Good morning! Today’s Shitbox Showdown contestants are a couple of camper vans, and before you make that face you’re about to make, let me just say that they’re both in better shape than I expected. I mean, you can’t expect miracles for these prices, but neither one should make you want to run away screaming.
Some days I have an inkling of how the vote is going to go before I even finish writing. Yesterday was not one of those days. I figured it was anyone’s game, and expected a close vote. How wrong I was. Despite some misgivings in the comments about its aftermarket wheels, the little Escort wagon simply walked away with this one.
I think I have to agree. My old Escort treated me well, and I always liked my friend’s wagon version even more than my hatchback. Yes, of course I’d rather have a manual, but even with an automatic, mine wasn’t that slow. Its biggest fault was hunting between third and forth gear on hills, a problem made worse by the fact that for some reason, there was no button or shifter position to turn the overdrive off.
Now then: Halloween is just around the corner, and the decorations are coming out. We have one of those twelve-foot-tall skeletons from Home Depot in our yard, all lit up with spotlights, and one of our neighbors nearby has chosen a “scary clown” theme. Not my style, but boy oh boy, did they commit to it. They also have a beat-up old Chevy van parked sideways across their driveway, with “FREE CANDY” scrawled on the side in big, drippy letters. My assumption, and hope, is that they will be passing out candy to trick-or-treaters from within that van.
In honor of that truly disturbing van at the end of a gauntlet of clowns, I wanted to find some scary vans to feature here. I went looking, and found these two camper vans instead. They’re quite friendly in comparison to my neighbor’s van, and actually, I think they both have potential to be really cool. Let’s check them out.
1973 Ford Econoline 300 – $3,900
Engine/drivetrain: 302 cubic inch overhead valve V8, three-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Folsom, CA
Odometer reading: 92,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
As long as there have been motorized wheeled vehicles, people have been outfitting them to live in, but it wasn’t until after World War II that the idea of converting a van into a recreational vehicle really took off. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, vans outfitted for camping were big business, and an awful lot of panel-sided vans ended up in the hands of conversion companies, having their roofs cut of and a fiberglass top installed to make more room inside for beds and appliances and everything else people wanted to take with them when they got away from it all. In 1973, this second-generation Ford Econoline one-ton van came out of the factory of a company called Red-E-Kamp, in more or less the form you see it here today.
The earliest Econolines were a cab-over design, with the seats atop the front wheels and the engine just behind them. For the 1969 model year, Ford moved the seats back and the engine forward, now enclosed in the familiar “doghouse” protruding from the dash. Inside the doghouse of this one is a 302 V8 and a three-speed automatic. It runs and drives well, and has only 92,000 miles on its odometer.
Anyone who grew up with friends whose parents had a conversion van probably remember a lot of shag carpeting and velour upholstery. That does not seem to have been the style of 1973, at least from the factory; this van’s interior is a study in fake woodgrain and blue vinyl. It has a sink, a stove, and a fridge, and features two sleeping areas: one in the back, which looks like it converts into a sofa, and one up above in a loft, which probably has a very strict weight limit. It’s all original, the seller says, and really isn’t in bad condition at all, considering. And at least vinyl is easy to clean.
It shows a little bit of rust outside, but the seller says the floors are solid. The paint actually looks decent, on the steel part anyway; the fiberglass top is pretty faded. As long as it’s watertight, I suppose it doesn’t matter if it’s a little chalky.
1984 Dodge B350 – $4,500
Engine/drivetrain: 360 cubic inch overhead valve V8, three-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Rancho Cordova, CA
Odometer reading: 50,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Dodge vans were a favorite of the RV conversion companies for many years, whether the full-on Class C motorhomes or conversion vans like Uncle Rico drove. Even a lot of the larger Winnebago-type RVs in the 1960s and ’70s were Dodge-powered. What you don’t see too often, though, is a long-wheelbase, extended-length “church van” like this converted to an RV. This sucker is 22 feet long, and only has a small bump in the center section of the roof, making it longer and lower than your typical camper van.
