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Marshall's ambulance 109 onto new chassis


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Hello!

 

 I had a use of the search button, but nothing specific to my question appeared so i figured i'd ask here.

 

I've seen a marshalls ambulance body for sale, not major money and although i've converted the rear of my 110 into a half decent camper, it's an ongoing project which requires living for 2 adults and 2 dogs ( 1 being an old english sheepdog ) it's a tad cosy.

 That aside, my first question is;   Will a 109 Series IIa marshalls ambulance body fit onto my 2011 USW chasis fairly easily?  I don't mind a bit of tinkering or welding, but i can't see there being a huge problem, but i'm open to advice from someone who may have done it or has both vehicles and can confirm or deny.

The second question is, will my doors fit or was there a difference in the B pillar from a Series IIa and a 2011 USW?  Will the strike plates be in the same area?  Or do i need to source some Series IIa doors or similar.

 

Thank you for reading :D

 

Badger

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You'd be better off looking for a Defender based unit to fit on what is after all a late USW. If I were you I'd sell the USW while they are still making strong money and but a Wolf or 127/130 ambulance, or even one of the civvy Defender ambulance conversions. Anything is possible but a Series based Marshall's ambulance body is going to have some age to it now and I can't really see the logic in trying to mount one on a late Defender. The ambulance bodies tend to be heavy and require beefed up springs etc.

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Interesting point regarding the springs...however doesn't the USW come with HD springs as standard?  (:EDIT: They're standard non HD's)

The arse end on mine is fairly high or perhaps i need to put more stuff in it ;)

 

I've done a fair few mods to the current USW including purchasing a dormobile roof for it so i'm not inclined to sell it and buy another.  The roof can be transfered to the ambulance body quite easily.

 

The beauty of Landies is the possibility to do this kind of project, therefore the question regarding the swapping of the body work.

Edited by Badger110
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A set of rear springs are only £50, I wouldn't let that dictate a big project like that... but as HOG says a Series ambulance body is going to be fairly long in the tooth now. Also aren't most of them very low, as in you can't stand up in them?

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I had a Series 2A marshall ambulance , with no rear interior fittings it weighed 2500kg , twin tanks and 7.50-16's  so I can confirm they are F heavy and also low inside , it did take me all over France for 6 weeks but that was solo  .

A mate did put one on a 110 years ago using a series 3 windscreen iirc and a 4236 up front with no real issues .

cheers

Steve b  

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The weight is interesting, however i currently have the rear the of the 110 kitted out with cabinets, sink, cooker, a roof tent, roof rack and all manner of extras so i know i'm carrying a decent amount of extra weight already.  if i was really worried about weight and mpg and such, then i wouldn't be driving a landy ;)

 

I'd like to strip it out of all fittings and rely on the shell to base the next camper conversion.  I have a Bedford CF2 dormobile roof complete ( still on the bedford! ) arriving in a week or 2 which, if i get the ambulance body, will be fitted to that for headroom and sleeping ( if not it'll be modified for the 110 as it is ).  A dormobile roof isn't a major weight gain over, say a roof tent, which i currently have.

 

I don't know the structure of the body itself, perhaps someone who has one here can advise on what it's actually made of ( aluminium panels? ) and where the weight is ?

 

The ambulance body piqued my interest as it gives a little more width than a 110, with access to storage etc on the outside, is connected to the cab and combined with a dormobile roof, will create a good living space.

 

Also i can build the entire project seperate to the 110, still use that for camping with a roof tent, and when it's complete, fit it. 

 

 

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1 hour ago, steve b said:

I had a Series 2A marshall ambulance , with no rear interior fittings it weighed 2500kg , twin tanks and 7.50-16's  so I can confirm they are F heavy and also low inside , it did take me all over France for 6 weeks but that was solo  .

A mate did put one on a 110 years ago using a series 3 windscreen iirc and a 4236 up front with no real issues .

cheers

Steve b  

That's interesting...what was the model year was it?

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1 hour ago, Happyoldgit said:

Much better sourcing a later body off a 127 which are relatively lighter. But hacking a 2011 USW about doesn't make sense, has it been involved in a shunt or something?

