Ford E-Series

The original Ford Econoline was based on the Ford Falcon & called a 'station wagon' instead of a van. It was originally available as both a cab-over pick-up & a van, the pick-up version (eventually) became the Ranchero. Later, customizers (such as Centurion) would convert vans into cab-over pickups for customers.

The Ford E-Series, also known as the Ford Econoline in Mexico and Ford Club Wagon, is a line of full-size vans (both cargo and passenger) and truck chassis from the Ford Motor Company. The line was introduced in 1961 as a compact van and produced through four generations. The E-series is available in 2015 only as a stripped chassis and cutaway. Other versions have been replaced by the Ford Transit. 

The E-Series has been a separate platform since 1968, it uses many components from the F-Series line of pickup trucks. The Econoline is manufactured at Ford's Ohio Assembly plant in Avon Lake, Ohio following the closure of the Lorain Assembly plant in December 2005.

Since 1980, E-Series has been the best selling American full-sized van, and held 79.6% of the full-size van market in the United States in 2007, with 168,720 vehicles sold.

The E-series was available with a GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating) of up to 20,000 lb. making it a base for recreational vehicles and for towing trailers.

Ninety-five percent of van sales are to commercial or fleet-end users; about half are cargo vans. The E-Series cargo area featured a double-wall design that made the exterior sheet metal less vulnerable to damage from shifting cargo.

In early 2007, the E-Series was listed by Autodata as one of the top 20 best-selling vehicles in the United States, most likely due to fleet sales. In China, the Ford E-Series (E250 and E350) are manufactured by Jiangling Motors with Ford name plates. As of 2014, the Ford E-Series was marketed in North America, the Middle East, and China in LHD only. It has been discontinued in Mexico.