Inside the doghouse of this extra-long B-series van is a 360 cubic inch V8 and a Torqueflite automatic transmission. It’s a good strong high-torque combination, just what you need to muscle around a beast like this. The seller says it runs well, and they spent the summer road-tripping in it. Now they’re having a baby, and don’t expect to be able to do much traveling, so they’re giving someone else a chance.
It has all the stuff you’d expect to find in a camper van: a stove, a fridge, a freshwater tank with a propane water heater, and plenty of places to sleep. It also has a propane furnace and a roof-mounted air conditioner, so you don’t have to fear the outside temperature. It all looks serviceable, if not perfect, and I don’t want to “Jump” to any conclusions, but I get the feeling from that fridge that someone is a Van Halen fan.
It’s clean outside and about as stylish as you can expect something like this to be. One thing does need attention, though: Someone recently broke the rear window, so it needs to be replaced. The seller has adjusted the price accordingly, and it’s not a fancy piece of glass, so it shouldn’t be too much trouble to fix.
Camper vans, more so than maybe any other vehicle, can get really sketchy really fast as you drop down the price range. But I don’t get the impression that either of these has been lived in long long-term or otherwise abused; they both seem to have been used as designed, for vacations and road trips, and they’re both ready for more. Which one are you going with?
(Image credits: sellers)
If I’m camping, it’s in the mountains, so I’m going Econoline. Easier to get up the twisties and the lack of the A/C is not too important.
One nice thing about this weeks SBS – the two cars are roughly about 10 miles from each other, so comparison shopping would be a breeze!
Best conversion van I saw recently was a Dodge of this vintage, raised roof beat up broken window parked outside a bank, the name on the side from the conversion company Get Away Van
Dodge, please!
The 360/727 combo is a good one; they’re easy to maintain and there are lots of options available.
I would gut it, except for the heat and AC, and use it to transport motorcycles and parts to/from events. There would be a lot of usable space and the idea of wrenching (or just hanging out) in a cooled environment in July and August is really appealing.
Neither, thank you very much.
The Dodge is dirty and worn out, is missing the spare tire and has Oregon plates. It looks just right for a homeless drug addict (or three) to reside in while parked in front of your house. The interior and most everything else is 51 years old. Time for a complete remodel, which negates the illusion of a cheap van.
The Ford is a bit better, but can you imagine paying for sub-10 MPG gasoline while driving a van that is cosplaying as a motor home? It will be great for someone, but just doesn’t do much for me.
There may be enough floorspace to skank in the Dodge but it looks like you could pogo in the Ford, so I’ll jam econo.
Having owned both regular-length vans and extended-length vans, that extra 2′ or so makes all the difference in the world. I’ll have to go with the Dodge. But good luck finding replacement glass for the super-rare single rear door; the vast majority of these vans had two barn doors.
they spent the summer
road-trippingshagging in it. Now they’re having a baby, and don’t expect to be able to do muchtravelingFIFY
I just had to go with the price per sq footage on these, and the Dodge definitely walks away with it on that front. Plus it already has A/C
The Ford is so much cooler, but I want AC so I’ll have to Dodge. The seat covers are just a bonus.
Neither has a toilet or a shower, so that’s a push.
Both need work, so that’s another push.
I can install an A/C unit on the roof of the Ford.
I can’t make the Dodge more interesting.
Give me the Ford.
Not a fan of vans where you see the weld seams where it was extended. Plus the style of older Econoline, the extra headroom, and trusty old 302 appeal more to me.
I feel like Mercedes should be already on the way to get the Dodge to replace her parents stuff. I am a little curious what the tow capacity/rating might be on that one to be honest. It is a little too big for my interest and I do prefer Pre-Cat motors and styling if I am going to be stuck without OD and a carb. but darn, these are both not nearly as scary as I expected they would be.
Ever see one of these where you wish you could choose one vehicle, but with the options from the other? I really want to want the Ford – it’s “cooler,” figuratively speaking.
