Woman Living in Her Off-Grid Ambulance Camper Conversion | FULL-TIME VAN LIFE
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 มี.ค. 2021
- Take a full tour of this stunning DIY conversion of an ambulance into a camper van, built by Amanda and her dad over 7 months. The vehicle is a 2006 Ford E-350 cutaway that used to be an emergency response vehicle for the US Navy. Amanda bought it for $10,000 CAD and the conversion cost an additional $10,000 CAD. Outfitted with a full kitchen, fixed bed, work station, closet, composting toilet, solar power, and a woodstove, this van is ready for off-grid adventures! Amanda is a solo female traveler in Canada who is passionate about baking, making music, and yoga, and she works as a voice-over actor using a portable sound booth in her tiny house on wheels.
You can find out more about Amanda's voice-over work and follow her van life journey here:
www.amandalemay.ca/
/ amandalemay.ca
Folk Life Magazine is the publication that Amanda is volunteering for:
www.folklifemag.ca/
A huge thank you to Simon from Finding Simon for filming the footage for this video!
You can follow his boat-building adventures on TH-cam here:
/ @findingsimon
Thanks for watching!
Mat & Danielle
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STAY IN TOUCH!
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Blog: www.exploringalternatives.ca
Facebook: / exploringalternativesblog
Instagram: / exploringalternatives
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COMMENTS
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We want our channel and our comments section to be an inclusive space where everyone feels welcome to watch and contribute. For this reason, comments that are inappropriate or hateful will be reported and/or deleted.
Please discuss and debate with respect, and report inappropriate or hateful comments directly to TH-cam.
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CREDITS
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Music & Song Credits:
All music in this video was composed, performed, and recorded by Mat of Exploring Alternatives.
Editing Credits:
Mat and Danielle of Exploring Alternatives
Filming Credits:
Simon Stiles from Finding Simon
/ @findingsimon
Photos of the Build:
Provided by Amanda Lemay
www.amandalemay.ca/
#vanlife #vantour #campervanconversion - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
Thank you for watching! You can follow and find out more about Amanda here:
instagram.com/amandalemay.ca/
www.amandalemay.ca/
This video was filmed by Finding Simon. Follow his boatbuilding adventures here:
th-cam.com/channels/zOdwGHROHbeJgJgxl0XP8w.html
@Frederic Reeber 00a00
u tell that u have 210amp battery bank but not tell witch type of this
One of the best conversion I've seen.
That's so cool your family help you build some things in your home .
WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH WORLD WAR COVID-19????
"a lovely gentleman that my dad curls with" is the most Canadian sentence...
'curls with' is how we spell it in Canada
@@annekennedy8127 oops. My Americanness is showing
I thought she said "that my dad cuddles with" at first 😂
@@WilsonRidge americans dont spell curls curles
@@dealio1762 I edited it for ya 😉
i like the fact that her family contributed to the build and I love the van it looks sturdy
Ambulances are generally built to be bombproof. Good base vehicles to start with.
@@taylorlibby7642 Wow that is really interesting never knew that. All the little doors outside the vehicle are a good design feature.
@@rutyael18Agreed. Every setup is slightly different, but the interior and exterior cubbies are a great feature. The drivetrains and suspension systems are extra burly too. The emergency lights and sirens are sometimes removed, sometimes not. Engines are mostly in the V8 and above class and they're heavy, so not the best gas mileage but pretty low maintenance. You can generally pick them up from local vehicle auctions reasonably.
@@taylorlibby7642 amazing. We are not in the States or Canada. We live in Norway in Europe so it will be nothing short of a miracle if we ever saw one of those here.
@@rutyael18 Sounds like a great excuse for trip! ; ) I was privileged to be able to visit your country when I was younger! An amazingly beautiful place with very nice people are my memories.
Amazing. When you look at the shots of the kitchen, you can’t tell that it’s in a vehicle home and not a free-standing home.
Right, nicer stove than any apartment I've lived in
It's really a wonderful build, but I want access to more running water. Just my own personal preference.
The space she got was amazing, it seemed very comfy.
I agree
What i love about this van house is how essential and individualized everything is. I get overwhelmed with all the complicated ways ppl build a tiny house and lose interest. But they made this van house in a beautiful minimalistic way. You got my attention again tiny living.
True, it's not claustrophobic like so many builds I see. I haven't seen the video yet, just the first minute of it, but had to comment on my first impressions.
To the woman in the blue truck...
