When you look at a van like this 1966 Ford E-Series here on eBay, your mind tends to wander: who created this psychedelic machine? Did they have a vision when they started? Do they tire of getting photographed while idling in city traffic? Who knows, but I have to give credit to the builder for bringing the various design and equipment elements together to create something quite unrepeatable. The bids are nearing $14K and there’s no reserve in sight.
If we get serious for a minute, you have to give the builder credit: he completed this van and then took off on a month-long road trip with his wife and their dogs to explore the USA via Route 66. He documented the trip here on DrivingLine.com, and it’s well worth the read (it helps he’s a photographer and took some excellent photos of classic Americana.) The van was gone through from top to bottom, including the paint job and a hotted-up and rebuilt Ford 300 I6 engine.
True to form, this Econoline has shag carpeting inside. That’s a must-have, wouldn’t you agree? The van has some modern creature comforts, including surround sound stereo and Bluetooth-enabled technology for receiving calls. The Moon pedals and fire extinguisher are appropriate period touches, and you’ll be staring out new glass all around as the seller has replaced those components as well. My favorite feature of this van is its history: it was formerly a work van owned by the Singer Sewing Company, which employed a fleet of these vehicles for making house calls.
The seller is listing it on behalf of the photographer owner, and claims there are plenty of good stories to go with this “Boogie Van” creation – including almost causing two wrecks in Texas due to distracted drivers. I’m sure you would have to get used to lots of eyeballs on the road, but I doubt anyone buying this considers themselves a wallflower. If it were mine, I’d lose the raked stance and keep the rear even with the front but there’s not much else I’d mess with – although, the rear cargo area is crying out for a velvet couch. How would you use it?
great paint on that groovy ride. I can dig it!
Cool van. The 300 6 is a great motor to soup up. I wonder how this would handle on the freeway in a big crosswind tho.
Need a built-in bhong.
“Bong.” Sorry, that was bugging me….
Kinda enjoyed the bhong misprlling
Bhong was deliberately missprelelled. Google the word. It’s an alternate spelling guys. Sheesh!
Don’t you see it there in the corner ? Man ! What a paint job ! I wonder
about time, effort and price .
Dude…. it better be on bags with a big stereo that only plays “lowrider” on repeat.
Love the outside of it the inside could have ben a lot nicer i think.
I’m not in the market or for that matter, I’m not even a “Van Guy”. However, if this ride came my way for some reason, I’d leave the “nose down” stance as is. It looks like the vans that some of my friends had in the seventies. They level out when you load 4 or 5 couples in the back for a PAR-TAY!!
Great looking on the outside and a LOT of time painting. But at 18.000 and the whole back end is some cheap paneling falling down and Blah- Blah- Blah.
Nice paint job. Bravo.
Too bad it’s so boring.
Great execution of a lousy composition.
While I am not a fan of the jacked up stance, Cragars and wide tires, I have to say they are 100% true to the period. This thing is a time warp! “If this van’s a rockin’…”
This thing just screams Santa Cruz, I love it. The paint job alone is probably worth the asking price. I’d love to know who did the design/art/paint on it, that’s some serious pro work and worthy of documenting. All it needs is a doob couch and some curb-ripped skateboard decks mounted on the interior paneling for further eye candy.
Here’s the highway soundtrack for this beast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giY-U6bDahs
“Cruisin’ in my space machine / spark it up / burn it clean”
Space Truckin’ by Deep Purple…
I love this thing. Brings back memories of the Van craze in the 70s. HotRod Magazine covered vans. Cars were only mildly interesting – Malaise. Vans were wide open inside and out. The paint is over the top. I love graphics eras… much better than today’s mono customs. Pearls and candies and lace and endless lines, etc. Hoo yeah!
Stunning, and cool as all get out!
It definitely has the 70’s vibe, love the cross country story the photographer added to the listing. I too would lower the back end to stock height. I would love to own this van but 18K for a Econoline with a fancy paint job, not a financially sound investment and most folks my age would not use it as the previous owner did because we’ve become to creature comfort pampered.
I did a similar type paint job on my “Boatswagon” and let me tell you, that is a LOT of work to do a van like that. The paint materials were almost $3,000 alone and it took me almost four weeks of spraying every single day to finish it. So I can appreciate the work that went into that van.
Interior was a big let down though. Another $200 in shag carpet and they could have at least held their head high.
https://www.facebook.com/Boatswagon-1445215595788219/
Your daughter is a very lucky girl.
Way to go, pop. Way to go.
Remember the “Don’t laugh your daughter is in here” signs on these vans back in the day!
WOW a real life shaggin waggin LOL
Did I ever tell you the time we got pulled over in my buddies 65′ Econoline ? This will most likely go across the water to a foreign buyer.
I saw this van up at Bonneville Salt Flats a couple of weeks ago.
That interior is a real letdown, but I guess you could make it yours.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvnwTM0ll9Y
My friends brother is in that band, LOL, small world
Awesome van, and it’s the longer body version also. I’ve never driven one of these but I’ve heard they drive “like a drunken sailor is at the wheel”. I’m on the look out to build a custom van, but I want a Dodge Maxi-van and then put a tag axle under it, all on air :-) Like this, but done with the quality and style of the one listed…..
This van was just at the Bonneville salt flats for SPEED WEEK It was a HOP UP magazine promoter and thanks for the free hotdogs!!!
Pretty cool! I remember my dad had a white econoline van with the cheesy wood panels. The best thing about it was the red, white & blue shag carpet! Lol
Way cool, and the front end reminds me of Rosie from the Jetsons!
I got a van just like it needs some tlc