What late 65-67 parts are worth putting on an early econoline?

I am parting out a 66 heavy duty supervan rust bucket while building a 63 van. I know it should be the other way around since the 66 has thicker sheet metal, but the 66 is a flintstones rust bucket and the 63 is clean.

Will the 65-67 seats bolt right into an early? I know the brackets are different. The seats are total survivors since no one sat in them for the last 30 years.

It has a 3.00 9" rear, not sure if that is worth putting behind a stock 200. I know that gears can be changed easy on the 9", but the 7.25" I have on the 63 has been rebuilt and has a 3.50 ratio.

Is it worth swapping any of the HD suspension stuff over like the leaf springs? I noticed this one has 7 leafs (including the overload) I thought HDs just had 6, did the supervan HD get 7 or did someone add one?

Is it worth swapping a 240 radiator and dog house onto my 63 if I'm going to install a 200? or just keep the smaller 170 house and radiator that's already in the 63?

Anything else I'm over looking that I should consider swapping over?

Thanks
Blake

Unfortunately not much will transfer over. The seat bracket holes are in a different place and the brackets will not bolt in. It's not hard to modify them to fit though. The nine inch is a direct bolt in. A 200 will struggle with a 3:00 gear. A 3:50 is better. The 9 will also require a different drive shaft. Your trans has the small yoke and the 9 has the large yoke. Ford made the correct drive shaft but they are hard to find. Swapping the springs may or may not help you. Depends on what you want to do. 7 leafs springs were an option. The larger doghouse has a different bolt pattern and will not fit your floor. Bigger radiator has different outlets than the little six radiator. There are many differences between early and late Econolines. Not much interchanges between them. Everything can be made to fit but requires a lot of fabrication. The 66 has a lot of great parts. Even if you don't use them be sure and save them anyway. Sell them to somebody that can use them.

Hope this helps.

Duane in Tennessee

JMHO, save everything you can get off if you have a place to store it. Swap the things that will fit if you want. I believe the 240 rad has a different hose set up, but anything can be swapped if you want to make mods. I would swap the springs, big brakes and rear end if it were mine, which is what I did on my first 62. If you look you can find a 3.50 for your 9 in. and change it before you swap the housing. The HD springs make for a more solid ride and the front end will not bottom out as bad on hard braking. I'm sure you can sell any of the parts you don't need to members.
Happy Vanning, Chris.

Thanks guys

The seats from the 66 are original, untorn and in amazing shape being that no one sat in them for the last 30 years. is it the seat that doesn't match up to the brackets, or the brackets that don't match up to the floor? or both? The seats from the 63 are rebuildable, but no where as nice as the 66 ones which basically just need a good vinyl scrubbing.

Can I put those 66 HD brakes on the 63 front end? not as concerned with rear braking as the front. 9" is nice to have but I'm not sure if it's really necessary behind a stock 200, I'm sure a 7.25" is fine even behind a mildly modded 200.

And the HD leafs will go over the front axle fine and work with the 7.25" rear?

Sounds like I'll resell the big doghouse and 240 radiator.

I won't be throwing anything away. gonna diassembly, tag, bag and box all the extra parts for sale or to keep for future needs. I'll probably hold onto the drag link, steering box and other misc items that aren't readily available.

will the 66 sway bar mount up to my 63?

LongBeachCA66 wrote:will the 66 sway bar mount up to my 63?

Yes.

The late seats wont fit the early brackets. The late brackets wont fit your floor. You can probably adapt the late seats to the early brackets pretty easily. Usually some strap steel will work. I haven't done it but it shouldn't be hard. Or you can just drill some new holes in your floor for the late brackets. That should be an easy fix either way.

The brakes on the front axle are the same. 10 X 2.5 It's the rears that change. 10 X 1.75 to 10 X 2.5 for Heavy Duty. Springs should interchange no problem. Just some had longer shackles. Make sure you are not hitting the frame anywhere. Keep the shackles with the springs that came with them.

As Barnabas said. Sway bar bolts right in. It's different than the early bar but it will fit. Holes are already in your frame for it.

One thing to consider saving is the fill neck and vent tube from the old gas tank. You need them to convert a Mustang tank to fit an Econoline. Bumpers and brackets as they aren't making new ones. Even if they are bent. They can be fixed.

Duane in Tennessee.