1) Noticed your having difficulty sliding your butcher table open and close... Try lubricating only the areas that rub against the housing... A lubricating wax works well on wood without destroying the wood...
Check out "Paraffin Wax" as it has numerous functions, its east to store and some types can be used as a flammable fuel for cooking, etc...
2) Your wood stove has a Straight Exhaust Stack... Convert it into an "S" Exhaust Stack and it will increase the cabin heat approximately twice as much... OR... If your current controlled temperature is adequate... With an "S" Exhaust Stack you can reduce the amount of wood you burn by approximately half...
Note: Its not actually the shape of an "S" as the bottom and top of the Exaust Stack must connect at the center of the stove and the roof... However, the longer the center horizontal Exhaust Stack Section is the more heart will be produced... Heat is dependant upon the amount of fuel (wood) placed into the stove...
Would be nice if the comitt section allowed shop drawings...
Thanks so much for your suggestions, I'll look into that!
Great advice 👏
We need more Sweet people like you than earth 🌍 will become a paradise ❤️❤️❤️
@@lilypeace9841 ... I always make an effort... Was that you driving the Blue Lagoon...
Also just rub the side with a wax candle
AMANDA: This is quite possibly, of the hundreds of van builds that I have examined, the most organized and best use of space, not to mention the most aesthetically pleasing of ALL of them. Fine craftsmanship coupled with great build ideas. Thank you for sharing.
Amanda did an excellent job converting the emergency squad vehicle. Thanks Matt for sharing her story. We hope she has safe travels.👍👍❤
Thanks so much Cathy!
The cubic mini makes it look so cozy. Love this van.
Of all the tiny homes I've seen, this is the one I would want to actually live in!
I need an indoor toilet and shower… plus more water to wash my hands.
This is well done. Definitely gonna build my own soon.
I smiled the whole way through. Definitely "a dream!" So happy for her!
this is honestly the most beautiful van i have ever seen, truly natural and built with lots of love by your dad!
Oh wow, that's a gorgeous home. I love the woodstove!
I think getting rid of most of my books was the hardest thing to cull.
You got rid of your books too??
Books can be scanned and stored in the cloud or on hard drives.
Hands down the nicest convention van. Absolutely love it.
This is the best ambulance build out I've ever seen! I was glad to see you could access the front cab area. Having access to the front cab area would be a must for me. Your mobile recording studio is remarkable! I really am impressed!
I am definitely not a nomade nor a minimalist. But i found your projet of travelling across the country to work on bakery to develop your skillset is so inspiring. Most people down size for economic reason. Instead you made it to pursue a dream. Bravo. You should come to Montreal...we have the finest bread and viennoiseries of north america. Impossible to not takes few pounds here.
no one wants to live in quebec now; they likely all want to leave instead!
No, most are doing it because they want to travel and see.....
More than not.
Omg her dads smile is the best.
Now that’s a cool woman and an amazing ambulance to tiny house conversion!! Thanks for sharing your story Amanda 😁👍
Thanks so much for watching, Alex :) :) Hope you have a great day!
Well done, dad.
As someone who works in the back of ambulances regularly (and drives them when the medics need a firefighter driver so that they can both be in the back working a patient) ... this is an amazing idea. When the stretcher and bags are taken out, there is an amazing amount of room in the box.
Thank you for your service as a firefighter and medic. You all are in my daily prayers.
The best van build I've ever seen. I love the textiles used. The "giraffe" fabric is awesome!
Outstanding and reasonably priced set up. Love the wood stove and the Berkey.
“In touch with the business of living”, what a beautiful way to capture living life💜I love your abode!
NICE HOME ON WHEELS...PERFECT CONTEMPORARY DESIGN...CLEAN LINES, LOVE THE CABINET COLOR! THE WOODSTOVE IS THE ICING ON THE CAKE....ALL YOUR SYSTEMS ARE JUST RIGHT TOO! YOU REALLY DID AN AMAZING JOB WITH THIS RIG!! HAPPY TRAILS!! ♡☆♡
this is so awesome...imagine the action this thing has seen, people who died, or were brought back to life too...its huge and awesomely done.
I love the openness of the design inside the van - beautifully done. Good luck on your continuing journey!!
Looks so cozy!! Amazing revamp
This by far is one of the best ambulances build I have seen so far! Wow. what amazing job you and your dad did! Nice layout, seems so comfy and still have room to walk around inside. Congratulations on this!!
What a spectacular build! Such a functional design. What an amazing father/daughter project. You rock!
