'62 Ford Econoline (Econo) Pick-up truck.....

First off thanks for welcoming me into your site. I am not per say a Van guy but a lover of old trucks. I have a real passion for the old Econoline trucks. I remember riding in one when I was 3 years old and have always wanted one. I bought one about 7 years ago and was almost done..........
almost how I bought her..

to what I did to her...

to where I was...

before this happened...


So I have been looking for the last 3 years off and on for a replacement. I found this rough but very fixable '62 on E-Bay and won the bid. She was only a little over 5 hours away. Set up for the following weekend to pick her up and bring her home...

Got her home safely and unloaded and drug up the hill. Washed her in the rain because she really needed some TLC to know she was home...

I was so upset when My othe Econo got hit that I let the insurance Co. keep it. I have tracked it down to Greenville SC. It is a straight shot down about 6.5 hours. I have talked to the new owner and he is willling to sell the engine... wooohooo!!!... I am hoping to get the engine the end of June while on vacation. Plans are to get engine in and go through brakes and get running and on the road. There are some rust issues but they are fixable...

The inside of the cab is very solid, I found NO rust, but a big mess... I guess the only good thing is all the tools I have found...



I know this is long but I thought I'd let everyone know where I stand with her. I am looking for at least a year or two to get her road worthy. Anything earlier will be like Christmas...

It would probably be very beneficial for you to take a road trip to my place near Cincinnati,Oh. I ve got enuf parts vehicles here to get you all the panels you need to repair that rust. I cant say I ll have them a few months from now as its the season for parts right now and orders are flying out the door just like every Spring. I ve got a very nice rust free passenger rear corner that would fix your rear section,also a complete van floor for the bed rust repair,seats,and a ton more. I ve had interest in these panels but nobody has put cash in my hand yet so like other parts they are still available. Shoot me a PM if interested.

thats one of my biggest fears , getting halfway through a build and someone stoping the momentum by hitting it... Glad your still intrested...

Got the inside cleaned out and cleaned up. Came out with a 5 gallon bucket of tools and the bottom of another filled with miscellaneous nuts and bolts. took the headliner out and boy is it warped!!! Got the mouse nest out of the top also... Some rust in the back along the cab wall but I think it is minimal. other than that it looks real solid...I am very pleased so far. here are some pics.....

Can't wait to get the engine home and in. I think I can have it driving by Christmas!!!

look what I was given today!!!!

this was the spare set of wheels my Dad had for his '68 Stang. He said that he didn't need them and that if I wanted them I could have them.... Can't pass up free now can we. I will decide on a color later but will have to think about it..... I don't know what I am doing with the outside of the truck itself yet...

here is a pic of the inside roof area... real clean and the bucket full of tools that I got out of her when I cleaned her up, less the electric drill, and the 12v impact, and the air grinder....


I am looking forward to June and getting my engine back. I have set definite plans to pick it up on the Monday of vacation and he will be there to help me and my son.

thought I'd update a bit and more will come as I proceed. Once I get the '66 out of the garage, progress should move along faster, I hope....

That 5th picture was hard to look at.Man,that hurts! Glad you fornd a replacement for it. Those wheels will look good on it.

no pics but a change of game plan.... I am stopping on the '66 F250 for now due to lack of funds.... I spent the funds on the econoline..... I just got back from South Carolina and brought home a lot of goodies for my Econo!!! I purchased the engine, complete top to bottom, the tranny, the cross mounts for the engine that I made, the front passenger vent that I had installed, the seats, the seatbelts the exhaust and the belly pan. I am going to get the Econol on the road so I can sell my '80 dodge to fund the '66 so I need to get the econoline on the road.... I am going for the "worn" look to kep it simple..... wish me luck... hoping for about a 4 week turnaround on this... I'll post pics as the work begins....

up on blocks.... master cylinder leaks like an old onion sack so I will have to replace... looking forward to getting the old Econo driving....

