A few weeks I showed you a heavy duty Suburban that in the 1980s was one solution to towing things on family trips–unless you needed to a haul a fifth-wheel trailer. For that, I present this Ford Econoline tow rig. Based on the heavy duty E-350 van, it sports more than a few big rig styling cues.
Note the use of GM tail lights! Certainly not a factory job, nor a home-made hack. At the time, a variety of companies were doing this sort of conversion; Centurion seems to have been the largest, but their conversions are slightly different and used Ford truck rear lights. Any ideas?
Here’s another take on the same theme. I saw this one a few months back, using its towing capacity in the service of a Ford Tempo.
Is that thing stretched wheelbase, or is that just an optical illusion induced by the shape?
I’m not sure if I’m horrified or glorified.
Here is another Econoline tow rig I spotted yesterday.
That’s funny because I saw a dually Econline just the other day. It was the previous gen and it had a sliding door, at leas originally. Below the belt line track the flare was molded to the door but above the track and in front there was still the gap and the handle was still there. I’ve seen them done with the barn doors so there was still access from the mid side before but not a truck that started with a slider.
It’s hard to believe that somebody looked at that bastardized Econoline and said ” I have to own that,” then proceeded to pay a lot of money to make it happen. Wow.
Beats the alternative. If I were towing a recreational trailer, I’d rather drive this than a contemporary 1-ton dually pickup. (And I DRIVE a 1989 Ford 1-ton p-up, so that’s not an idle comment.)
Would work for most trailers really, a lower tow point which would allow for more space in the trailer, and more cabin space for the vehicle length. What would the downside be, apart from no (or less common) 4×4 option?
Downside is doghouse for the engine between the seats, tiny footwells, possible aftermarket frame modifications, very cramped engine compartment, and you have to look at it more than once!
To each their own, variety is the spice of life, etc. Even so, the graphics alone are an abomination before God, man, and most creatures:)
Don’t the Fords have decent footwell room? I agree the graphics are an acquired taste, definitely ‘period’ – I suppose you either go the full big-rig look or go plain-wrapper.
One of these has been a few miles from my house for several years. Haven’t seen it lately but I liked it and I think it’s home made.
We see these occasionally in Klamath Falls. We’re on the snowbird migration route, and the K-Falls KOA gets lots of overnight nesters. We also get to play the “what’s the most inappropriate dinghy for a Class A” game. IIRC, it was a H3, so far. I’m holding out for an H1.
Yeah, we also get the big rig tractors set up as 5th wheels, but those are quite rare. We see one or two a season. (except at the outdoor show where one dealer is trying to sell one. Been trying a few years.)
I saw one of those big rig / 5th wheel combinations today. I’d always assumed it was a truck driver who already owned his own big rig.
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