The Wam Bam Thank You Van comes out of its stupor

I've FINALLY been making some progress on my 65 Econoline.

I finally got the '64 Galaxie 9" rear back from HRCC where they upgraded it to a 3.50 POSI and fixed all the things that were wrong with a rear that "came from a driver" ...sure it did (thanks ebay guy!). I added some paint... and it glows.



Now that the rear was in I could work on dropping in the 302 HO. My freind Matt came over to help. I had already installed a crossmember modified for that motor, but the motor wouldn't go in. WTF? The guy who modified the crossmember used a jig and has made dozens of these things and they've always worked great




I gave him a call. It turned out that I had properly installed a front sump pan... but I had no idea there was a difference between a car and a truck pan. FYI, the sump on the truck pan is about 3" longer. So, I ordered a '65 Mustang pan and it fit, but the oil pickup didn't. Of course. Had a new one from NAPA the next day and dropped the motor in... but the stupid motor mounts didn't fit.



After a phone call to the guy who built the crossmember, I discovered that he forgot to finish drilling the mounts. I spent awhile under the van drilling, lowering the motor, lifting the motor, filing, repeat... but I finally got it in!





You can barely see it, but here's the hanging Econo-only 240 3-speed trans. I got it for free. I drained it and the oil looked virtually unused. It should handle the 302 just fine



Next up is the front end. I had a stuck lower shock mount, which also holds the sway bar and I wanted to change all the bushings, bearings, all the brake parts, and paint the frame anyway, so I decided to yank the whole straight axle. Of course, in the process I broke one rare, Econoline-only part, but I think I've sourced another one, or I can fabricate a new one.



Crusty! Actually, these photos don't begin to show how nasty it is under the van.



OTOH, while I was waiting for the rear end, I decided to POR15 what I could. The area between the frame rails was in good shape, so I painted it and undercoated it up to the motor hole. The area between the frame and the rockers, OTOH, is completely toast. Luckily, the unibody frame is in good shape, plus the Econoline is mainly flat panels, so the floors and inner rockers should be a cinch. I already have replacement outer rockers.

Before. You can see the black line of grease where the old rear end/u-joint slung oil for years



Here you can see the 200lb weight attached to the rear of all Econos to give them traction when unloaded. I thought about removing it to paint the metal above it, but I could still see factory paint... and I'm not crazy enough to lower a 200 lb chunk of iron above my head by undoing rusty crusty 40 year old bolts.



After



here you can see the contrast between inside and outside the frame... althought the camera didn't capture the really bad stuff.



Now I need to take the drum/hubs to get the old studs cut out and new ones swedged in by a machine shop. Stupid Ford. I have brand new heavy duty finned drums to install.

 

do zip ties make good spring clamps?

 

Cant wait to get home so I can see these pics. Cant access them form work. Congrats!

 

absolutely! And they're cheap!

Actually, I wasn't too sure about the integrity of the bolt holding them together... or IF there was a bolt holding them together, so I figured zip ties would keep them from falling on the ground when I removed the axle.

 

Ohhhh that's a good name for a van.....

I've got my eye on a Dodge van like that. I'm gonna name it "Free Candy" and have that painted on the side of it real big in some big ole disco letters....

 

hahaha!! I mentioned to my wife that I was going to hang some ropes and an axe, and a few other tools of the trade, on the walls of my panel van. She said it would be funny... until I got pulled over for speeding and the cop peeped inside. I am considering writing "Killing is my business and business is fine" on the bumper... but I live in the ghetto and it my get me into some trouble.

 

Hahahaha that's awesome.

Cool van though, love the rear

 

"Wam Bam Thank You Van" - WHAT AN AWESOME NAME . Looks like this is going to keep you busy and out of trouble for a while... Always great to see transformations, or should I say a phoenix come back from its ashes, thanks to the sweat and blood of a hotrodder with a vision. Congrats on your progress and hard work... (PS: Oh, and make sure to get that tetanus shot)

 

PSS: Looks like somebody is eyeballing your rear end

 

I have always loved vans and have owned several, not surprisingly the 1st choice of molesters, serial killers and possibly makes me wierd that way. Cool van and project. I have never acted on my impulses. (ha,ha.) Although my '71 Ford van from California had mirrors on the ceiling which I thought was cool.

 

Damn that looks like a lot of work to clean up. Are you planning on a dropped axle or just stock?
You gas mileage is going to suck though, with the carb put on that way!

 

OOOOoooooohhhhhhh ... I SO miss my 65 Econoline. I sold it before I did the V8 Swap.. man. Those are a LOT of fun... keep the pics coming!

 

I see some nasty finger prints on that engine!

 

Dropped axle means a lot of fabrication and messing with steering geometry. NO thanks. I want to use this as band and parts hauler, and fun driver, so I want it to be relatively practical.. i.e., stock height. I should get decent MPG. Good gearing and the dang thing probably only weighs 1500 lbs! Yeah, the carb is on backwards. I was just playing around with it before I took the pics. The throttle cable comes in on the right side though.

