I have a Dodge WC54 ambulance currently under full restoration. The idea is to re-create a Special Communications Unit WC54 as used by British communucations teams when operating in the US sectors of the post-Normandy campaign theatre (these handled the top level intelligence from Bletchley Park, direct to the US top brass). These Dodges were delivered to Bletchley in normal ambulance form; the Brits left on the US numbers but I think must have painted out the red crosses (data I have is unclear on that); interior stripped and basic ( though top of the range) radio gear installed with a free standing aerial so the vehicle did not stand out as a radio truck. The Units also had DRs assigned, using M20s or WDG3s. Anyhow, I am planning to use all this as an excuse to create in effect a combined motorcycle carrier and small camper. The load area is long and the body is insulated......ideal! However, while the vehicle in question is still coming together after having a lot of work done on the body, I am pondering how I could equip it to make loading a motorcycle easier.......and one-man operation. I am thinking about a fairly long ramp as the tailgate is quite high on these and an electric winch with a hand controller. Has anyone done anything similar? Ideas welcome! I will have a 12V power supply available. BTW, the photo below is "before" restoration!

Your idea of a ramp would work. As you know it needs to be strong to take the weight of the bike and you,as you will need to walk alongside to keep the bike upright. It does end up making the ramp quite wide and potentially heavy.
I will be interested to see your solution. Best of luck.
Regards, Jon Sewell

email (option): jonsewell8@hotmail.com

me n dad had an ambulance for several years, and used it to take my bike to normandy several times...
used a normal ally loading ramp, the type that fold in half.

worked fine

email (option): chris dot astinbarker at btinterne dot .com

I wouldn't be without my £50 Ebay 12v electric winch as I have a steep drive and there is no way I can push anything other than the Raleigh moped up it into the garage. You should be able to set it up so you can sit on the bike while winching it up as long at your ramp is wide enough to put your feet down secureky during the slow winch.

FYI,

don't use a ramp that is to short otherwise the bike will stuck at the middle just when it is half way into your van. Since your van height is quite high you have a serious problem to get it into your van. I experience this my selves when getting a Harley via a 2.5 meter long ramp into my normal trailer.

Perhaps you should go for a slide system. make a rectangular frame approx 80 cm wide and 2.20 meter long with a duct in the middle to fix the 2 wheels and make on the front a holder where the front wheel in locks ( you have these systems on motor trailers). then the tie down the bike with ropes.
the frame should be against your van. In the van you can have two rails that guide the frame with bike . With a winch you pull the frame with bike into your van.
If you use roller wheel on the frame construction ( can even be plain metal rolls with a m10 or M8 bolt through it) it is a certainly a piece of cake to get the 180 kg into the van with a winch .

On top of that your bike is well secured into the van also !

It is in principle the same idea as how they got patients on a stretcher into the ambulance !

success

Ruud

Thanks for suggestions, everyone! I WILL post my eventual solution. Cheers, Ferg

email (option): fergusanckorn@icloud.com