But having owned other versions of both in the past and being happy with both, and being Florida Man, and considering the low mileage on both options, I’m afraid my decision hinges on two words: “roof air.”
Sorry, Econoline, but I have to choose the Dodge. Nothing personal.
I chose the Dodge for AC as well. As cool as that Ford is, I started sweating just thinking about sleeping on that vinyl bed.
As is always the case the “easy fix” isn’t really easy or the seller would have taken care of it. That piece of glass in the side window is not something simple it was a piece of tempered glass so you can’t just go to your local glass supplier and have them cut one. So yeah you need to find an entirely new window and hope to find one that either fits as is, or is slightly larger than the existing one.
Counterpoint: based on the ad, the owner sounds like someone with a whole bunch on their plate, and a broken backlight on a van they intend to sell anyway feels low on their list.
Exactly.
The ad reads “Im selling because I have a high risk pregnancy and I need money for my baby and meds. Im on bed rest so I can’t work on it and we won’t be taking trips for a while.”
Maybe that’s all true and maybe it isn’t, but the seller did specifically address why the window isn’t fixed.
I’d just replace it with plexiglass, it’s not like it’s useful to see out of while driving.
I’d also add a back up camera.
That is probably the best option for this vehicle.
the dodge has AC so I went with it, echo the comment can’t believe I voted for a 40 year old Chrysler lol
Lower price, smaller footprint, vintage charm and bleach-wipe-ready vinyl. I’m going for the Ford.
The Ford is pretty cute, and I almost picked it just for the ability to stand up inside it … but rear a/c and air suspension on that Dajiban is hard to turn down.
Plus,”my kids kept tearing down the curtains” GOT me.
I’ll take the Dodge, replace the backlight, and even do the mopping and re-install the handles so the owner doesn’t have to. She deserves a rest!
I expected both of these RVs to be far more disgusting inside. 1970s RVs induce much nausea due to their inexplicable fascination with having toilets surrounded by shag carpet. That neither of these gross me out is a pleasant surprise.
I’ll take the Ford. If I bought either of these, I would gut the interiors and modernize them. I think the Ford looks cooler from the outside; I love the blue and white paint. I also like that it is has the footprint of a normal van; the Dodge isn’t huge, but it looks long enough that it wouldn’t fit in a standard parking spot.
I would at least go look at the Ford. I don’t want the van, but maybe I could strike a deal for the old Ford pickups seen in the background. Both of those look very nice.
I don’t know how old you are, but being 52, can confirm that like all questionable RV interior design choices, this began in the house. Carpeted bathrooms were a thing in houses of my childhood. Not mine, thank God, but they were around.
the real trick would be learning to account for the massively wide swing and trying to take the dodge out on steep roads. the transition would definitely be sketchy even with the air bags raising up the back in those cases.
I’ll take the Dodge and a bulk package of air fresheners. I get the feeling a Snoop Dogg-level of weed has been smoked in it. The Ford looks like it smells of human secretions and water intrusion.
The Ford is much smaller, so less to regret when things go wrong.
Econoline. You don’t know how much you need that extra height until you don’t have it.
The larger van seems like an absolute no-brainer here. I’ll take the RV Dajiban.
The Dodge is probably the more sensible choice here (I can’t believe I’m really saying that about a 40 year old Chrysler product) but I’m going Econoline for the retro coolness of the age, uniqueness and the high top. Yeah, it needs an absolute shit ton of work, (I don’t even want to image what it smells like inside on a hot day) but for a starting place for Insagram Van Life fame, it’s too good to pass up.
Voting ford on this one. Main ding against the Dodge for me is that anything with that much vehicle behind the rear wheels can be a little twitchy to drive.
though it might be fun to put a hemi under glass back there and take it to duct tape drags and wheel stand it. just put shopping cart wheels on the bumper and the truck becomes it’s own wheelie bars.
I WANT the Econoline, but I think the Dodge would be the better vehicle.
I voted Ford…
I want neither, but the Dodge seems more bang for your buck. So I went that route.