Four wheel drive conversion vans mostly got their start with the new generation of vans that date back to 1971 for the Chevrolet and Dodge, and to the 1975 Econoline. And conversion vans, in terms interior redecoration, also got really rolling about that same time. And this Econoline 4×4 Quadravan is a double-conversion van, ready to take its occupants into the wilderness for their vanning pleasures.
I’m not sure of the exact year of this rig, but based on the colors, I’d date it to about the 1976-1979 era. Those were boom years for the whole RV industry, until the second energy crisis put the kibosh to it. There’s not many 1980-1982 vintage RVs out there, except maybe some very small and relatively efficient ones. This one does not fit into that category.
Quadravans were built by Pathfinder, which apparently survived the 1980-1982 downturn, only to go belly up in 1991, another difficult year for RVs. Parts specific to them are getting hard to find.
I would expect that a 460 V8 is quite likely hiding under the Econoline’s stubby hood. A great engine, but obviously also a thirsty one. Especially when teamed up with a high roof van raised jacked up even further.
I should mention that as far as I know, Quadravan only did the 4wd conversion. I’m not sure about the fiberglass top, interior and paint.
Needless to say, these still have a pretty strong following, and it’s undoubtedly worth a whole lot more than if it were just a 2WD Econoline from this vintage.
Note: A rerun of an older post.
Nice, personally I’d ditch the 460 for a diesel yeah they are thirsty and thats in a car that weighs a lot less and pushes less air and no extra axle, When your gas hits $10 gallons you’ll see my point, oh and that was discount day gas price not the regular price.
I haven’t seen a 4wd conversion van in Pa. for many years. They were a fairly common sight at one time, due to a Pa. company that does the conversions. If my memory is serving me well, that was Quigley, near York, PA. From the ’70’s, on.
After a quick check on their website, it appears that they are still doing the conversions on certain makes. Also offering turnkey new conversion vans to fleets etc.
Those were interesting vehicles. Ones I warmed to as the years have gone by. That 460 and that profile though… A coworker of mine wanted and got a 1 ton, F350 4WD with a 460. Drove it a long time, I dunno, 10 years or more? Said he got 7MPG out of it. If a pickup got 7 I can’t imagine what a jacked up, bubble top van must have gotten.
Towed, felt like I drug home a Nissan Xterra a couple of years ago when it broke down on vacation with a U haul and trailer. V10 Ford, E550? with a big box on the back. Lightfooting it as much as I could and stay moving forward I got 10MPG. But 2020 vehicles get much better mileage than 80’s.
That conversion had to be one thirsty beast.
I drove a 2016 Chevy Express Quigley conversion for a brief spell when the rail crew transport company I was working for sent me to Field BC for a month in the fall of 2021.
It was nasty. Vague wandery steering, a punishing ride, short gearing meant high highway revs and poor MPG. It may not have been the best example, as it had been extensively used in a mine is Southern BC transporting CP crews, i.e thrashed. I was happy to get back into a Suburban.