I agree with a lot of you...I would give anything for an "OLD" truck...2 best trucks i have ever seen..not necessarily in order

1977 f150 sportside 4x4 with lockout hubs!! Straight six....more torque than most v8's period....300+ thousand miles

1988 c1500 2wd 305 475 thousand miles

All american manufactures are becoming profit driven and not customer driven. I dont know how we can get around it other than stop buying their products.. I decided that I needed another vehicle in 2002. The 02 chevy cost 3000 more than my 97 did and is half the truck. My 97 chevy is half the truck of the 88....the 03 ford is half the truck of the 92 and 10% of the 70's models. How do we get our voice out?

 

about my truck,i am in the process of putting an LTD 351M in it, it is painted in bed liner from durabak, it is a step side, new wood floor, some rust holes, pretty decent rims and tires, what about your truck
(ps. you are better off with your truck)

 

1998 Ranger xlt x-cab 4x4 Step Side 4.0 v-6 and the 5-sp manual . . like I said, but additionally . .

Tan cloth 60/40 seats (not *excellent* but waaay good)
Tan carpet (about 98% new condition)
AM/FM/CD (4 speakers)
Cruise/Tilt/Power
A/C
Tinted windows all round / Slider in rear
Rhino Liner (Just "refinished" this weekend)
K&N (filter)
2 1/2" catback (stock exit)
New Battery (Gold Diehard)
New brakes
New Ball joints
New Tires (31x10.50x15 VERY agressive MT's)
Superlift Long Add-a-leafs and 2" Torsion bar tweak
Recent Serpentine belt (within last 10,000 miles)

Oh, it is (according to Ford) "Autumn Orange".

EVERYTHING works, NOTHING rattles. The farthest it has been between oil changes, is 3200 miles. I replaced all the "new" stuff above BEFORE any of it failed. In fact I think the only *failure* this truck has had, was the front section of the parking brake cable (it is a 3 piece arrangement) which I had the Ford dealer replace.

I am absolutely **** about preventative maintenance, so no less than twice a year ALL the fluids are changed, wheels are pulled and parts inspected, etc. etc., no kidding.

http://www.canopy.net/recreation/tru...s/ranger1.html

has pictures taken right after I got the truck. Lots has been done since then.

As for being "better off" keeping this truck versus trading for yours; you may be right. Heck, you are probably right. But your truck can be kept on it's feet with just about the proverbial bubblegum and bailing wire.

Pretty, comfortable, quiet, stylish, those things are less important to me as I age. I'd rather have a loud/rattly/rusty/leaky bucket of bolts, that you actually stand a chance of being able to fix in the middle of nowhere.

I have gotten old enough now that "nowhere" is calling to me louder then the quest for the almighty buck (work). I can foresee wandering deep in the woods long enough that this becomes a realistic factor - in the near future.

We need to talk more - off list. I am willing to seriously discuss this if you are, e-mail me.

TIA.

 

Doesn't this entire thread belong somwhere else? Like ford vs. the competition, perhaps? And methinks someone stole my avatar, J/K.

 

Slightly off topic I know.....but how 'bout them Jayhawks!!

Gig 'Em Ags!!

 

ctfuzzy,
i wrote you and email. let me know if ya got it

 

hey Fordeater, if the HEMI sucks, why will it kill your truck and the 5.3? When people fear something that is better, they attack it and regard it as bad.

As for trucks, the 1500 series isn't a truck designed to be used as a towing machine every day, its meant to do towing once in awhile and carry a load in the bed, once in awhile, if you were going to do it everyday then you would go for a 2500+ with a diesel. Before you say anything, YES you would, thats why they are made, so they can better handle those types of activities, and thats what the manufacturers want you to do, upgrade to the stronger truck meant for the job.

So yes, the 1500 series trucks can be fast because about 70% (just figuring here) of its users are going to use it for car duties and not truck duties.

