Ive been offered a 1989 Ford E350 van..1 ton, looooong bastard with a
5.8 liter engine. 91k on the odo. It had been purchased new by a company, retrofitted as a field demonstration vehicle for water well drilling equipment, and after a couple years, parked in the corner of the parking lot and pretty much forgotten about. Last time it had tags on it was 1998. Tires are pretty much rotted off, paint is oxidized in the California sun, but no rust. Inside is minty. Is paneled, with some oak cabinets and carpeting.Has a full blown heavy duty receiver hitch, electric brake controller, what I believe is a big assed inverter to power demo equipement, dual batteries, dual gas tank$ and a bubble top to increase head room. No side windows in the body.
Sitting in the drivers seat...in the mirror..looks like Im driving a bowling alley...loooong bastard.......".give me 40 acres and Ill turn this rig around"....
My poor old Mazda/Ranger just turned 432,000 miles on the odometer. Last weekend, I put in clutch, pressure plate, slave, throwout bearing and the pilot bearing (which had disintergrated) . A compression test shows good compression on 5 of the 6 cylinders, with 35lbs on #1. Looks like it has burned valves on #1. I had the heads done last year......I did find an engine, owner claims it came out of a wrecked Taurus with 90k on the odo..which for the 3.0 engine, is just getting broke in. He owes me money..so I can get it and stick it in the Mazda. My mechanic says with the exception of tie rod ends..my truck is in splendid shape and should go another 200,000 miles no problem. Though it doesnt look pretty anymore...Im afraid to wash it..I suspect the bird shit is holding it together...and if I wash it..stuff will start falling off.....
Is that Ford something I want to get for use in my job as a service tech/plant maint tech? Gas for that 351...Im not sure what kind of mileage I can expect...15 if I drive easy? Or is that optimistic?
My idea is to find someone gutting a phone company van, and getting the bins, internal racks and whatnot..yanking the paneling and the wood cabinets and rigging it out. Cage behind the drivers seat etc etc etc.
Id park the van on the weekends at my RV here in So. Cal, and use the re-engined Mazda/Ranger to go home in at the end of the week.
My daily mileage averages about 100 miles per day. Will this van be cost effective? I figure Ill have to sink about $500 in it..new tires, 2 batteries etc etc. I think..its fuel injected.
Ive got a 1/2 ton Chevy van at home, dumps out the tranny fluid when its running. Converted phone company van, carpet kit..etc. I could use this. However its a 1984, with a 350 engine and needing one of the big picture windows needing replacement. Only thing holding in the glass is the tinting.
It too needs tires all the way around, battery and so forth. No idea how many miles it has on it..engine was replaced with a factory long block by the last owner. Its not been registered since 2000. If I was Tender with it..I was getting 15-18 mpg best as I can remember.
Id love to have another Ranger..late 90s..but buying one for cash is out of the question.
Any thoughts, suggestions, caviats etc would be appreciated
gunner
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