1980 Ford Econoline 250 campervan "Terry Fox van"

[busnproplinerfan]

NOTE, I thought this was a E350, it's an E250. I'll try to edit the posts here with the correction.

 

Been thinking of this one for some time. Been a fan of Terry Fox since he did his run across Canada. Unfortunately he didn't finish, I was to young at that time to know what was going on. He was born in Winnipeg and moved to B.C. sometime when he was young, so there is a connection to me since I to was born and still in Winnipeg. I decided to make a model of the van used. It's a 1980 Ford Econoline 250 campervan.  It was leased from Ford when new and returned after Terry died. It then went to a couple of owners as a camper and ended up in Vancouver after being used by a band. The van itself has a happy ending. It was bought and Ford Canada did a full restoration on it. More of a preservation, there's a neat story of it online. It took a week to clean the carpet in it. It's in a museum in B.C. now. Someday when I get out west I'll take a look at it.

The only Ford van close to the one used on his quest is the AMT '77 Ford. All the kits of that van are the same aside from a few options in each, namely wheel options. I had to get the surfer version since it has the stock wheelcovers. I did get the AMT car body car trailer hoping to use the wheels covers from it but they are a bit different. I have one other van for parts, it's one that had the quarter panel extentions for a dirt bike deck. It was built but badly done. It's being used as the donor for the body panels that I need to lengthen the new one. I cut out the rear doors and glued them on to replace the sliding side door. Thought I was home free till I started looking for a good side view to measure the length of the rear extension.

I found a good picture of the same type of van and sized it on screen to the model. The side doors are 3mm narrower each. The side windows are square. So the rear and side doors are completely different. I had to remove the doors and section 3mm form each.  Now to rebuild the rear.

Here I'm attempting to make the body as straight as I can. It'll take awhile for the glue to dry. On the backside is the grill under the clothes pins.

[Spiny]

I think the word here is ambitious. However, based on your previous models on here, I don't expect you to finish off the Top Gear slogan (Ambitious but Rubbish) and am predicting another great model

[busnproplinerfan]

34 minutes ago, Spiny said:

I think the word here is ambitious. However, based on your previous models on here, I don't expect you to finish off the Top Gear slogan (Ambitious but Rubbish) and am predicting another great model

Thanks, means a lot. Have never abandoned a model yet.

[von Race]

I am curious as well how you are going to extend the back of the van. I had thoughts of doing this very same conversion as I had owned the 1/1 version. Prolly the most versatile vehicle I ever owned.

It would take anything, anywhere, and never complain. The single digit gas mileage was kind of a downer though! 

Looking forward to your progress. 

[busnproplinerfan]

9 hours ago, von Race said:

I am curious as well how you are going to extend the back of the van. I had thoughts of doing this very same conversion as I had owned the 1/1 version. Prolly the most versatile vehicle I ever owned.

It would take anything, anywhere, and never complain. The single digit gas mileage was kind of a downer though! 

Looking forward to your progress. 

It's a head scratcher for sure. I'll post a picture in a couple days. I so far cut the rear and a portion of the sides off the good van, the side up to the swoopy charactor line. and the remaining right side off the parts van. Thinking I'll lengthen each side as I go. I'm trying to keep as much of the kits sides intact  as I can to keep the lines straight. I glued on that one side and letting it dry fully first. I found a good side view picture of the same type of van and sized it on screen and using that for the pattern. Those were very good vans. My mum had a '74 Club wagon. They had style then, go anywhere, beat on them and they came back for more. She also had a '69 E100. Both are sitting on my uncle's farm now. I think they are still there. I'd like to bring them in and restore them but don't have the resources or place to put them.

[busnproplinerfan]

Here's a picture of the right side from the parts van. The rear is cut to the shape of the character line. It's more explained above.

[busnproplinerfan]

I thought I should put on the picture that I'm using for a pattern. I found it online so I guess it's fair game for anyone here that wants it. The rear half seems to fit a bit better than the front half of the picture, maybe the photographer was standing more to the rear. The clean version is much better. I just searched 1980 E350 super wagon and found it. Something close to that, in case I have to take it off.

Have the rear attached now, Had to cut the side wall just below the roof from about midway back. The kit's sides when seen from the top taper in slightly so it had to be spread out just a bit. 

The paper pattern helped but it was still a job trying to get the character lines to line up good, mostly the top one. The tape is diagonal to help keep the rear square until the glue sets.

 

 

[busnproplinerfan]

The bodywork and mudslinging is almost done. I cut the side windows out using a pattern on paper that I traced from the photo. Hardest part was making sure the openings are nice and straight. Haven't checked to see if both sides are exact, hope they are. It took three times of mudding to get the joins all good. Still a couple of pinholes and dings to finish. The floor was fairly easy to lengthen, just had to make sure it was square. The fish plate can stay like that, they won't be seen when it's done. I need to make tabs inside the body to hold the floor in place at the right height next and lengthen the frame. But I need the floor in place exactly to get the frame correct. After that I'll have to put all the suspensions on, set the ride height and make sure it sits on all four wheels. The Super wagons sat a bit higher than all the others. I might make the front axle slightly movable just to make sure it's sitting level. I might have to make new taller wheel houses, they want to be sen when looking from the side at the wheel opening.

[JeroenS]

Nice surgery!

[busnproplinerfan]

1 hour ago, JeroenS said:

Nice surgery!

Thanks, I watched to much MASH, wanted to become a surgeon.

