Today will be my last day of SBSD, as Mark has returned from getting his water pump swapped. I’m sure you’ll be happy to get rid of me and all the cars I find interesting. I get the sense that many of you wish I’d included a “neither” option on many of my choices.
Jason has a cheap truck. David has a cheap truck. I want a cheap truck, but living in the Northeast means that many of my choices are barely choices at all. Take yesterday’s SBSD, which pitted two similar F-150s in similar spec with identical powertrains. The open question was: How much is a truck with unknown rust problems worth? What’s the who-knows premium?
It turns out that most of you were willing to chance it, assuming that maybe two-in-the-bush outweighs one in the bed:
The answer most of you seemed to come to, though, was that if you want something that can move a family and also tow something, then perhaps what you really want is a Yukon/Suburban/Expedition/Excursion.
When Mark first mentioned that he was going to roll his body into the shop, I volunteered to do SBSD and joked that I would do ambulances. That joke got a little less funny as the week went on, but yesterday Mark chided me in Slack for chickening out, so today is all about meat wagons. Specifically, I’m looking for a truck with good bones that could make a nice basis for an ambulance-to-RV conversion.
1998 Ford E350 Ambulance – $15,999 (OBO)
Engine/drivetrain: 7.3-liter Powerstroke Diesel, RWD
Location:Â Cedar, Minnesota
Odometer reading: 39,000
Operational status:Â Runs and drives well
If you’re going to build an RV out of an ambulance, something low miles and diesel seems like a good place to start. I’ve always appreciated how almost happy these E-Series Ford vans look. This smile is almost a little dopey on account of the inwaard-pointing flashing lights, but not in a bad way.
According to the seller, this bus started life as an ambulance but was converted into a SWAT team van, which explains the matte black paint. It was “owned by the government,” though it’s not clear which government that was. Burkina Faso? In terms of being converted into an RV this particular model has some advantages, including a shore power hookup, backup camera, front/rear heat, cruise control, and a master kill switch.
The owner says the original plan was to turn it into an RV, but they’re too tall for the back part. This person has benefited from a life of extended height and reach, but that comes with its own shortcomings. Their loss is your gain. In addition to the built-in features, this E350 comes with a 7.3-liter PowerStroke diesel (though if it’s tied to the E40D or 4R100 transmission is unclear).
It’s also quite low mileage for a service vehicle.
2011 Ram 3500 Ambulance – $11,999 (OBO)
Engine/drivetrain: 5.7-liter Hemi V8, RWD
Location:Â Houston, Texas
Odometer reading: 191,037
Operational status:Â Runs and drives well
Here’s a more modern and, in some ways, more attractive model. This Heavy Duty RAM looks great, and seems like it’s been well-maintained. It has over 191,000 miles on it, which means that it defintiely has been used for regular duty.
I think there’s probably a moral quandry when it comes to buying a vehicle that could be used by a smaller fire or EMS department as a rig, but at mileage this high I think this particular vehicle has put in its time and is ready to start collecting its pension as an RV. Just look at the dogs! The dogs are ready for a trip.
This is another vehicle where the transmission choice is a little vague, though I’m guessing the Hemi V8 puts power down through the 545RFE five-speed. Please let me know if I’m wrong. Other than it being “well-maintained” there aren’t a lot of details. That, combined with the miles, means that it’s a little cheaper than the Ford.
This one seems like it’ll need a bit more work to transition into an RV, and it lacks a full pass-through from the cabin to the rear, which I think is a key feature of one of these vehicles.
Here are two good potential choices for a future RV build, though each with their own advantages. Do you want something newer, but more used? Or something older that’s barely been driven?
Top photo: eBay Motors
The Ford has a lot going for it: pass-through, cubic footage, fewer miles, already black so it seems a bit more nondescript (after removing the highly-illegal emergency vehicle lights, of course), and the electrical platform just seems easier to deal with.
