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Vintage Econoline

DonCanDo | Posted in Photo Gallery on June 6, 2009 01:09am

Someone is selling this 1967 Ford Econoline near my house.  It’s really in very good shape.  Their original asking price was $10,000, but they changed it to “or best offer”.  I wouldn’t know what the value of these antiques are.  I thought someone might enjoy a memory lane moment.  As for myself, I never owned one, but I still think they’re good-looking vehicles.

One interesting aspect is that if you stand in front of this van, you’re just about face-to-face with the driver who is actually sitting on top of, or slightly in front of, the front wheels. 

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Replies

  1. bobbys | Jun 06, 2009 01:16am | #1

    Is it a 6cly with a 3 speed??

    1. DonCanDo | Jun 06, 2009 01:24am | #4

      It's a manual transmission, but I don't know which engine.

      BTW, It's in Mountainside, NJ.

    2. User avater
      dedhed6b | Jun 08, 2009 02:08am | #24

      I can remember sitting on the engine, in a snow storm, high beams, big fluffy flakes, listening to Creidence " Green River"."Shawdow boxing the appoclipse and wandering the land"
      Wier/Barlow

      1. YesMaam27577 | Jun 08, 2009 03:42am | #25

        >>"I can remember sitting on the engine, in a snow storm,...."Me too. And I remember very distincly that the heater in the Econoline wasn't a very good heater......And I remember that it had three knobs controlling the heater. One was the fan speed switch. Another controlled which path the air took -- feet or glass.And the third simply said "Pull For Heat".So the question is...... do you remember any times when you were sitting on the engine in the winter, pulling on that thing till your arms were tired?

        Politics is the antithesis of problem solving.

      2. alwaysoverbudget | Jun 08, 2009 04:07am | #26

        i had a craig 8 track mounted to the heater box,it stood about 10" high at about a 20 degree angle,it was so cool,ccr, led zepplin, steppinwolf. still all great tunes.

        YOU ONLY NEED TWO TOOLS IN LIFE - WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE. IF IT DOESN'TMOVE AND SHOULD, USE THE WD-40. IF IT SHOULDN'T MOVE AND DOES, USE THEDUCT TAPE.

        Edited 6/7/2009 9:08 pm by alwaysoverbudget

  2. holy hammer | Jun 06, 2009 01:23am | #2

    I used to own one. It was a 61. It had a three speed on the column. You about cracked your knuckles on the windshield every time you shifted into second. Thanks for the photo, but I don't think I'd pay ten grand for it. I bought mine in 1974 for $350.00.

    Constructing in metric...

    every inch of the way.

  3. TomW | Jun 06, 2009 01:23am | #3

    A guy just down the road from me has the pickup version of the same truck. Same color and all. Cool vehicle.

  4. User avater
    Sphere | Jun 06, 2009 01:26am | #5

    I had a '65 , but it was a Falcon Van. 240 6 cyl. with a C4 trans.

    I went through the windshield at about 55 mph, when a chick in Beetle made a left in front of me at a light..I was 17. Still have the road rash. They took almost 4 oz of glass and gravel out of my back and elbows.

    The steering wheel was mushed into the seat, and the Pa. State Trooper that was checking me, asked "You didn't have a seat belt on huh?"  I said sheepishley "Umm, no"  he replied "Good thing, or you wouldn' have any legs left"

    I'll try to scan the newspaper photo, I know I still have it. Man, that van was totaled. I tried to roll it, by cutting sideways so I'd not T-Bone her, but didn't quite get it sideways, my front corner hit the beetle just behind the passenger side door, cut the beetle in half. Moved my front end over about 18".

    Yeah, you can rest your foot on the back of the headlight when ya drive them.

    Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

    Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

    "If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"
    Jed Clampitt

    View Image

    1. JHOLE | Jun 06, 2009 04:46am | #7

      I had a '66.

      3 on the tree.

      +++extended version!

      Longboards fit inside. I was king cool with the guys I raced sailboars with......

      My dad hade one when I was growin' up - delivery vehicle - my brother got the seat, I got the "dog house"..Remodeling Contractor just on the other side of the Glass City

      1. User avater
        Sphere | Jun 06, 2009 05:02am | #9

        I used to open the doghouse and adjust the timing while driving..lol. It didn't like Unleaded gas, pinged a lot.

