It occurs to me that some of us who haven't met face-to-face don't really know much about each other. With this in mind, I've started this thread for that purpose, so we can all get to know a little about each other and so that new members to the chapter can post up and introduce themselves. I'll start the ball rolling:

As you can tell from my username, my name is Dan. I'm in my mid-forties (that's close enough!) and live at Clearlake. I'm a native 4th generation Californian and have lived in many different parts of the state, from Fresno to the foothills near Yosemite to the backwoods of Trinity and Shasta counties, Tahoe and Mendocino.

I've been into cars and trucks all my life, my father having been a collector of old cars. Got my first one, a '49 or thereabouts Studebaker PU at 11, followed by a '47 Caddie at 12. By the time I got my license at 16 I already had 5 cars and 4 motorcycles, and was well and truly hooked!

I was a used car salesman at 18 (please don't hold that against me, I did lousy at it. I was too honest and told the potential buyers everything that was wrong with the car!)

I've worked in a number of different fields including auto and truck repair and auto parts sales. Currently I'm doing construction, working on a single large project for the past 2-1/2 years. I operate some heavy equipment and hold a class A CDL, and do all maintenance and repairs on said equipment.

I'm a musician as well, playing guitar and mandolin and play mostly bluegrass and celtic. A few years back I began to dabble in pencil drawings. Won some ribbons at the county fair with them too.

I have way too many vehicles and not enough room to store and work on them. I have a V8 Ranger that's in the works, a couple of bumpside F250s and a '70 E200-based motorhome, 3 Sunbeams, a Landrover, a couple of old Mercedes and a few others as well. I was into racing for a few years and still have the remains of my race car too. I also have a '91 Range Rover and am active in a Norcal-based Land Rover club. Bought a second one for parts and am now eyeing an EFI Ford 460 I have with an idea of shoehorning it in...


Well, that's a bit about me. Perhaps I went into too much detail, you can do as much or as little as you like. So post up, let's get to know you!

 

I guess I'll chime in a bit.

My name is Rich, my handle comes from 23 years as a wildland firefighter.

I was born and bred in Northern Cali. where I got my affection for fire.
After high school and a couple of years in JC I was working seasonally as a firefighter. Have been to most of the western states. I spent a year in Idaho and several years at various points in Cali from the Trinities to the Sequoia.

I am currently an Emergency Command Center Battallion Chief in a major NE Cali fire center and have been here for 5 years working my way up that chain of command.

I love stream fishing, 4x4, firewood hunting/cutting, camping, hiking and being in the woods in general. I have a bit of a green thumb and have a very successful, albeit small, garden of culinary herbs and veges.

My first truck at 18 was a 65 Chebby C10 4x4 with big tires and pto winch.
I went a few years without a truck, moving from place to place unitl I found a resting spot 30 miles from the homestead.

I currently have an '88 ranger that I have basically brought back from the dead to be a very reliable daily driver and general workhorse. Plans are to bulid a matching trailer to have a nice setup for camping, hauling and general stuff. So I have gotten into fixing and improving my vehicles on my own to learn and save money.

I love living in a place where others come to vacation, mainly because the off season is quiet. I have a small house in a quiet neighborhood bounded by the forest.

I am accompanied by my wife of 5 years and a 14 yo stepdaughter.

Theres probaly more but I will leave space for someone else.

Rich

 

Hi I'm John and I'm a Fordaholic. It's been 47 days since I bought a Ford. I live just north of Sacramento in Antelope. I built my truck with a lot of help from my friends on FTE. So I feel obligated to "Pay It Forward." I have been married for 25 years to Nancy. We have two sons 22 and 23. I grew up in Holtville near the Mexican border. I want to find a house that is about 1200 sq ft with a 5 car garage. Jag

 

Not to sound like a resume
I`m 42 ,flooring contractor who goes out every weekend riding dirtbikes,actually my sons as he has stolen my quad from me (he`s 10).To see my portuquese butt on a Honda 80 is in itself kinda funny.Back to it; I love my truck and spend countless energy to keep her clean and running sweet.I`m no meckanick by any means but have done my share.If we have another meet down my way I`ve got a couple BBQ`s and a pool.No thongs allowed unless female persusion,lol.Although my wife might say otherwise.She gets to drive my truck once in awhile but mostly keeps to her 4 runner.She drove to church on Sunday and scared me to death.
Hope this helps,see ya

Hanklin

 

I could just change Dans post, used my name and change a few details, and be done!

I'm Mike, 45. Married with 3 daughters, 5,9 and 11. Semi-gear head my whole life, probably out of necessity more than anything.

I'm a member of AA...that's Automobiles Anonymous...means I can't buy, own, or possess anything else automotive until I finish what I currently have. Tha's the main reason I sold my trailer axlels and returned 1100.00 worth of steel.

Me having immediate access to a car trailer and several acres of storage, would be a very dangerous thing.

Raised in Oakdale, moved to Az. for college, then to the Bay Area for 15 years or so, and now back in Oakdale since the end of 2000.

I still commute to the Bay Area for work, but get to work from home a day or two a week to break things up.

