Ford’s 1961 first-generation Econoline pickup mounted an inline six-cylinder engine in a box between the driver and passenger seats, a layout that contrasted with General Motors’ rear-engined Corvair vans and pickups. Ford’s configuration placed the motor slightly behind the front axle, effectively creating a front-mid-engine arrangement.
The radiator for the water-cooled engine sat in front of that box and drew air from below, which increased heat and noise in the cabin. CarLife magazine reported: “We didn’t like having the engine alongside us, for, despite a fiberglass hood that somewhat reduced heat and noise, we got a piston-in-the-ribs feeling.”
General Motors’ 1961 Corvair vans and pickup used a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine that required a raised box intruding into the cargo area, and Chevrolet offered decking options to level the bed. Ford’s Econoline was offered as cargo van, passenger van and pickup in 1961, adopting a different packaging solution from the Corvair.
This article is based on reporting from The Autopian.
Read the full article at The Autopian.
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