Cars and trucks last longer now than they ever have. I don't want to go back to the basics. I got tired of replacing plugs, points, tires, batteries, etc. My Escape has had $150 worth of parts break on it in 101,000+ miles(since new), I bought my old Town Car 3 years ago with 86,000 miles on it and I have spent just over $200 on it in the 3 years (including labor) and 30,000 miles. My truck is 3.5 years old and I have spent 0 on it in repairs. I sure am glad they don't make them like they used to.
You can spin it both ways. It is possible to make modern vehicles simple without sacrificing reliability. My F150 came with port EFI from factory, these days it has a DuraSpark2 ignition (late 70s), Impco425 propane carb, and thats about it. Nothing has been changed in the fuel system in the 10 years we had the truck, I replaced the alternator recently, and the belt for same shortly after. The electronic ignition module can quit every now and then, but those are $20 at the wreckers (I carry a spare).
For rough service, and I know I may get linched for saying this, nothing is stronger than the 70s fords, I have seen old HD fords from the late 70s outlive several generations of what was supposed to replace them, and that includes the superduty. Dana 60 on both ends, cast iron transmission, transfer case, engine, steering box, kingpin steering, and a lack of electronics make them very hard to kill. Horsepower was of course lower, but that didn't matter in the bush where trucks rarely go past 30 MPH.
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1986 F250HD Ex cab Fresh built up 6.9L diesel Lariat AC leather seats power everything w/full cluster, sterling rear 3.08LS gears, E4OD trans, ram intake ATS 088 turbo
1986 F150 Ex cab Lariat rollercam 5.0L on LPG AOD trans 3.55 gears 390 000Ks
If you really want a smaller bodied 1/2 ton truck with a stick have you considered the Ranger? They are relatively cheap both new and used, get great gas mileage, are nice and compact with excellent forward and rearwards visibility (which is a good attribute for a work truck), and have a decent payload and an impressive towing capacity. I love my 70's F series trucks and use them whenever I can, but the next closest thing out there in size, weight, power, and out of the box capabilities is my Ranger (4.0, extended cab, 4x4, 5,000# towing!) BTW, I'm a construction worker and need a capable truck. I also agree with everybody that this 30 year experiment with imports has sucked the air out of our economy. If you bought an import, you've given up your right to complain about the economy.
i agree it's tough to beat the 70s fords, if they still made the 79 exactly identical today with nicer interior upgrades, a 5.4 w/simplified fuel inj and better power steering then that's my choice. it'd also put a lot of ppl out of business cause it's too good. my little rant. anyways i'm sad if they're gonna axe the ranger. they want us to go big then blame us for it. i still won't shut up about the ev ranger and never will. good news is i've heard rumors about a future plug in ev escape.
i agree it's tough to beat the 70s fords, if they still made the 79 exactly identical today with nicer interior upgrades, a 5.4 w/simplified fuel inj and better power steering then that's my choice. it'd also put a lot of ppl out of business cause it's too good. my little rant. anyways i'm sad if they're gonna axe the ranger. they want us to go big then blame us for it. i still won't shut up about the ev ranger and never will. good news is i've heard rumors about a future plug in ev escape.
LionEV is working on a ford escape plug-in hybrid as well as the ranger EV.
One truck I saw was a 1978 crewcab F350 (yellow) with a loggers box that may have been OEM. Had a D60 solid axle on the front, probably a D70 on the rear, T18 cast iron tranny, dura spark 2 ignition, and a 300 inline 6 engine. Roofline, and floors had rust holes, but it still ran. The powertrain is underpowered by todays standards, but is about as bullet broof as you can get. The truck was basically a 4wd tractor.
It spent ALL its life in the far reaches of the logging industry, and probably only saw blacktop once or twice in its life. This was the truck they used when the superduties were broke down with mechanical or even structural problems. Eventually it became the main crew transporter (again, I guess). The only reason it was fnally retired, was it started to use "too much" coolant and since it was a logging camp accessable only by plane or barge, fixing it was not an option, so they flogged it. Last I saw, it was being parted out.
