Have been looking for a cheap Club Wagon to rehab literally for years now. Retired my '92 Chateau when I got a '98 F-150 XLT 4X4, which will hit 25,000 miles on this tank. For 2 years I tried to learn to love the pickup, but still want another 'Steel Tent' for a couple of long annual trips.

Never stopped looking, but a bargain, loaded, E-150, Club Wagon, w/sliding side door, small motor, in decent shape & within reasonable range, is like a winner Scratch Off Ticket. Just found my 3rd. Missed the 1st due to family emergency. Was nearly in tears b/c 2nd was Cash4Clunker victim of Motor Grenade in junkyard. Just found the 3rd.

A '98 Chateau that runs perfectly, but pulls left/needs typical front end work, has various things not working & several cosmetic issues - all stuff I can easily handle. However it's got nearly 250,000 miles on it! Body is good enough I'd put a drive train in it. Small church used it a couple of years & pastor has none of the prior history. Trying to discover previous owner, figure it likely had motor or tranny done?

 

Club wagon, where are you?? They give away these vans in Southern CA Best wishes with your new project!

 

Believe it or not eBay is a great source depending on how far you'll travel to buy one. So far I've bought two; '97 E250 cargo 435 miles away and an '00 E250 raised roof a mere 65 miles. Both were great vehicles for the cost with the '00 still being in service.

I'm looking for a 2003-2006 E350 extended body with A/C, power windows, power door locks right side swing out doors with factory windows. I'll refit it with raised roof, extended height doors and add my work spaces as needed. It will take a while I'm sure but since I have the luxury of time I can search until the perfect one comes along.

Google can be a good source too------at least narrow things down more closely to home.

 

Northern Florida & only considered E-150's found "within reasonable range". That mostly limited serious searching the area north of Tampa/Orlando/Daytona. On SearchTempest I plugged in 300 mile range which included all of FL, Atlanta & AL. If it wasn't an easy day trip it was out of range.

Also did unlimited searches to see what was selling in distant traditionally rust free regions & rejected the Rust Belt. While I'd never seen anything to suggest that "They give away these vans in Southern CA" before your post, I did get the impression that the normally hard to find sliding side door seems to be more popular in CA.

 

Club, not sure if you searched Craigslist, I see the best deals there, at least in CA/AZ/NV. That's where I found my 03 Chateau. My definition of "give away" may be different from your budget, but compared to pick up's, these vans are really low priced. I was looking for a rig to tow a 5K lb car and trailer, apples to apples (club cab. 2 wd, gas) these vans go for 1/3 less and offer so much more.
good luck on your search. Mike

 

At that mileage for 12 years, I would think that the van was used commercially, and records not easily found. If it has the 4R70W, I wouldn't be surprised if the engine and transm are original. If it is the E4OD -- it either is a rebuilt unit in it, or just about to need one.

Congratulations -- I would not be afraid of the mileage.

Club Wagon: I have noticed that you have pet peeve with the sliding door. Besides a better view, why do you like it? BTW, my wife and kids (and me in tow) hate sliders understandably.

My own search for a high-top E250 is heating up. I get listings from Florida instantly via RSS the CrazedList. I agree with you -- there are plenty of vans in the Rust Belt, but I try to put my ear into the ground in Florida and Texas. These 2 states sell many high-tops. I think in Chicago, Milwaukee there are more Club Wagons for sale than McDonald's. I never understood that...

 

"Believe it or not eBay is" extremely well known, I've even used eBay to buy a SAAB Sonett. However there've been very few Club Wagons matching my requirements sold on eBay during the last 2 years - ANYWHERE.

While "Google can be a good source" my experience has been that most hits for Club Wagons 4 sale are ridiculously out of date.

IMHO the 2 best sources are: Autotrader.com & using SearchTempest to scan Craigslist ads.

At one time a service that automatically searched member newspaper's classified ads & emailed hits called Adquest was very good. Last time I looked Adquest was still online but didn't seem to work anymore. No matter how common an item - no results.

Guess I didn't make it clear. After a lot of searching, I've FOUND a Club Wagon Chateau by chance, languishing by a small church, within 4 miles of home & stuck a note under wiper blade. The owner called that nite, told me it was 4 sale & it looks like an excellent candidate for the restoration project I want "However it's got nearly 250,000 miles on it!" & I'm having trouble finding its history.

Will be at Tag Agency today to renew & will ask what FL can divulge via VIN & title number from AutoCheck report. Expect to meet pastor tomorrow. Hope to be able to discover & call prior/original owner.

Sorry the title is misleading. Should've typed: Is 250,000 miles enough to eliminate this Chateau from my "Perennial search for a Club Wagon"?

PS: Have seen scads of extended E350 Club Wagons 4 sale. Lately it seems that V10's are coming out of the woodwork!