 

New or old The only truck worth having is one you build yourself that determines quality.

 

You're gloating over beating Kansas in football?

Pathetic.

Hook 'Em.

 

Have you ever looked at a '99 or newer F350-550 chassis-cab with the flat frame rails? These trucks were specifically designed for the markets you've described, and the flat frame rails make it much easier to mount bodies on them. It's one of the main reasons that Ford dominates the under-18,000 GVW class of trucks.

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but, I'm tired of hearign this japanese quality stuff. I have never seen it. Have I seen high mile japanese vehicles? Yes. Have I seen High milage american vehicles? You bet. Both have their merits, and both build decent vehicles. I have seen garbage from both as well. I would say that at least in my area, 90% of the older Japanese cars are way too rusted out before thay get to really high milage.

 

All of this Ford is better then chevy chevy is better then dodge and so on is funny to read. One guy says his chevy is awosome and would never buy another truck and then a dodge or ford fan points out bad stuff about the chevy. Same goes with Ford and dodge. Each company has problems. When you build so many trucks each truck is not going to be perfect. Some are going to have issues. One year Ford could have a perfect truck then the next year run into a lot of problems with different things. Same with chevy and dodge. It really comes down to which brand you like. Personally I like FORD. The way the F-seris trucks look to me is awsome and I love the PSD when pulling my 22000 camper. Someone may disagree with me and then point out all the bad things ford has and point out specs. Well anyone that does that just opens themselves up to bashing. Chevy and Dodge sure do have there share of problems. It is not just ford. I read on another forum that some stated that toyota trucks will soon take over like there damn cars well sorry I never see that happening. WHO AGREES with me!!! I like Ford but i sure as hell would never buy a foreign truck. Chevy would be my next choice. I love there intieror. If you like Chevy cool. If you like Dodge great. But if you like foriegn made trucks well man what is your problem?

 

Big Blue brocno...

Yes the HEMI is faster than my truck. I am yet to see one come off of the line against a 5.4 or a 5.3. I would love to see that. Imao I think the 5.3 would be close to as fast as the HEMI...However...the HEMI quotes 345 hp and the 5.3 295hp. Based on this...the HEMI should smoke the 5.3 and the 5.4. But it does not. I have friends that stay at the track that are see quarter times for the 5.3 and the hemi...stock...and both are running 14.9-15.4 second times..

you say that the 1/2 ton trucks are for car duties 70% of the time and I agree. That is exactly my point...f150's are the same way. I also say that speed/hp is higher on the list of desired items on a new 1/2 ton truck for consumers under 40 than "towing". Consumers going to be towing large items frequently go with the cummins or the power stroke 3/4 ton.

My point is and has been...chevy and ford are failing to meet consumers desires..
Chevy---why will they not put the 6.0 litre in the half ton? Why not make a real 4 door like the Ford?
Ford---why have they been lagging in the hp catagory?

 

I agree with all your points 100%, a lot of the guys here will continue to argue "its not about horsepower, its about torque, and usable torque low in the RPM range, which is where the 5.4 is the best" blah blah blah. Obviously the manufacturers are doing their homework and have been realizing that over the past few years around 90% of people don't take trucks off-road anymore and that if people want to tow or haul they'll move up to the 2500/3500 series and they'd rather them do that since it equals more money spent by the consumer, more money made for the manufacturer. I think GM will be coming out with some high horsepower engines within the next few years, and I know for a fact that Dodge will also be releasing some even more powerful engines soon. I don't know much about Ford. But for all of you thinking about how awesome the new 5.4 engine is in the new GT-(40) car, Ford had to have highperformance tuning shops build a stronger block and tune the engine for them, it wasn't done in house. I think Ford is definitely lacking lately with getting power from their engines, whether its from their lack of funds or lack of knowledge, I don't know. As most people can tell, lately I've been most impressed with Dodge.

 

Ford did all of the work themselves.