Van conversions are all the rage and it seems as if we have seen almost everything converted into a traveling home. It includes everything from sprinter vans to old school buses, but there is one that we have seen that really takes the cake.
As far as out-of-the-box conversions go, this one doesn’t necessarily fit into that mold. It was the brainchild and creation of travel enthusiast Ian Dow, who took an old ambulance and converted it into a home on wheels. You can see how he did it in the following video:
When Dow spoke with ABC, he said that the decision to create a new home out of the lifesaving vehicle was a spur of the moment decision.
He said:
“I’d been searching for a van to convert and was blinded by the Sprinter fad. After getting burned by a Craigslist seller – he backed out after I drove 12 hours to buy his Sprinter – I was depressed and I crashed my motorcycle. Then I had an epiphany. I was in pain and needed some emergency help. Sitting on the couch that night with a busted shoulder, I searched eBay for ambulances, found a cheap one, and even Google Earthed the charity listed as the seller, finding the ambulance parked right outside.”
The 1994 Ford E350 Dually Type ll Osage ambulance was purchased by Dow for $2800. When you consider the price of most conversion vans from the showroom, it’s an absolute steal.
Since he didn’t spend all the money on a sprinter van, he could spend the bulk of his money on updating the interior of the ambulance. That included a seating area that turns into a bed or workspace and a sofa. Included on the inside are wooden surfaces with teak floors and a kitchenette in the corner that includes a sink, stove, and a magnetic knife holder. There is even a trash portal. Plenty of storage is also included inside and the indoor surfboard rack helps to hold his prized possession.
The motorcycle was stored on the rear of the ambulance in a rack that was designed for that purpose. There is enough room up top for an umbrella and a tent so he can sleep under the stars.
Dow has always been one for adventure and obviously, he has a creative side as well. This isn’t just a project that he took on, it’s something that will help him to travel around, meet new people, and experience life on his terms.
Although he is happy with the end result, he does say that the weight of the ambulance conversion is its only downfall. He is not able to take it off-road very far, but he does have a motorcycle for that purpose. His travels to date include Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica but he plans on pushing that further.