Not at all. it's been stripped of all fittings, dynamatted and insulated, aircon removed and rebuilt with the rear set of seats removed, cabinets made, cooker, sink and seating made up with secondary battery, webasto and lighting re done.

 

I don't think a 127 ambulance body will fit on the 110 chassis...

 

Hacking it about is abit extreme in your description though 😉...it's removal of rear panels, roof, tub and rear doors with the possibilty of fitting a different set of doors and maybe a windscreen. I'm hoping the B post is the same as the sII b post on the ambulance body which means i can keep the doors, but if i need to replace them, it's no biggy.  Fuel tank will remain in situ i believe and everything else is left as it is...just body work removal that i can see.

 

My last TD5 CSW was turned into a pickup straight forward enough...it's a landy, simple stuff to build and change :D

Edited by Badger110
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26 minutes ago, Badger110 said:

Not at all. it's been stripped of all fittings, dynamatted and insulated, aircon removed and rebuilt with the rear set of seats removed, cabinets made, cooker, sink and seating made up with secondary battery, webasto and lighting re done.

 

I don't think a 127 ambulance body will fit on the 110 chassis...

 

Hacking it about is abit extreme in your description though 😉...it's removal of rear panels, roof, tub and rear doors with the possibilty of fitting a different set of doors and maybe a windscreen. I'm hoping the B post is the same as the sII b post on the ambulance body which means i can keep the doors, but if i need to replace them, it's no biggy.  Fuel tank will remain in situ i believe and everything else is left as it is...just body work removal that i can see.

 

My last TD5 CSW was turned into a pickup straight forward enough...it's a landy, simple stuff to build and change :D

 

Please bear in mind that I've owned umpteen LR's over 40+ years including some ex mil, some bought new and a good few clunkers so I know a bit about what I speak ;) I know LR's are akin to Meccano sets but boy oh boy I see no rhyme or reason in fitting an ancient and heavy Marshall's ambulance body off a 109 to a relatively late 110 unless the latter vehicle has body issues in some way. There have been plenty of civvy 110 ambulances conversions who's coachwork provide far greater room than the Marshall's 109 conversion. TBH one of those bodies would be a far better proposition.

To clarify, my suggestion regarding the 127 body [either Marshall's or Locomotors, I converted a Locomotors 127 into a camper in the early 2000's] was to provide the basis to modify the ambulance box, not try to nail it complete onto a 110 chassis.

Is your 2011 110 USW in good nick?

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Look what I found:

hu7q-w-6364.jpg

 

I have to say, I don't think it looks out of place. 

Some more useful info here, depending on how good your German is?

https://www.blacklandy.eu/blboard/forum/showthread.php?100533-Welche-Stossd%E4mpfer-und-Federn-110-Ambulance

Daan

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57 minutes ago, Daan said:

There's more:

http://imagerover.photoshelter.com/img/pixel.gifpixel.gif

1 hour ago, Daan said:

Not sure what this is, did it start as a 109 body as well?

c968b2ac949603fa755f8b471e6654ec.jpg

 

TI've followed the build of this for some itme.  This is a beautiful example of how to do a restoration/conversion correctly.  The attention to detail is pretty good with this build...although i'm not a lover of shiny landies, this clean one does turn my head.  The interior is tastfully done and with a dormobile roof, it could be downright awesome :D

58 minutes ago, Daan said:

 

1 hour ago, Daan said:

Look what I found:

hu7q-w-6364.jpg

 

I have to say, I don't think it looks out of place. 

Some more useful info here, depending on how good your German is?

https://www.blacklandy.eu/blboard/forum/showthread.php?100533-Welche-Stossd%E4mpfer-und-Federn-110-Ambulance

Daan

I like it!  I tried to translate the german but the majority is talk of the ride height at the back.  It seems this one started life as a DCPU...

Cheers fo the links Daan!

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3 minutes ago, Badger110 said:

Cheers fo the links Daan!

Any time, we are the most informative Landrover Forum after all.

 

5 minutes ago, Badger110 said:

TI've followed the build of this for some itme.  This is a beautiful example of how to do a restoration/conversion correctly.  The attention to detail is pretty good with this build...although i'm not a lover of shiny landies, this clean one does turn my head.  The interior is tastfully done and with a dormobile roof, it could be downright awesome

Could you post a link? I reckon if you start tearing the 109 body apart, and replace anything steel for ali, you could get the weight down significantly.