 

Yes, your definition of "give away" is different, thanks for clarifying your exaggeration. My '98 F-150 XLT 4X4, that's turning 25,000 miles, is an example of "give away" b/c my Dad gave up driving, lost his license & gave it away. Have a '53 Grumman Kurb-Side that an old friend decided to "give away" when they moved cross country to Northern CA.

Not sure if you realize what the internet definition of Searchtempest is. Searchtempest is an extremely useful service that very effectively searches Craigslist ads.

How would you define the 250,000 miles on the Club Wagon Chateau that I found?

 

Note that this '98 Club Wagon was 13 years old back in Sept. That's about 20,000 miles/year. Saw no sign it "was used commercially" & it was registered in the same small FL town for nearly 10 years. Did not get good look at tranny b/c running boards prevent sliding underneath. Are you suggesting a '98 could have either tranny behind a 4.6?

Henry10: Congratulations for being among a large majority who apparently prefer what I call Mutt & Jeff hinged side doors. Find it comical you'd see my preference for FORD's traditionally free sliding door option as a "pet peeve with the sliding door" then add "BTW, my wife and kids (and me in tow) hate sliders understandably".

Sorry, but why "understandably" in same breath asking "why do (I) like it?"? Isn't "a better view" in a passenger/window van (actually a DRAMATICALLY "better view") reason enough to understand a preference for the sliding door's large single window? This is true for midseat passengers, but especially true for driver. Prefer to open/close 1 door instead of 2. Have had "sliders" for 25 years w/o problem. Too bad FORD hasn't added a power sliding door & single rear door. IMO "sliders" look great, conversely the Mutt & Jeff doors just look bad. Don't like the very limited view, bulky interior window frames, or exposed hinges.

Each to his own. Not a "pet peeve" either, but I wouldn't have a plastic Turtle Top. Have seen what they look like after rolling over or rusting out. Good luck, there are loads of conversions 4 sale.

 

I think that 97-98 4.6L on Vans came only with the 4R70W, if not all, majority did.

I did not mean to trigger an argument with you on the slider. I apologize if my comments sounded bad.

I understand what you are saying, and yes I have never had an Econoline with the slider, and most likely never will. Call it a pre-judice or not-the same or whatever, but we've had 2 minivans with sliders and did not like them. Nothing more really. Besides, I have never seen them in regular-wheelbase high-tops, we are targeting.

Yes, high-tops are terrible on rollovers, god-forbid. One way to fight that (besides safe-driving and luck) is to lower the van, which I am a proponent for. This is an addition to other handling / riding improvements which should be done to it.

 

Club, looked for 5 minutes locally on craigs list. I wouldn't call this a steal but I think it could be bought for $3500 or less. Before I bought my 03 I looked at a '02 chateau 5 miles away. It had 130K, and was the green 2 tone, he took $2800 for it. This may still be too high for you but is typical of what I see around here.

2002 Ford Van

 

Every Ford van I've owned that had the sliding door was an honest to goodness PIA to deal with. Granted, the newest van I have ever owned was a 91, so that could be part of it. Maybe Ford improved the design, but the ones I've had had problems with staying on track, didn't like to latch properly and were too heavy for anyone other than an adult to open and close. The "Mutt and Jeff" doors have served me much better, and I don't mind the two windows vs. one window.

 

To tell you the truth -- a big reason I like conversions over Club Wagons is the panoramic windows, except of course I call them "jailhouse" windows. But I would rather take those 2 windows than get in / get out, walk around to slam the slider, because my wife and 2 daughters cannot. Didn't try on the Econoline, after a lot of practice on smaller doors of minivans.

 

Yup, looks OK to me. Am surprised when there's a long description w/o motor size.

Not only are sliding side doors more popular on the west coast, vans themselves are more popular. Certainly custom/recreational vans. Of course San Diego is way out of range. While my region of north FL is rural, the megapolis of Miami is in my Searchtempest range.

Tag Agency can no longer provide title/registration info b/c of Privacy Act.

By chance, I wrote a $3500 check today.

 

No "argument" here, you asked & got a polite answer. It seems "you have a pet peeve with the sliding door". I've never had a mechanical problem w/sliders, or a problem opening/closing a door for anyone who has difficulty anywhere.

TurtleTops also got a bad reputation for leaking, resulting in wet interiors, rust & mold here in FL, "god-forbid".

We're going in different directions. Good luck lowering a raised roof E250. You're welcome to rely on everyone's "safe driving and luck". Have you considered a Step Van? See my thread & link to Vintage Step Van Post in Large FORD section.

I'll rely on safety & luck, but also welded American steel, until I find glass for '53 Grumman Kurb-Side. I'm interested in squeezing 20 mpg out of a Club Wagon. Want taller tires &/or diffy, would like more ground clearance & need suspension travel for the places I go. Recently saw an Econoline on 20's that looked surprisingly sharp.