The Ram? It’s not the age, it’s the miles, baby.
In my state the only thing illegal about the emergency lights would be those with the blue lenses and they would be illegal for use on an ambulance here since they are police only. Quick swap for some of the red, orange or clear lenses and you’ll be good to go.
The lack of a pass through on the Ram is a deal breaker for me. I am not interested in owning an RV where I have to exit the vehicle to go from the back to the front. I presume a pass through could be created, but that is more work than I am interested in.
I’m not overly enthused about the Ford, though. The original ad includes undercarriage photos that show a lot of rust. The ad says it was always stored inside, but maybe they meant it was stored inside a salt mine? I also presume this thing was rarely, if ever, washed. I’m not overly paranoid about rust, but I’m not interested in paying a premium for a low-mileage vehicle that is this crusty.
“I am not interested in owning an RV where I have to exit the vehicle to go from the back to the front.”
Can we all admit our first thoughts about this issue is because you’d be exposed to the zombie hoard after awaking to being surrounded?
No, just me?
Not just you! My two primary thoughts are “it would suck getting in and out of this thing on a cold day” and “but what about zombies?”
Obviously, zombies are my #1 concern. The passthrough would also be useful for encounters with vampires, werewolves, skunk apes, chupacabras, and hippies. Anyone who buys the Ram is risking their life!
If the camshaft is chewed up, with the excess idle hours the RAM has, then the zombies will get you.
Check the idle hours first.
I’ll go lower miles with that Ford and maybe it’s the one that fewer people croaked in.
I guess I could sail right through traffic on the way to the campground with lights and siren wailing. Sweet!
I voted Rambulance, for FD fleet maintenance reasons. But, I know nothing!
I don’t know much about either of these things, so I’m voting for lower mileage and less interesting if I shined a UV flashlight back there.
I spend a lot of time at Cub Scouts events at my local fire department, and I’m always in awe of how meticulously well maintained all their vehicles are. I wouldn’t worry about the mileage on the Ram one bit.
Can’t believe I picked a ford. But that ram scares me to hell… probably in the back
Ram is not the answer. My local volunteer department has a Ram ambulance, and it’s not great. Low mileage Ford all the way today.
Are the issues minor electronic gremlins?
Those are expected with a custom built ambulance. But in actuality, not really it’s been pretty good for that. It’s more like sway bars that were broken within ~1000 miles. Also, the gas Hemi does not have the punch to move this thing the way I want it to. For the record, it’s a Ram 550 chassis with a custom ambulance box.
I see.
These are both WAY overpriced. I see old Squarebody Chevy ambulances with big blocks in them from time to time, and they’re usually listed for $3-4 grand. I’ll wait for one of those.
Between these two, the Ford is a better choice, but that price is bat-shit-crazy-pants.
“These are way overpriced when you can get one 10+ years older with a sixties gas engine for a quarter the price”
Yeah. And I stand by that. You can make an old gas engine run with a few hundred dollars worth of parts and the most basic of tool kits. When one of these things shits the bed, and I do mean when not if, good fucking luck. Just set your wallet on fire.
Old Ford with the pre-emissions 7.3 for me. I can see it being useful as a towing/hauling vehicle.
I voted for the Ram because that dog was wearing sunglasses.
I mentioned in Mercedes’ post about the cars we grew up in about riding in ambulances to school and such. My parents had an ambulance service in the early to late 80s. Their first was a ’76 Suburban with a 454 (my mom’s favorite). After that a couple of full-size vans were added to the fleet but in ’84 Chrysler invented the modern minivan and my dad ordered one converted into an ambulance. That was his favorite unit for its maneuverability. Back home there’s a rather infamous bridge that frequently had accidents (and sadly suicide attempts) at the top of it. It’s incredibly tall, unimaginably narrow, and back then it handled traffic in both directions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Bridge_%26_Veterans_Memorial_Bridge_(Texas)#/media/File:RainbowBridge_(Texas).jpg
They’ve since added a second bridge that handles East bound traffic so the original bridge now has both lanes dedicated to West bound which makes it slightly less intimidating. Anyways, I bring up this bridge only to point out that the minivan was the only ambulance that could pick up patients and turn around on top of the bridge. All of the rest had to drive down the other side to turn around and cross back over. If the bridge was closed due to wreckage they had to wait for it to be cleared.
