Ambulance ConversionKevinOphoff2024-02-29T15:21:11-07:00

Ambulance Conversion is a “Campulance”

A retired ambulance is a great vehicle to convert into a tiny home or RV. They are sturdy metal construction with several locking outside compartments, perfect for expensive batteries, a generator, solar electric system, and other valuables to be kept safely tucked away.

They also have sturdy metal inside cabinetry that, while very utilitarian-looking, provides great storage space.

There are Four Types of Ambulances

Type 1 is a pickup truck chassis with the ambulance box mounted on the back. Generally built on a Ford F350 or a Chevy Express 3500, you’ll occasionally find them on a Chevy Silverado 3500, GMC Savana 3500, or GMC Sierra. They usually do not have a walk-through to the cab, just a window.

Type 2 is a converted cargo van like a Sprinter or Ford Transit. These are the smallest of the ambulance types. Most run on regular gas and have raised roofs for comfortable standing. These are the most fuel-efficient, and handle best on the road.

Type 3 is mounted on a van chassis and are very similar to a Type 1, but a little lighter-duty and lighter gross vehicle weight. These usually use a Ford E350 or E450, or a Chevy G3500 0r G4500.

Type 4 is similar to a Type 1, but on a much more heavy-duty chassis. These are made by International and Freightliner. They usually have a walk-through to the cab. You can pile on the extra amenities like cargo boxes and large fresh water tanks, but they are the worst for fuel efficiency. They can have up to 74″ of head room.

The Pros

The rear of a ambulance resembles a Class C motor home. It’s much larger than a converted van or Class B motor home, and will be less expensive than buying a Sprinter van.
Ambulances are built on several types of truck or van chassis that have been prepare to handle an extra-large and heavy load. Some are 4-wheel drive and off-road ready.
They come equipped with higher output alternators, large storage batteries, and inverters.
Towing packages and extra cooling have usually been included.
You can expect that they have been well maintained.
There’s a lot of roof surface for solar panels, an air conditioner, and storage boxes.

The Cons

That extra-sturdy construction will make it more difficult to install windows.
There will be tons of extra wiring and ambulance infrastructure you’ll need to remove.
Many ambulance ceilings are just a bit too low for you to be able to stand up inside.
The paperwork to get the registration changed from a commercial vehicle to an RV is complicated and takes time.
The engines are usually diesel-powered. That means that, while being very dependable and longer-lived, can be complicated to repair. Diesel fuel is also more expensive than gas right now.

Interior Design Options

Unless you do a total gut job, your interior choice can be limited to working around the existing cabinetry.

As in the photo below, the kitchen is usually constructed by utilizing the existing cabinets right behind the driver’s seat. Notice the Cubic Mini wood stove right by the side door. I’ve seen the cabinet behind it used as a closet or a bathroom. Watch the YouTube® video below to see what James did.

Notice to the left of the stove, James has an under-counter refrigerator/freezer that doubles as counter space when closed.

An under-counter powered cooler like the Dometic CFX3 95DZ Dual Zone Powered 12 Volt Cooler is super-efficient. When you lift the lid, the cold air stays inside instead of spilling out like a conventional refrigerator does.

He has dinette cushions in front of the cabinet housing the cooler, which do not block access to the food.

See James’ YouTube® channel

James Williams’ Homeless and Jobless Living In My Dream Rig |Starting Over Series| EP1

Ambulance Conversions Bed Options

The bed is almost always placed in the back. An ambulance is wide enough for a full height person to lay flat comfortable without adding bed flares like you need to do with a camper van.

The bed is elevated to clear the wheel wells and provides a large area for storage. Some have used it for large water tanks to extend their off-grid days. The weight of the water is right over the rear tires.

We recommend getting a good mattress. It may cost a bit more than you wanted to spend but you’ll appreciate it each time you wake up from a great nights sleep.

RoamRest, The Perfect Mattress for Your Overland Vehicle

When it comes to finding the best mattress for your van, campulance, or RV, there are many factors to consider. Luckily, the team at RoamRest are experts in creating mattresses that are luxurious, dependable, and specifically designed for campers!

Whether you’re looking for a plush mattress for a luxury campulance or a medium-firm mattress for more support, they have just what you need.

RoamRest makes folding mattresses and cushions for benches and expanding beds. Check them out.

Don’t Forget the Anti-condensation Mattress Underlay

I did see one clever builder use a wire bed frame to support the mattress. This was a good idea because air could reach the underside of the mattress and clear moisture away. However, most of us will want to use a plywood base just because it’s easy and inexpensive. But this doesn’t allow for air movement under the mattress making a perfect environment for mold.

