Earl: My dividing line is, as mentioned, at the "heart" of the truck. You can have a different suspension, etc. but the main part is what we all look at and talk about first, the engine.

If you have an inbred engine (colloquial definition as used here in the Shenandoah Valley, where it really happens......probably not as good a word as crossbred, but sounds better) the whole truck is a lesbotation, and never is exactly right.

 

I just wish I was dumb enough to have $400,000 to spend on a truck, any truck!!!

 

Thats ok with me as long as you sell me the Studebaker eng. to Me.
48 Ford F-4

I also have a 55 and 57 Stude pick-ups

 

And to think I was contemplating painting my '59 Ford shortbed Dodge Viper Red and the white they use on the PT cruisers and the Dodge Magnums . . . . .

Thanks for setting me straight, you'all! Now I know better! Don't want all you "pure Ford" lovers rippin the Ford emblems off my truck just cause it isn't gennnnnnuine Ford . . . .

Wondered how long this thread would go without sucking Georgel into the middle of it - but I pretty much agree with most that its a shame that half the custom Fords out there don't have Ford engines. On the other hand, its a dollar issue for a lot of people. Cobrajet parts are out of sight, prices on E-bay for Y block parts are unbelievable considering the commonly-held notion that its a lame engine.

Meanwhile, small block chevies and parts for them are as common as fleas on a dog. And just about as valuable. Just one example: an aluminum small block Chevy intake (new) = $130, a Blue Thunder y-block intake = $300. The difference to me: A lot!

One thing I've learned about human nature - over time the human race takes everything to extremes. Go back to George's example, where people's idea of a missle used to be a water baloon; now it's a 20-ton nuclear warhead. Next year it'll be a 30-ton one with rocket launcher capability controlled by software using a joystick. and so on. How this relates to vehicles is this - our nature is we approach vehicles (and everything else) thinking we can make them "better", whatever that is. In the last couple of decades, (before Barrett-Jackson showed us the that vehicles aren't for fun, they're really for investment, that is), most people thought fixing up that old truck (or car) meant throwing out the old engine and putting in a better one (translated = more horsepower). And chevy engines were available, cheap, compact and an easy horsepower fix. During the last (few?) years people have taken vehicles to a whole new level of extreme. Not to pick on George here, but I've seen the pictures in the Earl's World gallery - do we really have to disassemble and highly refinish everything under or inside the vehicle even though nobody will ever see it? (a question I must be wrestling with, by the way, just having repainted my drum brake cylinders and other brake parts a contrasting color from the backing plates). These days the fit and finish of most restorations and customs is way beyond the finish the vehicles originally came with - hey Earl, you think Ford production was worried about orange peel on the frame? With restorations and rods going to a whole new level, its become generally accepted that to build a vehicle, you first start by deciding on a theme, then plan it out, work out all the details etc., maybe even create computer-designed renderings - even before you start looking for the vehicle to buy. FORD engines in FORD vehicles fits right into that higher plane of thinking that vehicles should have a concept - not just go fast. The fact is, we expect more these days than we used to. It just isn't good enough to find a used set of mag wheels, paint the brake drums some wild color and hang a pair of fuzzy dice off the rearview mirror and call it customized. And using brand-x engines in your Ford just isn't good enough either for a lot of people - apparently. To me a chevy engine in a Ford is just one step lower on the evolutionary scale - just like the water baloon analogy. Not necessarily bad, just not as evolved.

Each to his own, I say. Just like I don't think my neighbor has the right to come over and tell me what color to paint my house (or a BETTER example: to ask if I'm ever going to get rid of those non-running vehicles parked behind the garage), I don't have any problems "suggesting" what he color he ought to paint his house. But that doesn't mean I think I have the right to "make" him do what I think.

Well, that's my two cents....

PS: Apologies to George - I'm just envious because my y-block isn't yellow like yours. (Do I dare admit I actually painted my oil pan "Chevrolet Red")? - note to self, need to buy FORD red engine paint next time.

PPS: While I'm at it, I apologize to my neighbor for telling him all his taste must be in his mouth for the poor choice of colors on HIS house. Even though its true.

Meanwhile, I'm saving my nickels and dimes for those "expensive" Ford Y-block performance parts. Red's Headers here I come - someday.

 

"So, decide where on the spectrum you are going to draw the line that divides Custom Fords from non-Fords. Then we can start to form a consensus."

Good idea George,

I propose that it must have a Ford engine to be a real Ford. Of course, modified front suspensions, steering columns and such do not warrant the title "inbred".

Himmel-Sweden

Get off the fence already and pick a side.

MT

You're right, not a single mind will be changed today. J is looking for trouble today. This subject never disappoints.

 

I'll throw in my mixed bag of thoughts.

I agree with the point that people should be able to put whatever pieces they want together to make a vehicle that is their personal statement. I believe that's what hot rodding has been all about.

I'm not brand loyal as I have owned damn near every kind of vehicle around although there hasn't been a Chevy on my list.

That being said, I have endevoured to build a hot rod 55 Ford pick-up because I love the style and my statement includes making it as much Ford as I can including suspension components. The drivetrain will be all 89 Mustang except for the Aerostar front end and Lincoln air bags. My statement does not include the original 6 cyl., 3 spd buggy sprung original. How much of an inbred/hybred does that make my truck.

If I were building a Dodge pickup the drivetrain would be Mopar. Not sure what I'd do if it were a Studebaker.

