![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www..com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Us-1024x546.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBuying the “campulance”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If we’d known then what we know about converting a campervan, we\u2019d have bought an empty ambulance (and have done since!). But we bought a pre-converted one from a lovely couple of German backpackers. They had completed their travels in the campervan that they affectionately named their “campulance” and were heading home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We fully intended to leave the van\u2019s layout as it was, trying it out ourselves and tweaking as needed. But after a year of continuous use by the backpackers let’s just say it was a little fragrant! We got it home and set about stripping things back, removing all the soft furnishings and the mattress. On closer inspection the build quality wasn’t so great, and we were already discussing “what-if” options. Within a day or so it was completely gutted!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ambulances like this (with fibreglass bodies) make great campervans because they:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The downsides with buying an ambulance as a base vehicle were:<\/p>\n\n\n\n No sophisticated software was used for designing our campervan, just simple sketches really! But we had previously made a list of our must-haves so once the vehicle was stripped out, we went about planning the layout, making the best use of what was already there. For example, the externally accessed cupboard was perfect as a gas locker to hold our 9kg LPG bottle. Another small external door could provide access to the fresh and grey water tanks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our must-haves list:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The main thing we were prepared to compromise on was a fixed toilet\/shower cubicle \u2013 we thought it would take up too much real estate and still end up being a tight squeeze! So we have a portable loo and a Joolca gas-heated water system and ensuite shower tent instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We started with the flooring, selecting timber-effect vinyl planks. And then, to both cover some of the internal damage from the previous conversion and provide something to fix to, we installed plywood walls. We wanted to separate the kitchen from the living\/dining\/sleeping area with some form of divider and hit upon the idea of using live edge timber slabs vertically to look like there were trees growing through the van! From there a loose woodland theme was developed and we found various items featuring deer – like wallpaper, cushions and even a plushy stag head!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan then fitted the kitchen cabinetry, appliances, dividers and bench seats, along with the plumbing and electrics. Clever chap! The only thing he didn\u2019t do was the tiling (though he was quite happy to give it a go!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our poor ambulance sustained a fair bit of damage when he was decommissioned \u2013 it looked like they\u2019d removed the stickers with a pickaxe! One of the most satisfying jobs was getting the bodywork repaired and painted. Not a cheap job by any stretch (about $8k) but what a difference!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once back from the paint shop, the slightly nerve-racking job of cutting holes in a perfectly good roof made way for two skylights and the chimney. And then the gorgeous log burner went in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I got crafty and made the seat cushions, curtains and blinds\u2026 and adding some quirky touches like the magnetic spice rack, message board, seed lights and artwork. And Ivan<\/a> was born! All up, converting the trusty ambulance into lovely campervan took us about 7 months, working on him most weekends alongside our day jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So what did this all cost? All up our investment was $48k. We spent nearly $19k on the ambulance but our lesson there was that we should\u2019ve bought an empty ambulance for $3k or $4k less!<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www..com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/20190224_133957-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www..com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/20190224_151527-2-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhy we chose an ambulance for our van conversion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Deciding on a layout for our self-build campervan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www..com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/20190309_175433-1-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www..com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Sketches-841x1024.jpg\"){kind=spacer}
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe style and fit-out of the campervan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www..com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/20190323_190633-1024x768.jpg\")
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www..com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/20190730_184016-2-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nGiving our converted ambulance the finishing touches<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www..com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/IP7A9892.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www..com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/IP7A9961.jpg\")
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<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nGetting a return on our investment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www..com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/20191026_135421-2-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"