Ford. You had me at 39,000 miles.
The black one has a walk thru, so that’s what I chose
The Ford might have low miles, but I’d be interested to know what the hours were on the engine – I bet it’s been sat idling a lot, which is not good for any engine.
Thats where the 7.3 wins over the 6.4 hemi. If this were the Cummins, I would have likely gone for both (and maybe change the grid heater bolts so the engine would be protected).
I heard the 6.8L V10 also didn’t take to idling well, and neither did early versions of the Godzilla (which has now been fixed). But the Triton v10 is still a stout motor regardless.
Excellent Top Gear (specifically James May) reference 😀
I am leaning toward the Ford: the low mileage is a strong draw.
That, and the dogs are apparently NOT included with the Ram. No puppers, no deal. (The seller’s company is called K9 Motors, so I get why they’re there.)
Because some ambulances have the word printed backwards across the front so it reads in your rearview mirror?
Edit: …And Hardigree pays it off in TMD with TMBG.
I told Matt he had to use “ecnalumbas” somewhere.
I’d take the Ram. Working in the doghouse would be such a pain, plus, with no pass through, I would more likely lift the box off, put it on a trailer, and turn the cab and chassis into a regular truck! That’s if I REALLY wanted an RV.
That Ram does have the 545RFE, but no matter what someone’s opinion of the Powerstoke, I’d never consider a Hemi pulling an Ambulance. God, that must be horrid.
Also: the Ram has a recall open.
It is horrid. Our local ambulance is a Ram with the Hemi and it can’t get out of its own way.
Ford all the way. Also MN EMS people take very good care of their rigs. It is a little pricy but for something already not ambulance colored. I would pick the ford.
Low milage, low cost, in Houstoned. I would check to make sure it’s not a “flood car”.
I am not a diesel fan. Maybe your CR-V can supply some carbon offsets.
The Ford, being older, has less shit to break. The more modern a vehicle – the more electrical and computer module gremlins to sort out.
I would have taken the RAM if there were cats in the photo.
Sorry, to say, I am not a dog person (each to their own, as I can’t tolerate the stink of dogs), and some cannot tolerate cats treading litter, but anyway.
As it stands, I will take the Ford and make the back with a nice playground for some Gray tabbies or ginger cats.
Feel free to argue.
On my way to work I pass an ex ambulance, much like these, where the owner has added a ‘”J” to the word ambulance where ever it is on the truck, making it a Jambulance.
this will be Ford All day. the 7.3 Mystique and perceived value will win out over the small gasser with a more storied history of “Hemi Tick” with miles.
I will say the Ford Trans in these was not great and strangely, a fair number of 7.3 diesel specific parts, specifically electronics are getting tougher to find and/or repair. But I think the Black vehicle is better ready to go as is for me.
The more modern Ram is tempting, but a 7.3 Powerstroke with barely broken in mileage is worth paying a premium. It must not have had a long service life as an ambulance before the SWAT team took it over. Even if you give up on turning it into an RV you could strip out the interior and have a very useful box truck.
Thanks for doing this! Painkillers make it a little hard to concentrate.
I’ll take the Rambluance. Just because it’s fun to say Rambulance.
The only thing you need to concentrate on right now is that pink dragon.
You see him too? Oh good.
Hope it’s a smooth recovery! Major surgery doesn’t sound fun…
And the Ford, because it is priced so ridiculously high, is an Scambulance 😉
While the van chassis sucks to work on, that low miles 7.3 has a lot more life left in it than the Hemi does.