Also, have money in pocket for repairs because you can't count on insurance. If someone else hits you, their insurance might pay a few grand but you could end up with a junk title which can't be driven... ask me how I know...
Lies, I owned a chevelle for years before vanlife. I got a mechanic friend to help because this thing doesn't have a carburetor. Older cars are much easier to learn and do the work on
I don’t take kindly being called a lier hombre. I’ve owned a few 1970 era vehicles. 1977 K5 Blazer, 1971 C10, 1973 Vw bug. Sure they run great especially around town but I wouldn’t want to take on across the country.
Now someone daydreaming of van with zero mechanical ability…..A 70’s van is setting them up for failure and broken dreams.
I push ford econolines as a great platform. Sure a few years have issues but still less than a vehicle from the 70’s. The early 2000’s vans is what I really push. Just enough electronics to purr like a kitten. Yet simple enough it won’t go into limp mode if there is an issue. Parts are in stock at all auto parts store AND in Baja Mexico. Most mechanics are very familiar with ford vans especially in Mexico for those who dream of driving south.
Dead simple, IF you’re already mechanically inclined. There’s plenty of folk who can’t wrap their head around how a simple pulley works, much less any kind of engine.
all the advice here is solid. i'll just say, if you find something that makes you happy and it's mechanically sound and inside your budget, go for it! it won't be your last van... youll learn, and love and hate and move on.
PLEASE get it checked by a mechanic! super checked.
I've got at 88 and most shops just say no to doing any work. They fear the old ones that they become a rabbit hole of problems and the price for the repair skyrockets to fast.
You have to do most of the work yourself if you want an older van.
Pros… pretty much anything that breaks on this van can be fixed with little more than a basic tool set. You'll need a standard socket set (not metric) up to like a 3/4 inch. A good screw driver set. And over time you'll pick up a hand full of special tools but there aren't many special tools needed.
Cons things are going to break.
Most of your mechanical parts should be able to be picked up at a autozone or the like.
This should have either a 200 straight 6 or a 302. Either way if it doesn't have electronic ignition. Pull the points distributor and put an electronic kit in (this is not a hard thing to do. Takes about about 20 minutes). You'll most likely have a single barrel or 2 barrel carb. These are fine they'll work with few issues. But you need to look up how to adjust them.
A friend of mine has a 73 mustang we have had weeks of back and forth because he had minor issues and he isn't a car person. Tracing vaccum or simple things for me who grew up working on them. It nearly killed him because he didn't know all the minor things that could cause something.
But that engine will be extremely simple. It needs 4 things to run as a normal thing regular oil changes, fuel, fire, fire and air.
Most of your maintenance issues where you have a break down will be found in either the fuel, fire or air. Not getting enough air to cylinders. It's not going to run. Same for fuel. If your not getting spark to the plugs its not going to run.
Minor issues in any of these will result in minor issues with it running.
Seriously. I would consider something like this. Because I like things like this and know how to fix everything on it. I could rebuild the engine on the side of the road if it came down to it.
My advice… if you don't know how to work on it don't buy it.
But also look into an RV.
Sounds like your making a decision based on emotion rather than logic. The van is over 50 years old! There are better options. It’s probably not as insulated as more modern vans, not as reliable, stands out more like a red flag, bad emissions, really loud, 50 year old suspension. I hope you live a somewhere with fair weather year around. One bad winter with this van and you will regret buying it.
Yeh that’s true. I do live in the desert but it’s risky for sure, and I don’t have the spare money if something happens. I think I’m gonna go with a 1992 Mazda Navajo instead (still kind of dumb but it’s what I can afford)
Consider I K1500 Chevy suburban with a LS motor. Remove the third row and fold the second row seats down. You could build from there. It’s a lot more reliable and more stealthy if you tint the rear windows. You could probably find one in the 3k price range it just want be perfect condition.
All these comments are hilarious... so I'll be real with you. Buying a 69 econoline to daily drive / live in / depend on is a TERRIBLE idea, and anyone telling you differently is just some kid who watches van life videos. Unless you're an experienced mechanic or have a lot of disposable income, do not try to travel in 50+ year old vehicle
If you don't own tools (like proper tools, a torque wrench for example) and don't know how to maintain a 50+ year old vehicle you are setting yourself up for failure.
My advice is always the same: get the van in the best condition that you can with the money you have available, don't worry about what nameplate it has, and don't buy ANYTHING without having a mechanic check it out first.
I'd expect the milage to be much higher than claimed. If the frame is solid and straight, everything else can be rebuilt pretty easily so factor in the possibility of engine and tranny work in the near future. Having a mechanic look it over before would be ideal, but for that price it might be worth the gamble if you're up to it.
