My uncle Stanley was a coal miner, father, husband, and a Ford man. He was the typical redneck with strong Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge views. Stanley was to first to admit that Chrysler dominated the power wars of the 60's and 70's and may have won several local street races himself in his local home town during that time with his 1971 Plymouth Duster 340. When it came to trucks however, Stanley only had one choice of course, Ford.

The reason Stanley was a Ford man was plain and simple when I asked him why he liked Fords so well. "They last longer". he said.

"They last longer" Lets look at that statement. My view is that basically any vehicle will "last" if proper maintenance is performed minus the obvious lemon here and there.

Stanley had money, enough money to buy a new Ford every 6-8 years. He had to. They were gone, trashed.

Stanley never performed maintenance of any kind. Never any oil changes. Never any BRAKES. Fluids never checked. Gas and go until it quit. These Ford trucks had to endure punishment like to other. Everyday to work and back, up muddy rutted out mountain roads sometimes at high speeds to avoid "not being late". Weekend excursions pulling a boat to the lake on pothole filled half-paved country roads. The yearly off-road hunting trips and loads of firewood for backup heat. He was a Ford man.

I witnessed him streetracing a 1976 ford boronco vs his friends 1968 chevy 3/4 ton pickup. He started off in 4-low 2nd gear out of the hole, kept his foot on the floor while he yanked the transfer case from 4lo to 4hi. He won the 1/4 by 1 1/2 carlengths.

He told me thats the only t-case you can do that with and it not explode. Don't know what kind it was but i know t-cases were commonly used multi brand. This proved how he punished his Fords and they survived his abuse longer than I think any other truck would.

 

Hope he never owned a horse!