My life goals are World Peace and a 50,000 square foot shop, but not in that order

 

My name's Andy (as you can tell) I'm 31, have lived in sunny California the last few years (on and off) after being born and raised in Buffalo.

I've always been into cars, but my dad never was. Everything I know about them I taught myself - and I only really know Ford trucks. Ask me about anything else, and I probably won't know.

I work in IT as a post-sales engineer for a software company. It has its ups - like working from home, and its downs - like working weekends. But it pays the bills.

And I wouldn't mind having a garage - living in an apartment sucks when your hobby is working on your truck.

 

C'mon, there must be more of you willing to spill your guts and tell all on a public forum! Post up!

 

Hello,

My name is Jim, and I have only been a member of FTE for about a week. I live in Fresno, and have been here just under 3 years. I grew up in Southern California (Whittier) and spent most my life there in the surrounding areas (Costa Mesa, Anahiem, and Fountain Valley).

I am 48 years old, been single all my life, and am seriously addicted to automobiles. I agree with Mike, as far as having access to a car trailer and several acres of storage. I would be in car/truck heaven. )

I have owned 32 vehicles in 31 years. Some junkers, some nice ones which I kick myself for getting rid of. Most my vehicles were cars, and most were of the Chrysler persuasion. Plymouth and Dodge to be exact. Mostly Dusters, and Darts. A couple of Chargers, and Chrysler station wagons. However, I have owned a Jeep Cherokee (loved it) and Pontiac Firebird (never should have gotten rid of it), as well as some imports Mazda RX-7, and Mitsubishi Starion (what a joy to drive, but a pain to work on) And two Dodge D-50's.

Up until this past year I had never owned a Ford. My brother has owned two, and loves them. One is an 84 Ford Ranger, and the other a F150 2wd. I am not sure what year his F150 is, but I believe it is 73. He lives in Madras Oregon, and I will try and get him to join FTE. )

Anyway, I am in the process of buying a 1976 F-250 from my neighbor, and while searching the web for info on these trucks found this FTE site. So here I am. The truck originally came with a 360, but now has a 460 with C6 trans. It has the Dana 70 rear end with 4.56 gears and appears to have the trailer towing package, even though it does not have the emblem. It is also pretty much rust free, and has a straight body. Green and white exterior with a tan interior.

Anyway, like I mentioned earlier, I grew up in So Cal. Went into the Air Force right out of high school, spent four years working on F-4e aircraft in Homestead Fla. When I got out I tried my hand at auto mechanics, but that did not work out, so I bounced around doing everything from security work, to fast food until I got into computers. Now I work as a tech support agent for a well known Japanese company.

My hobbies are fixing cars/trucks, working with computers, and photography. I was in a auto accident in 1998 which damaged my right knee to the point that it will not bend more than 60 degrees. So that has limited my ability to do a lot of the work on my vehicles myself. However, I still do what I can. I love repairing computers, and I still like to take my camera out and take pictures, but have not doen much of that lately.

My roommate and I like to go camping, but have not been able to lately due to financial reasons. However, now that I have a truck, and business is picking up at work, we will just wait for the weather to warm up so we can go. And Yosemite is not too far from here )

I share an apartment with my best friend, Aspen, and it was she who got me to move to Fresno from So California. ) That is pretty much it for me, anyone else?

Jim

 

Nice bio, Jim...but how's about joining the chapter? Just click on the link below to our "New Here? Start with this" thread, follow the links from there and Clint will get you all fixed up!


https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/5...with-this.html

 

Hello,

I followed that link before posting my bio. I am waiting for a reply. Figured I would jump right in and get my feet wet. Guess I'll wait for a confirmation before posting again.

Jim

 

I'm sure you're good to go. I just don't have any way of knowing that you'd already joined up, that goes through Clint, our chapter leader. Feel free to post up any place you like in here. And welcome to the group!

 

In Clint's "New here? Start with this thread" he states you do not have to be a member to post. I am a member of FTE, and have put in a request to join this chapter, so I should be good to go. )

Not here to ruffle any feathers, just learn more about these trucks. My brother is the Ford fanatic in the family, I am (or was) the Chrysler man. However, I am defecting to the Ford camp mainly because of neccessity, but also because I am getting the truck so cheap ($600).

BTW, when I can afford to do so, I will became a FTE supporter. This site has tons of info on these trucks, and I have learned a lot in the short time I have been here. )

Jim

 

I wasn't trying to bust your chops for posting without being a member of the chapter Jim, I had just looked at your public profile and it said you weren't a member so I was just being pushy and trying to get you join, seeing a a fresh victim...and not knowing that you had already done so. We want to build this chapter so whenever someone new posts in here we get so excited we just about poop ourselves!

Anyway, I see that you're now listed as a member so let me say, welcome to the insanity!

 

No harm no foul. ) I sent an e-mail to Clint, and was accepted right away. So now I am one of the boys...Or in my case old folks. <G>

Jim

 

Hey, just a cotton-pickin' minute there, fella...you only got two years on me, so if you're one of the "old folks" that doesn't put me too far behind...

You're only as old as you feel. Some days I'm 25, and some days I'm 85. (Usually first thing in the morning!)