autoquest (May 16, 2007)

lindybell - Have you tried this lot

http://www.sbmcc.co.uk/forum/


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## brillopad (Mar 4, 2008)

maddie 

did you ever get your hard drive sorted? as theirs a place near me that sorts them out if you lost data,

great job love to see the whole job. dennis


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi Brillopad, No I just binned it,we knew of a couple of data recovery firms but they were way too expensive at the time.A lesson learned so to speak,I now keep photos etc on the camera untill I make a disc :lol: which is a lot more often :lol: but probably not as often as I should :wink: I was going to say IF but it is defenatly when we do another I will post loads of piccys and daily updates on here then I cannot loose them and someone may give me info on how to make a web page thingy.I would love to do another but the boss says (and I must agree) there is nothing wrong with it and she does not want to gamble 10k plus to do another in the hope we sell it for a profit.Funny thing to sell a ambulance they want them giving but then again I have never seen one as good / close to it.If I saw some for sale then you could gauge the price but as it is I may sell her to use the funds to make another (not yet)thus eliminating the gamble
terry
edit the intension with this was to sell her but from day 1 or 2 my mate and me knew we were keeping her,swmbo took a little longer to come around to the idea.We sold our existing van after taking out what she cost we split profits and ended up wih just over 2k each which my mate was happy with and I was more than happy because I had a better more suitable for us van


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## lindybell (Jun 9, 2007)

HI 

Thanks for the information on the furniture and the self build. I will get my other half to look into the suggestions this week.

Lindybell


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