1965 Ford Econoline Pickup - 2B Different

The real twist is the Econoline's drivetrain. How about having an '06 Ford 6.0L Power Stroke diesel power plant that produces 400 hp and 850 lb-ft of torque with a stock '06 transmission located in the bed. A special thanks goes out to Richard Gautier from St. Lawrence College for his technical support with wiring the electronics that woke up the 6.0L Power Stroke and Torqueshift transmission. To improve weight distribution, Dennis located the engine in the bed, facing rearward and ran a stock powertrain from a 4WD truck including the transfer case directing the power to the rear wheels. Sounds simple, but the transfer case drives in the opposite direction. To solve that problem Dennis used a Dana 60 front differential from a Ford F-350 pickup, stripping it to bare bones. The Dana 60 differential was then flipped upside down and the inside of the case was reworked for proper oiling, as well as installing new axle tubes and 4.30:1 gears. New Currie axles were cut to the correct length with large Ford splines, which allowed for the large Wilwood Disc Brakes. The whole redesign and reconstruction worked out great.

It took two '65 Econoline E-100 pickup bodies to create one good one. The top was not chopped, but the body was sectioned 4 inches. All of the door and tailgate handles were removed and shaved smooth. The factory opening doors were transformed to open and close in a suicide manner. The center section of the tailgate inner and outer skin was removed and replaced with a louvered outer skin to continue the airflow through the bed. The stock grille and headlight bezels were rechromed. The rear taillights were borrowed from a '65 Ford Falcon then frenched into the rear. The fuel filler was located underneath the rear bed cover. All of the body seams were welded and then ground smooth. The side window wings were removed and replaced with one-piece windows. Because the front and rear bumpers would not be used, the body holes were patched, filled, welded, and ground smooth.

After the entire body surface was massaged, a couple of coats of DuPont sanding primer were laid down. The body was block-sanded over and over to eliminate any imperfections. The body was delivered to Gary's Auto Body in Finch, Ontario, Canada, where it was wiped down with a tack cloth and Eastwood Prep Solution to remove any grease or impurities from the surface. DuPont Waterborne base paints were mixed black and green. A climate controlled paint booth was used due to the sensitive waterborne paint. The individual green and black mixtures were poured into the pot of the gravity fed spray gun and carefully applied. After color sanding the entire painted surface, the paint was then buried in multiple coats of clear.