You know I'll help all I can (from a distance).

 

I personally don't like mixing the brands where avoidable, but it is his truck and I support the right for him to build it anyway he wants as long as it is safe.

This does however put a new twist on the term "dark side". Maybe we should call this going to the "gray side" or "other side", or "under side".

 

Hey, I simply said that I don't understand it because I don't. That doesn't mean that I think there is anything wrong with it. I also said if that is what you want, do it.

Whether someone is building a concours restoration or a street machine or a truck to put to work, the way I see it is we are all in this together because we have that one common bond, our trucks. This isn't "Ford Engine Enthusiasts" or "Ford Concours Restoration Enthusiasts". I prefer to use as many Ford parts as I can, but if I know of something that works better, well, Henry didn't have access to it back then so I am just taking up the slack for him.

I guess that attitude puts me on "the dark side".

 

Well guys, every time this discussion comes up about using other than genuine Ford parts in our trucks I think of how many thousand of Ford trucks came off the Ford assembly line powered by engines other than Ford. Wonder why Ford did that? Wonder why Ford installed Cummins, Cat, International, Detroit engines in the Ford trucks? Ya recon Ford did not have an in house engine?
Same thing with driveline components. Perhaps it was more cost effective to outsource components.
See the parallel here?

 

IIRC Ford also used Mitsubishi engines. Weren't the Ford Probe and Mitsubishi Eclipse the same car?

I don't care what you do with your truck as long as you keep it stock.

 

Ford Probe and Mazda MX6.
Ford owns Mazda and uses many Mazda parts. Most pre-96 truck 5sp's were Mazda transmissions.

Mitsubishi is owned by Chrysler Corp.

 

Ford used to own a third of Mazda, they sold about half of their shares in it. Chrysler sold its share of Mitsubishi in the early 90's.

Your truck is either stock, or not. If it's not, any mfr's parts are fair game.

 

Ross nailed it.

And then there are the very few wierdos like me. I like them stock best, but I am interested in seeing how much I can do with "stock". I am planning to transplant a 337 from an F-7 into an F-2. Is it stock? No, but I'm damn sure gonna try to make it look stock...
Anybody got a good air cleaner and bracket for a 49-51 truck 337 they want to part with?

 

Yeah, I bought my truck with a 327, t350 transmission, GM rear end. It had aftermarket gauges, Caddy seat, Aftermarket shifter, stereo, *****, wheels, Mustang II front, Cadillac tail lights. The only thing Ford in it was the heater, and when I get air conditioning, it is going as well. At least the body is all Ford.

I like guys trying different things.

Nissan straight six would be a talking point with many people. Probably polarising quite a few. The old Nissan engine was a pretty decent donk in its time. For me, it is all about the sound, tho. Can't beat a bent eight.

 

I love the nissan engine that was installed at Fort Wayne Indiana by International Harvester in my 1980 scout turbo diesel. Imagine the stir it must have caused in '76 when IH announced that their new Diesel scout was gonna be powered by a Japanese diesel. I'm fortunate that mine is an '80, built 2 weeks before the assembly line closed for good. The '80 is the only year they offered a turbo and along with that came oil cooled pistons etc. 3.4 liter inline six, 4 speed man tran. I have also owned toyota landcruisers since 1979. I currently have a '79 wagon, an '85 wagon and a Canadian '84 diesel wagon that is very rusty. 3.4 liter 4 cyl NA with 5 speed manual. Runs like a clock, a loud clock, but looks like an excellent donor vehicle for my '47 1/2 ton pickup. How's that for a little 'mouth throw up'. Just look at any construction site today. The Japanese build a good engine. I have always used what I have on the place.

 

Well, Ford sold those shares to Volvo which they own majority stock in. DaimlerChrysler sold their last shares of Mitsubishi in 2006.
I agree 100%, even a non-automotive manufacturer.

 

I didn't have enough junk around to keep mine completely stock so I used what I had, fortunately most of my junk is ford maybe not all the same year the 49 was made but if I could make it work I used it. After all these are the trucks we drove around in when we were still kids so it's only natural to do the updates that take care of the things that made us crazy in the old days. Power steering, really good brakes, better handling and a bit more power makes me happy. Oh ya,...my truck came out of the factory with out a heater and no passenger side wiper and lots of other things I'm installing in it. I really do appreciate a correctly restored f1 but that would take me another 20 years. I'm old already hahahaha.

 

Exactly. I love seeing someone take parts they have lying around and using them to get their trucks on the road. That takes a lot of skill and ingenuity. The important thing is to get these trucks out on the road.

By wife's grandpa wanted power steering on one of his tractors, so he took a power steering unit out of an old car and plopped it on the side of his tractor.

I enjoy seeing the trucks guys spend oodles of money restoring, but seeing someone build a safe, driveable truck on a budget with whatever the have available is something special.

 

When it comes to sound, I really love the sound of the Y block. Never heard anything like it, but in all fairness, I have never heard Nissan or bent 8.

 

I wonder how many die-hard Ford in a Ford guys have Toyota steering boxes.....LOL


Personally, I have no problem using whatever parts fits the bill. On my 49 I'm running parts from a variety of sources; Ford, Mercury, Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Toyota, Packard, Nissan, Chrysler, and GMC, not to mention parts that were never vehicle related that have come from various aisles at the hardware store.


Build what makes you happy. As I said before, I think that the Nissan straight 6 is a great engine. I love the dark side. Its a whole lot easier to build a truck when you can use whatever part you need. I'm too lazy and don't have the dedication to build a stock truck. My hats off to all you stock truck guys. I admire your dedication and drive, I'm just too lazy to do it.


Bobby