When American car makers started putting the dimmer switch up on the steering column there were a lot of jokes going around about recalls to put the switch back on the floor. Seems some folks were getting their feet hung up in the steering wheel trying to dim the headlights.
Takes me back. I drove my father's 1964 Econoline window van when I was in High School (early 1970's). Cargo van with windows. A dozen people could fit back there, sitting on the floor. Panic braking was very exciting.
I Currently am Van Life in a 1977 Ford Econoline E-250 fully converted and restored camper on the inside :) bought the van for $3500, thos 351 W engines are solid when all the parts are working ! I bought a new Carb which cost around $1200 and she Runs like new with 200,000 original km shes a pig on gas , but after i isnatlled a new carb , fuel economy has gotten a noticeably better just need to do outside paint and body work
Armstrong steering, an engine cover console, and high-beams on the floor. The way American vans used to be. The suspension isn't stock, they didn't sit that high when they were new. I met a guy who was building one of these out to be a small ice cream van. He also had a '71 'Cuda with a 440 Six-Pack that he let me ride in, cool guy. He ran an ice cream shop out of an old gas station and used the garage to house his collection. The floor high beams are nice in an automatic but really annoying in a manual. Almost without fail, whenever I need to turn the high beams off in my classic I'm about to shift. I have to slam the shift so I can slip my foot off the clutch and dim the lights so I don't burn out the oncoming driver's eyes. During the day I have to leave the switch on high so I can flash the high beams by turning all the lights on and off. If you want bright AF headlights that still look like stock-ish sealed beams, get Hella Vision Plus if your state checks for DOT compliance or Cibie E-codes if your state doesn't care. The stock incandescent sealed beams on my ride were two tiny points of light in front of me, the Vision Plus is like modern halogen projectors on low and the Sun on high. Plug and play with replaceable bulbs like a modern car.
Learned to drive in a 66 Econoline van. That van can do a U-turn on just about any street and could easily haul half-ton of cargo (I delivered meat in one from 66 to 68). It was my college transportation and could be quite a challenge to drive in cross winds. All in all the only vehicle I have had as much fun in is my CJ-5. . . Note: The CJ-5 can’t do as tight a U turn as the old Econoline and it’s way easier to sleep in the Econoline!
My ex mother-in-law had one. She was an artist and photographer in the 1990's doing airbrush and pinstripe/ lettering on semi trucks and also glass etching. It looked like a wreck but always ran good. She had a bumper sticker on it that said "don't laugh, it's paid for." She was an American original and an oddly loveable lady once you got to know her.
I own and drive a 66 econoline panel version...this video made me laugh...great to see someone hop in and drive one and his experience! Terrifying but so fun and lots of thumbs up....that pretty much sums it up!
Nice shagging wagon, I am 55 and I remember when Van's and CBs were the rage, unfortunately by the time I got my license to drive vans were out and the Chrysler K car and mini vans became the rage, not to mention the SUV craze was beginning. I would love to go back in time. Great video
The speedometer that goes up to 100mph is not only very optimistic but 100mph in a 66 econoline would be terrifying lol. Love these vans tho. they look so cool and are super practical
Spotted at 2:49, is the gauge cluster that was very popular of the early 1960s. The design was also popular on the B model school bus chassis Ford has built. That design for the gauges stuck on the school buses. In the mid 1960s, they redesigned the gauge cluster scooting this arrangement off to the right a little to make way for the air/vacuum gauge. Right where the Alternator and Oil lights are at were sometimes actual gauges instead of indicator lights.
If you want the exotic version of 60s Forward Control Vehicles you need to look at the 1961-65 Chevrolet Corvair 95/Greenbrier. Rear engine, air cooled, flat 6, with independent coil spring suspension :D Love the video man
@DJkirakira GM specified different tire pressures for the axles. Service station attendants would fill all the tires equally, adding to the handling issue. The VW Beetle had similar suspension but the Corvair had twice the power. By the time GM redesigned the Corvair to not have swing-axle suspension it was too late to save its reputation. It's a shame because Corvairs were pretty good. Whenever GM gets something right they kill it off almost immediately.
These were work trucks. They were put into service and used until they were totally worn out, then off to the crusher they went. That's why you see so few today.
