No, despite appearances, we haven’t taken complete leave of our senses. At least not until our road tester starts telling us in excruciating detail about how he wants to see the Genesis reunion later this year.
On the pickup truck side of Ford’s showroom, the cheapest way into a rig powered by the burly 7.3-liter V8 is via an Ace of Base F-250. That vehicle bears a price of $33,705 plus $2,045 for the hairy-chested eight-pot. The E-Series starts at just $33,265 … and carries the 7.3L as standard equipment.
Yes, there is the small matter of there not being any sheet metal aft of the driver’s compartment. Surely you’re handy with the welder and a pair of tin snips, right?
Joking aside, it’s telling that the E-Series (née Econoline) is no longer offered as a panel van, indicating that the Glass House has gone all-in on the Transit as their option for commercial van customers. Note well: the E-Series isn’t worthy of the brand’s 10-speed automatic, making do with a six-cog box. The mighty 7.3L V8 still makes 468 lb-ft of torque but is detuned slightly to 350 horsepower compared to the Super Duty’s 430 ponies.
Surprisingly, the bean counters at Ford looked under some couch cushions and found a bit of change to give the E-Series its first interior restyle since the Jurassic era. Its steering wheel is now taken from a modern F-150 and not a truck from the ‘90s. Those all-important gauges are F-150-sourced as well, bringing a modern look to a rig that’s used the same dials for eons. Two other observations: those HVAC controls are the same ones found in my father’s 1995 Aerostar and that radio (you can’t call it infotainment) seems to show up in precisely zero other North American Ford products.
Air conditioning is standard equipment, which is a good thing because so are vinyl bucket seats. The floor is covered in hose-it-out material, as well. Perhaps surprisingly, one will find a tilt/telescope steering wheel (no cruise, though) and a pair of USB ports. That chrome bumper shown above is optional, too.
Are we odd for profiling this half-a-van in today’s Ace of Base? Are all the F1 teams sulky at Ferrari right now? Does our editor love Fox-bodied Mustangs? The answer to all these questions is a resounding “yes.” However, it amuses your author greatly that the lowly E-Series packs a 7.3L V8 as standard kit … even if it’s a bit breezy around back.
[Images: Ford]
Not every base model has aced it. The ones which have? They help make the automotive landscape a lot better. Any others you can think of, B&B? Let us know in the comments and feel free to eviscerate our selections.
The model above is shown with American options and priced in American Dollars. Your dealer may sell for less.
Should make for awesome burnouts.
Lightest rear end ever.
Two tangentially-related comments:
a) As the often-designated driver for extended family members who tend to move a lot (U-Haul), I say this with no sarcasm: Ford does a nice job with their large trucks.
b) A guy who drives vehicles across the country from dealer to dealer took a chassis cab F-650 across several states and said it was impossible to even drink coffee for all the bumping and jostling (due to no weight on the frame rails).
b) It’s much easier to have a drink on a rough road with a straw, but the biodegradable ones that the gas stations and 7-11s and such usually give out now melt in a hot drink. One more entry on the now volumes long list of why all Democrats should be shot.
We were in a Ruby Tuesday the other day and got 4 drinks (she had water and wine, I had diet Coke and a Mai Tai) and ZERO straws. When I asked, the waiter said as of Feb. straws are “by request” only. I said well I am requesting, screw the turtles :)
Wegmans has those paper straws, the first I ever seen, I shouldn’t have to taste the straw with my drink, disgusting. Otherwise everywhere else is courteous enough to provide plastic straws.
Needing to “request” a straw sounds worse than restaurants that don’t automatically provide everyone water when you sit down before you order your drinks. Level of service in this country seems to be taking a dip.
Here in NY, we will now have to buy plastic bags to put garbage in, instead of getting them with our groceries. This is the land of Cuomo and AOC. Both coasts are infected with Democrats.
My God man…I am a Republican but the fact that there is a patch of Garbage the size of Texas in the Pacific, largely made of plastic like your darned straws is a blight on humanity. Is it really that big of a freaking deal to maybe make the world a little bit cleaner?
I know, I know…”Muh Freedoms”, well my copy of the Constitution doesn’t mention plastic straws any more than abortion or the phrase “church and state” so suck it up.
They’re furious!
About straws!
One of them even called for the death of all Democrats because of his disappointment…over straws!
They need to take a long hard look at themselves.
Oh give it a rest my straws aren’t ending up in the ocean. Go talk to India and China if using plastic straws is keeping you up at night.
No, I won’t go talk to India and China. I am an American. I don’t care what India and China are doing. Maybe we should provide some leadership for a change. Furthermore, as a Republican I believe in local government and states rights rather than just parroting the words when it is my cause the voters are supporting. California voted for the representatives that passed the straw ban. If they hate it they could vote them out. Isn’t representative government grand?