Went through the brakes and had to replace one wheel cylinder... lines all look good so I am waiting on the master cylinder to get here now to finish the brakes.... I did get thge wheels painted though... at least I am getting something done right now there is 4 different size tires on her and I will be changing before getting her legal... any suggestions on tire sizes?? here is a couple pics.....

what color is the truck going to be

I don't have the funds to replace the panels that need replaced so I will fiberglass up the rust and put some putty over it to smooth it out some what... I am going for safe over pretty. I have red oxide primer, black, and some blues here at the house so I think I am going to do those three colors, then sand it back off to make it look worn then do some pin striping around it in the same color orange that I painted the wheels...(Kubota orange from tractor supply) I am currently looking for trim rings and a chrome center cap of some sort, 14"... I have the 170 engine out of my other Econo that was wrecked to put in this one... it is ready to drop in. I put over $1500 dollars in the engine rebuild of the 170 so I am tickled pink to have it back to drop in this Econo. the bed floor will be the biggest project after I start driving her.... It needs the front by the cab replaced. I got the master cylinder this morning and will install this evening and get the brakes working. I am going to try and tow it up to Dads tomorrow and get the engine in this coming week.... wish me luck... so looking forward to the ol' Econo as my driver....

Sounds cool!!!! But sure not to forget us and keep those pictures coming

headliner was decent enough to use but no back piece to hold it up.... this will work... going to do my drivers side visor the same way...



found this in the stack while doing this... just the right year...


also took some pics of the body that needs fixed... fiberglass for now till I can afford panels...


more pics to come as I continue to move along....

pics of my well spent $320.....

seats, vent, air cleaner, tranny, seat belts, and belly pan...


exhaust, and the cross members for the motor mounts....



Engine as I brought it home...



after paint... most everything else will be black...




I am making some headway, should drop the motor in Saturday.... WOOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!

My kids just laugh at me when I'm under it. My grandson calls it the rust bucket. Where he learned that from I don't know? Moving forward is always good. I'm installing new seat belts this weekend in case the same thing happens to me.

I'm glad that I had mine or I would have been in the front windshield... lol... also glad to have got them to put into this one...... not much, just a lap, but they saved me once....

got the frame welded up and caps made for the area's and welded in.... motor in and tranny... gas tank out... starting to get her all put back together... should pick up my new corners from the "yard" this week and get them on this weekend... hope to have her running this weekend but am having driveshaft/tranny problems....
a couple pics...
engineless

cap over the crack in the uniframe

cap over the crack in the uniframe

cap over the crack in the uniframe

weight over gas tank

weight over gas tank

thought I'd update a little... I'll try and get pics of the engine install later.....

Progress is good!

engine pics as promised... not the greatest but taken by my phone.... lol


got the exhaust on today and played with the drive shaft some... need 2 new caps to hold the universal in... should get them tomorrow along with my new corners... yea!!! I am hoping to spend all day Saturday on her and have her up and running...... wish me luck....

Looks Great!!!!

Just read your thread from the begining.... I remember that truck on EBay!!Looking Good Lectricman !!

Motor looks good in there Lectricman.Whole lot better than empty hole.New radiator too? At first glance,I thought the Tiki doll was a big cut out in back of cab,then realized it was an air freshener.lol I need to lay off the Budweiser,heh.

Thanks guys for the gracious comments, and it is a big cut out.......... errrrr..... well ...... an air freshener it is... I need a new one and can't find one like that one and don't think I could live with anything else.... that one was in the first Econo and has now moved into the second one..... lol she is coming along good and hopefully will be a driver soon.... very soon....

how about a dash mounted?
http://www.retroplanet.com/PROD/29968

A little more done today... the gas tank is back where it belongs and I started on the rear corners.... patches are off a late 90's chevy conversion van... not ford but a real close fit... the guy at the yard cut them small and very uneven and even cut the bottom that I needed off of one so he told me to take them and see if I could use them.... for free!!!!! no cost is always better... said that if they wouldn't work for me to come back and we would find another set... a little more work but free beats $50!!! corners still need to come back off and be cut out along with the bad corners and them welded in... another day... still fighting with the drive shaft issue.... grrrrr!!!! here are a couple pics from my phone... again, sorry for the quality.... at least I am moving along on her....



I will need to lengthen the passenger side to extend through the quarter panel that is rotted off.... I know it still needs work but time is on my side...