If you've ever spotted a massive, boxy step van sitting in a field or serving tacos at a local festival, there's a good chance you were looking at a Ford P700. These trucks were the backbone of delivery fleets for decades, and honestly, they have a sort of industrial charm that's hard to find in modern vehicles. They weren't built to be pretty or fast; they were built to haul heavy loads of mail, bread, or laundry across town without complaining.
While most people are familiar with the F-series pickups, the P-series (which stands for Parcel) often flies under the radar. The P700 was the heavy-hitter of that lineup. It's a medium-duty chassis that provided the foundation for some of the most iconic "bread trucks" ever made. Today, they've found a second life with enthusiasts, food truck owners, and people looking to build the ultimate off-grid tiny home on wheels.
What Makes the P700 Different?
When Ford was pumping these out, they had a specific goal in mind: utility. The Ford P700 wasn't just a slightly bigger van; it was a dedicated commercial chassis. Most of these came as "cowl and chassis" units, meaning Ford provided the engine, frame, and drivetrain, and then a body manufacturer like Grumman-Olson or Boyertown would slap a big aluminum or steel box on top.
Because the P700 was at the higher end of the weight rating for this series, it had beefier suspension and larger brakes than its smaller siblings like the P350 or P500. This makes it a beast to drive if you're used to a modern SUV. You're sitting high up, usually over the front wheels, with a massive steering wheel in your lap and a gear shifter that feels like it's three feet long. It's a visceral, mechanical experience that modern trucks just can't replicate.
The Engines That Never Quit
If you pop the hood—or more likely, remove the doghouse cover inside the cab—you'll usually find one of a few legendary Ford powerplants. Many P700s were equipped with the 300-cubic-inch inline-six. If you know anything about Ford engines, you know the 300 is basically unkillable. It's got a gear-driven camshaft (no belts or chains to snap) and produces enough low-end torque to pull a house off its foundation. It's not a speed demon, but it'll get you there every single time.
For those who needed a bit more grunt, Ford offered the "FT" series V8s, like the 330, 361, or even the 391. These were heavy-duty versions of the FE engines found in muscle cars, but with thicker castings and different crank journals to handle the constant stress of hauling heavy loads. They drink gas like it's going out of style, but they sound fantastic and can work all day long without breaking a sweat.
Transitioning to Diesel
Later in the life cycle of the Ford P700, especially toward the 80s, you started seeing more diesel options. Some had the 6.6L or 7.8L Ford-New Holland diesels, and occasionally you'll find one that's been swapped with a Cummins 4BT or 6BT. A P700 with a Cummins swap is basically the holy grail for people looking to do long-distance travel because it combines that classic "bread truck" look with modern reliability and much better fuel economy.
Why They Are the King of Food Trucks
There is a very practical reason why the Ford P700 is so popular for food truck conversions. It's all about the space. Unlike a standard cargo van where you're hunched over, these step vans have incredibly high ceilings. Most of them allow a six-foot-tall person to stand up straight with plenty of room to spare.
The walls are usually flat, which makes mounting shelves, fryers, and prep tables a breeze. Plus, the aluminum bodies found on many Grumman-built P700s are surprisingly light and resistant to rust. If you're starting a business, you don't want to spend your first year fixing floor pans, and the P700 gives you a solid, square foundation to work with.
Living the Step Van Life
Lately, there's been a huge surge in "van life," but some people find the Sprinters and Transits just a bit too cramped. That's where the Ford P700 comes in. If you're willing to deal with the slower speeds and the noise, you can turn one of these into a legitimate studio apartment.
The flat roof is perfect for a massive solar array, and the under-chassis area on a P700 is usually spacious enough to tuck away large water tanks and batteries. Of course, you have to be okay with people staring at you at every gas station. These trucks have a presence. They look like they've seen some things, and people love to come up and ask what year it is or tell you a story about how their dad used to drive one for the post office.
The Maintenance Reality
I'm not going to sugarcoat it: owning an old Ford P700 isn't all sunshine and rainbows. It's an old commercial vehicle. The ride quality is similar to a tractor, and the steering can feel a bit "suggestive" at highway speeds.
However, the beauty of these trucks is their simplicity. There are no complicated computers or sensors to fail. If it's not starting, it's usually something you can figure out with a basic set of tools and a bit of patience. Parts for the engines are widely available because they were shared with millions of F-series trucks. The trickier parts are usually the specific brake components or suspension bushings, but even then, there's a dedicated community of medium-duty truck fans who know exactly where to find the obscure stuff.
What to Look for When Buying One
If you're scouring Marketplace or Craigslist for a Ford P700, there are a few things you really need to keep an eye on. First, check the brakes. These often use "hydro-vac" or air-over-hydraulic systems that can be a bit of a nightmare to fix if they've been sitting in a damp field for ten years.
Second, look at the kingpins in the front suspension. If they haven't been greased regularly, they wear out, and replacing them is a heavy-duty job that involves a big press and a lot of swearing. Lastly, check for "galvanic corrosion" if it's an aluminum body on a steel frame. Where those two metals meet, you can sometimes get nasty corrosion that eats away at the mounting points.
Final Thoughts on the P700
At the end of the day, the Ford P700 is a relic of a time when things were built to be rebuilt, not replaced. It doesn't have heated seats, it doesn't have Bluetooth, and it definitely doesn't have lane-keep assist. But it has character in spades.
Whether you're looking to build a rugged camper, start a mobile business, or you just want a cool piece of vintage American iron to haul your toys around, the P700 is a fantastic choice. It's a loud, proud, and incredibly capable machine that reminds us that sometimes, the old way of doing things was actually pretty great. Just make sure you've got a good set of earplugs for those long highway stretches, and you'll be good to go.