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Bedmobile in a Volvo V90

09.10.2017
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Thomas and Conny Aßmann are enthusiastic campers. After many years of travelling, Thomas Aßmann came up with the idea of converting a Volvo V90 ambulance (passenger car) into a cosy caravan. He sent us the following insight into how he came up with the car and what he converted in a short summary:

Hello dear Volvofans,

After many years of travelling as a camper with a caravan, I wanted to have a vehicle for more comfortable travelling, especially on longer journeys. In Sweden, our favourite holiday country, you come across more car-based ambulances than in Germany. Building a motorhome from an ambulance, with the driving comfort of a car, appealed to me.

Now the search for a base vehicle began. First I tried Germany. But the chosen Mercedes W210 was too rusty for me, and I couldn't get any emotions out of it when I visited it. The first Volvo in Sweden was no better. When the salesman didn't want to correct the price, we also made the return trip without an ambulance. But the test drive had infected me. It had to be a Volvo 960/V90!

I finally found what I was looking for at the motocross club in Vimmerby. The car was still fully equipped as an ambulance and had not yet had a van career. After the import, the Volvo had to be registered in Germany. The Swedish seller said he needed the registration copy to be able to deregister the car in Sweden. The full certificate was a bit more difficult to get, as these cars were not exported to Germany. Of course, there was no COC paper for it yet either. But after we had found an exhaust emission standard for the Volvo, I could register it.

First, I repaired some minor rust damage and had it completely painted on the outside. The colour stayed the same to keep the effort within limits. The interior work was really fun. The pondering, constructing, building and rebuilding was great. The priority was a comfortable bed. It became a double bed: 2m x 1,40m x 0,18m. The left half can be folded up to form a backrest.

Volvo V90 Bedmobile Interior Volvo V90 Bedmobile Interior

A small camping toilet still fit behind the driver's seat. It is only suitable for slim people, but gives a pleasant feeling when there is no other toilet nearby. The plywood wall on the side can be pulled out. The battery and charger are only moved in the car. A water tank and boiler found space under the rear floor. The sink can be rotated so that it can be used from outside or from the awning.

Volvo V90 Bedmobile Interior Volvo V90 Bedmobile Interior Volvo V90 Bedmobile Interior

A foldable table and a holder for the coffee machine complete the equipment. There is a storage compartment from the ambulance above the front part. Unfortunately, I haven't found a place for a permanently installed fridge yet. We currently use a cool box that we put in the back with the luggage. For heating, we have an infrared heater that will soon provide the small interior with cosy warmth. Of course, it doesn't work without a mains connection. The glass roof provides a pleasant climate.

Volvo V90 Bedmobile Interior Volvo V90 Bedmobile Interior

When we go on holiday, we can easily fit our two 28-capacity bicycles inside. Together with a bus awning, we have everything we need. The foil sticker is a reference to our favourite holiday destination. The Volvo constantly attracts curious glances. Many people approach us and tell us that they think it's really cool. We also have to tell some of them that the Volvo was not a hearse before.

For cheap driving, a gas system is installed. The 2.9l in-line six-cylinder is a dream, the journey is already a real holiday. So far we have been with the Volvo in Danish Jutland, in Sweden at Lake Vänern and Lake Siljan, in Poland (Baltic Sea and Masuria). We have also visited some German campsites and the Volvo 700/900 meeting in Brandenburg. More destinations will surely follow.

Many greetings from Vorpommern
Conny & Thomas

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