E-350 = pig?

http://albany.craigslist.org/cto/1206144278.html

I'm looking at this. The seller says it has a 305 engine, 450 is a typo. But a 305 is Chevy. Yeah, someone swapped a while ago.

Hmmmm....

Anywho, it carries a bunch of stuff, is moderately rust free and can be made almost pretty. What do you think?

Dan

I adopt lots of orphans so I would go for it, make a nice tow/camper

a little turquoise and lime green paint and you got yourself a mystery machine baby!!!

4cylndrfury wrote: a little turquoise and lime green paint and you got yourself a mystery machine baby!!!

There's one on Ebay right now!

do it...best tow rig ever!!! I can just hear the comments now:

"oh a mystery machine...what kind of monster is in that trailer?"

ahh sum!!!

I thought the ford came in the 305 variety too?

Sounds to me like he has no clue what he has... if it's a V8, I'd guess it's a 302... especially if it's a 3-on-the-tree... 300 inline 6 was more common. If it really does have a 305 Chevy, I wouldn't bother unless you're really looking for a project.

Rust free? Troy, NY? I'll believe it when I see it...

And to answer you're initial question: yes... it's a pig... but I wouldn't expect anything less.

Check out this 1971 version and the accompanying ebay listing
http://bringatrailer.com/2009/06/01/delightfully-stock-1971-ford-e-series-chateau/

Ian F wrote: Sounds to me like he has no clue what he has... if it's a V8, I'd guess it's a 302... especially if it's a 3-on-the-tree... 300 inline 6 was more common. If it really does have a 305 Chevy, I wouldn't bother unless you're really looking for a project. Rust free? Troy, NY? I'll believe it when I see it... And to answer you're initial question: yes... it's a pig... but I wouldn't expect anything less.

oh yes.. you are right.. the 302 would be the proper ford engine.

I remember driving a mid90s E350 with that engine, the van could not get out of it's own way

mad_machine wrote: I remember driving a mid90s E350 with that engine, the van could not get out of it's own way

Yeah... my '90 E-150 had a 5.0 (302) EFI w/ a AOD trans... foot to the floor = a whole lot of noise... but not much forward movement... at least until it got going... then it would bury the 85 mph speedometer with little drama...

The thing to remember about vans... they don't really like to do anything quickly... start, stop, change direction... but if you accept them for what they are - a big box on wheels - then they do what they were designed to do (haul a crap-load of stuff from point A to point B) quite well and with reasonable efficiency.

Could you overcome the box feel with suspension goodness and some horsepower?

http://albany.craigslist.org/pts/1205350194.html

Maybe it's a 430!!!

The 430 cu in (7.0 L) engine was produced from 1958 through 1965. It was also used in Ford Thunderbirds and was commonly referred to as the "Bulldozer" of the MEL series engines. The Super Marauder used three two-barrel carburetors. The 430 had a 4.30 in (109.2 mm) bore (same as the 383) and shared the 3.7 in (94 mm) stroke of the 410. The 1958 Super Marauder was the first American production automobile engine to attain a 400 hp (298 kW) advertised rating. The compression ratio started at 10.5:1 for 365, 375, and 400 hp (272, 280, and 298 kW), but was reduced to 10.0:1 in less than a year. These 1959 engines produced 345-350 hp (257 to 261 kW), but power was down to 315 hp (235 kW) for 1960. New pistons and a four-barrel carburetor were added for 1963. 10.1:1 compression brought output back to 345 hp (257 kW). Applications: * 1958–1965 Lincoln Continental * 1959-1960 Ford Thunderbird * 1958-1960 Mercury

Or a 477!