I would encourage you to start a build thread on your Landy.

Daan

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1 hour ago, Happyoldgit said:

 

Please bear in mind that I've owned umpteen LR's over 40+ years including some ex mil, some bought new and a good few clunkers so I know a bit about what I speak ;) I know LR's are akin to Meccano sets but boy oh boy I see no rhyme or reason in fitting an ancient and heavy Marshall's ambulance body off a 109 to a relatively late 110 unless the latter vehicle has body issues in some way. There have been plenty of civvy 110 ambulances conversions who's coachwork provide far greater room than the Marshall's 109 conversion. TBH one of those bodies would be a far better proposition.

To clarify, my suggestion regarding the 127 body [either Marshall's or Locomotors, I converted a Locomotors 127 into a camper in the early 2000's] was to provide the basis to modify the ambulance box, not try to nail it complete onto a 110 chassis.

Is your 2011 110 USW in good nick?

You and me both then! They're in my blood as much as you ;)  Nowt wrong with my USW other than the usual oil leaks :D

 

You do say about putting a ancient and heavy ambulance body on the back of mine, but why is it heavy?  I can't see when it's stripped back to aluminuim, being that heavy? Obviously they are built as a seperate unit so come with their own supporting structure, but what else is in the weight? 

A few people have stated that they weigh in at 2500kg, which isn't a huge difference to a loaded up roof tented 110 and with good joinery skills ( which i happen to be ) cabinets and interiors can be lightweight and durable without using heavy materials.

I'll look into the civvy 110 ambulances as i wasn't aware of any existing!

 

I

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5 minutes ago, Daan said:

Any time, we are the most informative Landrover Forum after all.

 

Could you post a link? I reckon if you start tearing the 109 body apart, and replace anything steel for ali, you could get the weight down significantly.

I would encourage you to start a build thread on your Landy.

Daan

https://www.journaldu4x4.com/defender-110-sw-cellule-ambulance/

 

You will need to google translate to get the text, but it doesn't tell you much that the pictures haven't done already.

 

I do think about starting a build thread, but with this one, it's had it's first stage done and although i have taken pictures, there isn't anything out of the ordinary so to speak.  It had the usual strip out from new, insulated, sound proofing etc, and rebuilt with cabinets, water storage, gas, cooker, sink, webasto heater and modular seating and a roof tent to top it off.

 

The ambulance build could be a little more interesting though...even if i don't go for it i still might do one for the bedford dormobile roof conversion as that will take some thought to get it to fit ;)

 

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It transforms the living space having a pop up roof.

 I’ve always been drawn to the Dormobile though, as the are better at utilising the space rather than a wedge design and allow more light into the rear area.

The downside to is the weakness of the roof for carrying anything as it’s GRP 

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Weeeeellllll

 

The ambulance body got purchased before i got to see it, so alas, this porject will be on the backburner for a while until another one pops up on my radar.

 

In the meantime i shall begin a thread on how to shoe horn a Bedford CF2 dormobile roof onto a 110 in the not too distant future ( angle grinders and buckets of resin at the ready! )

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Good luck with the project !!

Not sure about the Dormobile roof..

I am very, very fortunate to be on this forum and a roof section is en route as I type from the UK to France for me to use for the 110 lift roof conversion.

Yes, IF people want, I'll start a tread here..

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1 hour ago, Arjan said:

Good luck with the project !!

Not sure about the Dormobile roof..

I am very, very fortunate to be on this forum and a roof section is en route as I type from the UK to France for me to use for the 110 lift roof conversion.

Yes, IF people want, I'll start a tread here..

 

I looked at the various variations for roof pop ups and the dormobile just gives the most space and lightens up the rear as well with the extra windows in the shell.

Price wise they're very reasonable as well and a 2nd hand one being rare as rocking horse poo, even cheaper.

The work involved getting this one to fit will be interesting as the roof is wider than the 110 body so will require re working..the flipside is it's GRP so easy to work with

 

 I followed you thread and was going to offer to hold it for you down my way ( near plymouth so ferry over to France is down the road from me ) but i arrived late to the party and it has been sorted.

Would like to see what you come up with :)

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