The Ford E-Series (also marketed as the Ford Econoline and Ford Club Wagon) is a range of full-size vans produced by the Ford Motor Company since 1961. Introduced as a replacement for the Ford F-Series panel van, the line has spanned four generations. Sold in both retail and commercial markets, the E-Series has been offered as passenger and cargo vans, as well as in cutaway and stripped-chassis configurations.
With over 8.2 million units sold since 1961, the Ford E-Series is the third-best selling van line in history (outranked only by the Ford Transit and Volkswagen Transporter). Ford retired the E-Series passenger and cargo vans after the 2014 model year, replacing them with the Ford Transit. The E-Series continues to be offered only in cutaway and stripped-chassis configurations.
The E-Series was assembled at Ohio Assembly in Avon Lake, Ohio, which produced the E-Series since 1975. Before its closure in 2005, Lorain Assembly in Lorain, Ohio, built the model line from its launch in 1961. In 2021, it became the second active Ford model line after the F-Series to reach 60 years of continuous production.
First generation (1961–1967)
Ford released the first-generation Ford Econoline for 1961 on September 21, 1960. Beginning development in 1957, the model line served as a single replacement for both Ford panel delivery (based on the F-100) and sedan delivery (the Ford Courier) model lines. The Econoline became a three-vehicle model family, including a cargo van, a passenger van (which would also wear the Station Bus and Club Wagon names), and a forward-control pickup truck.
Competing directly against the rear-engined Chevrolet Corvair van and the Volkswagen Transporter, Ford also designed the Econoline as a forward-control vehicle. In a major break from design precedents of the time, Ford instead used a mid-engine layout, placing the engine between the front seats. The change created a flat load floor (with the exception of the engine compartment) and allowed the rear doors to extend fully to the bumpers. Subsequently, the configuration was adopted by the 1964 Chevrolet G10 and Dodge A100.
Chassis The first-generation Ford Econoline was based on the Ford Falcon compact car range. To accommodate its 90-inch wheelbase (the shortest for a Ford since 1908), the Econoline adopted a midengined configuration, placing the engine behind the front axle; consequently, the layout precluded the use of a V8 engine.
The Econoline was initially powered by the 144-cubic-inch inline-six (the standard engine of the Falcon); a 170-cubic-inch inline-six was introduced as an option. For 1965, the 170 six became standard, with a 240 cubic-inch six introduced as an option. A three-speed manual was standard, with a Dagenham four-speed manual introduced for 1963 and discontinued in 1964; the 170-cubic-inch engine was offered with a three-speed automatic in 1964, and the larger two engines were both offered with a three-speed automatic as an option thereafter.
In contrast to the Falcon, the Econoline was fitted with a solid front axle and a solid rear axle suspension with leaf springs for all four wheels.
Body In its body design, the Ford Econoline adapted several elements of the Volkswagen Type 2, while making major departures with other design features to accommodate its mid-engined layout. In line with Volkswagen, the Econoline positioned the front seats above the front axle, making it a cabover-style configuration (similar to the Jeep Forward Control). The grille placed below the headlights was a design feature borrowed loosely from the Ford Thames 400E (a predecessor of the Ford Transit).
The midengined placement enlarged the cargo area, as the engine compartment was located forward of the flat load floor. While Volkswagen marketed rear-engined vans in the United States until 1991, Chevrolet/GMC and Dodge both adopted the design of the Econoline, introducing midengined vans for the 1964 model year.
Through its production, the first-generation Ford Econoline was offered in several variants. Alongside the standard six-door cargo van, an eight-door version (adding two doors on the driver side) was added for 1963. For 1964, a panel van was introduced, deleting side loading doors altogether. For 1965, a "Super Van" extended-length body was introduced, extending the body 18 inches behind the rear axle. Econoline cargo vans (except panel vans) were offered with or without side windows in several configurations.
Variants Alongside the Ford Falcon, the Ford Econoline was expanded into a product line including several vehicles. In Canada, the Econoline was marketed through both the sales networks of both Ford and Lincoln-Mercury (as a Mercury), to increase its presence outside of urban areas.
Passenger van Introduced alongside the cargo van in 1961, Ford introduced two passenger variants of the Econoline (branded as part of the Falcon range). Alongside the Station Bus (branded as both a Falcon and Econoline), Ford marketed the Club Wagon. While the Station Bus was largely intended for commercial/fleet use, the Club Wagon was marketed as an alternative to station wagons. A five-seat configuration was standard, with an eight-seat configuration offered as an option.
Pickup truck
Introduced as a bodystyle for 1961, the Ford Econoline pickup truck derived its body from the cargo van. Similar in configuration to the Chevrolet Corvair pickup, the Econoline pickup bed had no engine intrusion related to the engine compartment. While far shorter than the similar-GVWR F-100, the Econoline pickup was designed with a 7-foot-long pickup bed (sized between the two F-Series offerings). Two versions of the cab were offered, a standard "three-window" cab and an optional "five-window," which added wraparound windows to the cab corners.
The introduction of the 240-cubic-inch engine for 1965 necessitated a larger engine compartment, intruding slightly into the cargo bed (to provide clearance for the transmission bellhousing). The same year, a "Spring Special" package was offered as a trim option.
