Farm Hay Hauler: 1961 Ford Econoline Pickup
I was scrolling through my local craigslist and spotted this one. You just don’t see these flat-nose pickups anymore. It doesn’t currently run, the mileage is unknown, and it was used four years ago as a farm truck to transport hay. That would explain the unique front bumper arrangement and missing tailgate (but the original front bumper and tailgate are included in the sale). The current owner had planned on rebuilding it, but no longer has the time and “is motivated to sell and would love to make a deal.” Currently located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina with a clean NC title, this 1961 Ford Econoline Pickup is for sale here on craigslist for an asking price of $6,000 or best offer.
This was the first year for the new Econoline series which also included a cargo van and a passenger van that could seat eight. In creating this new kind of “forward control” truck which Ford claimed was “the most significant advance in trucks and vans in a generation,” Ford took the driveline from the Falcon and created a unibody pickup and van with a Ford F-100 I-beam front end. Econolines could be made fairly cheaply and with the driver’s compartment moved over the front axle, it created a 73 cubic foot cargo area in a 7 foot bed. And having 23% more cargo space than a conventional pickup was a big selling point Ford touted in their advertising (along with its 30-mpg economy and being priced lower than many half-ton pickups). One unintended consequence of having so much upfront, though, was found out during testing when Ford discovered the Econoline pickup’s rear had a tendency to raise up under panic stops. Ford solved this issue by installing a 165 pound counterweight under the back end.
There aren’t a lot of detailed photos, but based on what I see, it appears pretty solid considering its unpampered, workhorse life. You can see some dents and imperfections but not much rust on the body, and there are no photos provided of the bed and cargo area. The glass seems good, we’re told all four tires hold air (and I like those old school Ford dogfish hubcaps), but it’s missing windshield wipers. I’m not sure how to describe the current paint, but you can see some of the original 61-year-old Monte Carlo Red and Corinthian White paint still on the pickup.
There are no interior photos but we’re told the seller has the original bucket seats. Based on photos I found online, the interiors were like other workhorse pickups of the era: a lot of painted sheetmetal and very utilitarian in nature. With Ford adopting a mid-engine configuration, the Falcon’s standard 85 horsepower 144 cubic-inch inline six, or an optional 101 horsepower, 170 cubic-inch inline-six, would be found between and a bit behind the two front bucket seats, and paired to a three-on-the-tree manual column shift transmission. Ford’s chief rival, Chevrolet, also entered the “forward control” arena in 1961 by introducing its rear engine Corvair-based Greenbrier truck series. Like Ford, Chevy offered its new trucks as a van or pickup. Although Ford execs predicted the Econoline pickup would be more popular than the vans, the public said otherwise. During the Econoline’s seven year production run, only about 52,000 pickups were built, representing ten percent of overall Econoline production. Only 11,893 Econoline Standard Pickups were produced in 1961 and who knows how many lived long enough to see their 60th birthday. With minimal information shared and only a few photos, there are lots of questions to be answered about this pickup’s condition, but it looks promising. Hopefully, this old hay-hauling workhorse can be made roadworthy again.
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Comments
These were very versatile and had the ability to haul but they were so front weight biased when empty Ford had to add ballast in the rear bumper to keep the truck from doing wheel stands. I think the Corvair ramp side is a better idea and a safer one. This one looks solid and a good candidate for making a nice driver.
Don’t forget the Dodge A100 versions. More similar to this than the Corvair.
https://youtu.be/HrhCAiV7diY Sure Chevy sponsored commercial but shows crazy breaking of the Econoline pickup. Doubt the dodge did much better. Empty the weight bias is way off
A GM propaganda film with 500 pounds of ballast on the front floor of the Ford.
Come on Howard for real? There is another I saw years ago and looked worse and the vans were trying to stop. Weight bias is perfect right? Not!! Ford bolted 160 lbs to rear of the bed in 62 to of the trucks they knew it was a problem.