The best ambulance conversion I've seen!
the place looks amazing , you and your father did an awesome job .
Great van conversion and even better lifestyle, enjoy!
They did a great job on this!! I love it. It’s so cozy and serene. I’m jealous.
What a fantastic build out, and way to make a great life for yourself, Amanda! Super inspiring!
Damn that's a pretty sweet looking van!
Freaking beautiful design work - I especially loved that your whole family had a hand in helping - so awesome
I think you have a lovely home , glad you kept some off your vehicles past and incorporated it in your build. Stay safe 🙏 from the 🇬🇧
Wow! That is the best ambulance conversion I have seen !
Wow you would never think this was a ambulance ! Everything looks so beautiful I love it great job..😊
This is an amazing conversion.
Great conversion! Everything is beautiful and I like the family-contributed touches.
THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE BEST,VAN I HAVE SEEN!!!
Best designed ambulance to van conversion I've seen on youtube.
Simple and cozy little abode. Well done.
She has a wonderful van and lots of storage space. Awesome rig!
I love this conversion, and her life!
What I wouldn't give to be able to do voice over work, sing, draw & paint, & write my young adult fantasy novel!
Beautiful build!! Well done! Your dad, mom, and you are really creative and have done great craftsmanship on the van! One of the best van-homes i have seen!!
I love this van. I would buy it in a heartbeat!
I love her! And her tiny home is lovely!
Wow, by far the coolest van setup I've seen yet. Awesome.
I was the photographer for your condo when you sold it. We chatted about the road, radio, music, bread. LOVE this.
Kudos to Amanda - Her Tiny Home on wheels is wonderful! I would love to get rid of 90% of my stuff and have that freedom she has. :)
popcorn is very important🍿♥️
That’s awesome!!! We have a small RV but we are toying with the idea of a ambulance conversion to downsize more and have more freedom of maneuverability and travel! Thanks for sharing your rig!!
Blessed to be born into a family that cares.
She's so proud of her dad's work, and he looks so loving and joyful, it brings tears to my eyes. I miss my dad so much.
A beautiful van as well as attitude. Nicely done.
Yours is one of the best ambulance conversions I've seen. Nice job! 🌝👍
Great van build! Seems really spacious and cozy.
AMAZING VAN HOME!!!!
This is so amazing🥺 basically my childhood-teen age dream but with extra kitchen space
Love this video, the simple lifestyle and the environmental awareness. My partner and I are so looking forward to living in a van one day soon!
Congrats to Amanda and Dad on superb execution of so many great ways to minimize but not lose utility. A very impressive DIY conversion. Travel well.
This is so freaking awesome!
Amanda, you're living the life. She's the first I've heard who has clued in to the fact that we all make waste. Composting, recycling, reusing, are band-aids. Life is messy. We're not the only ones, animals make waste also. Everything we do to lessen the waste, though, is slowing down the destruction of our planet while we figure out how to deal with it.
What a rad human, who is literally painting this world with inspiration!
I loooooove your home! It is lovely! Thanks for sharing it and happy safe travels!
Congrats on being able to do voiceovers in your tiny vehicle! I think that is so awesome! I myself couldn't live my life in a tiny vehicle especially in South Florida because of the hurricanes.
Love it! Well done! Very inspirational ☺
Really amazing conversion and the life it gives you and the honesty!
Great for You! Enjoy your life while you are young and do your own thing. Be safe, live smartly, take care of your self, and always stay ALERT. Bless you.
I don't know what is more impressive. The Van or her. Oh, yeah I do - her. But I love her ability to minimize, and to focus. She's going to make some company extremely happy, if she does not in fact start her own company. Talk about driven. I love this channel!
By the way, I love this girl! I wish more young people could be like her.
I love that fireplace!!
I wonder if this cuts down on heating costs?
Hi Josh from Australia here you've given me inspiration love your set up great job it's awesome !
Great conversion! Wonderful job by Amanda and her dad / family! Mat, miss seeing you and Danielle. Please make a video soon so that we can catch up with how you two are doing. :) Thanks!
So cozy !!!!!
very, very, very well done.
love both you and your pops… reminds me of when mine was alive… good times
You and I have the same taste in designing. Thank you for the time dedicated, and information.
What a great job you and your dad did on your home. You guys could probably make some money doing that for others. I live near Calgary and I’m re-doing a 1985 3/4 ton van and I can’t wait until it’s ready. Good luck on your travels.