At the time of its launch, Ford projected the Econoline pickup truck to outsell the van, but buyers reversed the trend, with the van outselling the pickup truck nine-to-one. The bodystyle ended production after the 1967 model year, remaining unique to the first generation.
Mercury Econoline
The first-generation Econoline was sold by Ford of Canada by both Ford and Lincoln-Mercury. When branding its truck offerings under the Mercury brand, Ford of Canada maximized its presence in rural area serviced by either Ford or Lincoln-Mercury (but not both). As with the Mercury M-series trucks, the Mercury Econoline was largely identical to its Ford namesake (differing primarily in badging); the model was marketed in Canada as a cargo and passenger van and a pickup truck.
For 1961, Ford of Canada began production Mercury-brand Econolines at Oakville Assembly in Ontario; later that year, Mercury Econoline pickup was shifted to Lorain Assembly in Ohio. For 1962, production of the entire model line returned to Oakville. After 1965, production of the model line was sourced from the United States.
Production numbers of Mercury Econolines were low, with only 1,291 Mercury Econoline pickup trucks being built in 1965. Following the 1968 model year, Ford of Canada ended the sale of Mercury-branded trucks, leaving the Mercury Econoline as the last Mercury-branded van until the 1993 Mercury Villager minivan.
Second generation (1968–1974)
Following a lengthy United Auto Workers strike in 1967, the launch of the second-generation Econoline van was delayed almost four months, until January 1968. Instead of marketing the van as a 1968 or 1968-1/2 model, Ford marketed it for model year 1969. Losing its Falcon roots, the second-generation Econoline became a heavier-duty vehicle, sharing many of its underpinnings with the F-Series full-sized pickups.
Chassis The unibody construction of the previous generation was carried over, and the mid-engine, forward-control layout gave way to a front-engine layout with a forward axle placement; this allowed use of the "Twin-I-Beam" front suspension from the F-Series trucks. The wheelbase increased , while the longer long-wheelbase model became the largest full-sized van offered in North America at the time.
Following Dodge and Chevrolet/GMC, a V8 engine became optional.
Body With the change of chassis and axle configurations, the Econoline gained a conventional hood for engine access, though engine access remained largely from the van's interior. The redesign provided a conventional grille, styled similarly to the F-Series.
For 1971, the grille was redesigned to match the updated F-Series. For 1972, a sliding rear door became an option; introduced on a cutaway van chassis was the Hi-Cube van, a cab-chassis version of the Econoline with a box-van body. The introduction of the cab-chassis variant became popular in the recreational-vehicle industry (a Class C RV), a segment still dominated by the E-Series in the 2010s.
Interior Inside of the Econoline, the shift of the engine location moved the engine housing from between the seats to in front of the driver and front passenger, under the windshield. While the Econoline cargo van remained, it was joined by an Econoline passenger van (replacing the Falcon van). To attract more buyers to passenger vans, Ford introduced three new trims of the passenger van, the Ford Club Wagon, Ford Club Wagon Deluxe, and Ford Club Wagon Chateau. Based on the long-wheelbase version, the Chateau had air conditioning as standard (normally an option), houndstooth fabric on all seats, an AM/FM sound system, and the option of 12-passenger seating.
Third generation (1975–1991)
For 1975, the Econoline/Club Wagon were given a complete redesign. Based on an all-new chassis, Ford became the first American manufacturer to adapt body-on-frame construction to a full-size van.
The new-generation Econoline would become common not only in its own right, but as the basis for other vehicles. With a full frame, the Econoline became popular as a cutaway van chassis; the design served as a basis for many ambulances, and various types of trucks and buses. The shared drivetrain with the F-Series marked the beginning of aftermarket four-wheel drive conversions. During the 1970s, the Econoline became popular as a basis for van conversions. Using the sparsely-equipped Econoline cargo van as a basis, a luxurious interior was fitted, along with extensive customization of the exterior.
The 1978 Ford Econoline was Motor Trend's first-ever Truck of the Year.
Chassis
To increase the versatility of the full-size van line, the Econoline was developed using body-on-frame construction for the first time. In addition to increasing the strength of the chassis, the configuration allowed more commonality with the F-Series trucks. As before, the Twin-I-Beam front suspension was used. In its new configuration, the engine was moved further forward and lowered relative to the body. The van grew in size: the short-wheelbase configuration was a half inch longer than the previous long-wheelbase chassis; the new long-wheelbase chassis was , the longest wheelbase full-size van sold until 1990. After the 1984 model year, the 124-inch wheelbase Club Wagon passenger van was discontinued, and the 124-inch wheelbase Econoline Cargo Van was discontinued after the 1990 model year, leaving the 138-inch wheelbase as the sole option.
In 1983, to increase the fuel economy of the Econoline without a major loss in engine output, Ford introduced the option of a 6.9L IDI diesel V8 produced by International Harvester; in 1988, this was enlarged to 7.3L. The diesel V8 engines were available only in Econoline 350s (or Club Wagons sold on the same chassis). The cutaway version was available with the 4.9L 6-cylinder or the larger (5.8L and up) V8s.