What was the year range on the "cool" econolines?

Like Barnett's?

the unibody looking ones they also made trux outta? But I want the van...

They came with which engine, 300? transmission?

Would they make a decent tow vehicle for small stuff, say like a uhaul car trailer carrying an "A-ish" hotrod?

Thinking when iget rid of the caddy and vw bus, a utility beater would be helpful... can't tow with my copper truck, now since its down, fortuneatley the caddy has a trunk as big as an import pickup bed... not that I haul shit on a regular basis...

but they're cool, I could paint "free candy for little {20 yr old} girls" on the side...

or the aztec goddess... Ya think I could get a "vinyl magnet stick-on aztec van-godess?" I could just slap her on the side when I pull into Whittier....

and camp in the damn thing...

I could paint it brown and let ricky tell me how slow it is...

PIX?

later,
J

 

I've got a '67 A-100 van, they look about the same. I decided to wait for the van scene to come back before I start to work on it though. Does JCW still sell those window kits and other cool van stuff? I was thinking about painting it black with a light bar and putting 6 KC daylighters on it. Slotted mags and big white letter tires. Wood paneling from menards, and some carpet would complete the look.

On second thought, this is totally sick. I'll just put a motor in it, put a roll of duct tape in the glove box, and tell people that no, i'm not a serial killer. that would be a lot more fun.

I don't think they'd tow all that well. The suspension sucks. They are top heavy, and most vans prolly had six bangers for motors. But I don't know, I'm might put that 360 i've got into my A-100, and see if it works any good. Dave

 

Theres a yellow Dodge van around here....Lettered as "Cat Scratch Fever"...it's got ALL the custom van crap. I would really like to talk to the owner....but I'm so afraid.

 

AWW, YEEEAH, shroom window...

Well, if I can tow a bug well with a 4 cyl datsun, how would the 6 do with a trailer and an A with say, a v8 in it? Or a bigger car on a dolley? or is this just a total no go for towing anything?

 

Cuz "ya make a pussy purr with the stroke of your hand"...right, Hatch???

That may be Uncle Ted's van!!!!

 

61-67. Most if not all had the 170-200 6 cyl. I don't think they put the 300 in them until the 68 bigger body style. Only the Dodges were available with v8's but I seen some swaps.

 

I want one too. For Ford I believe you're looking at '61-'67. The early window vans were Falcon vans. Until '65 you could only get the small six like in Falcons. '65 saw the intro of the big six and the 240 was available, very easily upraded to the 300. '67 got dual circuit brakes. Econoline only C4 was available and maybe a very odd 4 speed manual but 3 speeds were most common.

I personally wouldn't tow with one, they're unibody for one thing. But I would live in one with a badass mural.

Dodge vans were available with the 318 and 727 which is a pretty bulletproof combo and they look just as classy. The Chevy's came with the 250 and I'm beginning to like their spacecraft look more and more.

Chris

 

61 to 64/5 are the funkiest ones, running gear is all falcon 6cyl stuff,so are a lot of other incidental parts.Think you can wack in a SBF pretty easy...

 

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and most vans prolly had six bangers for motors.

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Ford vans of that era only came with sixes.

my dad had a '67 also, the only new car he ever bought.

 

Not a very active site but lots of pictures and some tech...

Econoline

Chris

 

I dunno, I never tried to tow anything with it. I'm going to see what happens with my van, its worth a shot because I won't have any money into it. I was driving around for work and saw it in a guys yard. $300 later it was mine. Had a slant 6, but no motor in it when I got it.

We have a '69 GMC with a 350 in it for towing. With the trailer and 3500 pounds of car, I wouldn't want anything less than that 350. It tows pretty good, but is slow up hills. We can count on driving up alot of hills at 50 mph. As far as motors go, with a 6 you would prolly be ok with a model A on a trailer, as long as you don't plan on driving 70 mph. Dave

 

I had a customer with one (the van, not truck) that needed an engine. Originally it was a 200. I put in a 300, but never was able to keep it from overheating in 110 degree Texas summers. We even had a custom radiator built, but it still ran too hot.

Finally wound up putting another 200 in it and the overheating problem went away.

Just FYI, I'm sure with some more tinkering we could probably have beat the problem. He needed the van back though, because he was a house painter and it was his work van. We were in a rush during the whole thing.

 

anyone got a pic of what the similar chevy looked like? My past history isn't so great with fords

 

I had a 66 with a 240. headders and a 4bbl. Built C4 auto. Little sucker ran hard. One of my all time favorite cas. They handle very well. They just look top heavy, It's just sheet metal. I dropped mine 3" all around, drove it like a sports car. Towing something relativly light with one wouldn't be a problem, with the big six. A v8 swap is easy. A unibody will take a hitch fine, you just have to mount it correctly.
Man, when I think back on all the shit I did with and in that truck....makes me want to grow my hair long again and get another "fucktruck"

 

See if this pic works...

It's the "second" generation forward control Chevy. "First generation" looked very similar.


There was also a Corvair based van, the Corvan which was pretty ugly.

Chris

 

my pops had a 62 econoline van,2 tone blue with fades and a sweet tire cover with the words "moody blue" on it!!!loved that van...there is one a few blocks from my place i've been eyeballin' for a while...good luck findin' one burndup!! there are always some on EGAY

 

Mine is a 66 with a little 170, 3 spd. Best runnin, most dependable low maint. vehicle I've owned yet! The Dodges had slant 6's or 318s I think...and a really cool Schwinn style shifter on the dash!

 

"Junior" that works for MARSHALL has a chopped Ecno with a 302 C-6, daily driver for years.......OLDBEET

 

did someone say Econoline? This is to be a shop truck with mid mt 427 bb chev. Has been a crowd pleaser at local pull events.Thought it would bee cool pulling my race car. Actually not shure what year it is.

 

Lockjaw, that thing is COOL!

 

I just found a 65 Econoline, it belongs to the dad of a guy I work with. I've been bugging him to see if it was for sale, I wanted the front axle and the rear end out of it. So I finally go to see it the other day expecting to find a rot bucket. Instead it's a fairly rust free panel van with the extension on the tail. The body is really straight and no one has cut windows in the sides. He'll sell it too me fairly cheap but I actually feel bad about scrapping it just for the suspension when it is in such good shape.

 

I vote for "not scrapping it"...there's several Econos and Dodge A-100's in the junkyards down here...gotta be some up there, too, right? Mine is the longer van, as well..."Supervan" is the model.

 

BARNETT, I'm not going to scrap it, my conscience won't let me. It's been in this guys car port for 25 years. It can stay there until I find someone that wants to fix it!

 

Jeff,lurkin Nate from saltspring wants one.Hopefully he sees this or I'll chat attem later this week and let him know........Shiny

 

Uhh.. how do you pull the engine outta one of those vans? Thru the passenger doors?

 

i want to build one exactly like the one Steve Stanford drew thats featured in the latest Truckin magazine. it FREAKIN ROCKS!!! i WILL own it one day...

 

Shiny, let me know. It's even got some cool old aluminum slots on it.

 

Nice...another "ugly" van might be saved!

 

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Shiny, let me know. It's even got some cool old aluminum slots on it.

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YO, interested guy right here too. did you get my email?? thanks..

 

1961 - 1967 were the "first generation" Econolines. There were few external differences, the only noticeable being a change in the side trim.

You could get a 240 in the later ones. I swapped mine for a stock 300 and it is fast in such a little truck. It also has a stock 9" rear. I have the "top of the line" Falcon Deluxe Club Wagon. Mine's for sale, but I doubt you California guys have need for a PA van.