I am looking at buying a 97' Ford Club Wagon 15 passenger van with 125K on it. It's on another island and I'll probably buy it sight unseen. They want $2000 for it and I've seen pictures and know of the seller.

Just wanted to know what I can about the model year before buying. From what I can tell, there is the regular, HD and Super lengths with XL, XL Plus, and XLT trim packages. The 15 passenger vans for '97 were all the Super Length and had a V8 (V6 only available in the shorter lengths).

TTB front with leaf sprung 1-ton rear I am assuming, and auto trans on all models?

Advice?

 

"there is" only the 2 "lengths" Regular & Super. No short "15 passenger" Wagon, only in Super.

For '97 the 5.4 V8 is standard on Super Wagon, w/V10 & PS diesel optional. No V6 or 4.6 V8 listed.

Preferred Equipment Packages included XL, XL Plus & XLT. Chateau trim not listed for Super.

Super Wagon is HD, 8 lug, LT 245/75R16E tires.

All models are 4 speed automatic OD.

 

Thanks.

I wasn't really thinking there were shorter 15 passenger models, just shorter models in general which offered the V-6.

So the two lengths are 232" & 211.8" overall.

I just wanted to make sure of what came with what.

The site I found info on listed the HD and Regular models as 211.8", and the Super as 232" overall.

It looks like the springs are rated for:
Regular F:3400 R:3830 Ford semi-floating 3.22
HD F:3550 R:5545 Dana FF 3.55
Super F:3400 R:6195 Dana FF 3.55

and the axles for
Regular F:3600 R:3800
HD F:4600 R:6340
Super F:4600 R:6340

 

All 15 passenger Ford vans are e350s, which means 1 ton, at least in the last 20 yrs or so. Have you seen the rust underneath it? You say you know the owner, but just curious. I'd be hesitant to buy it sight unseen. Anyway, good luck. I think your questions have been answered above.

 

I believe there are E-250 15 passenger vans, but I could be wrong, they look the same, but a 250 has a semi-floater rear axle, vs the 350's full-floater.

 

Ford and GM vans are so much nicer to drive than dodge that I respond to your post. I don't have numbers but have driven all and Ford and GM are good. I like the ford's particularly, drove the 99 econoline more than the GM.

 

run the VIN and find out.

 

I wasn't completely sure, i've just never seen one that was an e250, at least not since the body style change in 92.

 

Well I got it. Here is the listing it had on CL:
1997 Ford Club Wagon

We talked them down a couple hundred. He mentioned most of it's eccentricities, but didn't mention the "Service Engine Soon" light was on, nor that the overdrive button/diagnostic light was broken off. Ran the code for the light and it's the famous P0401 and P0402 insufficient/excessive EGR flow, so I'm going to throw a DPFE sensor at it and see what that does. The code hasn't come back since they cleared it so maybe it was just sore after sitting out the winter so far?

Going to finish pulling the carpet and run a wire wheel, strip it down and then line it before putting new carpet back down.

It has the 5.4l stock engine, pretty much the standard 15 passenger package all around. 2" receiver on the back a few spares and usable tires for summer here.

I'm going to see what the shop across the street will charge to hit my whole list in one fell swoop. All oils and filters (Air, Engine, Trans, Diff), check ball joints and tie rods, brakes, u-joints, DPFE sensor, check EGR & lines, pcv, check hoses and belts, replace spark plugs (I'm not anxious after reading the 5.4l plug replacement threads and after changing the passenger side rear plugs on my 75' F250 with a 390FE that took forever with extensions and u-joints etc...), power steering fluid and brake fluid, replace the OD button, and throw on an antenna for good measure.

Any care to guess what the estimate will be absent needing to change brakes, tie rod ends, ball joints, u-joints, hoses, belts, etc...? My guess is $500 on the "I would be so happy" low end, and $1000 on the "still worth it" high end. Am I delusional?

 

Wow! You got a great deal. If it only needs what you've listed, and even if all of that cost another 1000 or so, you've still got a great deal. That's pretty low mileage. It's also exactly like mine BTW, which i paid 6k for with the same mileage, but mine is pretty clean and has all options including DVD screens and such, so i'm happy with my deal. If i don't think about what a deal you got anymore, that is.
Welcome to the gang and hope you enjoy it. Lots of great info here.
Oh, BTW, i have the 5.4 also and it has never had spark plug problems. Remember this, Ford sold tons of these vans, and the only ones you hear about are the ones people go on a forum and complain about. In my talks with local mechanics and the service guys at the dealership, they say they rarely see spark plug issues. I'm sure many here will disagree, because they are probably the rare few that have had them. You'll most likely be just fine. Also, the 5.4 is plenty strong, just floor it, it will go and it will pull about anything, and when loaded it will get horrible mpg just like it would all of the time if it were a v-10. Dbasso's gonna hammer me on this one i bet.

 

One day, we'll drag race and at the end compare the mpg LOL

 

LOL, i knew that would get your attention! Actually, you're kicking a** and taking names with that 5 star tune i'm sure. I wonder if it would help an old 5.4 very much, i've been meaning to contact Mike, but right now i'm struggling to keep my daily drivers together.

 

Remove the intake duct, carefully knock the silencer out of the throttle body end, install a free flowing cotton gauze filter to up the air flow. Drop the exhaust, lose the heavy muffler and resonator, replace with a free flowing system, be it SI/DO or dual's, makes no difference, have a shop that knows what they're doing set it up. I Superchip tuner works wonders with all the above mentioned, I can smoke the tires in my 99 E-350 15 passenger, the scale says it's 8000 lbs with my handicap and stereo equipment, I get looks when people hear the Flowmaster 40 WOT. I love the 5.4, the V-10 is too much, gas mileage for the V-8 is bad enough, I can assure you.

 

Looks like a good deal, nice color combo - evergreen camo. Especially in AK where I'd heard used vehicle prices were sky high!

I'd put a pair of knobby tires on back & want 300-500 lbs of ballast over rear axle.

 

I was surprised it was still available, but it was stuck in Wrangell (pop just over 2000). I don't think it would have still been for sale even here (population 3000). And in another month or so it would have been a quick sale at any rate. 15 passenger vans are in high demand here especially since everything has to be barged or ferried up. The seller actually loaded it on the ferry at like 2:30am to get it here. So far so good.

I don't know which trim package it has, but it has A/C and Cruise Control.

I like the green, it matches the trees and my bike. It used to be a Salivation Army (as my son calls it) fleet van. We used to see it around all the time when we lived there and knew the gal who drove it. The people we bought it from had it a couple of years and only used it occasionally.

With our 4 kids (11, 9, 7, & 2.5) and 1 on the way (April) it will be great once we get everything done.

I have been pushing the van idea for years and years and the wife loves it now, so all the prep was not in vain. She likes it much better than the crew cab F-250 and Bronco even though she loved the Bronco (especially with the shell off after we lined it all).

Already have the 1940's wacky hits playing in it... Life is good...