Projects Econoline Pickup "The Buzzing Half Dozen"

This past weekend I picked up this 1963 Econoline 5W pickup.

Like most of these that have been sitting for a while, she has rot in all the normal places. And some in some not so normal spots.

This little truck is going to be my daily driver and parts hauler. I plan on getting the little 144 inline six up and running and drive her around while I do the body work and build a 200 inline six for her.

I have already torn into the motor and found what I believe to be the reason it died on the previous owner. The timing chain has a lot and i mean a LOT of slack in it. This weekend I will be putting a new timing chain on and will see if she will fire up.

 

Since I cant do anything else to the engine until pay day I decided to start doing a little body work. The passenger side seemed to be in great shape so I thought I would just strip it down and primer it....boy was I wrong. The whole lower panel was covered in bondo. One area the bondo was 1/2" thick. lucky for me the patch panels for that area are real fair priced. Only 99 each.

The top of the passenger panel was in good shape so I continued to strip it and got a coat of primer on it. I also striped and primed the front of the dog house while I had it off.

 

The tail gate is in good shape.

Since this is going to be a parts hauler I plan on removing the old rotten panel and putting in a sheet of diamond plate and rhino lining the bed. I will make a tonneau cover to hide the diamond plate.

 

Its rare to find one that still has it's tailgate..Good find.

 

Thanks...lucky for me the previous owner took the tailgate off and kept it inside in dry storage.
I know where 2 more of these truck are that are NOT for sale and neither of them have there Tailgate.

 

Mig Drill Vicegrips And Beer! Lots Of BEER .... Take Your Time and Drink Plenty. and listen to some rockabilly while working and you will be fine.

 

Funny you should mention that...any time I'm out side working on one of my projects I have my I-pod blaring rockabilly and I have plenty of cold beer in the fridge.

 

Last night I pulled the carb off. The bottom end of the carb was stuck. After a lot of carb cleaner and a little elbow grease i got the carb all cleaned up and working smoothly.

Tonight I plan on pulling the alternator and starter off and taking them to the parts store to have them tested.

Since I have to wait until payday to get the parts I need I am trying to get as many of the little things done as I can.

 

I got the Starter and Alternator tested yesterday..both are good to go. I also pulled the dog house the rest of the way out. I will get it cleaned up and primed before I reinstall it.

 

Well....I will not be able to get the truck running this weekend. No one can get the timing chain in before the middle of next week.

 

Yesterday I pulled the front bumper and removed the grill (which was bondoed in place on the lower half. I spent a good hour chipping away at the bondo with a hammer and a screwdriver.

In one of the pics below you can see just how much slack is really in the timing chain.

I also started stripping the passenger side door.

 

got some good news. The Timing Chain is suppose to be in Tomorrow. So hopefully I will be able to get the engine back together and running in the next few days. Tonight I will reinstall the starter, alternator, valve cover, and carburetor. Clean up the timing chain cover and go ahead and remove the old timing chain.

 

Hell Yah ! Your given that Ecoblaster a new life for sure . with all you have done with the timing chain, Carb , new points ect. I no have dought that your eco will have the same Late 70's corvett power that my eco has. BaWAAHAHA ! I have all the power I need to go down the hills around here ! with my 170 eng. keep the pics a come'n

 

Just picked up the timing chain. On my way home now see if we can breath some new life into this old six.....Wish me luck

And thanks to the HAMB I have a grood lead on a freshly built 200 inline six with all the goodies already in it. Punched .30 over, clay smith cam, 78 head. That should scoot the little eco down the road...just hope the deal goes thru.

 

I have always like the way these trucks looked. Congrats on the score and keep up the good work.

 

ive always loved those little trucks. i had one that was perfect had a little 144 and wouldnt pull itself up a hill.but it was fun to drive on flat land.traded it to a guy i bough my land from as a down payment. now i wish i just have given him cash instead.

 

I got the timing chain installed but I was not able to get the six running yet. the Distributor was loose so I need to get the #1 cylinder to top dead center and make sure the dizzy is in the right position.

I am picking up a new battery today for the truck.

I stripped the back of the cab and the passenger door. Who ever did the body work on this truck before didnt try and repair any of the dents. They just filled them in with bondo and built up the area. Lucky for me I have my stud gun..I'm going to work out as many of the dents as I can.

 

that sure brings back some memories! i drove a 67 e-100 back in the 70s. it was a former coca-cola delivery truck with 4:11 gears and a 170 with terminal knock. put a 250 in it and it was a mach- 1 beater. back then junkyards were full of em so parts were cheap. finally sold it because cops just loved to pull me over in it and see if i was doing anything illegal. good luck with your project--i'll bet a lot of people will ask you how much work was involved converting a van into a pickup!

 

nice i believe i see a boston terrier in that first set of pics

 

Last night I pulled most of the dents out of the passenger door and front wheel well. I still have a little more pulling to do but it is looking much better already.

I also spent some time trying to get the engine fired up. NO Luck...but I did figure out what the problem is. I have No Spark at the plugs. No I just have to find out why I have no spark at the plugs.

 

A freind of mine in high school back in the 70's had one of these. With no weight on rear you could do great burnouts.

 

I would love to put a 250 in mine but I think Im going with a hoped up 200.

Yep...sure is a boston. That is my little buddy "Bacon" he jumps up in the truck with me while Im working on it. He ends up in a lot of my pics

 

Great find, and great thread. Keep going.

 

i had one years ago, wish i still have it ,just dont drive her in the snow,lol,

 

Years ago when I bought my 64 E100 I asked the guy how fast will it go. He asked me how far away I lived, when I told him he said pack a lunch!
At the time I had to replace the lower middle side panels and found that two lefts were needed and worked because the more popular vans had side doors and no right stamping was available for the pickups.

 

Yesterday I fixed my no spark issue. I was sold a bad set of points. put the new set it and got spark. I still can't get the engine to fire up. I have the timing set correctly and I have tried turning the dizzy but I am not getting in life out of the engine.

 

I live in Southeast GA...I dont really have to worry about snow...lol

 

Fiddled with the motor some yesterday. Still cant get her to fire up. but its getting close. I did a little body work to. Mainly welding up some holes and primed the bare metal parts. I will go back later and finish filling the dents. I can say I will most definitely have a LOT less bondo than was on it before.

 

Moving right along!
Saw you over in VV too! Keep up the good work!

 

Thanks..Im hoping to have her ready for paint in about a month.