I am a Trump voter and long time Republican. Know what, I hate single use plastic crap. Why do I want a straw or salad bowl I use for one meal to be on this planet longer than I will be. You don’t have to agree but quit thinking it is some sort of Liberal conspiracy to deny you some imagined right…It is just people giving a rip about the planet in most cases and this constant drone about everything being about libs trying to take your freedoms is moronic. Their are fights worth having, but a 2 cent piece of plastic that you will use once so you can down your whatever spiced chai latte while driving your 7.3L Van is not that fight.
Tell you what, how about you go look at India or China since you are so freaking fond of third world suspensions on your trucks.
“Their are fights worth having, but a 2 cent piece of plastic that you will use once”
I won’t have meltdown over it but a plastic straw ban actually impacts my life more than an AR-15 ban or any abortion law or a lot of things that people get very passionate about. I think it’s an issue that actually could sway my vote.
I got it Ajla…not everyone cares so much and that’s fine. I just get tired of people making every little thing an assault on their freedoms. At the end of the day it is just different priorities generally on something like this and at least in California the ban was passed by elected officials, not bureaucrats so I have zero problems with it.
“At the end of the day it is just different priorities generally”
Yes, I agree. I’d much prefer to use a plastic straw at diners and restaurants because I find the current alternatives are unpalatable. However, if my state/county wanted to do something like subsidize solar panels or EVs I would likely be in support of it.
I didn’t make this about politics so concern trolling me doesn’t exactly help your case. You’re literally talking about a straw, of all the things someone could get upset about, a straw is the hill your going to die on?
The straws at my house end up melted down in a 55 gallon drum with the rest of my garbage, and I feel confident with the large number of landfills within 100 miles of me that anything from local restaurants can safely break down in the ground.
One would think with your affinity for tiny compliance engines that anything coming out of China and India would be big news to you.
LOL…tiny compliance engines, whatever dude. Some of us enjoy our cars actually changing directions. Given your afinity for suspensions design from the early part of the 20th century I’m sure that doesn’t bother you though. Now don’t you need to go watch Lawrence Welk and Barney Miller reruns there gramps?
“ Now don’t you need to go watch Lawrence Welk and Barney Miller reruns there gramps?”
First I have no idea what these are, they sound like defunct department store names from the 80s. Second I prefer to make my turns in this century, and that’s not going to happen using 3rd world technology engineered for the poor peasants stuck with high displacement taxes in those 2nd and 3rd world countries.
You clearly don’t have much of an argument to make if the best you got is attacking me on a tried and true suspension design whilst getting your panties in a knot over straws.
“California voted for the representatives that passed the straw ban.”
Please. California, as most of the rest of the country by now, had the entire third world forced upon them as cheap labor and dependent votes for their social betters. They voted against it the entire time until they were so outnumbered that it didn’t matter anymore.
Can a consumer off the street order one of these to ship to their local dealer? Or are they only sold to box truck builders?
Asking for a friend.
I think you have to have a fleet ID number (FIN) to be able to order these. the cab has no rear wall; they’re shipped with plastic sheeting taped over the back of the cab.
Yes anybody can buy one. Some Ford dealers even stock them. Cars.com shows several new ones ranging from 2019-2021 I’m betting many of the 21 are on order but there are real pictures of some on real lots. Find your local Ford dealer that stocks 450’s to 850’s and you might find one on their lot. If not they are used to ordering such a vehicle.
Just grab some 2x4s and plywood and build yourself your own bolt-on bed. You could even get a bit technical, buy some hinges, build a tailgate, maybe a folding step ladder. Some stain and polyurethane to class up your custom wooden bed. Probably be an improvement over the appearance of most trucks.
Joking aside, I am envisioning building a “Tinyhouse” as seen on HGTV right on the frame of that rig and travelling the country.
Make it a flatbed, and head out to Winslow, Arizona…
Hey… Take it easy….
Many nights stayed in the rest stop
the van version of E-series was canceled years ago.
“Bruce Berry was a working man. He used to load that Econoline van”.
Tempting but I’m sure Ford discourages splicing a back section of a junk van, especially passenger vans. Wood screws come to mind. No doubt the wheelbases won’t jive. Straight E-vans are unibody anyway, and there’s a hump in the cutaway’s frame.
I’m not sure regulars buyers, even if actual “Fleet”, can drive one away. I think Ford will only release them to official/legit upfitters and U-Haul, etc.
Not all dealers will handle them, either. The only E-series listed in my area are all at one dealer, and they have a ton in “inventory.” Meaning, they’re all special ordered.
I wonder if lack of taillights and license plate makes it even legal to drive one of these off a lot.
The last of the E-Series vans were BOF construction. I have an 09 and much of that dash is the same as in mine which was the first year of that dash.
Sportsmobile will build you a “Classic” out of a SRW E-350 for ~75k* and it looks a lot like the last of the real thing and I’m certain that The side and rear doors as well as the glass are standard replacement items even if the shell is steel reinforced fiberglass.
https://sportsmobile.com/sportsmobile-4×4/
* plus $21k if you want 4×4 and $45-50K for the interior. Throw in a couple of options and call it $150K.
