frankie
Geezertrucker
I own a 1994 Ford Chateau Club Wagon. Some of the Ford aficionados will recognize that as a Ford E-150 passenger van. For the not so Ford oriented, Ford called it's passenger vans "Club Wagons". They were available in an array of trim levels similar to the Pick up trucks: "XL", "XLT" and "Chateau".
The Chateau Club wagon was as decked out as you can get a Club Wagon from the factory. If you wanted to as more to your new van, Ford would have to send it out to an after market outfitter. However, in most cases Ford did not send Chateaus to the outfitter. The most often sent XLT's.
I bought mine in 1994 just prior to the "Flood of '94" here in Macon, Ga. Luckily, for us, our house is high enough that the flood did not have an affect on it, so our cars were safe, too.
The van has a 5.8L (351W) fuel injected engine. I used it as a people mover and a vacation vehicle. It is super comfortable (far more so than any of my trucks, in fact), and turned out to be the perfect size with it's for Capt's. Chairs and it's rear tri-fold bench. My wife and I and our three kids and out black lab/German Shepard mix spent many happy and comfortable travel miles in that van.
It is equipped with front and rear stereo controls, head phone jacks, front and rear A/C controls, aircraft lighting, tri-folding rear bench seat/bed. Ford factory running boards, Forged aluminum wheels a 36 gallon gas tank, 5.8L V8, auto trans, and 3.54 Limited slip rear, with a 5K lb tow package, and hinged side doors and factory dark tinted class.
It also came with dual VHS systems (DVD players were not available until 1996). You could play the same movie on both systems, or two different movies simultaneously. The stereo system is AM/FM/Cass/Cd, with eight speakers.
That was pretty big stuff in 1994!
I still own it, and it's still a pleasure to drive, though it's getting kind of costly now. Being so equipped and fully insulated it's pretty heavy. Around town it's a 13 MPG hog, it will deliver about 165 on the interstate in cruise, though. Not bad considering it's weight, and the available room and comfort.
When I bought it, I looked at minivans that were available at the time, but nothing was as roomy and comfortable an the Club Wagon. When I placed the order for it, we took the order sheet home from the Ford dealer and checked off everything we wanted. Oddly enough some of the things we decided against were things like Leather seating. No one in the family wanted it because of the experiences we had with the leather seats in our previous van (Dodge B250). The leather was hot in the summer and cold in the winter, and the dog's paws made a number of "indentations".
At the time Ford had an option for gathered cloth seats. Extremely comfortable and pleated. We chose that option instead of the leather. Also, no one, especially my wife, wanted a sunroof, which was fine with me.
Besides the things I already mentioned, above, we got all the normal stuff like power windows, door locks, power mirrors, self tinting inside mirror, leather wrapped steering wheel, 4 wheel ABF/Disc brakes, Lighting package, Chrome bumpers, two tone paint, pin stripes, vented windows all around, and so on.
It's held up remarkably well considering it's going on 18 years old. I gave it a steady diet of Mobil One on a regular basis. Sadly, all the kids are now grown and moved out, it's just me and Joyce now, and an abundance of Pick ups, a couple of cars, and one big ole van.
I've thought about selling it, but I just don't have the heart to part with it! Sometimes I even take it to work with me, just to drive it, now and then. It's still the single most comfortable vehicle I've ever driven. I'm 6'2"+ and about 210 pounds, and I think I'm gonna keep it a while longer.
The Chateau Club wagon was as decked out as you can get a Club Wagon from the factory. If you wanted to as more to your new van, Ford would have to send it out to an after market outfitter. However, in most cases Ford did not send Chateaus to the outfitter. The most often sent XLT's.
I bought mine in 1994 just prior to the "Flood of '94" here in Macon, Ga. Luckily, for us, our house is high enough that the flood did not have an affect on it, so our cars were safe, too.
The van has a 5.8L (351W) fuel injected engine. I used it as a people mover and a vacation vehicle. It is super comfortable (far more so than any of my trucks, in fact), and turned out to be the perfect size with it's for Capt's. Chairs and it's rear tri-fold bench. My wife and I and our three kids and out black lab/German Shepard mix spent many happy and comfortable travel miles in that van.
It is equipped with front and rear stereo controls, head phone jacks, front and rear A/C controls, aircraft lighting, tri-folding rear bench seat/bed. Ford factory running boards, Forged aluminum wheels a 36 gallon gas tank, 5.8L V8, auto trans, and 3.54 Limited slip rear, with a 5K lb tow package, and hinged side doors and factory dark tinted class.
It also came with dual VHS systems (DVD players were not available until 1996). You could play the same movie on both systems, or two different movies simultaneously. The stereo system is AM/FM/Cass/Cd, with eight speakers.
That was pretty big stuff in 1994!
I still own it, and it's still a pleasure to drive, though it's getting kind of costly now. Being so equipped and fully insulated it's pretty heavy. Around town it's a 13 MPG hog, it will deliver about 165 on the interstate in cruise, though. Not bad considering it's weight, and the available room and comfort.
When I bought it, I looked at minivans that were available at the time, but nothing was as roomy and comfortable an the Club Wagon. When I placed the order for it, we took the order sheet home from the Ford dealer and checked off everything we wanted. Oddly enough some of the things we decided against were things like Leather seating. No one in the family wanted it because of the experiences we had with the leather seats in our previous van (Dodge B250). The leather was hot in the summer and cold in the winter, and the dog's paws made a number of "indentations".
At the time Ford had an option for gathered cloth seats. Extremely comfortable and pleated. We chose that option instead of the leather. Also, no one, especially my wife, wanted a sunroof, which was fine with me.
Besides the things I already mentioned, above, we got all the normal stuff like power windows, door locks, power mirrors, self tinting inside mirror, leather wrapped steering wheel, 4 wheel ABF/Disc brakes, Lighting package, Chrome bumpers, two tone paint, pin stripes, vented windows all around, and so on.
It's held up remarkably well considering it's going on 18 years old. I gave it a steady diet of Mobil One on a regular basis. Sadly, all the kids are now grown and moved out, it's just me and Joyce now, and an abundance of Pick ups, a couple of cars, and one big ole van.
I've thought about selling it, but I just don't have the heart to part with it! Sometimes I even take it to work with me, just to drive it, now and then. It's still the single most comfortable vehicle I've ever driven. I'm 6'2"+ and about 210 pounds, and I think I'm gonna keep it a while longer.