Clean up is only half the battle

The Agenda:
1. Front end rebuild (brakes, bushings, bearings, and studs)
2. Throttle linkage conversion
3. Dual MC conversion
4. Fabricate electric fan mounts
5. Install alternator and serpentine belt
6. Figure out how to get an oil filter in there
7. Figure out where to mount the electric fuel pump
8. Gas tank conversion
9. Plumb brake and fuel lines
10. Wire everything up with Rebel Wire harness
11. Modify dogbox for header clearance
12. Start 'er up!

then start on the body work...

 

heh! I didn't even have it on the hoist yet and it was already greasy and scratched!

 

Looks awsome. I have always loved them and the A-100's.

 

I wonder if you can get some drop spindles and just give it a 2" drop?

It may even omprove handling. Last time I was in one of those things I was sure it was gonna flip over...

 

Great job, Hellfish. I was thinking maybe you were supposed to use a modern double-sump oil pan, but by the look of that crossmember, I guess not!
I applaud you, the family-man-to-be, for getting a REAL van and not succumbing to the (GASP) mini-van!

See ya soon,
Al Von

 

My wife has put her foot down. She said there is absolutely no freaking way we are going to own a mini-van. So I guess I'm safe there. She really digs Magnums, but we don't dig their price tag.

Rashy, because of the front steering, relatively shallow front wheel wells, and other things, a 2" drop spindle would probably not improve things. A friend dropped his using a dropped tubular Model A crossmember and he had to do a lot of fabrication just to get it driveable... but it drove like shit. Another guy I talked to that dropped his really low said it drove horribly after the drop and got really squirrelly. ANyway, it only acts like it's gonna flip if you take corners really fast... and I haven't flipped it yet.

 

I just had a local metalsop bend up new side panels for mine. They used 18 gage and I only had to pay 130.00 for BOTH ! Plus no shipping and no chance for the shipper to beat the shit out of em along the way.
All those Econo body parts with the exception of the rear corners are pretty easy to make or have made. Thats a nice project. Who was the crossmember supplier?

 

umm... I just paid $30 for the passenger side panel (18ga) for mine, but the larger driver's side is $80... but I don't need that one. I got them from Mill Supply. Nothing was damaged. Of course, no one makes the front wheel lips or rocker area below the front doors, turn signal area, etc... in other words, none of the harder-to-fabricate pieces.

Sean O'Dell of Blue Oval Engineering in CA takes 65-67 170 & 240 tubular crossmembers and puts them in a jig designed by an old Econoliner (who passed away a few years ago) and changes the mounts so that a 289-302-351w SBF will drop right in. It was about $250-300 including powdercoating and shipping. Given my failed attempts at fabricating it myself... it was worth it. I can get you his number if you PM me.

 

How about this for a bumper logo "WANT TO SEE MY DEAD HOOKER HIGH HEEL COLLECTION?".

I said that at an employee development meeting. We had some pre-school type employee pep coach who informed everybody they had to tell something personal about themselves to the group to build trust. Well, all of our employees know my sense of humor so it didn't freak anyone out. The woman then asked "how does a person collect shoes from dead hookers ?" I looked her dead in the eye and said "How indeed!". She was mortified and the room exploded in laughter.

 

I want to go to your meetings

actually... in my neighborhood... that sticker might make some neighbors mad... the hookers.

 

What gas tank do you plan on using?It looks like you have a similar set up under there as my 62 falcon wagon.I am thinking about using a Mustang gas tank because they are cheap and easily available. I have already cut out all the anemic cross braces that hold the tank so I'm free to build what I need. So I'm definitely curious about your plans...

Killer Van dude! (Pun intended)

 

yeah, I have a 65-67(?) Mustang tank. It's the same dimensions as the stock tank, but a little deeper (more gallons). You will need to weld up the top filler and add the side filler from the stock tank, and a top vent. Someone on the OldEconolines Yahoo group used a 69 Mustang (I think) 20 gal tank and it worked just as well. I just happened to have the 17(?) gal tank laying around from another project, otherwise I'd use the 20.

 

Fredo asked for some photos of the whole van. It's really not much to see now... but it will be when I'm done.

Matt on his phone after the first failed motor swap attempt



Django and HotRodChassis helping me pull the nastiest, greasiest, oily mess of a 170 out of the van



Just chillin' on the street

 

Wowsa.. Thats a steal. Everywhere I looked they were about 120.00 per side. You know how to shop! That's gonna be a killer van!

 

That Bomb rocks!!!!!!!!!!!

 

You got the no-window "Ped-o-phile" version...

I've been looking for a smokin' deal on a Dodge A-100 van... a little 90" wheelbase one WITH windows...

Van's are cool.

Sam.

 

i just picked up an econoline for my girlfriend a few weeks ago. she resisted the van idea for over a year now, until she realized she could get one with windows! we had one in the driveway within a week. i'd rather have a panel van, but she's gotta be able to see. we came to a compromise, she gets windows, but they are gonna be BLUE windows!