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1986 F250HD Ex cab Fresh built up 6.9L diesel Lariat AC leather seats power everything w/full cluster, sterling rear 3.08LS gears, E4OD trans, ram intake ATS 088 turbo
1986 F150 Ex cab Lariat rollercam 5.0L on LPG AOD trans 3.55 gears 390 000Ks
Those older trucks were tough as nails. I'm sure you've heard me argue that newer are better and I still think that. But for what you are describing the older were much better. They are basically tractors. they excelled at that. now when you consider that most trucks need to do significant mileage on the highway, then you start to see why the newer are better. But for what you are describing, no doubt about it those 70's trucks were the ultimate.
I'll tell you's another thing that worries me about ford's future is these utube video's. it's no secret that the media is gm biased, right? i see these ford vs chev vids on utube and just about everything is about beating a ford. 'watch me beat this ford' this and 'watch me beat this ford' that. tug of war dodge cummins dually vs f250 singly, Rigged up chev pulloff's, etc. it seems all these magazine reading kids all try vigorously to give ford a bad image. it'll no doubt impact the future.
I doubt those Utube videos have much, if any impact. I actually hope people are able to question and doubt what they see on utube. Otherwise we might all believe that worms live in all pork you buy from the grocery store!!!
With a $5000 budget, a 1975 ford with a C6 and 390 engine and a month of build time I (or anyone else for that matter) could build a truck that could out pull any one of those things out there. But theres more to a truck that raw horsepower, and time is the only true test of what sort of quality is put in a vehicle. Unfortunately, the way trucks are sold, they share more in common with fashion that function.
The dumbest competition I ever saw was a pulloff between two trucks. Has no bearing on how they perform in the real world, and the heavier vehicle always wins, no matter the what the powertrain ("oh look, my V6 out pulled your V8" .
From what I have seen, ford remains competitive because of better value for dollar. On average, you just get more truck for the same amount of money if you drive a ford. As far as durability goes, I will just say that GMs and fords are more similar than they are different. And those "differences" are usually subjective.
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1986 F250HD Ex cab Fresh built up 6.9L diesel Lariat AC leather seats power everything w/full cluster, sterling rear 3.08LS gears, E4OD trans, ram intake ATS 088 turbo
1986 F150 Ex cab Lariat rollercam 5.0L on LPG AOD trans 3.55 gears 390 000Ks
i guess, but these young dumb kids might, and their thoughts make the future
I think at 24, I would count as one of those "kids". Anyone who believes everything they see on Utube is a fool. And you know what they say about a fool and their money.
The heavier truck always will win. In fact our 70 horsepower kubota tractor will outpull any pickup today when you attach it directly to the truck. The test proves nothing.
We know all that, I was more referring to 17 year olds. even hitler said 'the bigger the lie, the more people will believe it' i'll end this depressing subject.
I hope the future get better for Ford...I have been buying there car's and Trucks all my life...
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00 F350 4x4 Power Stroke 6spd drw rack body 4.10
02 Explorer XLT 4X4 Red
03 Explorer XLT 4X4 Aspen Green
04 F250 4x4 5.4 6 spd pickup 3.73
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Forget the future of Ford. I am worring about the future of the industialized world. The future is not looking good. A depression will sound like a good thing in 20 or less years.
Forget the future of Ford. I am worring about the future of the industialized world. The future is not looking good. A depression will sound like a good thing in 20 or less years.
I'm not sure if this was meant as a joke, but I think you may be on to something.
I think the world of 25-50 years from now is going to be very very different than the world we live in today.
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Lariat AC leather seats power everything w/full cluster, sterling rear 3.08LS gears, E4OD trans, ram intake ATS 088 turbo
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I hope the future get better for Ford...I have been buying there car's and Trucks all my life...
