Hi guys,
Newbie here but my name is Jack and I'm from Montreal, Canada. Heard about your great forum from one of my friends in Tennessee so I figured I might as well join the crowd.
I just bought a 4x4 1988 Ford E350 with automatic transmission (C6), 4.9 liters 6 cyl. engine, Dana front, it's not cargo 'cause I got windows all around. I got it from a friend who has just bought the same but 1999 with 7.3 diesel.
The truck has 230,000 Kms, thats 150,000 miles. Mechanically, it is in very good shape, but it needs a lot of love on the bottom part of the body. You know how it is: rocker panels, front of rear bumper, the whole bottom part as usual.
I wast just curious on how that kind of truck rates , not in comparison, but straight outta the horse's mouth. All your comments, suggestions, tech tips, even body work tips are welcome. Like I said this is my first 4x4 and if you guys tell me it's worth it, it will be my pet project to restore the whole thing and turn it back in the shape it used to be + minor?? mods.
Thanks ahead for your input.


Jack

Post some pics of it.

van guy here....didnt 4x4 mine cus it rides nice..and its a diesel so its already unique...

windows all the way around is a club wagon...the 4.9 will pull like a mo-fo!!..the rust is standard and just got done doing light work to mine..catch it ASAP and you can save it!!

theres alot of places that make replacement panels..but the nice thing with the vans is its almost all flat steel...get a welder or a rivit gun and get to it!!

JC whittney also sells a really nice lower body trim kit to help hide some of the blemishes from bodywork..(chrome)

go over the mechanicals really well first...fluid changes..steering..brakes..(not in that order!!!)..and enjoy...

stock when I got it..
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd124/wanderer351/stock.jpg
about an hour later...
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd124/wanderer351/bling.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd124/wanderer351/blingpass.jpg

I wouldn't use it on the trail, but they make great tow rigs. I've got a friend that uses a newer e350 as a tow truck. Fits any tool he wants into it no problems, and even has a place to sleep when the weather gets too bad. I'd say if you got a good deal on it, it was a good buy, I'd like to have one myself one day and convert it to a mini camper

beware of takin it on trails there are alot of rather large blindspots but i took my 4x4 van places that i was told it wouldnt go without spinnin tires my e350 clubwagon quadravan conversion ran 37s without any lift or any trimming i just removed the running boards and thats all i really had to do to it. If its a quadravan with the old style steering get it fixed quick my van had death wobble and it ended up bein tie rods went out after gettin stuck in silt also most 4x4 conversions were not done perfect so if you dont have steering stabilizer then get one for it, I know its a band aid but its worth puttin one on even if everything is to spec.