About
Ellie
From fire department to expedition vehicle
20.02.2022 - Project to convert living container for expedition vehicle started
2 become 1 - MAN TGL &MB & 1429 fire department
In 2022, we decided to swap our unique MB Sprinter for even more comfort and switch to a truck. 👨👩👧👦Die Searching for a 4x4 truck with DOKA and 6m container seemed impossible. Even our dream, an MB Zetros 😍, was as far away as our destination South Africa. The expedition vehicle providers have waiting periods of several years...and we have no patience. So we first focused on a container and, with a lot of luck, found this MAN TGL 8.180 and bought it straight away. 🥳The 6m container was already safe and we converted it over time according to our needs.🤩Of course, we still needed an off-road capable chassis and so the search continued...
Of course, the right chassis for the finished container was still missing. After all, we want to escape from mass tourism.😆
The long search begins...
We were also torn as to which brand to choose and finally settled on Mercedes. But a model with a crew cab and space for a 6m container seemed almost impossible. It also had to be a 🇨🇭 vehicle, not an import.
In the right place at the right time, we found our MB 1429 AF 4x4 Doka 😍
Just in time for Sam's 2nd birthday, he got his own big fire department 😂🎉
The next conversion project begins...
The perfect base for a wedding of two trucks 😍😅 The fire department superstructure was allowed to make way for our 6m container. Speaking of space 🙈 the chassis of our MB was extended again and now the container also fits on it 🤣...almost...a completely new frame, adapted to the chassis, marries the container to the fire department in the end.
So that the GRP doesn't tear off-road and the container always stays nice and straight, we had a 3-point bearing installed. All that's missing are a few “little things”, such as a 400-liter diesel tank, transport boxes, wheel arches, new seats with seat belts...🤪
Red truck and white container? 🤔Not possible 😅 That's why we opted for a complete wrap😍 With the wedding of the former fire department and the container, our Ellie was born in August 2022. 💪🥂 A few add-on parts, such as tanks etc. are still missing and then “Ellie and the Family” can start.
Yeah, done...the living container has been converted🤩📺Beamer🍽Dishwasher 👚👕👖Waschmaschine🥶Tiefkühltruhe🚽 Clesana C1and everything you need or maybe not🙈😆
Yeah, done...the living container has been converted🤩📺Beamer🍽Dishwasher 👚👕👖Waschmaschine🥶Tiefkühltruhe🚽 Clesana C1and everything you need or maybe not🙈😆
The finishing touches...
Our Ellie is now equipped with underride protection (regulation) that can be folded up (for off-road tours 😜). The 5.50 m long awning is also bombproof, but still needs a “leg extension” 😂 to the ground. Additional LED spotlights ensure that night turns into day 💪🤩 MFK is also through 😝✌️sodass we were finally able to bring our baby home in October 2022...
Exactly one year later, in October 2023, we had our container in Turkey completely renovated once again. The kids wanted their own bed (or rather we did 🤔😆)
