It’s man vs nature: the road to victory…
When a vehicle recovery operation looks a lot like landscaping, it’s serious. That’s what YouTube channel Restored was facing when it returned to a property to recover an abandoned 1974 Ford Econoline van. It’s sat unmoved for 35 years and during that time the vegetation has swallowed it up. This just shows how aggressively everything grows in certain parts of Texas, where it must be fun cutting your lawn at least three times a week.
Watch a 1969 Camaro rescued from an overgrown yard here.
Now, some people might be wondering what’s so special about an old Econoline. Apparently, those people haven’t seen Ford’s current van offerings, because if they knew anything about those and have experience with these old workhorses, they’d already know the answer. It might not be your cup of tea, but it’s still a classic and some people absolutely love these vans.
Some guys use them to transport motorcycles, parts, their whole crew, etc. In Japan there’s a whole culture around classic American vans. You can do all sorts of modifications on these things, lifting them, lowering them, making them look flashy, keeping them rustic. Sure, they’re not fast and they’re not graceful, but everything doesn’t have to be a sports car.
For the guys on Restored, this is partly about the challenge. Why do people climb mountains? Why do they run marathons? Why does anyone buy a Ford with a Triton V8 (it’s a joke, everyone)? Sometimes it’s great to take on a difficult project you’re not sure you can successfully complete.
Not only is the extraction of this Econoline a challenge, its condition is pretty rough. Oh, and there’s a nice surprise waiting for these guys in the form of some wildlife, something anyone who’s interested in reclaiming cars which have sat for years needs to be prepared to face.
Check out the video for yourself. It’s just under an hour long, but so are many TV shows which suck and this video is definitely worth your time.