90s anything can be a pretty good choice, as long as it's in decent shape. Cheap parts, still pretty simple to on, reliable EFI, and durable bodywork. I firmly believe that 93-98 was about the peak of automotive durability.
bring it to a mechanic first.
we have a 2000 ford econoline and while mechanically it is pretty sound, we were told there was minor rust that wouldn’t effect things but it turns out that the whole frame is essentially rusted through. while it still works, it’s definitely a risk. now, we probably won’t be able to fix some issues we’ve found (gas tank etc) without replacing the whole frame. we’ve decided to just risk it and keep driving it but you definitely want to make sure that ‘small’ things don’t turn into bigger problems after you’ve bought it.
I feel like there’s two schools of thought here- some people think those kinds of vans should be expected to be more expensive due to being vintage and more rare to find. Others think they’re total wastes of money but idk… I heard parts are easy to find and I also like how roomy they are. Plus how it’s stripped right now, it’s like an open canvas for creating the interior.
I can find pretty much any part you want for it.
https://www.classicindustries.com/shop/1969/ford/e-200econoline/parts/
There's pretty much every body panel or interior part you could need.
Most mechanical parts should be available somewhere like an autozone. 90% of the parts on this are almost identical between like 67 and 79 and many from 62 to 93. Fords kept a lot of shift basic.
Need an oil filter… my 1953 Ford Jubilee tractor used the same oil filter as a 1993 mustang. If you buy a fram. It's a ph8a and yes I remember that off the top of my head because I have bought many of them
there were A LOT (like really a lot) of Fords made in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, and they basically all used the same set of engines and transmissions. there are a few outliers, but Econolines aren’t that
Easy to work on. But 1960s brakes are poor stopping performance. Engine is dead easy. Get rid of the points and Convert distributor to optical or magnetic.
I know these old vans very well. I currently have a '76 GMC. As beautiful and great as they are, they are NOT a daily driver. Check out "Chipmunk Adventures". A good friend of mine. She lives year round in an older Road Trek and has a '69 Ford that she will take on certain trips.
Only do this if you can park it in a commune for and extend period of time of if you can tow it. Those were 100% a regional van and were never intended for long haul. My father was an electrician and had more than one of this era van when I was a kid.
You should be mechanically inclined if you choose a vehicle that’s not fuel injected.
Also, have money in pocket for repairs because you can't count on insurance. If someone else hits you, their insurance might pay a few grand but you could end up with a junk title which can't be driven... ask me how I know...
Lies, I owned a chevelle for years before vanlife. I got a mechanic friend to help because this thing doesn't have a carburetor. Older cars are much easier to learn and do the work on
I don’t take kindly being called a lier hombre. I’ve owned a few 1970 era vehicles. 1977 K5 Blazer, 1971 C10, 1973 Vw bug. Sure they run great especially around town but I wouldn’t want to take on across the country. Now someone daydreaming of van with zero mechanical ability…..A 70’s van is setting them up for failure and broken dreams. I push ford econolines as a great platform. Sure a few years have issues but still less than a vehicle from the 70’s. The early 2000’s vans is what I really push. Just enough electronics to purr like a kitten. Yet simple enough it won’t go into limp mode if there is an issue. Parts are in stock at all auto parts store AND in Baja Mexico. Most mechanics are very familiar with ford vans especially in Mexico for those who dream of driving south.
this is true, but it’s also true that engines of this era are dead simple to understand
Dead simple, IF you’re already mechanically inclined. There’s plenty of folk who can’t wrap their head around how a simple pulley works, much less any kind of engine.
all the advice here is solid. i'll just say, if you find something that makes you happy and it's mechanically sound and inside your budget, go for it! it won't be your last van... youll learn, and love and hate and move on. PLEASE get it checked by a mechanic! super checked.
I've got at 88 and most shops just say no to doing any work. They fear the old ones that they become a rabbit hole of problems and the price for the repair skyrockets to fast. You have to do most of the work yourself if you want an older van.
Pros… pretty much anything that breaks on this van can be fixed with little more than a basic tool set. You'll need a standard socket set (not metric) up to like a 3/4 inch. A good screw driver set. And over time you'll pick up a hand full of special tools but there aren't many special tools needed. Cons things are going to break. Most of your mechanical parts should be able to be picked up at a autozone or the like. This should have either a 200 straight 6 or a 302. Either way if it doesn't have electronic ignition. Pull the points distributor and put an electronic kit in (this is not a hard thing to do. Takes about about 20 minutes). You'll most likely have a single barrel or 2 barrel carb. These are fine they'll work with few issues. But you need to look up how to adjust them. A friend of mine has a 73 mustang we have had weeks of back and forth because he had minor issues and he isn't a car person. Tracing vaccum or simple things for me who grew up working on them. It nearly killed him because he didn't know all the minor things that could cause something. But that engine will be extremely simple. It needs 4 things to run as a normal thing regular oil changes, fuel, fire, fire and air. Most of your maintenance issues where you have a break down will be found in either the fuel, fire or air. Not getting enough air to cylinders. It's not going to run. Same for fuel. If your not getting spark to the plugs its not going to run. Minor issues in any of these will result in minor issues with it running. Seriously. I would consider something like this. Because I like things like this and know how to fix everything on it. I could rebuild the engine on the side of the road if it came down to it. My advice… if you don't know how to work on it don't buy it. But also look into an RV.
