Damaged from the Factory?
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Damaged from the Factory?
Ok guys. Let's see if anyone has had this experience or can explain it. I've started my frame off resto on my 73 and while dismantling the front clip I noticed some damage to the radiator core support. It appears as though the truck took a shot from the front on passenger side at the top of the core support (just above the headlight housing). However, there is no other damage to the truck. Not to the hood, grill, headlight housing, inner fender... nothing. Except that the cab-to-inner-fender gap is about 3/8" smaller on that side. So I asked the PO (wife's grandfather) if the truck had been hit there and repaired. He said no. The only hit the truck ever took was to the tailgate where he backed into something (still damaged and obvious). This type of damage would have caused lots of noticeable external damage. Also, member Zakt posted a similar comment in the PO suck thread (post #34) about his truck and he said he wondered if it had been "covered up".
So, what do you think, could the factory have damaged the truck during assembly and would they have just let it slide?? Other possibilities??
So, what do you think, could the factory have damaged the truck during assembly and would they have just let it slide?? Other possibilities??
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Joined: Feb 2004
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From: MN
Yep- Our 79' dad ordered, upon disassembly when I stripped the paint on the drivers side right where the badge goes it was full of bondo and had been cut and brazed back together. I asked dad when he had wrecked it and he said never- looked at it and said " huh- thats probably why it was 2 months late".
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My Dad worked at a Ford Dealership for about 20 years ...and yes the cars do come in damaged ...some pretty bad and yes they did fix them and not say anything .....it was still a new car ...right??? LOL
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My topper was slightly scratched and after they covered it up ,it looked like hell.
My salesman gave me another $500.00 off the price of the truck.
That's partly how the end price of $6250.00 for a $9000.00 truck happened.
My salesman gave me another $500.00 off the price of the truck.
That's partly how the end price of $6250.00 for a $9000.00 truck happened.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Golden, CO
LMAO! Yeah, lemons were a problem then also. I think it was the late '70s I read an article in Time magazine about drugs in the workplace. Estimates of drug use in the workforce went as high as 45%. The big issue was drug screening; I decided that if the assembler could get stoned and put these vehicles together, I should have no problem fixing them. LOL
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Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Virginia Beach,Va
You would be surprised at how often this happens.
Car Carrier company takes the Car Hauler into a shop for repairs, while loaded with new cars. Repair shop backs car hauler up into wall, or more precisely, new Honda Passport into wall. Repair shop takes car off carrier, puts it on a rollback and takes it to a local body shop, has it repaired & then returns it to the carrier, without notifying the Car Carrier Company.
Moral of the story:
Don't buy a Silver Honda Passport in the next couple of months
Car Carrier company takes the Car Hauler into a shop for repairs, while loaded with new cars. Repair shop backs car hauler up into wall, or more precisely, new Honda Passport into wall. Repair shop takes car off carrier, puts it on a rollback and takes it to a local body shop, has it repaired & then returns it to the carrier, without notifying the Car Carrier Company.
Moral of the story:
Don't buy a Silver Honda Passport in the next couple of months
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Joined: Jan 2008
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*NOTE:
Now you know why Railcars that haul trucks/cars now have sides on them.
Too many time kids would throw rocks,shoot rifles,etc at them while travelling across the country by rail.
And that's before the cars are unloaded from the rail cars... stored and then loaded on car haulers pulled by a truck to go to the dealership's.
Now you know why Railcars that haul trucks/cars now have sides on them.
Too many time kids would throw rocks,shoot rifles,etc at them while travelling across the country by rail.
And that's before the cars are unloaded from the rail cars... stored and then loaded on car haulers pulled by a truck to go to the dealership's.
Last edited by Mil1ion; Apr 27, 2006 at 08:49 PM.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Northern California
I see new cars in our local Ford dealership being worked on all the time.
The 1973 that my grandfather bought new, that I aquired in 1987, didn't have any of the screws that held the vent windows on the doors.
My grandfather special ordered the truck new with limited slip rear end, 302V8, Heavy duty springs and instrument guages. It had no other option. Not even a radio put in it, until I got it in 1987.
Anyway, it arrived on the lot, and my grandfather rejected it cause it had a 3 speed column shift, instead of the four speed that was supposed to be standard. The dealer owner, who was a hunting buddy of my grandfather's (...I miss the prefered customer discounts...) Anyway, instead of making him wait another some odd weeks for another truck, he took another brand new 1973, with a T-18 4 speed and swapped parts at the dealer. Let's say the column was never quite right on the old girl, until I sold the truck in 1994.
The 1973 that my grandfather bought new, that I aquired in 1987, didn't have any of the screws that held the vent windows on the doors.
My grandfather special ordered the truck new with limited slip rear end, 302V8, Heavy duty springs and instrument guages. It had no other option. Not even a radio put in it, until I got it in 1987.
Anyway, it arrived on the lot, and my grandfather rejected it cause it had a 3 speed column shift, instead of the four speed that was supposed to be standard. The dealer owner, who was a hunting buddy of my grandfather's (...I miss the prefered customer discounts...) Anyway, instead of making him wait another some odd weeks for another truck, he took another brand new 1973, with a T-18 4 speed and swapped parts at the dealer. Let's say the column was never quite right on the old girl, until I sold the truck in 1994.
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I thought I would revive this thread from long ago since I have a little more insight now. This past weekend, I spoke to a couple of guys from Detroit who were/are auto assembly plant workers. I showed them my truck and they both confirmed that damage at the factory was quite common then and damage to the radiator support and the bondo in the tailgate was most likely done at the factory! They didn't act like it was a big deal and neither were surprised.
Just a little info I thought I would share.
Just a little info I thought I would share.