Does anyone know whether panel vans came with a spare tyre, and if so, where it was mounted?  I gather the Sundowner's had a bracket in the back, but what about the run of the mill work-horses?  And what is the little hook in the floor behind the drivers seat for?
 
Thanks.

It goes behind the passenger seat under the floor.

I can't get even a skinny 155 tyre under there - it's just too large in diameter.  How did you manage it?

I'm the exact same, I have original 12" wheels with original 155R12 tires and it doesn't fit behind the passengers seat.

Behind the passengers seat is from my understanding where the original spare wheel is suppose to be located.

The spare tyre definitely does go behind the passengers seat in the cavity underneath the cargo floor.
When I first bought my Escort panel van in the early '80's the spare would just be able to be prised out with the seat pushed all the way forward and tilted as far forward as possible. The newer standard 13" replacement tyres are wider. So now to remove the spare the entire seat needs to be removed.

Mine has the original 12" wheels with the spare behind the passenger seat with the original strap holding it there.

I don't know where I'm going wrong. With the seat moved completely forward and folded forward until it hits the dash the wheel still doesn't fit behind. Their original Escort seats as well. 

I couldn't get a factory original 13" wheel with the  factory original tyre in even with the passenger seat out.  I'd love to see a photo of one in there!

I have my one in at the moment