So I Bought an Ambulance

**The Reverend Floater** · 03-31-2013, 01:34 AM

So...uh...yeah. Went to a farm/ranch auction today with a few buddies. We hit these up once or twice a year because we can score crazy deals on shit like tools, equipment, etc. As an example, my first purchase of the day was a nice rolling tool cabinet full of about 100 assorted wrenches, sockets, ratchets and other random tools for $90.

I should have left right then and there, but a nice air compressor had my attention (it ended up going for way more than boner territory).

Well at these auctions, they often have tons of old vehicles like flatbed trucks, tractors, etc. This one featured an old dump truck, a 1 ton flatbed, two tractors, a bunch of stock trailers and...a 1987 E350 ambulance. We should have bought the dump truck--it went for $1200 and we could have sold it on Craigslist for 3 times that much in a heartbeat.

We had checked the ambulance out of shear intrigue, commenting on how cool it would be to convert it to an RV. It's a dually in great shape with a 6.9L diesel and around 100K miles, inverters for external outlets, tons of storage compartments, flood lights, spot lights, a propane heater and an interior with a bunch of storage and really good lighting...pretty much what you'd expect from an ambulance. And yeah, the emergency lights still work, though the siren had been disabled.

Well the bidding started at $3K but nobody bit so they backtracked. Still nobody bid. My buddy blurts out $100 and the bidding starts. A hispanic dude is competing and the rest of the crowd of ranchers and farmers is just laughing. I whisper that I'd split it with him, but no more than $500 total. He ended up winning at $700, so I guess I'm in the hole for $350.

We drove it 40 miles home and I have to say, the fucking thing drives like a damned caddy. Super smooth, quiet and really well maintained since it was a county vehicle. But now the $350 question: What the fuck do we do with an ambulance? We could start converting it to a party rig/RV by customizing the interior and painting it, but that seems like a lot of work and I've already got a project vehicle on my hands. Still, building a bar inside, adding an awning and fold out BBQ, etc. would create a pretty cool toy.

Anyone got any ideas? Could we just flip it? Seems like they're going for around $3K on government surplus sites, but we live in BFE. Anyone ever converted one of these? Any good ideas? At a minimum, we'd need to flush and service the tranny and probably lift it since it would have a hard time in getting into the BC around here with it's low clearance. A couple of blocks and new springs would add 4". And the tires are A/T's that are damned near new.

This just seemed like perfect crowd sourcing exercise for the Collective. Have at it! Here's a pic of it, with my buddy's dad taking a look.

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**LightRanger** · 03-31-2013, 01:50 AM

Add a gun turret to the top.

**powdork** · 03-31-2013, 02:08 AM

thats awesome. powder highway? i'll be the guy in the orange and blue with a dog and my thumb out.

**MakersTeleMark** · 03-31-2013, 02:09 AM

Drive to the nearest town and flip it for 5k.

**Arty50** · 03-31-2013, 02:48 AM

You people disappoint me.

Sir, you now have the ultimate resort mobile. Roll that bitch right up to the front of paid parking with the lights flashing, strap your skis on a gurney, and roll them out the back and right up to the lift. I mean, who's going to tow an ambulance?

Best of all, you can toss a BBQ in the back and throw down some mean tailgate action. Or...even better...fill every available space with IVs full of whiskey. Bonus points if you roll up for the Sun Valley closing day party with a full load of naughty nurses.

**guroo270** · 03-31-2013, 03:09 AM

This is classic, dare I say epic! Popcorn eating smiley guy.

**systemoverblow'd** · 03-31-2013, 04:34 AM

My buddies in high school turned an ambulance into their bands "tour bus"

**Diamond Joe** · 03-31-2013, 05:01 AM

start an ambulance service.

you know what they charge for a ride to the hospital?? its like 700-1000 PER trip

cha ching

**guroo270** · 03-31-2013, 05:21 AM

I can attest to that. A 3 mile ambulance ride in CO costs $990. But I say start an unhealthy bacon based food truck. Blurred can work your fryer. Bacon tacos where the taco shells are made of bacon.

**Benny Profane** · 03-31-2013, 06:24 AM

I like it. A food truck. But, yeah, really unhealthy food. Like this place: http://www.heartattackgrill.com yeah, and have girls dressed up as nurses serving.

Or, maybe a limo service for bachelor parties. You know, well prepared "just in case". With girls dressed up as nurses.

Whatever it is, try to include girls dressed up as nurses.

**Cruiser** · 03-31-2013, 06:48 AM

Sell the parts that are easy to remove on eBay in order to recoup your investment and fund the purchase of a decent video camera and a full face helmet. Then rent a dozer and build a big earthen ramp. Go all Nitro Circus on that shit and post the vid on YouTube.

SB · 03-31-2013, 07:11 AM

ultimate party wagon potential

**iceman** · 03-31-2013, 08:31 AM

I know some guys, big Redskins fans, they got a custom redskins paintjob on it and party like mofos at the tailgates...I think they use it 8 times a year, more if the Skins get in the playoffs...so maybe 9 times tops.

edit: found a pic of it online:

They have the siren hooked up. Makes a fucking racket when they're getting ready to go to the games. No idea why they have the facebook thing on there. Maybe that's a different one, looks just like it though.

**Tye 1on** · 03-31-2013, 08:39 AM

Ski/bike race van/rolling shop.

**CantDog** · 03-31-2013, 09:17 AM

How do you find the farm auctions? There a website aggregator for them? Or local paper?

**Hott Butt Mud** · 03-31-2013, 09:40 AM

In Russia they use older ambulances as taxi cabs for the rich (illegally). $200 per ride gets the sirens lit up and gets you through heavy traffic....