        Mine was windows, used that gold tint foil on the glass, carpeted , quadraphonic 8 track and lots of high school girls.

        Parked in the lot of school one morning burning weed with a crew and a buddy comes up and askes if he can park his Yamaha inside, cuz it looked like rain..I said sure.

        Next thing I know the back doors open and I hear , ying, ying YINNNG>>>>> and rode the damm dirt bike right up and in, front tire bumped the doghouse..man, those were the days.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

        Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

        "If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt

        View Image

        1. JHOLE | Jun 06, 2009 05:05am | #10

          I got pics of the ole' man's.

          I'll do 'em tommorrow - too tired.

          You're right those were the days.....Remodeling Contractor just on the other side of the Glass City

          1. User avater
            Sphere | Jun 06, 2009 05:19am | #11

            Parts of those days never change. In my HS yearbook write up, it says " Usually seen pushing a van"  No kidding.  I stiil am.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

            Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

            "If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt

            View Image

          2. JHOLE | Jun 06, 2009 03:45pm | #17

            The good old daze...

             

            Oh great.

            Sorry buddy. No pic. Personal allotment and all... What a joke. I haven't posted a pic for ages either. WTF.Remodeling Contractor just on the other side of the Glass City

      2. User avater
        Sphere | Jun 06, 2009 03:47pm | #18

        I forgot that they called it a Dodge in the paper, how DARE they.

        Can't tell how ugly it was from the angle, but my drivers corner did that to the Bug, you can almost see how the passenger van door is tweaked out.

        After I got up outta the road, I walked back to the van and reached in thru where the windshield was and turned off the radio..lol.

        Tool box, and  Ahem, parafenalia scatterd all over, the craftsman tol box went out the front too.

         

        View Image

         

        Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

        Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

        "If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt

        View Image

        Edited 6/6/2009 8:49 am ET by Sphere

        1. JHOLE | Jun 06, 2009 03:53pm | #19

          Ouch.

          I could see someone goin' right out the front..

           

          Here's the old man's.

          http://s379.photobucket.com/albums/oo239/A_JHOLE/haulers/?action=view&current=scan0060.jpg

          Just back from picking up the Rolls..

           Remodeling Contractor just on the other side of the Glass City

        2. MikeHennessy | Jun 08, 2009 03:59pm | #27

          Lemme guess -- after she revived from the coma, you ended up dating her? ;-)

          Man, that's altogether too many cops to be hangin' around a weed wagon!Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PAEverything fits, until you put glue on it.

          1. User avater
            Sphere | Jun 08, 2009 11:13pm | #28

            I did go visit her at her house a few days later, I was ready to KILL her for wrecking me, but she got the worst of it in the deal, so I felt sorry for her. Don't get me wrong, I was a SORE MoFo for days..but all in all came out pretty good. Some how my shirt came off in my tumble, still buttoned and rightside out...and If my drivers side door hadn't cartwheeled into me and knock my arm into my ribs ( breaking 4) I woulda been even better.

            A bud I went to HS with was a witness, cuz I said "Dammit Ray, get that car that hit me..it was tan"

            He sez.."Uh Duane, that was your door".

            Anyway, I was attached to my soon to be wife already then, and she had Graduated in the same class as the girl that was in the VW..knew each other, so , no post accident cuddling.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

            Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

            "If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt

            View Image

          2. MikeHennessy | Jun 08, 2009 11:21pm | #29

            "Anyway, I was attached to my soon to be wife already then, and she had Graduated in the same class as the girl that was in the VW..knew each other, so , no post accident cuddling."

            Too bad -- all the makings of a first-rate romantic comedy. ;-)

            She prolly did ya a favor tho' -- IMHO, those Econolines were really squirrely in the stearing department. What with that, and sitting in front of the front axle, I always hated driving 'em. Always felt like a crash test dummy waiting for my turn. But I guess you know that feeling from up close & personal! Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PAEverything fits, until you put glue on it.

          3. User avater
            Sphere | Jun 08, 2009 11:25pm | #31

            It steered like a bus, the steering wheel was almost flat. I remember putting a new pitman arm on, and other parts to tighten it up..Ironically, thats what I just did today on THIS van.

