1986 Mercedes 508D ex-military ambulance buildout
When the owner of this van contacted me about building out this gem of a van I was stoked! As much as newer vehicles are smooth and reliable there is just something that speaks to me about something older and unique.
The van came to me with the floor, walls and heater installed and from there I began turning this into the camping and ski rig of their dreams. They had a really good idea of what they wanted for the layout and after some design chats I set to work. This included a nice kitchen prep area with sink and fridge, lounger/couch that converts into a bed, overhead storage, BBQ storage and a cabinet that allowed access to the portable toilet. All of this while maintaining some of the original ambulance pieces such as the buzzers, oh sh*t straps on the roof (not shown), jump seat and switch panel.
The biggest challenge of this build was the compound curve of the roof, it was quite the feat to line it all up and make it look good! anyone with an airstream likely knows the challenge this creates and it’s no small feat to overcome.
Overall this build was challenging and rewarding and I am proud to see it off on the road!