Ordered to Spec · A Body Builder’s Chassis
Ford E-Series Cutaway for Work in Maine
A cutaway is a cab and a frame with nothing behind it, bought so somebody can put a box, a bucket, a shuttle body or a refrigerated unit on the back. The E-Series — still called the Econoline by most of the people who buy them, and the same vehicle under either name — has been the default chassis for that work in this country for decades — Ford has built it for over 65 years and counts more than 2.3 million still in operation.
We do not floor these. The body decides the specification, so the E-Series is ordered rather than kept on the lot — which is how most cutaways are bought anyway. What we do stock in quantity is the Chevrolet Express Cutaway; if you need a chassis this month, start there.
What it means for your business
The upfitter wiring is the real reason to pick it
Four high-capacity upfitter switches — 30 amp, 30 amp, 15 amp and 10 amp — come factory-installed in the instrument panel with their own fuses and relays, so beacons, a two-way radio or scene lighting get wired in without anybody cutting into the truck’s harness. Above that sits Vehicle Integration System 1.0, which lets an upfitter connect equipment to the CAN bus and program switches across up to nine digitally configurable inputs — a lift bucket, a crane, a refrigeration unit, a generator. On a vehicle whose whole value is what gets bolted to it, that is worth more than a spec-sheet win.
It is not the strongest cutaway on paper, and that is fine
One engine: a 7.3L V8 making 325 hp and 450 lb-ft at 3,750 rpm, on a TorqShift six-speed heavy-duty automatic. The Chevrolet Express Cutaway’s 6.6L V8 beats it on both counts — 401 hp and 464 lb-ft — so if the argument is output, the Chevy wins it. The E-Series answers somewhere else: a 14,500 lb GVWR on the E-450, a single simple engine choice, and the body-builder ecosystem below.
Body builders already have patterns for this chassis
Decades of production and millions in service mean the box, shuttle, service or refrigerated body you are considering has very probably been built on an E-Series before. That is not a performance claim — it is a practical one. A body builder working from an established pattern is a different conversation from one engineering a mount for the first time, and it shows up in the quote and in the schedule.
E-350 or E-450 is a weight decision, nothing else
Three ways to order it: E-350 single rear wheel from $41,330, E-350 dual rear wheel from $41,585, and E-450 dual rear wheel from $43,805. Duals and the E-450 are where the weight headroom is — the 14,500 lb GVWR lives there. Those are chassis prices; the body is a separate line and often the larger one. Work out the finished weight with the body builder before you pick the chassis, not after.
Ford warrants the chassis, not what goes on it
The same rule as every other cutaway and upfit we sell: Ford covers the chassis it built, and the company that built the body warrants the body. Two warranties, two phone numbers. Ask who services the body locally before you sign — on a vehicle that earns its living through the thing on the back, that answer matters more than the chassis coverage.
Powertrain & capability
Manufacturer figures for a properly equipped truck. Your specific build will rate differently — confirm the ratings on the unit before you buy a trailer or a body to match it.
Engines
- 7.3L V8
- 325 hp · 450 lb-ft @ 3,750 rpm
- Standard and the only engine. Overhead-valve with variable cam timing, built to make its torque low in the range for stop-and-go work.
- Transmission
- TorqShift 6-speed heavy-duty automatic
- Driver-selectable Tow/Haul compensates for grade and load and delays upshifts to cut gear hunting.
- Construction
- Full frame
- Body-on-frame — the structure a body builder actually wants to mount to.
Hauling & towing
- Max GVWR
- 14,500 lbs (E-450)
- Chassis, body and payload together. The figure that decides whether your finished truck is legal.
- Max towing
- 10,000 lbs
- When properly equipped — and after the body has taken its share.
- Models
- E-350 SRW · E-350 DRW · E-450 DRW
- Duals where the weight goes up.
- Chassis MSRP from
- $41,330 · $41,585 · $43,805
- E-350 SRW, E-350 DRW, E-450 DRW. Chassis only; the body is quoted separately.
- Upfitter switches
- 30A · 30A · 15A · 10A
- Factory-fitted in the instrument panel, fused and relayed. Nobody has to splice the harness.