Hey another van lifer with a recording studio! I wonder how many of us there are :)
I'm planning on joining that group in the next few years (see my comment above). ♫♪
I am also one!
Awesome build!! I love your bookshelves and your use of storage, just awesome!!!
Love your van. It’s beautiful. Love your outlook on life and the way your doing you!! I wish you all the very best. Stay safe 👍🏻
I have watched thousands of these conversion videos and this is one of the best ever.Congratulations!...................... And you have an awesome dad!
I love these builds so very much! There are just so many creative ways to build a home in these mobile vehicles that I’m like how am I supposed to pick one lol 😂
@Lightning Gamer - Close your eyes and throw the dart. 😊
@@revdupartist9386 Haha you know, I love that idea! I'd be really happy with pretty much any option really 😊 great idea!
Incredible story Amanda! The tiny house truck conversion looks awesome. 👍
Love this one. So cool she made it work out of an old Navy Ambulance. Very creative
I wonder if the stovepipe could be remade to be telescopic, so it could be stealthier.
My thoughts as well and yes it can... But that would require climbing atop the van every time for set up and shut down... Doing it from the inside would be extremely expensive and require constant maintenance to stop leaks as vehicles vibrate extensively during transit...
For interior operations, the expensive is in designing and manufacturing a mechanical device for raising and lower and adding an interior donut type drain for rain run off... Which would require drilling another hole for the drain... Hence, Not Feasible...
With a few minutes to ponder, there is a stealth solution for the Stove Exhaust Stack...
18 wheelers have exhaust pipes that extend above the cab... At the top of these exhaust pipes there are Hinged Flap Lids that prevent rain, birds and insects from getting inside the pipes...
Remove the standard house exhaust cap and install a Hinged Flap Lid at the top of the stack... A Slightly Convexed Flap Lid will enhance rain runoff... Hence it will have the appearance of an Exhaust Pipe, not an interior stove...
Note: Chimneys / Exhaust Stacks require a minor elevation above the highest point of the structure that it is active in... Not being present to measure and calculate the issue, visually observance indicates that the Exhaust Stack on the blue truck can be shortened by cutting off 1/4 to 1/3 of its existing height... Thus increasing it's stealth...
@@rickhuttono1 Cubic stoves require 12" of chimney above the roof exit, and at least 36" total piping above the stove to ensure a good draft. Hers looks about right, but as you say, it's hard to tell without measuring. Not sure how the hinged flap lid would work with a wood stove. 🤔 I use a marine stove cap designed for heavy storms.
Yeah I know that with boats you can sometimes remove the stack and store it away when you're not using it, which would be a good option if she's just passing through somewhere, she can take it off in advance and keep stealthy.
Awesome work. Need more women like u.
This is one of the best conversion video that I have seen, excellent job making the most out of a small space.
Thank You for sharing a great video.
THE BEST VAN I HAVE EVER SEEN
This is absolutely Amazing. The kitchen is just Perfect. I could happily live like you. No question.
God Bless. ♥ Safe travels. ♥
*How do you wash dishes with a Berkey spout? It would taken me twice as long, and I already rinse and repeat like crazy when I use a standard sink faucet.*
It's surprising how little water you actually need to do the dishes. I heat a small pot of water on my stove, add a bit of Camp Suds biodegradable soap and pour it into a collapsible bucket in my sink. I scrub all the dishes with a wooden scrub brush from Zefiro then I use the berkey water to rinse everything. But I don't leave the spout on, just flick it on and off to get enough water to rinse each dish. I'm only one person and I have very few actual dishes so I'm washing dishes all the time but a very small amount. :)
If you are mindful of how you eat your meal, you can save your bread for last to soak up the sauces (for example), leaving a cleaner plate and reducing food waste.
I am currently living tiny in my big condo and testing my resolve. I can wash dishes with very little water. My trick? One spoon, one fork, one knife, one plate, and one bowl. The most water is taken with pots which I can use as a "sink" so it gets clean while I do the other dishes.
Nice!!I love the pull out wood table her and her dad made!!💜Great build🚔
The beauty of life is in its simplicity .. We must live life as it is so that we do not weaken in front of its temptations
..sweet rig! ....long story short ...your free!
the only change I might suggest is do not store anything important (that can burn) over your cooking stove.
AWESOME LITTLE HOME. I love the wood stove. Made with LOVE !!!!
❤️
I am thinking of doing this. I have no tie downs.
I am ready. Great video’s to learn from.
Excellent job making it look cozy. Can barely tell it is the inside of an ambulance.