[busnproplinerfan]

Lengthend the frame 17mm in the center and 23mm behind the rear crossmember. I used strip 3.2mm x 6.3mm for the frame, it's almost an exact fit. The rear wheel house also had to be lengthened a bit. Th edge seemed to just want to show through the wheel opening. Easier to make it longer than deal with it later. Might be the same problem on the stock kit van to. This van has dual tanks, they don't fit beside each other so I think the second would go at the rear. if someone knows for sure please correct me. I also put most of the engine together. The model is a 3oh2 and this van has a 351W. The W(Windsor) version is based on the 3oh2 block. Most of the engine is buried anyway.

[von Race]

Happened upon this, hope it helps. More photos can be found here, although not an extended club cab, it's pretty much the same thing, Ford just stretched the back end a bit.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1979-ford-e250-econoline-chateau-club-wagon/

      

 

Although the middle gas tank looks at first to be on the right side, it is (as you probably already know) on the left side.

If you have any of the AMT or Monogram 70's to 80's, F-series Ford trucks, I would think that you would have all that you need, as the 1/1 were built on basically the same chassis.

Good progress, looking forward to more updates.

[von Race]

Sorry, the first photo is actually 2 photos, something happened in the "translation"!

[busnproplinerfan]

8 hours ago, von Race said:

Sorry, the first photo is actually 2 photos, something happened in the "translation"!

Very helpful, thanks immensely. I didn't know the frame was separate on these. Most vans I think (or thought) have the frame built into them. I don't plan on showing the bottom side off much but would like it fairly close. I do have to look for a toilet tank. In pictures of the restored van there is no tank under the left side when compared to the van when new. There is a red decal on the side that was replaced when it was restored. It's barely visible so I guess anything would do.

[busnproplinerfan]

I just found a picture of the rear of the van. It's an Econoline 250, not a 350 like I thought. Also the engine is a 351W, which I found is the one made in Windsor Ontario and is based on the 3oh2 block. The 351C was made in Cleveland Ohio and based on the big block. Luckily this means I can build the engine stock, I just need to add an A/C pump. I'll adjust the title and posts.

[busnproplinerfan]

Started working on the interior parts. I put on .040 sheet on the inside walls just to make something better than the outside skin to attach the interior to. I also made from square stock, pieces to attach the floor to and the cabinets. I'm leaving the interior not super detailed just very basic because the interior won't be easy to see into except from the windshield and the side windows are all tinted. The bench and front seats are made out of fine milliput. Sounds easy to make but trying to sculpt with no experience isn't easy but doable. I put the milliput on wax paper so I could move them around otherwise it stick to any surface. I think I'll have to soak the parts in water later to get the paper off.

Here's the interior tossed in. I want to make the high rise roof onto the body now but might be better to leave it off till after everything is built. I don't think I can glue the whole interior to the floor and then toss it in the body. Have to figure that part out.

[klubman01]

Got to love a good conversion project.  Great work thus far.  

Trevor

[busnproplinerfan]

22 hours ago, klubman01 said:

Got to love a good conversion project.  Great work thus far.  

Trevor

Thanks Trevor.

[busnproplinerfan]

Have most of the interior stuff made, just need to do the finishing. Started on the roof. I was hoping to build it and leave it off until it's all painted to avoid masking but I don't think I'll get to do it that way. I'll also have to install all the camper interior to the side walls then put the floor in. I cut the front a bit short and didn't want to make a whole new piece. I also had to remove all of the original roof up to the roof rail and cut it at the same angle as the upper sides will sit at to make sure they glue good. I left the ends long so I can set up the angle then trim after. I also scribbed new gas doors, do it now before I forget. I just saw a near identical camper van not far from me today sitting in a backyard. Looks like a '77 and the one size shorter but the same otherwise. Looked in very good condition.

Have the top of the roof glued on now and attached it all to the body. The floor is just sitting in to help keep it all straight and square.

[JeroenS]

That's good progress. I see sanding and filling in your future 🙂 

[busnproplinerfan]

42 minutes ago, JeroenS said:

That's good progress. I see sanding and filling in your future 🙂 

Ahh, I see your crystal ball is full of plastic shavings.

[busnproplinerfan]

Got my laptop back from the shop so now I can do some updating. Have the paint on. The colour is called wheat. The colour is Dupont B8421 1E, well that's what was found. I don't like the Dupont company much but the store is close by and I get good service there, what do you do? I don't the code off the actual van but I think it's correct and I'm not changing it. Did a light spray under the floor and weathered the frame a bit. Might do a better weathering later but I won't be putting mirrors underneath.

Here's the stripe masking. There are two stripes and one is feathered. The space between the two looks less than and inch so I masked the two separately. This is the first solid line.

The first stripe on. I got two new airbrush tips also for this, a fine and super fine. I have an old Badger 155 DA. The colour is Testors 1133 brown.

Here's the second feathered stripe unmasked.

The finished paint, well except for the roof which is white. I had a couple of spots to touch up but not as much as I thought. Mostly the wheat came off a little at the bottom but was an easy touch up. Got lucky this time. Thinking I'll have to gloss the whole van. The center is a bit on the dry side side. The space between the two brown stripes is a bit larger than I wanted but I'll live with it.

 

 

[JeroenS]

Cool, you got that roof on nicely!

[busnproplinerfan]

11 minutes ago, JeroenS said:

Cool, you got that roof on nicely!

Thanks. Surprisingly it was the most cooperative part.

[klubman01]

Looking good.

Trevor