- Upfitter interface
- Vehicle Integration System 1.0
- CAN bus access and up to nine digitally configurable inputs for equipment control.
Which trim for the work
Trim on a work truck is a budget decision, not a luxury one. What we actually have on the ground is marked.
The lightest of the three and the cheapest to run. Right for a modest box or service body where the finished weight is comfortably inside the rating.
Duals for stability and weight headroom without stepping up to the 450. The common middle choice for box and shuttle bodies.
Where the 14,500 lb GVWR lives. Specify it when the body is heavy, the payload is real, or both — running out of rating after the body is on is an expensive mistake.
Bodies that go on this chassis
This chassis is sold to be bodied, so the body conversation comes first and the chassis is specified around it. Ford’s own upfitter network plus Vehicle Integration System 1.0 and the four factory switches mean the electrical side is largely solved before anyone picks up a tool. Tell the fleet team the body type, the finished weight you expect and what has to be powered, and they will quote chassis and body as one job.
We order this one
There is no Ford E-Series Cutaway on our lot today, and that is normal for this chassis — the body decides the specification, so it is ordered rather than floored. Tell the fleet team what is going on the back and they will quote the chassis and the upfit as one job.
Questions businesses actually ask
Do you have any E-Series Cutaways in stock?
Not today — we order these rather than floor them, because the body decides the specification and a cutaway sitting on a lot is a guess about somebody else’s job. If you need a cutaway chassis sooner, we carry Chevrolet Express Commercial Cutaways in quantity and a couple of Ram ProMaster Cutaways.
Thanks — good to know.
Sorry that didn't answer it. Want to ask the commercial team directly?
Should I order the E-350 or the E-450?
Work backwards from the finished weight. The E-450 dual-rear-wheel is where the 14,500 lb GVWR is, so a heavy body, a real payload, or both point there. An E-350 — single or dual rear wheel — is less chassis to buy and to run when the finished truck sits comfortably inside its rating. The body builder’s weight estimate should settle this before you order.
Thanks — good to know.
Sorry that didn't answer it. Want to ask the commercial team directly?
Can my upfitter wire into it without cutting the harness?
Yes, and that is one of the better reasons to choose it. Four upfitter switches — 30, 30, 15 and 10 amp — are factory-installed in the instrument panel with fuses and relays, so accessories like beacons or a radio connect to a circuit that was designed for them. Vehicle Integration System 1.0 goes further, giving an upfitter CAN bus access and up to nine configurable inputs to drive a bucket, crane, refrigeration unit or generator.
Thanks — good to know.
Sorry that didn't answer it. Want to ask the commercial team directly?
How does it compare with the Chevrolet Express Cutaway?
The Express has more engine — its 6.6L V8 makes 401 hp and 464 lb-ft against the E-Series’ 325 and 450 — and we keep plenty on the ground, so you can buy one now. The E-Series edges it on maximum rating, 14,500 lbs on the E-450 against 14,200 on the Express 4500, and its factory upfitter wiring is the more complete package. Availability usually decides it; if you are ordering anyway, the body builder’s preference should.
Thanks — good to know.
Sorry that didn't answer it. Want to ask the commercial team directly?
Is the body covered by the Ford warranty?
No. Ford warrants the chassis it built; the company that built the box, bucket or shuttle body warrants that. It is worth asking who services the body locally before you commit — on a cutaway, the body is the part that earns the money and the part most likely to need attention.
Thanks — good to know.
Sorry that didn't answer it. Want to ask the commercial team directly?
What can it tow?
Up to 10,000 lbs when properly equipped, with Tow/Haul in the six-speed to manage grade and load. Remember the body has already taken its share of the combined rating, so the trailer you can legally pull behind a finished truck is a different number from the brochure one. Get it confirmed against the completed vehicle.
Thanks — good to know.
Sorry that didn't answer it. Want to ask the commercial team directly?
Tell us what the truck has to do
What you carry, what you tow, whether a body or a plow is going on it — that decides the build. The commercial team specs it, quotes multiple units, and handles factory fleet ordering.
Capability figures compiled from Ford Pro — 2027 E-Series Cutaway, checked 2026-10-01. Ratings vary by configuration and are not a guarantee for any specific vehicle — confirm before purchase.