It’s essential to use a Den Dry anti-condensation mattress underlay to prevent mold buildup. Den-Dry Condensation Control from Ravenwolf Marine is a pad under your mattress, providing enough lift to allow airflow. Most importantly, this exposes any moisture that has formed on the bedding platform to air out, allowing condensation to evaporate. In other words, airflow helps keep condensation from seeping into your sleep investment.

Combating Excess Moisture

A tight metal box like an ambulance will retain moisture if not vented properly. Always engineer a good ventilation system into your ambulance conversion.

Modifications You May Want to Make to Your Ambulance Conversion

The first modification I’d recommend would be to add an awning or two. Ambulances are metal boxes with minimal insulation; they will be very warm in the summer sun. Awnings provides critical shade. Awnings made for camper/van conversions will work just fine.

Motorized awnings made by Fiamma can cost between $1,249.00 and $1,602.00.* When retracted, they pack themselves into a aerodynamic hard shell.
Inexpensive manual awning can be ordered thru The Home Depot for as low as $288.00*
RECPRO has mid-priced awnings made for RVs that are quality products. Take 5% off using coupon code TINYLIFE.

We develop, manufacture, and import our own products in addition to selling Atwood, Suburban, SHURflo, and other quality name brand products.

Photo courtesy Project Rising Phoenix 2.0

Adding a Solar System to Your Ambulance Conversion

Retired ambulances typically come with a bank of batteries to run all of their lights, sirens, and medical equipment. These batteries are usually well beyond their prime and should be replaced.

Lithium batteries should be your choice because of their storage capacity, large number of charge cycles, and lighter weight. The one downside is they need to be kept above 30° F when charging. One or more of the outside cabinets will already be electrical. This is the perfect place to install the rest of the solar system.

The roof is flat and sturdy, the perfect place for mounting solar panels. James Williams (photo at top of page) built a tilting mounting bracket to aim the solar panels right into the sun. His electrical panel is shown at the right.

In the image above, notice that Chris Densen not only has two awnings to create shade on both sides, but also has two solar panels on a slide mount. While traveling, the solar panels cover the rear panel, but when stopped the solar panels slide off to the left or right. This uncovers the rear panel, increasing his collection surface. Also note the flexible solar panel on the wind deflector over the cab. This is used to keep the engine battery topped off.

Exterior Ambulance Conversion Modifications

Like a school bus, you’ll need to remove all of the official decals, emergency lights, and sirens, but remember: it’s still going to look like an ambulance. Rachel, builder of the Glambo, removed the lights and made little windows using the vacated holes, letting in a lot of natural light.

Rachel used the exterior cabinet behind the kitchen for her plumbing. You can see her fresh water tank and seven-gallon water heater in the picture to the right.

The roof is sturdy and can hold a lot of weight. James made a massive roof rack that holds his tilting solar panels, several antennas, and some big storage boxes in the section that hangs over the cab.

With the solar panels elevated, there’s room for a low profile air conditioner and other vents. The elevated solar panels also provide shade for the campulance roof. He painted the entire exterior with a textured bedliner. The bedliner is abrasion resistant, looks good, and reflects UV rays so the rig stays cooler.

Adding a trailer hitch to an ambulance camper conversion

Adding a trailer hitch is not easy, but can be done. It will need to be welded on. This opens up a plethora of cargo-carrying options, including a bike or motorcycle carrier, luggage rack, and grill stand.

One of the Best Ambulance Conversions I’ve Ever Seen

Starting with a 2002 Freightliner FL60, Ginger and Greg of DrivenToAdventure created a 4×4 overland expedition vehicle for a total cost of $59K.

The interior is full of clever design ideas and the exterior has storage everywhere. Just look at the incredible storage/bike/spare tire rack on the back. Click on the photo to see more at their Instagram page.

Ambulances are built with exterior storage compartments that extend 14″ below the frame rails so your center of gravity is really low, making the vehicle stable on rough terrain.

There’s a full bathroom with shower. The bed folds down into position as the dinette drops out of the way.

They did a total gut job, so you can see all of the structural parts you’ll need to contend with (in the video below) if you do a conversion. See the details of the drive train conversion here.

This couple built this ambulance conversion 3 years ago and set out for adventure. Along the way they fell in love with a small town in Mexico and decided to settle down, so the rig is for sale. See details here.

Here’s a 12 minute time-lapse YouTube® video of the entire build

How to Find a Retired Ambulance to Convert to a Campulance

There are several companies that are dealers for retired service vehicles; Google™ would be a good place to start. Also check out EBay. EBay Motors is a safe source with their Buyers Protection Plan.