This year Ford Econoline celebrates it's 40th anniversary. It was originally introduced in the fall of 1960 as a 1961 model. Since then, more than six million E-Series vehicles have been built, and it has set a segment standard with product innovations, customer loyalty and sales leadership (since 1979). Here's a quick recap of what the last four decades were like and how Econoline has progressed throughout the years.

The Sixties:

John F. Kennedy becomes president and the world witnesses his assassination on television. The Berlin Wall is built. Martin Luther King, Jr. leads the civil rights movement and is also assassinated. The Vietnam War begins. Man walks on the moon for the first time. Woodstock occurs. Sesame Street debuts.

The sixties were an era of continual change. And Ford was changing with the times as the Econoline van and truck were introduced in 1960 as a 1961 model. Ford's new compact truck line was an immediate success due to its rapid adoption by the Bell Telephone System for customer service and installation fleets. Originally available in cargo van, eight-passenger wagon and pickup models, E-Series offered two six-cylinder engines (170 CID and 240 CID) through the 1967 model year. It's first major change occurred in 1968, when the body was freshened, the Twin I-beam front suspension was introduced, the engine was moved forward and air conditioning and a V-8 engine were added as options.

The Seventies:

The First New York marathon occurs. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is created by Congress. Roe v. Wade. Nixon resigns office. Discos reign over the dancing scene. Apple Computer and Microsoft are founded. First test-tube baby is born. Sony introduces the walkman radio. Star Wars hits the big screen.

The seventies were an era of environmental, social and technological change; Ford incorporated all of those elements into the E-Series vehicles of the era - especially the completely remodeled 1975 version. In the early seventies, all Econoline engines came equipped with automatic choke and exhaust emission control systems and the fuel evaporative control system became available as an option in 49 states and required in California and the cutaway model was introduced. The 1975 Econoline introduced a number of new features, including body-on-frame construction, higher GVWs, improved packages and a wider engine selection.