Early Van Accidents

Inspired from another post, I wanted to see if any has had experience or knowledge of how these early vans fair in accidents. Front end collisions, T-bones and rear ends. Just curious since I plan on driving the family around in it some. Also pics would be cool.

Well Your always the First one there !!!!!!!!!!!!!


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About the Only Time ... A HOOD IS GOOD !!!!!!!!

,,,,,,everyone knows these vans are unsafe, uncomfortable, and unreliable,,,,,,,and yet,,,,,here we are.....

All you can do is update things like brakes and make sure everything works and just drive it. Stay out of the fast lane if you have doubts about your van or truck keeping up safely and if you have to...pull over and park and let everyone else look at you.....hehehe and watch them crash into each other while they're ogling your ride.  

Alfred E. Newman used to say = What ? Me worry??"    If what ur Hobby or driving scares you - Take the bus!!

Ha look at the steel I beam bumper on the econoline and that didnt help him. No need to be a maniac in the fast lane with these vans. Slow we Roll!!!

It looks like most held up well where a couple did not...I guess it depends on what you hit a Toyota Camary or a F 350 Pick Up Truck.  ..

Doesn't matter what you are driving. Bike, Van, Compact or a Cadillac, there's always something out there that can do you harm. You are no longer driving a "throw away " car when you are operating one of these so you have to always be on the defense and keep in mind anything on the road can hurt your van and you unfortunately. Running into poles and trees,, I don't think they jump in front of you...well not anymore anyway....

you just got to learn the rules about driving these vans,,,,,,,,its not all fun and games like Scooby shows you.....,,,,

Can you post the rules.

Driving these vans are an adventure in itself.  Got some white knuckle moments while driving in bad weather too.  They are about as reliable as the ole Mystery Machine on Scooby but damn sure are awesome looking.  Just use the 10 minute rule for following    and give cars around you plenty of room.

saw a +++GVW flatbed towing a bulldozer coming around a blind, tree covered turn with backed up traffic. i pulled onto the shoulder, stopped, turned my head toward the doghouse and got T-boned by his rear driver side dual tires 'cause the bulldozer's weight simply pushed the light-a$$ flatbed right across the oncoming lane and into me! must have hit me at about 40-45 mph? broke his rear springs right off, maybe 10 leafs (sp?)? forgot to let go of the wheel though and my right hand went through the glass oval on the dash gauges. (being a musician,not a good thing. that glass is mean and we should figure somethin' else out) anyway, i walked away, but with fractured ribs and deep gouges on my right hand knuckles and lots of B.S. ins. and lawyers and hospitals etc. still rather be in my van than a lot of rides just 'cause that's serious metal we got up front. God help VW bus drivers!

Wow...we should replace those with thin lexan.

That I beam on the econo protected the grill and turn signals pretty good

I seen that Ford in better days,,,,,,,that van surely could not of handled very well with that bumper,,,,and it just goes to show you,,,even with that big bumper to keep you safe,,,,,,you can't win against the laws of nature,,,,,,,,them vans aint safe,,,,,,,why do you think they stopped making them,,,,,the van manufacturers  were loosing customers,,,,,,,or scaring them away,,,,,,,so the hoods changed everything,,,,,,,you have a hood,,,,you open it,,,,look,,,theres room for Power steering and brakes,,,a radiator,   air conditioning,,,theres room inside the van to get into the back,,,,,,you dont have to sit on the radiator,,,,air actually flows into the radiator now,,,theres room for independent front suspension too,,,,,why would any body want an Early now????

Because we love them.   

,,,,,,,,,,and thats why we are here!!!!!!!!

Im not so sure they stop making the early body style simple because there were unsafe. They had a long run and sold a ton of them. Im sure they had feedback about wanting a bigger van more power, AC power stearing. etc. Other companies have made similiar style of van since ford stopped. i.e. Toyota had a cab over in the late 80s. I would not want to be in a car wreck with any vehicle to be honest and hopefully never will be.