Econoliner

I have two massive Ford Econoliner vans in my past. Most of my time in Alaska from 1994 to 1998 or so was spent driving a Ford Econoliner (aside from company cars and rentals).

My brother Todd purchased the first Econoliner down in Indiana
It was a great great van and he drove it all the way to Alaska and back one summer.

Todd added some special features to the original green van, most notably sexy mannequin legs sticking out one of the back walls -


The Sex Van.

The legs were eventually removed so he could install bunkbeds for his Alaska trip.

JohnnyC may remember this temporary ornament from one occasion -

A buttrope (AKA "chinese anal love beads") hanging from the radio antenna.

The Green Econoliner is what finally took me to Alaska in 1994 when I stayed for 6 years instead of just the summer [that roadtrip is fully documented in Jonnie & Todd's Alaska Van Log '94 ] -

Mel, Laura, Jonnie, & Todd - ready to set off to Alaska.

One feature I loved in the green van was the walls' heavy shag carpeting -


Another ornament was a fried egg sticker, and in Alaska, the van was eventually always referred to as "The Green Egg Van"

[ Click to view larger image ]

Donald Kilbuck & Jonnie gas the Green Egg Van.

Soon after, I purchased a blue Econoliner from a co-worker in Anchorage & when Todd came through after his summer in Valdez, it was a van jackpot -

2 G1llioms in 2 Econoliners.

There's maybe one good blue van story which I may reprint. I eventually gave it to Donald Kilbuck who drove it for years. The Green Egg van was ultimately desserted in Valdez after its transmission went out. Reportedly though, it would still drive in reverse for awhile and Todd tells me they would occasionally take it on a short drive into town in reverse!