            That van never had snakes tho'.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

            Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

            "If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt

            View Image

          4. User avater
            Sphere | Jun 08, 2009 11:22pm | #30

            Oh yeah, like I said, a friend from HS ( it was july IIRC) was there and a few others that knew me and my van, THEY gathered up all the para, and sockets, wrenches, and stuff before the cops showed up...there was seeds everywhere tho.

            As I was talking to the cop he asked if I wanted to go to the Hosp. I said, nah, I'll be OK. I had a pretty good head gash, I couldn't see.  Then he handed me my license and ins, and owners card ....

            I said, "how'd you get that?"  He says "You just gave it to me"

            "Ok, I think I'll get a ride to the hosp."

            4 hours of betadine scrubbing and xrays..ouch.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

            Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

            "If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt

            View Image

          5. MikeHennessy | Jun 08, 2009 11:28pm | #32

            "there was seeds everywhere tho."

            LOL -- prolly still a nice field 'o the green there still!Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PAEverything fits, until you put glue on it.

  5. Shep | Jun 06, 2009 02:15am | #6

    My dad had one like that, although his was blue.

    The thing I remember most about those vans was that you pretty much sat AHEAD of the engine.

    God forbid you got into a head-on collision in one of those

  6. Houghton123 | Jun 06, 2009 04:57am | #8

    $10,000? The current owners clearly have a hefty medical marijuana prescription.

    I didn't own a Ford, but I did own the VW that inspired it, and I'll echo what many others said about the excitement of knowing that, if some yahoo cut in front of you, you might as well be riding a motorcycle (maybe even better off on two wheels).

    Also - from the Econoline at the junior college where I worked, unless the seals were perfect on the engine compartment - a state of perfection possible only in an alternate universe - your ride down the road was filled with scents of hot exhaust, gasoline, oil leaks, etc.

  7. husbandman | Jun 06, 2009 05:24am | #12

    Cool. Thirty years ago I had a white '66, 6 cyl, 3 on the tree.

  8. alwaysoverbudget | Jun 06, 2009 05:25am | #13

    i believe it's on ebay. i'm a fan of these things,used to play like a hippy back in the mid 70's with them and run to van shows,had hair down to my back,now just have hair on my back.  

    oh it's at 4500.oo if anyones interested,suppose to have less than 10k miles ,but it has been repainted.

     

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160339843957&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT

    YOU ONLY NEED TWO TOOLS IN LIFE - WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE. IF IT DOESN'T
    MOVE AND SHOULD, USE THE WD-40. IF IT SHOULDN'T MOVE AND DOES, USE THE
    DUCT TAPE.

    1. DonCanDo | Jun 06, 2009 02:46pm | #14

      Yup, that's the very same van.  I saw it in Mountainside, but Ebay lists it as Madison which is about 10 miles away.  Ciba Pharmaceuticals is in Madison where the van probably spent its life.

  9. davem | Jun 06, 2009 02:57pm | #15

    a friend bought one cheap and with the addition of a mattress or two, it became the first hippie van in town. it had F O R D in chrome letters mounted on the back doors. one day we discovered that the letters were about the same size on the 56 bUiCK abandoned out back of the service station where i worked.

    1. DonCanDo | Jun 06, 2009 03:18pm | #16

      bUiCK

      Oh, it took me a minute, but yeah, I can see that stealing 3 letters from the Buick could make an interesting sign.

  10. YesMaam27577 | Jun 06, 2009 04:14pm | #20

    My brother had a 67 Econoline in high school. His was a 6-cylinder, with the "three on the tree".

    Many great memories -- thanks for bringing them up.

    Politics is the antithesis of problem solving.
  11. florida | Jun 07, 2009 10:11pm | #21

    Oh my, I learned to drive in one of these. I had no idea of how to work a stick but my Dad insisted I learn in his van. Spent way more time than I 'd like to remember stalled in the middle of busy intersections. No passenger seat so the engine cover served as the other seat.

    1. Brian55 | Jun 08, 2009 12:23am | #22

      I saw about 4 years ago an econoline van of that vintage in Penns. the odd thing was it had the sliding door on the driver's side, didn't get a chance to look at it close up.

      Brian 

      1. User avater
        Sphere | Jun 08, 2009 12:40am | #23

        That most certainly had to have been a customized job, they had hinged side doors back then.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

        Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

        "If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt

        View Image

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