This generation Sambar came with a 1,200 cc engine (in addition to the 544 cc kei engine) and I suspect that’s the one we got in Denmark. That puts it outside the kei car category, but you still need five of them to have enough displacement to surpass that of the Econoline (if it’s the 351 Windsor in the Ford).
What’s more interesting, though, is that you could almost drive the Sambar into the Econoline through its back doors. The rear door opening is 54.4 by 46.8 inches. The Sambar’s dimensions are 54.9 by 69.3, so it’s a bit taller, but if you could open the doors of the Econolline all the way up to the raised roof on this example and fold in the mirrors on the Sambar and deflate the tires a bit, it just may actually fit. If not, you can at least have some fun saying that you tried to put a van in a van in vain.
Pretty cool .
I thought the Econolines sold in Europe all had Diesel engines .
Many years ago I had the chance to buy a Subaru 360 Van for under $800 in VGC , all original and running condition .
I’m still not sure I made the right choice passing it up .
-Nate
You may well be right about the Econoline. I don’t know where to look that up. On the other hand it may be imported.
FWIW ;
there was a brief flurry of big Diesel powered Station Wagons and Econolines in the U.S. , when about 3 years old no one wanted them so we could pick them up for $1,500 or so in good shape , we’d sell them for $3,500 each to Exporters who badgered us for as many moire as we could find , they claimed everyone in Europe was mad crazy for American Diesel powered anything .
-Nate
I guess the Subaru van is the answer to some questions that nobody is really asking. I think it would do just fine for most of the stuff I need a vehicle for except that I doubt if it would tow anything at all. I guess it’s a question I wasn’t asking either.
Otoh I have many fond memories of working from an econoline panel van that was about that size.
It’s possible that the reversing lights have been rewired with orange bulbs – I’ve seen that method used sometimes on American cars in Europe.
The Ford is a 1997-2002, so it is likely running a 4.6 or a 5.4 V8. There was also a V6, but I’m not sure if they offered the 6 in the long body models.
I am surprised to see an Econoline in Europe considering the Euro Vans are probably mofe refined and really surprised this one does not have Orange rear turn signals since I thought those were required in Europe.
There are not many around, like I wrote in the text. There are a few and they are most often owned by people who simply prefer something American. I personally prefer the driving experience of an Econoline over a Transit – even though the Transit is better proportioned for our streets.
I’m not sure how the owner has managed to avoid amber turn signals. Usually an amber turn signal would be mounted below the bumper – but every once in a while I see some without – maybe if you get it inspected at the proper place you can get away with stuff like this.
Superfunny picture.
In my (danish) neighbourhood, we have an Opel Calibra and a huge caravan, they are always parked in a position, that make it look like the beautiful coupe is towing that huge snailhouse. I have a few photshoots of it, I find it funny 🙂
The photos were taken on inner Frederiksberg, FWIW.
Another Fredericksburg has Econolines too, in Virginia (named after a Hanoverian Prince of Wales), site of a bloody Civil War battle.
I can envision some sort of Russian nesting dolls situation here with the econoline, the sambar and the horrific Mitsubishi Minica featured today and then maybe a small 50cc motorcycle
Yes, there are few Econoline in Europe, mainly in Benelux and Germany. Many runs on Liquid Petrol Gaz (LPG), far cheaper than gas here.
http://www.autoscout24.com/ListGN.aspx?atype=C&mmvmk0=29&mmvmd0=18295&mmvco=1&make=29&model=18295&pricefrom=1000&ustate=N%2CU
Correct. I never saw a US van or pickup with a V8 gasoline engine that didn’t have an LPG system. That is, the ones that are driven daily or regularly.
All of them are grey-imports. Both Ford and GM (Opel/Vauxhall, and Bedford in the past) always had their own Euro-vans and light trucks.
Like this one. Pretty sure that this one was never delivered new. Rare case, as this is, unlike most others, not a conversion van: http://otomoto.pl/oferta/ford-econoline-amerykanski-van-8-osobowy-ID4oYTrm.html
I know of those conversions – I suppose a fair share of the Swedish ones run on LPG. I cannot remember when I last saw a pump for LPG in Denmark, so this one most likely just runs on gasoline or possibly diesel.
Or it finally got relief from that constipation…