My latest project

[R7]

I've been looking for a while now for a vehicle that i could use for side work, transport my bikes out of the weather, and maybe even partial use as a camper. I was looking for an older heavy duty van..
I found what i was looking for and then some!! I made the deal at the end of last week and picked it up today after work. 1981 chevy c-30 dualie ambulance that only has 46,000 miles on it. It's got some police package high performance 454cid big block (405 hp according to the manual) with a 400 hydromatic transmission. Hit the gas in this fucken thing and it rips!!!
Mechanical work it needs very little, oil change, transmission service, coolant change, convert the ac to R-13 and recharge it, basic service type shit. Seeing how the vehicle was stored inside most of it's life, there is also no body rot on the cab, fenders and doors. The back body is all aluminum.
The back body has a side door with a step and a double back door also with a step and a partial ramp. There are multiple locking storage compartments all in good working condition. It also has 4 sliding windows with screens which are pretty cool.
This is a multi functional vehicle for me as i can set it up to put a bike or 2 in it for a trip somewhere, use it as a camper (stonnerstock), and use all the outer storage compartments for my tools for doing sidework.
Yeah, it's gonna be a gas hog but seeing i only paid a thousand bux for it and the insurance is 140 bux a year, how can i go wrong?
Not that anyone cares, just thought i'd share

Sorry Randy there is no sireen on it but the power converter thingy you spoke of is still there, must be why the altenator is the size of a basketball?

[Stoneman]

Fuckin' aye, sweet!

[PinHead]

That is the balls! I do have a siren and the strobes Came out of a cop car its the shit!
Real fast ride to stonerstock *priceless*

[RandyO]

I"ve seen ambulances of that vintage converted to work vehicles before, most of them can run all kinds of power tools, prolly takes 100 or so of that HP just to run the inverter. the only vehicle I've ever seen that makes a better work truck is an old Snap-On truck.

[GMAN226]

What other kinda shit did you see while you were looking??? This sounds like a sweet Trailer tower for the race team

G-man

[R7]

Originally posted by CBR600GER
What other kinda shit did you see while you were looking??? This sounds like a sweet Trailer tower for the race team

G-man

I looked at a few older vans but they weren't heavy duty enuff to use for work. I looked at a newer (early 90's) chevy cube van with a lift gate for about what i paid for the ambulance but it needed an engine.

A trailer tower? Dood, you can fit 2 bikes in it, all your gear, camp in it, ac/heat in the back, who needs a trailer?

[Quigs]

pics! pics! pics!

[GMAN226]

Originally posted by R7
I looked at a few older vans but they weren't heavy duty enuff to use for work. I looked at a newer (early 90's) chevy cube van with a lift gate for about what i paid for the ambulance but it needed an engine.

A trailer tower? Dood, you can fit 2 bikes in it, all your gear, camp in it, ac/heat in the back, who needs a trailer?

Find one for me and things wil be great...

[R7]

CQ, i'll see if i can get some pictures sometime

I started to do the full service on the engine today, an 8 gallon coolant change along with new hoses and belts, 8 quart oil change + filter, plugs, wires, cap and rotor, air filter, and fuel filter.
Does anyone know anything about auto ac units? The compressor wouldn't kick on so i jumped the switch to see if it would come on, it came rite on so i'm assuming the system is either low on R-12 or the switch is bad? Where could i go to get the R-12 removed so i can convert to the R-13? Why do i want to convert it? R-12=$65lb, R-13=$3.99lb. The system takes 7 lbs:o

[PinHead]

Get the A/C converted. It wont come on probably due to the low pressure sw. The cost is reasonable to do it these days and with the cost of R12 it would cost you more to just fill it with 7 lbs. than it would be to convert it, and if it leaks again your screwed.

[R7]

I've been driving this thing around for a little while now to try and get some miles on it and make sure it's reliable before i go to far
Kicking around town i got about 9mpg with it. The engine runs awsome but the transmission is a little on the weak side (chatters when it shifts). I used to be able to get these transmissions (hydromatic 400) rebuilt for $200 so i'm not overly worried about it. I do have a hydramatic 350 all rebuilt with a shift kit but i'm not sure it would hold up to the torque??
The exhaust is good on it but those little air injector tubes (smog pump?) are rotted and leaking so it sounds kinda shitty up front.
I've spent quite a bit of time removing all the old electrical crap that was in it, i must have 50-60 lbs of wire and battery cables all in a pile that i removed Once i'm sure it's mechanically sound, i'll start to restore the inside of the box part as a camper. Lucky i do alot of modular office work and am able to get a good collection of panneling and hardware

Just thought i'd keep anyone that gives a shit updated

[Jank]

Yeah! Don't you know we can't visualize shit!!
Where the photos???!!

[oreo_n2]

hey mark what happened to your log cabin idea? Do you still have the R7?

[PinHead]

Yeah! Don't you know we can't visualize shit!!

How do you say , uh................"PIE"

[R7]

I don't have a digi camera, or a picture scanner, or even a pc, so unless someone wants to come and snap some pictures, i can't help ya

Guys at work played a little joke on me today and tied one of those electrical wire spools to the trailer hitch with a peice of wire, knowing that i wouldn't be able to see it beind me. I dragged that fucker 10 miles down the interstate before i realized that's why so many people were honking and flipping me the bird. What, you think i stopped?

Yes i still have the R7 and yes, i still plan on the log cabin but the R7 must go before i can start the log cabin project