Okay, I bought a 1971 Econoline 200 (yes, it is a "shortie") the other day. I have wanted this van since I first saw it, and it is now mine. My friend and former employer, Al Dial, of Dial's Diesel here in Covington was the one and only owner. He had recently built the 300 cid 6 and C6, but when the shop got extremely busy the van was pushed to a corner. I showed interest in it and Al told me that for $1500 I could have it. I told him I wanted it, but I had no money at the time. Al told me that he would not sell it to anyone else; that the van was mine when I had the money. Although the old man did have some offers, he never sold to anyone else. He died a while ago. Al Dial was the best friend a Mack truck ever had. 'Nuf said.
Al's son, Alan, asked me the other day if I was still interested. After Al died, Alan shut the shop down (Alan already had a full-time job and couldn't be both places at once) and used the van as a storage unit for old filters and T-bolt clamps and what-not. I told Alan that I was and he told me to make him an offer. I told him that offering any less than the $1500 his dad wanted would be a slap in the face, so I didn't offer any less.
Alan told me that he had an extra parts washer (big Snap-On type) that he couldn't use because it didn't have a fusible link and the fire marshall would write him up. Apparently, he knew I needed a parts washer, too. So Alan told me to give him $300 for the van and the nearly-new parts washer. 
So I did. Damn I love that van!
Now, to the original question: where do I get lowering I-beams for an Econoline? Will F-series drop I-beams work? Can I heat and stretch these like the old roadster guys used to do for their straight axles? Can I cut the springs?
The stance I have in my mind involves about a 4" drop in the front and a 5" drop in the back. The wheels are simple 15 x 10's for the back (with the appropriate back-spacing for the proper tuck) and 15 x 7's or 8's for the front. Of course they would be "steelies", painted to match the mint green of the body with "baby moons" on them.
Anyone have any ideas?
-Les
BTW, this will be either GM LS-powered or Cummins powered.
I don't know if anyone makes drop beams for the E series. As suggested, it may be easier to install another front clip. The Crown Vic is fairly popular (we've done whole frame swaps with 60s pickups...requires some work but the end result is sweet), Aerostar and Dodge Dakota or Diplomat are also suitable for the F series but you'll have to measure the frame width and so forth to see if it works on the E. I don't know what is different about the E but all the people who have tried to use E parts on the F's have reported they won't work.
