So, I had a crazy thought to cross my mind a week or two ago, and wasn't sure where else to start this thread, so it's going here.


In light of Ford bringing back the Ranger and Bronco, and in light of the fact that all of the Big 3 are cashing in on nostalgia by bringing back cars like the Challenger, Camaro, etc, I have an idea for something Ford could do in an extremely limited run.


It could be called something like an F-150 "Heritage" or something like that, perhaps, and it would include a number of throwback features, such as a manual transmission with the column shifter (aka "3 on a tree"), a hood featuring the FORD chrome lettering instead of the blue oval on the grille, maybe even a carburetor instead of fuel injection. Truth be told, the only two specific ideas I really had were those first two features, but maybe some of you guys could come up with others.


I figure a lot of the throwback features would make it a lot less practical for everyday "work truck" types of uses, and it would be marketed more toward baby boomers looking for a unique ride for drive-ins, parades, etc. Hence, it would be a very limited run (no more than 500 units tops), and possibly only run for a single model year.


Anywho, I'm just spitballing here, but all I know is if such a truck existed, and I saw one at a car show or something like that, I'd find it highly intriguing. Would love to hear what you guys think

 

No chance.

Note that nostalgia look cars like the Challenger, Mustang etc, meet all current motor vehicle standards. Do you see a 4 speed option for example?

Limited run--why would any manufacturer do that? A given vehicle combination has to be certified for emissions, crash tested, and a host of other regulatory and liability hoops and barrels. If you are selling $100,000+ vehicles, you can do limited runs. What you are looking for is something cheap.

3 speed column shifter. Well over half, maybe as much as 99% of people HATED those "in the day". Manufacturers have a tough time getting a 5% take rate on the great 5 (and more) speed manual transmissions available today, outside of performance cars.

Carb instead of EFI. You don't live where there is cold weather, do you? Carbs won't smog. Heck, even NASCAR is going EFI.

Boomers would just look for barn finds, granpa's rusting relic or CL basket cases if they wanted to throw money at an old car.

Check out how well the Plymouth Prowler did. I saw one the other day. I didn't look like an updated classic roadster. It looked like a marketing error.

Sorry about your cornflakes....

 

Lol.....why don't you tell me what you really think?

I suppose I should probably just leave my "Bring Back the Edsel" thread idea on the shelf for now...

 

look how many cars/trucks had 3 on the tree in late 50s-early sixtys,

 

we had cars that got over 30 mpg back in the 60's.
ya want retro? get rid of the epa and start building cars that actually are efficient.

 

As much as I love standard transmissions I'm gonna have to pass on wanting to bring three on the tree back. One time I bought a 70 nova that had it and I had to go two hours away to buy it. On the test drive the linkage got hung up and it was going to every single time you shifted after getting out of the car and freeing it meanwhile nice black greasy hands.
But I bought it and made it onto the free way where I wouldn't have to worry about it....until the first light on the edge of my home town. I then learned how to actually get a car rolling from a stop in third gear through quite a bit of throttle and clutch wanking.
When I got home it went straight into the garage. I called my friend who owned a junkyard and asked him if a th350 would fit and what would I need. He said you'll need a turbo 350, an automatic column, some transmission cooler lines and a radiator with a transmission cooler. And that was that except for the pilot bushing in the back of the crank.....yeah....somebody said all I had to do was pack the hole with grease then use a punch the size of the hole.....didn't work. So I resorted to the chisels punches and hammer got medieval on it one fragment at a time lying on my back pissed off wailing on the wretched thing until I couldn't move my arms....

 

edsels were cool,3spd on the tree,no power brakes,no power steering.no ac,made many of boys to men

 

On the tree -- not so much. The linkage is too long.

Floor shifters are fun , the more gears the better, but truth be told, the automatics these days perform better. And those dual clutch pushbutton shifters are better yet, I guess (but spendy).

Even in the 60's the Hydrostick ( hydramatic modified by B&M I think) beat the standard trannies at the strip.

Edsel probably wasn't that bad a car -- it's styling was similar to others of that era. But it had a lot of issues. It was a 'marketing' project and I'm pretty sure that they demanded things like that pushbutton transmission in the steering wheel -- gave a lot of problems I guess. Early reviews were good, but then things started falling apart.

Worse yet was that it was aimed at the up and comer who wanted to show that he was getting there. Got launched right into the teeth of a recession.

So here's Ford with a huge project that was somewhat unreliable and aimed at a market that had suddenly disappeared -- not a good thing.

hj

 

See, I think a new convertible with styling based on the '59 Edsel would be cool, and I think the advances in technology since the late fifties may actually make the pushbutton tranny more feasible. To an extent, this was my thinking on 3-on-a-tree as well. I figured the technology we have today would make it possible to bring it back on a new, improved basis. But I'm just a layman, so what would I know?


Heck, I even figured Ford could roll it out using the slogan "We're doing it right this time!" or something like that....lol.

 

Your profile says you are mid 30s. Have you ever driven a 3 on the tree in a city, in a city with hills, on a loooonnnng interstate highway drive?

Push button automatics are around:

https://www.ebay.com/p/?iid=13173740...pItem=1&chn=ps

GM, Audi:

The Worst Shifter Designs of 2017 | BestRide

 

are all ford trucks now autos

 

Wing windows were great, that was a mistake to get rid of those. And the floor switch for dimming headlights, so much easier and convenient.

Modern vehicles are great but they have really gone off the deep end on some of that stuff. Shouldn't have to download a new software patch just to get the heater to work, stuff like that is just crazy.

 

the only pickup currently made for sale in the united states with a manual trans option is the dodge diesel. and as of 2018 that is supposed to disappear also.
with computer controlled engines, the automatic trans is more efficient and is required to meet epa emissions standards.

 

It's all about the bottom line.They can't keep making things that no one will buy.It's poor business.Sure,you'll see a lot of talk online about how so many are loving manual trans and hating autos but those who are buying the vehicles new are talking with their wallets.The manual trans is a dinosaur.There are plenty of old trucks out there just waiting to be restored.Go get yourself a toy and have fun.

 

I've driven the '66 Chevy C-10 my grandpa bought brand new several times here in the hills of southwest Virginia, but never in a city or long interstate drive. I concede my idea may stem partially from lack of experience with that. That's why I threw it out there in the first place, I suppose.