Sometimes the transporter is cooler than thing it transports. Cue RGB900‘s wildly modified Ford Econoline pick-up, designed to transport a racing motorbike. But we’re not looking at the bike when the truck is so deeply cool. Take a closer look at RGB’s photostream, whilst we trawl Bring-a-Trailer for old Ford Econolines…
Here at The Lego Car Blog most of the models we publish are supercars, sports cars, and giant off-roaders. Because we’re six. But if we were a vehicle, we’d probably be a crappy old van.
In our home nation that would most likely mean a Ford Transit, which isn’t just the best-selling van, but the best selling vehicle. However despite the massive numbers almost none survive beyond about fifteen years old (with many dying much younger), thanks to the disposable nature of vehicles used as tools, high repair costs, and a very robust annual inspection process.
In many parts of America though, there is no such inspection (leading to some truly terrifying vehicle conditions unthinkable in our home nation), and thus battered vans from decades past can are still a common sight.
This is one such van, a 1997 Ford Econoline, as built by newcomer yellowsquadron, who has utilised some sun-yellowed white bricks to superb effect to recreate the knackered exterior.
Posable steering, opening doors (including the sliding side door), a detailed engine under an opening hood, a realistic under-chassis drivetrain, and a wonderfully life-like interior all feature, and you can check out all the imagery (plus a link to building instructions) at yellow’s ‘Ford Econoline 1997’ album. Move some boxes via the link above.
Look at this van
It’s not one shade nor hue
Quite a thing to do
Built in mostly yellow
1saac W
Decided old not new
Patina’s right on cue
Varied types of yellow
So click the link above
To show this build some love
‘Cos it’s kinda yellow
*Sorry Coldplay. Here’s the link to how it should go…
This classic Ford Econoline van, complete with some, er… ‘tasteful’ period modifications, was found by one of our Elves on Flickr, who clearly hadn’t listened to the office talk on stranger danger.
Driven by Brad, who makes a living selling foreign narcotics part-time, and his girlfriend Tiffany, who works in ‘entertainment’, this modified late-’70s to mid-’80s Econoline has got more red flags flying than a minefield.
But it’s also got a wicked three-tone stripe, side-pipes, a moon window, and is blasting Buckcherry out of the stereo, so maybe it’s worth a closer look after all… no. NO.
HCKP13 is the builder, and if you’re old enough there’s more to see of their superbly built and beautifully presented creation on Flickr, where alternatively if you’re not yet of age (or you’re a TLCB Elf), there’s also a bitchin’ monster truck version.
Orange lines are usually not a good look. They are today though, thanks to Tim Henderson and this lovely ’63 Ford Econoline van. Tim’s model is based upon the customised Econoline owned by his friend Rose who runs Custom Vanner Magazine, and there’s more to see of Tim (and Rose)’s tan lines on Flickr via the link above.
Flickr’s Brick Flag has appeared here twice recently, with his excellent American 1960s ‘forward control’ vans, the Dodge A100 and Ford Econoline. We tend not to feature the same builder repeatedly in quick succession, but had we not today there would have been an Elven riot. Plus, – more importantly – we think this is bloody cool too.
The reason for the Elves’ excitement is obvious; Brick Flag‘s latest build is bright orange, features a racing stripe, wheelie-bar, ground-scraping stance, a huge rear wing, oh – and it has ‘some sort of turbo jet boat engine directly on its rear axle’, to quote the builder. This has also allowed for a bench seat to be fitted in place of the original two-seat set-up, which sounds safe.
Even Brick Flag admits this ‘makes no sense whatsoever’, but if you’re a TLCB Elf few things do, and that’s the way they like it. There’s more to see of Brick’s wildly modded ‘Pro Street’ ’60s Ford Econoline at his photostream – click the link above to fire up ‘some sort of turbo jet boat engine’ and become an orange blur.
From one simple, basic workhorse to another now, and possibly the most blandly-named vehicle in American history, the Ford Econoline.
Worried by Volkswagen’s assault on the budget van and pick-up market with the Type 2 Transporter, America’s domestic auto-makers began to build their own ‘forward-control’ pick-ups in the 1960s.
Ford based their design on the Falcon sedan which helped to keep costs low, as did leaf-spring suspension both front and rear, and a manual gearbox with just three speeds.
The Econoline did feature a racing stripe down the side though, and today we think it looks rather good, particularly as the Econoline had become a standard and far less interesting two-box van by the 1970s.
This superb Model Team recreation of the 1960s original comes from Brick Flag of Flickr, who has captured the 1961 Econoline pick-up wonderfully, including an excellent brick-built version of the ‘FORD’ stamped tailgate.
There’s more to see of Brick Flag’s model at his photostream – click the link above jump back to ’61.
We like humble, basic, and sometimes downright crappy vehicles here at The Lego Car Blog. It’s vehicles like these that make the world go round, and Ford’s ’75 Econoline van fits this brief beautifully.
This neat Technic version of the classic workhorse comes from Arsman604 of Eurobricks, and in keeping with the vehicle on which it is based his recreation eschews fancy features in favour of honest simple mechanical engineering. Working steering, opening doors and hood, and a removable body are included and there’s more to see at the Eurobricks forum via the link above.