They do make for a large canvas for expressing the owners' ideas. I really like the little 5-windows.
There have been a few threads on the early vans here, bubbling under the lid of 1965 or older. VanGo is art. I'd add one that also set a mark, although it might not mesh with HAMB requirements. Tom McMullin's a100 PU. It was of a time, but also defied the era it was built.
Those are really cool customs, I like them all. A lot. I've wanted an early Econo for many years, finally got one, but it's a project. '61 window van....thread here; https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1961-ford-econoline-window-van.1308869/
Pacific Bell was a great source for these vans. I got one with 70,000 miles that had just been through a complete service, including a rebuilt engine for $500 in 1974.
A bit of a rarity with both RH and LH side cargo doors. A friend's family had a similar vintage Dodge van outfitted that way for making grocery deliveries. Also popular with bakeries and florists.
Allison's take on Watson's unfinished Space Truck. At one point there was a guy who was going to build this but I think he decided not to. Too bad. Someone needs to. And another I saw on Instagram at some point.
I love Coby's van. It's amazing how something so utilitarian can embody the essence of cool. And as for Watson's that @Moriarity posted; I've drooled over pictures of that interior many times. Would love to see it replicated.
I could Kick Myself for selling my 1964 Econoline Van in the late 1970's. I am in search of VanGogh. Have You Seen it?
Back in the van days I had a 66 Dodge A-100, it had a automatic and a tired 273' I pulled it and replaced it with a 340 from a Duster, that van would fly, the only problem is that it had a lot more go instead of whoa! HRP
Danny, about 1971 there was a guy down the street had one, it had (tasteful) two tone paint, my memory tells me it was light lime and green or some sort of mild graphics. It had Cragars and a slight rake, I think I was more attracted to the sound it made going down the hill, found out he had swapped in a 340, mellow, not rappy. I was also intrigued by the dash mounted shifter, looked like a B&M unit.
there is a lot more cool Econolines in Google Images than one would expect.... everything looks better with 5 spokes
Mine was a window van and white with gold painted 5 spokes, it also had the automatic shifter on the dash, The van was my daily driver and I used it in my wallpaper business on the side. I later painted it pearl white with flames. HRP
Back in the mid '80s I had a '63 Econoline PU 6cyl with the column shift 4spd. It was a bit rough but I liked it... Then my wife & I had an accident in another car, after which she asked me to get rid of it, with the reasoning : "You are sitting on top of the left front wheel, & there's no engine or real bodywork to protect you if someone either runs a light from the left or head-ons you..." Shortly later it went "bye-bye", not only because she asked me, but because what she said made VERY good sense, especially where we lived at the time! (It was an area where traffic rules were merely suggestions & rarely considered important enough to follow...) Looking back, she probably saved my life several times by voicing her concerns!!
Nice vans, I had a 65 Econoline window van in the 70's. I put in a warmed up 289, with a 9". It was a fun toy till some drunk 16 yr old in a BIG Buick killed it while parked in front of my house. However, the insurance $$$ got me started on my 34 coupe. So, all was not lost.
I will say this is probably the only vehicle I've seen where these headlight trim rings look good. I really like the simplicity of the front end. Very nice truck.
1961 Econoline Window Van… the first one not a VW van for surf trips Hello, We always thought that the Econoline van was far superior to the popular So Cal VW vans used for camping and surfing explorations. The idea was despite being in Baja, Mexico in the far reaches of the explorations, everyone or mechanic has worked on a VW motor and with 4 bolts holding one in place, fairly easy to work on. But, the compact-ness, the thin metal on the front, lack of horsepower, and a rolling box against the oncoming wind did wonders for streamlining during the long road trips up and down the West Coast for the surf adventures. The suspension of the VW vans was ok, but it was not for bumpy dirt road explorations. The power or lack of power always made the uphill climbs on the steep coastal hills laughable. Fully loaded for a week of camping and exploration made the already odd, rolling van a target against the wind. But, plodding along, it always made the destination on time and arrived safely for us. Now, when the Econoline Vans came on the scene, it was far superior to the popular VW vans. But, for the usual cash strapped surfer, the VW vans had an advantage. The Econoline vans were shiny and new, but also came with a larger cost that was out of reach of most surfers at the time. The extra power said it all. No hill or long distance cruising was going to hold it back from getting to the destination. Power for highway speeds, the better suspension for a more comfortable ride, the free flowing space from the back doors to the bucket seats was far superior to the big shelf of the VW motor box area. Now, the space behind the seats and motor was now extra room for all sorts of uses, from desert racing motorcycles pushed into the back cave or a longer built in sleeping area and lounging in the shade dining/sleeping area could be designed and installed. No big motor box to hold back or modify space usage. One of the best things was the superior ride qualities for daily, local surf spots and certainly on longer distance road trips. It was actually comfortable to sit in the newer bucket seats. The suspension was also far superior and that made the comfort pretty good for our surf adventures. Jnaki Our friend got the idea of being able to afford having a new Econoline van because he went one step beyond of just using the van for surf trips and overnight camping locations. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/toilet-paper-oil-filters-literally.16699/page-5#:~:text=The%20installation%20on,sold%20the%20products The installation on the display Econoline Van that my friend owned was pretty nice. He was all setup for his display during the surf session breaks, lunch, afternoon blow outs, etc. Whenever we all got out of the water at Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, San Clemente, Oceanside Harbor and Piers, he immediately set up his display of Frantz Oil Filter stuff. His motor compartment was opened and his engine compartment was immaculate. This guy knew how to showcase his stuff. In talking with him back in those days, it was a job he could have, to go all over So Cal and make money surfing/selling his Frantz products. Actually, the job was perfect for his lifestyle, but he was on commission, not a weekly salary, so he got paid as soon as he sold the products. Note: Our friend’s new Ford Econoline was the forerunner in the next step of surf vans. It served its purpose on those long surf trips to the off the beaten paths along the empty beaches. But, the odd thing was… if there was an “emergency of sorts,” well, we all knew who to go for that problem… YRMV The Gathering... Baja Mexico… thanks, L… On the far left was one of the only new Econoline vans amongst the vast array of custom VW vans of all kinds, from 21 window vans, standard window vans and utility delivery solid side vans. “One of these Kids is Doing His Own Thing…” Thoughts from Sesame Street, pops into mind then and now. Several of the South of the Border surf exploration trips that happened during the week long Spring Break or the fall season, Thanksgiving Vacation road trips. Note: If we were to build one today, it still would hold the shorter surfboards inside and have plenty of space for built in sink, refrigerator, bed and dining area. Along with storage closets for clothes and food stuff. But, the neat thing is, it is a 64 year old,” back in time” cruising vans when there were no such things as sprinter vans. The So Cal surfers were on the forefront of building those vans for the far reaches of exploration and relaxation. It was not a current trend invented by those tall wind blocking sprinter vans. a chopped lowered rake would have a dual purpose for cruising and road trips…YRMV
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