The Ford Super Duty engine was a truck engine from Ford Motor Company. The Super Duty was introduced in 1958 along with the FE and MEL series V8 engines. The Super Duty was available in displacements of 401 cu in (6.6 L), 477 cu in (7.8 L), or 534 cu in (8.8 L). These engines appeared in medium and heavy-duty trucks of the time and were large, heavy, low speed, high torque engines. They were never designed as automobile engines and were commonly found in large, industrial use vehicles including dump trucks, garbage trucks, cement mixing trucks, and large buses. The Super Duty engine was built in Ford's Cleveland engine plant number 2. When introduced in 1958, the 401 produced 226 hp (169 kW) at 3800 rpm and 350 lb·ft (475 N·m) of torque at 1800-2300 rpm. The 477 produced 260 hp (194 kW) at 3600 rpm and 430 lb·ft (583 N·m) of torque at 1800-2300 rpm. The 534 produced 277 hp (207 kW) at 3400 rpm and 490 lb·ft (664 N·m) of torque at 1800-2300 rpm. A marine version, commonly referred to as the "Seamaster" was also available starting in the late 1950s. The Seamaster was available with twin turbochargers, and weighed over 1,300 pounds (590 kg) installed.

Actually it COULD have a 460 in it.

Considering that it's a -350, I don't know that it would have a 302 in it... usually the -250 and -350 offerings would have larger engines to make up for the extra towing/hauling capacity.

1973 wouldn't have a 460 in it, to the best of my knowledge, and I don't believe they ever put a 385-series motor in one of those vans due to space contraints.

My best guess would be that it actually has a 351W.

Buy it! I can't stand the suspense!

I remember renting a 15 passenger ford van once.. I left the toll booths on route 1 in deleware sideby side with a brand new Mustang GT... and I stayed with him until the speed limiter at 90mph.. then it was like somebody tossed an anchor out the back..

I really wonder what that van would have done without the limiter.

John Brown wrote: Maybe it's a 430!!!

The 430 cu in (7.0 L) engine was produced from 1958 through 1965. It was also used in Ford Thunderbirds and was commonly referred to as the "Bulldozer" of the MEL series engines. The Super Marauder used three two-barrel carburetors. The 430 had a 4.30 in (109.2 mm) bore (same as the 383) and shared the 3.7 in (94 mm) stroke of the 410. The 1958 Super Marauder was the first American production automobile engine to attain a 400 hp (298 kW) advertised rating. The compression ratio started at 10.5:1 for 365, 375, and 400 hp (272, 280, and 298 kW), but was reduced to 10.0:1 in less than a year. These 1959 engines produced 345-350 hp (257 to 261 kW), but power was down to 315 hp (235 kW) for 1960.

I grew up in the third row of a 1958 Mercury Voyager wagon with a 430. Ribbon speedometer, juke box button shifter, no window posts.... Ahhhh the memories. http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/gallery/showimage.php?i=1075&catid=newimages And Reverend, I'll let you know Friday when I pick it up.

My 97 E-150 will run with the best of them. Nothing better than out running the ricers to the speed limit in a 7000# van. I haven't found the limiter in it yet, I chickened out at about 95. It has the 5.4 in it. Love that engine other than it is a winder rather than a torque motor. Put it in a lite car and it would be great.

another cl find

I have a 2002 E-150. It surprises a lot of people - at least in straight lines and can carry tons of stuff.

jrw1621 wrote: Check out this 1971 version and the accompanying ebay listing http://bringatrailer.com/2009/06/01/delightfully-stock-1971-ford-e-series-chateau/

That is a beautiful van! Makes me miss my old one

I sold it to a friends band and they attacked it with rattle cans lol

914Driver wrote: Could you overcome the box feel with suspension goodness and some horsepower?

I would say it depends on your intent. Could you make it less box-feeling? sure. But how far you go will depend on how much utility you're willing to lose. Hell, if you want, you could make the thing go, stop and turn like a Miata... but it would be next to useless as van... so other than the novelty of it, what's the point?

This is a subject I did some research on for my van... My goal/thought was to build it as a good utility/tow vehicle. Stiffen the suspension a bit, add thicker bars for roll and sway resistance (less for handling and more to help keep the tail from wagging the dog when towing). Add rear air-bags to keep it level under load. Do some basic 5.0 mods for more power (more towards towing torque) and upgrade the tranny with one built to tow.

While these mods would "in theory" improve 'sportiness', the limiter would be the tires. As it's function first and foremost would be utility and hwy mileage, I would have run a heavy duty 15" tire for load capacity more so than for cornering grip.

In the end, I bought a Dodge Cummins 4x4 truck instead... although in hindsight, I should have kept and done at least some of the mods to the van.