A 1966 Supervan (15 passenger) model was my wheels grades 11&12 1973-75. This was also the vehicle I originally learned to drive on. 240CI 3 on the tree. I was extremely careful knowing the consequences of any front end impact, occasionally drawing criticism from peers for slow and defensive driving in my mid teens ....LOL
The 240 was a common engine on many fords of this time. No speed demon, very reliable, easy to service, brakes somewhat poor. Easy restomod: 1989 Jeep Cherokee engine and 4x4 trans. Same engine block. The Jeep instrument panel fits perfectly. Fabricate mounts for the Ford leaf springs, or use a CJ front axle. Definitely need electric radiator fans, mounted on the front. Certainly many other items to fabricate. Point is, Jeep drivetrain fits without cutting the "dog house", has 190 HP, minimal computer to fuss with.
I put seats out of new ford van, they bolted in no modification and the small sized back bucket seats fit in every way. Built-in retractable seat belts. Someone was giving them away at a thrift shop. I love my SUPERVAN!
You should really do more research on the 240 before you make statements like they were mainly industrial power plants, I personally had 8 pickup trucks with the 240
.. just lift the engine cover between the seats & you'll have all the heat you can Stand..I even ran a Rope across on my '67 to slide in to hold that Cover up.. 🔥
I've got one on the go that's being 4x4 swapped with 1st gen Bronco parts. It's actually pretty straight forward as the stock axle is just a straight bar anyways, and the engine and trans are the same. Just need to fab up a really weird steering linkage. Mine, as this one is too, is really rusty behind the body/roof reinforcement ribs. They're glued in from the factory before paint! Then it traps moisture and the unibody just rusts away in nice even tiger stripes. Fixing that has been the biggest issue with my build.
My next door neighbour in Pennsylvania had a late 60s Econoline in the mid 70s,he traded it in for a new 1978 Red Ford Fiesta Sport! Bit of a difference!🤣🤣🤣🤣
Oh my god a Ford Thames 400E on steroids, despite its wheezy lacklustre straight six twirling the same number of gears as Mr Ford,s Model 'A', it is a really cool van. How difficult is it to convert one to right hand drive, drop in a 5 litre V8 from a late model Mustang twirling a 6 speed Getrag or ZF automatic with a dash mounted Hurst selector?.
Thinking those seats are from a 70's Camaro?.. but red? Man, maybe like a Berlinetta!? It's painted a 'black cherry' sorta color. and it's got a Ford shaker hood scoop for the vent on top which is pretty damn cool! Them steely rims are workin too baby!! Lol!
Had a 1962 Econoline and the fun thing to do is stop at a normal distance behind the car in front of you. With no hood it scared the daylights out of your passenger!
The 240 was the optional 'big' engine. 240/300 ford I6 was designed for truck use, although some ended up in the larger cars. 240/300 are legendary for their reliability and longevity.
My dad has one, that’s unfortunately in worst shape than this one.. both front seats are red, but not that red. Still is definitely the highlight of my dad’s yard tho😅
Ford UK had a much better van when they introduced the Transit in 1965(or maybe it was 66??). Had the engine up front under a hood/doghouse like more modern vans, no more forward control nonsense. Your legs/feet were not the first thing to arrive in a crash, wasn't as hot inside the van. Also the Transit sat on a pretty wide track and noted for its superior/safer handling vs all other vans at that time. Wish they had been sold in the USA, they were a legit "One of Ford's better ideas" as the marketing line went.
I think '65 is when they started making Transits! The present gen,& perhaps the prior one,are actually sold in North America now....EuroVans,as they refer to them,have become a thing there in the past decade. Even little Transit Connects are sold over there now...I think built in Türkiye.
These were basic work vans pure and simple. No real amenities were offered like with later vans. You could get an automatic transmission, but not too many did. No power steering offered nor A/C. The 240 engine is the same family as the 300, which both are known for running forever with bullet-proof bottom ends. Also, unlike later vans these were unibody construction- no separate frame. The 3-on-the-tree was a problem as aftermarket floor-shift conversions weren't possible as could be done with later vans. You learned fast how to shift from first in a "U" pattern going past the gate then dropping the lever before pushing into the 2-3 slot. Chevy has a similar design but IIRC you could get a V8 with them which prodded Ford to come out with the 2nd gen Econoline.