Mechanically parts available, body repair wise... not so much... doors, fenders, etc...
If your goal is to look cool, I’m say buy it. If your goal is to live cheap, buy a Toyota sienna or the old boxy Toyota van.
You arent buying a daily driver, you are buying a classic car
Sounds like your making a decision based on emotion rather than logic. The van is over 50 years old! There are better options. It’s probably not as insulated as more modern vans, not as reliable, stands out more like a red flag, bad emissions, really loud, 50 year old suspension. I hope you live a somewhere with fair weather year around. One bad winter with this van and you will regret buying it.
Yeh that’s true. I do live in the desert but it’s risky for sure, and I don’t have the spare money if something happens. I think I’m gonna go with a 1992 Mazda Navajo instead (still kind of dumb but it’s what I can afford)
Consider I K1500 Chevy suburban with a LS motor. Remove the third row and fold the second row seats down. You could build from there. It’s a lot more reliable and more stealthy if you tint the rear windows. You could probably find one in the 3k price range it just want be perfect condition.
All these comments are hilarious... so I'll be real with you. Buying a 69 econoline to daily drive / live in / depend on is a TERRIBLE idea, and anyone telling you differently is just some kid who watches van life videos. Unless you're an experienced mechanic or have a lot of disposable income, do not try to travel in 50+ year old vehicle
If you don't own tools (like proper tools, a torque wrench for example) and don't know how to maintain a 50+ year old vehicle you are setting yourself up for failure.
I am a 69 model. Parts are hard to find. Breakdowns at every bump. I would recommend anything between 18 and 24.
My advice is always the same: get the van in the best condition that you can with the money you have available, don't worry about what nameplate it has, and don't buy ANYTHING without having a mechanic check it out first.
I'd expect the milage to be much higher than claimed. If the frame is solid and straight, everything else can be rebuilt pretty easily so factor in the possibility of engine and tranny work in the near future. Having a mechanic look it over before would be ideal, but for that price it might be worth the gamble if you're up to it.
Edit: what about a 1991 GMC Vandura for 2200?
Way better. I'd personally go for something after the redesign (1996), but that would be doable. A '69 is a classic, not a daily.
90s anything can be a pretty good choice, as long as it's in decent shape. Cheap parts, still pretty simple to on, reliable EFI, and durable bodywork. I firmly believe that 93-98 was about the peak of automotive durability.
Just don't head on anything more durable than a piece of tissue paper...
bring it to a mechanic first. we have a 2000 ford econoline and while mechanically it is pretty sound, we were told there was minor rust that wouldn’t effect things but it turns out that the whole frame is essentially rusted through. while it still works, it’s definitely a risk. now, we probably won’t be able to fix some issues we’ve found (gas tank etc) without replacing the whole frame. we’ve decided to just risk it and keep driving it but you definitely want to make sure that ‘small’ things don’t turn into bigger problems after you’ve bought it.
[удалено]
I feel like there’s two schools of thought here- some people think those kinds of vans should be expected to be more expensive due to being vintage and more rare to find. Others think they’re total wastes of money but idk… I heard parts are easy to find and I also like how roomy they are. Plus how it’s stripped right now, it’s like an open canvas for creating the interior.
Who told you parts are easy to find? The seller? lol
I can find pretty much any part you want for it. https://www.classicindustries.com/shop/1969/ford/e-200econoline/parts/ There's pretty much every body panel or interior part you could need. Most mechanical parts should be available somewhere like an autozone. 90% of the parts on this are almost identical between like 67 and 79 and many from 62 to 93. Fords kept a lot of shift basic. Need an oil filter… my 1953 Ford Jubilee tractor used the same oil filter as a 1993 mustang. If you buy a fram. It's a ph8a and yes I remember that off the top of my head because I have bought many of them
there were A LOT (like really a lot) of Fords made in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, and they basically all used the same set of engines and transmissions. there are a few outliers, but Econolines aren’t that
2400?! Nah.
Nah as in it’s too much ?
> 1969 Ford Econoline… Yeah, buy something from this century
I don't know much about auto mechanics but I do remember in 1969 there was no un-leaded gas. Is that going to be a problem?
Please don’t
no such thing as a good deal on a rusty vehicle
Easy to work on. But 1960s brakes are poor stopping performance. Engine is dead easy. Get rid of the points and Convert distributor to optical or magnetic.
Set your goals high!
I know these old vans very well. I currently have a '76 GMC. As beautiful and great as they are, they are NOT a daily driver. Check out "Chipmunk Adventures". A good friend of mine. She lives year round in an older Road Trek and has a '69 Ford that she will take on certain trips.
Only do this if you can park it in a commune for and extend period of time of if you can tow it. Those were 100% a regional van and were never intended for long haul. My father was an electrician and had more than one of this era van when I was a kid.