I'll look at any Ford pickup at the show for those little details that I can use on my truck but when I see a non-Ford engine, I generally move on a little quicker. I would not vote for a non-Ford powered truck for TOTY unless I mistakingly thought that Lexus motor was a 32 valve mod motor from a Cobra. (which shows how well I know my ford motors)

When Pat Ford started the conversation about Ford in a Ford, there was a loud chear from the crowd, but this crowd of registered voters are the only ones who vote on TOTY and they chose a non-Ford powered entrant.

just my wierd point-of-view.

Regards, John

 

[QUOTE=fatfenders

You're right, not a single mind will be changed today. J is looking for trouble today. This subject never disappoints.[/QUOTE]

I'm really not trying to start a ford vrs chevy thread here... there is a forum devoted to that b.s. and I'm not trying to change anyone's mind... I can't even make mine up most days...

my goal was to get opinions on one point.... should the Ford Supernationals Truck of the Year have anything other than a Ford engine.. ??

someone back 20 or so posts said that Pat calls it the "custom classic ford truck of the year" I've never heard that but plan to research it and see what I can find... if that is the case, well I don't have a leg to stand on and a Ford truck with a Stude engine build on a Crosley frame is just as eligible as Earl will be when George drives him up on stage...

BUT if that's not the case (custom classic..blah.blah.blah) then I hold to my previous statement... it should be powered by ford...

it's been an interesting thread... and I wasn't looking for trouble D... just opinion... the bellybuttons are certainly showing tonite

I'm off to search for the truth...

later.. oh ? and carry on...

John

 

Here's a pic of those valve covers.

You have to buy the Ford logo separate since they aren't Ford licenced.
I agree that this debate will never be resolved but I'll choose a Ford part before I choose a Chevy Part.

 

"it's been an interesting thread... and I wasn't looking for trouble D... just opinion... the bellybuttons are certainly showing tonite"

Bellybuttons? That reminds me, has anyone seen Sam or AX tonight?

Just messing with you J. You know this is about the only forum in the world where this won't get too nasty. Class crowd here as always. But the result is predictable. You know you'll get high percentage approval for your view here.

 

Oh what the hey -- I don't have a problem with folks doing whatever to their vehicles, it is theirs after all. As far as the truck that won the....whatever started this thread -- having seen none of the competitors if it's a truly outstanding truck then I'm fine with the decision but I would hope "extra credit" or whatever would be given to Ford-engined vehicles. I'm no mechanical whiz, but I know it takes less effort to toss a 350/350 into whatever...

Sounds to me like some of the ppl posting in this thread need to start a business making/selling performance parts for Ford blocks, try to even the scales a bit...

 

I've lost track of all the posts so I quit trying to make this an organized reply. To anyone worried about having to polish up all the crap on their truck that nobody's ever going to see, anyone who's oil pan isn't yellow enough, anyone who's neighbor's dogs bark, and ... well to anyone. Now, what the hell was I going to say? Oh yeah, if I didn't expect to take a few shots, I wouldn't have posted my opinion on this thread. Besides, all the shots have been pretty entertaining.

 

To me the engine feels like the heart and soul of a truck. Brakes, steering, suspension, etc. don't make me feel the same way. I've got no logical explanation for that.

I'd award "Best Stocker" and "Best Modified" of the year and just leave it at that. Any significant departure from what came on the truck from the factory puts you in the modified category. The stock guys can worry about getting the orange peel right on the frame while the darksiders are free to figure out how to mount an afterburning turbofan jet engine in the bed and make it look cool.

I appreciate the artistry/challenges in both tasks, but find it hard to see how you'd judge one against the other.

 

Sorry I've been gone tonight... my friend picked up a couple of '57-60 F-100 that had been turned into TRAILERS!... and we were harvesting the Ford 9" rear ends out of them... (I'd tell you that we are going to use them in our Chevies, to get a laugh, but we aren't)

Bottom line is... I'd like to know why guys who put Chevy motors in Fords never complain about guys who put Ford motors in Fords...

Is it ignorance? Or is it because they aren't hung up on those sorts of things in the first place, so they see no "issue" with either motor...

I have to say, my back ground is in stock Model A's... I grew up with them, and was around the "restorer" mentality for years... the hot rodders never bad mouthed the restorers, other than to note that they were a bit uptight about the fact they were building hot rods... but the restorers would get down right mean and nasty when talking about the hot rodders.

I TOTALLY understand why guys want to keep their Fords all Ford... My brother is a Ford finatic, in fact. So my hang up is with people who don't understand why someone would want to put something other than a Ford in their Ford...

But then again, I own a Model A with a SBC in it (A REALLY sweet 327 that I built when I was 15) a Model T altered that has a 283 in it, and an F-100 that has Ford in it, (but soon to have a Cadillac motor in it).

I also think that denying a truck is a certain make just because it has a different motor in it is extreme... I mean, really... it's cute and all to type Ch**y when you refer to Chevies on a messageboard... but to say it is no longer a Ford... that would be like if you found out your son or daughter was a homosexual and then saying "their no sibling of mine!"... when, a simple DNA test would prove different.

To me, that's ignorance that we tried to leave back in the last century...

Sam.

 

Did he just say the truck of the year was gay?

 

Congratulations to the Ford truck of the Year, Chevrolet powered. Sounds pretty to me.