Apparently, it was well known Chevy did that to both Ford and Dodge. https://bangshift.com/bangshiftxl/this-econoline-vs-corvair-truck-video-from-the-1960s-proves-everything-you-ever-thought-about-them/
And what does the front bumper have to do with transporting hay? Pushing round bales?
i think its 156 or 165 lbs near rear axel. Hiskol fella w/the jeep FC put his spare on the front and did nose stands in the school parking lot (1964 or so).
This wk’s issue:
https://mailchi.mp/b73ee732be12/ad-updates-august-24th-2022?e=5761c2ac5e
I spy a 1958 Dodge lower front bumper on the front of this Econoline. Although, given the driver is directly over the front axle, I can’t imagine the bumper providing an extra level of protection in a frontal collision. It is kinda a cool look though.
I would leave that front bumper on, lends itself to other’s speculation. Kudos to the person with the best theory.
I have a ’65 Econoline that I am in the middle of refurbishing.
Stoppies are a thing if the pig-iron weight is removed; it’s mounted between the bed and the fuel tank, right at the rear.
FYI a large I6 (300ci) cannot be installed in a pre-1965 because the cab is not deep enough, In late ’65 they built a little push-out on the back of the cab to accommodate the longer, larger block.
Also upgrading to a V8 is only possible if the truck doesn’t have welded engine mounts (post-64)
Mine is weird: it has the bolt-on mounts, but no push-out for the larger engine. Love the little spud though it’s a blast to drive.
If the bed isn’t rusty (I have much patching to do there) and the frame is similarly solid, 6-grand may not be bad; I paid that for mine but it had a working engine in it (out of a ’78 Fairmont!) Smokes when hot, but runs strong & smooth,
Surely you know there is no frame Bob, it’s a unibody. I have a ‘61 languishing in my garage patiently waiting for me to work on her. Not sure if I want to keep the 250 six in there. Maybe a 2jz. Maybe electric. Paralysis by analysis. My brakes are so bad I have no worries about stoppies.
I had a friend that had the van version of one of these in the 70s. We were in Hollywood and were about to turn right on Western and then get onto the Hollywood Freeway. The steering column snapped and he said “here, you take the wheel” and handed it to me! We were so lucky we were stopped when that happened!
The only real problem with these vehicles is you have no protection in a head on collision. Make sure you have good seat belts and make sure to wear them while driving. I took out the right hand windshield in a head on collision in a 67 Dodge flat nose van. Fortunately I survived, my friend who was driving did not make it.
Having worked with other techs at a Ford dealership, I was told this “front end wheelie” thing was factual until Ford “fixed” it. The 144 engine was reason enough not to own one. The similar GM small trucks were better in most ways, as well as the Dodge, except I was thinking the GM version was a van only.
THis is a great foundation for a repro of the Back up Pick Up.
https://youtu.be/CRlmLcQr22M
I don’t know what the front bumper is for, but, to me, it looks like the rear bumper of a 1961 Chevy Impala, cut in two.
It has frame rails – they’re galvanized sheet steel, and welded to the pan…at the back, there’s blind weld nuts for a rear bumper – I damaged the rails removing some booger-welded plate that was what was left of a hacked-on trailer hitch. So I had to weld on patches.
I have a frame section from a ’61 van – I sectioned out half of the bed to repair rust holes in mine, and the frame rails were a bonus.
only vehicle I no that’s engine hangs below a frame on clips…
Above Q?… some use the camaro bumper (or my bronks) to have a smooth frnt look. I like them w/o & that lill grill… chromed. Back? step’n toe of course 8^ )
While this is called an Econoline, the vans with windows and rear seating were called Falcon vans* and had Falcon emblems. One of my favorite trick questions for Ford Guys is:
In what years can you find factory installed solid front axles In a Falcon?
The answer: 1961 to 1967, Falcon branded vans only.
*Falcon badged vans could be ordered as “delete windows, seats, and rear interior panels”. This was intended for conversion companies that made camper vans & installed their own interiors and windows, but still keeping the upscale Falcon trim.
Well I’m the owner of this vehicle and it’s still for sale in NC. Clean title in my hand. Let me know if anyone is interested In buying it.