Today, since everyone is going back to work I thought we’d look at some work vans. But let’s wrap up last week first:
Exactly as I expected. I hope the new owner of that Mercedes appreciates the incredible deal they got. Now: They’re big. They’re white. They’re usually laden down with ladders or pipes strapped to roof racks, emblazoned with company logos and phone numbers, and far too often driven with reckless abandon. They’re the unsung heroes of the construction trades, putting in the hours day in and day out, with no respect and very little maintenance. They’re work vans, and today we’re going to take a good close look at a couple of them.
2009 Ford Econoline – $2,450
Engine/drivetrain: 5.4 liter V8, 4 speed automatic, RWD Location: Roselle, IL Odometer reading: 274,000 miles Runs/drives? Yes, but has a misfire The Ford E-series van has been the answer to so many questions for so many people for so many years, it’s hard to imagine the American vehicular landscape without it. Need a contractor’s van? Ford Econoline. Have twelve kids to shuttle to church camp? Ford Econoline. Have a band and need to haul your gear? Ford Econoline.
This particular Econoline is the 250 model, rated for a 3/4 ton payload. This is important when you start loading it down with ladder racks and built-in tool chests and portable welding rigs and whatever else you need to do what needs to be done. Gotta leave some weight capacity for building materials.
This van has all the right stuff: a ladder rack, a safety bulkhead (so that your job doesn’t smack you in the back of the skull in the event of a crash or a hard stop), a built-in cabinet, and what looks like a big power inverter attached to the bulkhead. The driver’s seat is worn out, but apart from that the front compartment looks all right. It’s all dull gray plastic anyway, which almost looks better scuffed up.
Mechanically, it does need a little help. The 5.4 liter “Triton” V8 runs, but has a misfire, or maybe two. Expect to pull the doghouse and check out some ignition components. But it isn’t too rusty (by Midwest standards), so it’s probably worth fixing up, even at 274,000 miles.
1985 Dodge Ram 250 – $2,500
Engine/drivetrain: V8 of unspecified displacement (5.2 or 5.9 liter), 3 speed automatic, RWD Location: Bothell, WA Odometer reading: 152,000 miles Runs/drives? Just fine Work vans have looked pretty much the same for a long time. This Dodge is more than two decades older than the Econoline, but from a distance, in the dark, you could easily confuse the two. If it ain’t broke, as they say…
[Editor’s Note: Can we agree that those little circular headlights in the square housing give this van an eager, maybe even surprised look that is somehow just charming? -DT] This 1985 model Dodge van sits right about in the middle of a 32 year production run, with a couple of restyles that stayed more or less the same underneath. The ad doesn’t specify which V8 engine it has, but during this time it would have been Chrysler’s LA small-block, in either the 318 or 360 cubic inch size, backed by a good old Torqueflite 3 speed automatic. It’s a good reliable combination, and the seller says this one runs well.
This van is a bit more barren in back than the Ford, though it does have the safety bulkhead. It has windows, which are sometimes a detriment in a work van. It’s harder to hide tools and equipment, and it’s nearly impossible to install anything along the walls. It also has a sliding door and side interior trim panels, leading me to believe that this might have started life as a passenger van.
Also note the presence of a control that has long since vanished from cars: a floor-mounted headlight dimmer switch (the little silver thingy next to the brake pedal). I’m not sure when these disappeared, but this would have been a late one.
I’m not really supposed to play favorites, I suppose, but I really like this van. It’s scruffy and beat-up in exactly the right ways, and I always liked the styling of this era Dodge van anyway. But as always, the decision is not mine, but rather yours. Which will it be: modern-ish fully-decked-out van in need of a little TLC, or battered DIY workhorse? Quiz maker (Damn spell check….) Jokes aside, it’s a tough choice, but I’d have to go with the Ford because of the modern conveniences and parts availability. Reluctantly, I think the Dodge is a better buy. As for the Dodge, it’s done a great job surviving the last 37 years and I’d love to see it continuing to ride the roads. It’s old enough for parts availability to be a valid concern, increasing the amount of downtime when it inevitably breaks down. While I think the Dodge is the “cooler” ride, I’d go with the Ford as a work vehicle. You also bring up in interesting question. What would have been the last car sold with a floor mounted dimmer switch? I imagine it would have been some sort of truck or van. The Ford, however, is a worthy consideration for somebody with wrenching skills and a need for a cheap, entry-level work van. Just get that whole 279,000-mile misfiring motor out of there, and put in something fresher. Grind the rust off those wheel wells, and put some cheap-and-basic overfenders on top to hide the raggedness. Now you have a serviceable, respectable-looking work vehicle that will give years of relatively inexpensive service until you are successful enough to step up to something newer. Parts will be stupidly easy to find, repairs will be cheap, it has a proper cargo area with no windows and some shelving already installed, and it’ll break down less than the Dodge. You will look like a normal contractor instead of some weirdo in an ancient rattletrap from before half your clients were even born. Also, if you have a crash you might not die. Now, if you have a thing for classic commercial vehicles and you for some reason want to restore that Dodge to its former dubious glory, knock yourself out my friend. If you are looking for a work vehicle to do work with, only the Ford is even a realistic option. Not that the Dodge is anything to write home about. I’d vote for neither if that were an option.
