Hallowe'en 2009... I bought a piece of Econoline history! A local musician friend offered me his Econoline for a song. Great van, in factory shape and pretty solid! A Supervan.
Body-wise, it had a few issues. There are a few rustouts and dents, tweaked door jambs, funny windshield wipers, and a leaky roof and door rubbers. Looks like all the original glass is there, including the frosted privacy stripes that were options from the factory for this ambulance!
Mechanically, the Ford Big Six (couldn't tell if it had a 240 or a 300 c.i., though the Econolines back then came with 240s) is tired, dirty and smoky... hard to keep it running. The C4 Automatic Transmission is leaky. It's got a Ford 9" Rear Axle, which should be able to handle some abuse! When everything is topped up, this thing really goes! On the highway, it gets up to speed easy! But it needs work.
The interior is in good shape. The only dash mods are for emergency switches...
It's got the original seats, and the back is a clean canvas. Unlike other Econolines I've seen, this one is missing the typical rust issues... front floor is solid, only one rocker is rusted out... really good shape!
My vision... turn the Shambulance into the ideal camping and tailgating rig, while paying homage to it's history as a military ambulance. Custom roof beacon to replace the original, but I'm seeing a green one. Maybe some vintage sirens to go with it. I'm seeing fresh paint... white or silver with a combination of green and black pinstriping. Inside, a couple rows of bench seats that fold into a dinette or super single "gurney" along the drivers side, "medicine cabinet" on the passenger side! When it's configured as a bed, I want it to look close to how it would have been as an ambulance. Pictures I've seen showed the cabinets along the drivers side, but I'm thinking the space is better used with the cabinet on the passenger wall behind the barn doors.
