AS SEEN IN OUR Street Trucks JULY 2026 ISSUE – Buy Now!
Cool costs money!
Some builds start with a grand plan, spreadsheets, and carefully laid-out goals. Others start with a much simpler idea: “Let’s build something cool!” That’s exactly how Matt Pilcher’s 1966 Ford Econoline van, Layin’ Low, came to life.
Matt and his wife, Anna, out of Norwalk, Iowa, didn’t build this van to follow trends or chase trophies. Matt, an electrician by trade and member of the Des Moines-based Gasholes truck club, simply wanted something different. Something fun. Something that would make people stop in their tracks and ask questions. Mission accomplished.
In a sea of C10s, OBS Chevys, and laid-out late models, a first-gen Econoline sitting flat on the pavement has a way of grabbing attention fast. It’s odd, cool, and full of personality, which is exactly why this build works so well.
What makes Layin’ Low stand out is that Matt kept the soul of the van intact. He didn’t try to turn it into something it wasn’t. The original blue paint is still there, cleaned up just enough to preserve the vintage character while letting the years show through. Super Dave out of Des Moines handled the paint cleanup and hand-airbrushed graphics, adding some custom flavor without erasing the van’s history. Even the custom diamond plate steel wheel tubs feel like they belong. But don’t let the vintage look fool you.
Underneath, this thing is all custom. The original chassis was scrapped in favor of a fully hand-built frame made from 2×4 square tubing. Danny Oliver and Super Dave built the entire setup from scratch, engineering it so the van could sit completely flat on the ground while still being fully functional. Airbags and KYB shocks at all four corners, a custom four-link, a handmade fuel tank, Vega manual steering, and a Ford truck stabilizer transformed this old work van into something far more serious.
Matt says the hardest part of the whole build was getting everything raised high enough inside the body so the van could lay flat. His solution? Cut and weld. That pretty much sums up custom truck building.
Power comes from a 250 ci inline-six backed by a Chevy 700R4 automatic, thanks to custom mounts and transmission work handled in Indianola. It’s a combo that might sound unusual on paper but somehow fits this build perfectly.
Inside, the fun keeps going with shortened Ford van seats, Mexican blankets, a 1960 Oldsmobile steering wheel, Peterbilt air horns, and upholstery work by Vicki Oliver.