Econoline went BoF in 1975, so that’s much more than the “last of the E-Series.”
So they’re either an E-350 (single or dual rear wheels), or E-450 (DRW only). Their Web site lists two 7.3l offerings – “Premium” (runs on premium fuel?) with no hp rating, but 468 ft-lb of torque, or “Economy-Tune” with 300hp and 425 ft-lb.
https://www.ford.com/commercial-trucks/e-series-cutaway/?gnav=header-all-vehicles
Within 100 miles of me (DFW area) there’s 53 matches in dealer inventory, all 2019 models with 6.2l V8 or 6.8l V10 engines. No 2021s yet.
I had a retired telephone repair truck for a while. It was an E200 with an inline six 3 speed on the stalk, with windows on the starboard side. It was interesting to be able to tweak the carburetor as I was driving.
Sears used to use those 68-74 Econolines with the windows on the passenger side and the panel on drivers side. Some ended up as customized vans during the peak 70’s custom van era.
I don’t see how this gets Ace of Base when for less money you can get a Transit cutaway which is a lot less antideluvian…
My guess is the availability of the 7.3.
Because it’s about a base E-Series, not a base Transit.
But you got to use the word “antediluvian” so you could show us how smart you are.
This is a great starting point for a custom camper or van/pickup hybrid.
Yes, you can get these at dealers – not all dealers stock chassis cabs, but the commercial certified Ford dealers do. You can walk in and buy one today.
These would absolutely slaughter Transit sales if Ford brought back the full length vans.
And yet when they introduced the Transit Ford van sales jumped about 30% overnight, and have stayed at the higher level. Most of the jump was at the expense of GM, which still sells this style of product. The buyers don’t all want what you want.
The market has spoken. The Econoline/E-Series was good – and Ford deserves credit for how good the 1992 redesign was, and how far it evolved – but the full-size Transit really is substantially better across the board for nearly any comparable mission, lack of V8 not withstanding.
Some people feel that their masculinity is damaged if they don’t have the largest engine available. Actually, if you are trying to increase your masculinity by buying a vehicle with a big V8, you have no masculinity at all. A big V8 does not help.
Hook, line, sinker
I knew that comment would get some hilarious responses. I’m not disappointed. Typical insecure comment from Charlie projecting his own issues.
says the guy who has a meltdown any time an SUV doesn’t have solid axles.
Why would UPS, DHL, FedX, etc, to your average plumber or fleet operator care about V8 masculinity?
“but the full-size Transit really is substantially better across the board”
If that were true, we wouldn’t be commenting on an article about the 2021 Ford E-Series.
Ford wouldn’t have to dedicate a factory to building the E-Series
Ford wouldn’t have to have many dedicated parts/publications/etc on the E-Series.
The Transit was an exercise in complete shortsightedness. Giving us a vehicle that can’t do everything the vehicle it replaces does.
And the Transit needs drive shaft bearings every 30K miles. Engineered Ford proud I guess.
SMFH.
“the full-size Transit really is substantially better across the board”
…I have some experience driving both, a few company vans that were late 90s E-series, and a couple newer fullsize rental Transits over the past couple years. The new ones drive SO MUCH BETTER it’s not even funny. Yes even being the Mustang V6. Those older E-series seemed like prehistoric relics when driven back-to-back with similar-age GM vans. The Fords drove terribly in every respect, from ride and handling to noise levels. Not to mention much worse MPG. I’d choose an Express any day over one of those. But the Transits are pretty decent.
“The Transit was an exercise in complete shortsightedness.”
Only a fanboy or someone demonstration a complete “lack of knowledge or information” would say this.
The Transit is the number one selling van in the USA. It is also the best selling van in the EU and has been for a long time.
I wish this blog platform had an ignore list or some other way to mute trolls like EBFlex and akear. I’m tired of seeing their copypasta nonsense all the time.
I take vacations from this site for the reasons you mention. Methinks it’s time for another.
I took a vacation from the Evening News and 60 Minutes…back in 1988..the krap spewed in those places was simply awful. Haven’t been back!
I am pretty darn close to boycotting all popular culture/media…I am already half-way there. I might go through my stacks of old Reader’s Digests instead. Certainly better content! For all the technical innovation in our contemporary world, we have these great distribution technologies…but the content being transmitted is often deeply unworthwhile.
That said, kudos to TTAC staff, who, from my perspective, do a great job.
Am I the only one who cringes when an author uses “kit” in place of “equipment” in the same way I cringe when a mommy blogger says “hubby” ??
No cringing here.
Meh, in the Army all of my “equipment” was carried around in a “kit bag” so I’ll let it ride.
I have several relatives who live in the People’s Democratic Republic of California and this is a subject best not brought up in conversation.