"Redemption" - 1974 Ford E300 Chateau Club Wagon

[kyhunter89]

Re: In pursuit of a more badder asser van - 1974 Ford E-300 Club Wagon Chateau

DJM is a company that builds all new i-beams and other lowering components. IF DJM makes them for your van thatd for sure be the way i'd go. along with lowering the rear and adding helper bags in the rear.

[fahrenschnell]

Re: In pursuit of a more badder asser van - 1974 Ford E-300 Club Wagon Chateau

The Badder Asser van got some serious work done on it this weekend.....The front bumper, grill, and headlight fascia got removed and all the paint behind it stripped....need a little more patching on the passenger side before I laying the body filler.....

I am really looking forward to getting this thing painted.....I hope to get a few days of work in this week and be block sanding by next....

Seth

[BluLightning]

Re: In pursuit of a more badder asser van - 1974 Ford E-300 Club Wagon Chateau

What? No pics? Slacker! ;D

[yogreasygramma]

Re: In pursuit of a more badder asser van - 1974 Ford E-300 Club Wagon Chateau

I think I've found the Econoline theme song!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su97IjOzZ8E&feature=related

[milner351]

Re: In pursuit of a more badder asser van - 1974 Ford E-300 Club Wagon Chateau

Better not let that song get too ingrained in your wife's brain!

I must say I've never heard that one before... nice find!

[Blazerteam]

Re: In pursuit of a more badder asser van - 1974 Ford E-300 Club Wagon Chateau

I think I've found the Econoline theme song!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su97IjOzZ8E&feature=related

If you cant find that much parts for your Econline at summit,you at least have a song to play ;D.No Chevelle songs,that i know..

[yogreasygramma]

Re: In pursuit of a more badder asser van - 1974 Ford E-300 Club Wagon Chateau

Better not let that song get too ingrained in your wife's brain!

I must say I've never heard that one before... nice find!

John, I agree, it's a great song showing true love for the Econoline van. But my wife won't be singing that song just yet...she doesn't even know about the van! :o But I hope eventually she'll come to love it like part of the family... ;D : :D

[yogreasygramma]

Re: In pursuit of a more badder asser van - 1974 Ford E-300 Club Wagon Chateau

OK, I've asked people about this upgrade before but so far nobody's been able to give me an answer about the feasibility. So after doing some more research, I've found a great article detailing the upgrade and its effectiveness. I'm talking about adding sway bars to the front and rear. It's been done with tremendous success, and since I want the van to be as safe as possible, this upgrade seems like a no-brainer to me, as long as it can be implemented. What say ye, Reverend?

http://econolines.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=686&hl=swaybar&st=45

Here's the link to PST which carries the bars. I'm not absolutely clear yet on applicability to my van, an E-300 (particularly in the rear, where I have a Dana 60 instead of the regular 9").

http://www.p-s-t.com/pc-4355-237-ford-van-e100-e150-e250-e350-1961-07.aspx

[fahrenschnell]

Re: In pursuit of a more badder asser van - 1974 Ford E-300 Club Wagon Chateau

Couldn't hurt.....It should definitely help keep this beast a little more stable...

BTW.....Update......Metalwork is complete and body smoothing has commenced....pics soon.

Seth

[milner351]

Re: In pursuit of a more badder asser van - 1974 Ford E-300 Club Wagon Chateau

(anti) sway bars are always a good thing

unless they are on the front of a drag car...

[STINEY]

Re: In pursuit of a more badder asser van - 1974 Ford E-300 Club Wagon Chateau

I added a front sway-bar to my '81 1/2 ton chevy van, night & day difference. Well worth the effort. (can't say worth the money, it was a free junkyard special!)

[yogreasygramma]

Re: In pursuit of a more badder asser van - 1974 Ford E-300 Club Wagon Chateau

Now that I know this is feasible, I definitely want to do it! I think this kind of modification would bring much more performance and safety gains than lowering the van, which I don't really want to do anyhow. And others have blazed the trail, so it should be quite simple to do. I've read that the exhaust will have to be routed around the rear sway bar, but we're doing custom exhaust anyway, so we just need to get the order right. First underside repairs and paint, then new shocks/springs and front disc conversion, then sway bars front and rear, then rear push bar/bumper protector/tow hitch, then exhaust. Should be a piece of cake for a pro like Seth!

[milner351]

Re: In pursuit of a more badder asser van - 1974 Ford E-300 Club Wagon Chateau

I want a piece of that rear bumper / hitch / tow bar deal - in fact I have 2" receiver tubes ready to go for the hitch.

I can have Dave start the tig up - get it set right - then I'll tig the seams of that thing silly, my biggest problem with tig is that I don't own one - I was instantly in a zone during my welding class with tig - it's almost like playing music - and much more controllable than welding with a mig.

Not that this is my project - but I have to make this suggestion - as for the exhaust - why not skip the tail pipes and have the exhaust exit in front of the rear tires - on this thing - ground clearance will not be a problem!

[yogreasygramma]

Re: In pursuit of a more badder asser van - 1974 Ford E-300 Club Wagon Chateau

John, thanks for the offer to help, and I'm sure we need all the help we can get (at least I do... LOL). The rear tow hitch assembly is supposed to double as a removable hitch and/or push bar assembly, depending on if I need to tow something or otherwise serve as protection for the rear bumper. I was thinking of three receiving assemblies in the rear, one in the center for the tow hitch and two outboard on each side to mount the extra push bar onto. The whole idea is to protect the bumper and vehicle as much as possible in case my brakes work too well for the mindless tailgater behind me (though I never seem to have problems with tailgaters). I don't want to mess up my perfectly good bumpers and professionally done restoration, with parts unavailable over here. Also, the assembly should be able to be removed if need be, thus it should be bolted onto the rear frame.

Yes, I've thought of the NASCAR approach to the exhaust, and it's a great idea. It would solve all the problems of going over the axle, and make things very simple. Over here, it's illegal for exhaust to exit on the side of the car. However, this is not exactly a car, and I've seen plenty of communist trucks/vans with side exhaust exits, so I have to assume this is OK for my application. Indeed, originally the exhaust does exit on the side, albeit behind the rear wheel. I don't see why having it exit in front of the wheel would represent such a drastic change from stock. I might end up doing it this way, and the worst to happen would be they'd make me extend it over the axle. However, I think it might fly. I think I'd like it to be oval or rectangular shaped if it goes out before the wheelwell, just to make it look less visible.

[fahrenschnell]

Re: In pursuit of a more badder asser van - 1974 Ford E-300 Club Wagon Chateau

The Filler is flowing....I started the process of smoothing out the lower section last night and hope to get a good portion finished tonight....

I have a much renewed enthusiasm to get the van looking great.....I can't wait.

Long nights are ahead, but I can't wait.

Seth