Darksider Head count
Laughing Gas
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 914
Likes: 51
From: SW Missouri
Darkside 55 with 302/c-4, volarie front,t bird steering column, 9", but looks original on the outside. NOT darkside, 1946 merc coupe 42,000 miles pure as the new snow as Henry made it. so 50 /50 I guess
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 295
Likes: 1
I am a darksider by nature, however I'm fascinated with unique autos, pure or not. I purchased my 1960 F100 with the sole intent of putting my (GULP) 350/700R4 combo in it, and obviously retain the 9". I have gotten so much flak from the Ford purists that have told me that I shouldn't do it, it's wrong, I won't make it into heaven, etc.
While I don't necessarily like seeing a plain old "belly button" small block Chevy in everybody's hot rod, I've owned two in my driving years and beyond being simple, it is possible to make them look tasteful. People say that there is a reason they are so popular. There are actually SEVERAL reasons. I've owned two Fords in my life, as well. Both Y blocks, both a real marvel as to how long the engineers who designed them kept their jobs at Ford. Just as there are several reasons that the SBC is so popular, there are several reasons why Ford changed their designs every 3 years. My Ford experience, albeit it limited to Y blocks, has shown me that the designs are not very well thought out. The simplest of jobs needs not be simple. The design of the thermostat housing...COME ON. Who came up with that? Just today I wanted to do a simple belt replacement...on an SBC it would have taken 5 minutes...The geniuses at Ford put one of the tightening nuts in such a place that the engine mount would obscure it from allowing a socket to fit over the nut, and then located it on the back side of the bracket...NOT ONLY THAT, but it's on the bottom of the engine where it's a pain to get to AND can get wet...so they had to design a separate splash guard for it. All of this added up to what SHOULD HAVE BEEN a 5 minute job taking 40 minutes (part of that was a result of a belt that was too small on it to begin with). EVERY time I find myself doing anything on it (9 inch excluded) I find myself sarcastically saying over and over to myself..."This must be another one of Ford's BETTER IDEAS..."
I'll keep the Y block for some kind of Hot Rod project, but something tells me I'll thank myself for not keeping it in the truck, but we'll see what happens.
(I think I just needed to vent...I was a little upset earlier...)
While I don't necessarily like seeing a plain old "belly button" small block Chevy in everybody's hot rod, I've owned two in my driving years and beyond being simple, it is possible to make them look tasteful. People say that there is a reason they are so popular. There are actually SEVERAL reasons. I've owned two Fords in my life, as well. Both Y blocks, both a real marvel as to how long the engineers who designed them kept their jobs at Ford. Just as there are several reasons that the SBC is so popular, there are several reasons why Ford changed their designs every 3 years. My Ford experience, albeit it limited to Y blocks, has shown me that the designs are not very well thought out. The simplest of jobs needs not be simple. The design of the thermostat housing...COME ON. Who came up with that? Just today I wanted to do a simple belt replacement...on an SBC it would have taken 5 minutes...The geniuses at Ford put one of the tightening nuts in such a place that the engine mount would obscure it from allowing a socket to fit over the nut, and then located it on the back side of the bracket...NOT ONLY THAT, but it's on the bottom of the engine where it's a pain to get to AND can get wet...so they had to design a separate splash guard for it. All of this added up to what SHOULD HAVE BEEN a 5 minute job taking 40 minutes (part of that was a result of a belt that was too small on it to begin with). EVERY time I find myself doing anything on it (9 inch excluded) I find myself sarcastically saying over and over to myself..."This must be another one of Ford's BETTER IDEAS..."
I'll keep the Y block for some kind of Hot Rod project, but something tells me I'll thank myself for not keeping it in the truck, but we'll see what happens.
(I think I just needed to vent...I was a little upset earlier...)
Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 25,405
Likes: 5,411
From: Central PA
Dave, sorry if you took my message the wrong way. It was an attempt to be humorous, a poor attempt, I guess. In the paragraph below I was trying to refer to the Star Wars epics, from which the term darkside came from. You know the famous battle between Luke and Darth Vader. Then I referred to preserving history. I am a history teacher and I like antiques (furniture, clocks) old houses and old trucks, so... I guess we are all preserving history in our own way and for the guys that make 50's-60's era rods; that is history also!
The paragraph below is just the way I see it, I like all old trucks, I just think, me personally, prefer the stock look. I don;t drive mine like some of you do and that is OK. And like I said, with the history of my truck I was going to keep mine stock.
[/QUOTE]It all depends on your definition of beauty and it might depend on the history and condition of your truck. You guys know my history fo it was a no-brainer. Also, I think staying stock is cheaper and easier....[/QUOTE]
Lets all have a merry Christmas and enjoy our Ford Trucks, no matter how they are rebuilt!
[/QUOTE]It all depends on your definition of beauty and it might depend on the history and condition of your truck. You guys know my history fo it was a no-brainer. Also, I think staying stock is cheaper and easier....[/QUOTE]
Lets all have a merry Christmas and enjoy our Ford Trucks, no matter how they are rebuilt!
Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 25,405
Likes: 5,411
From: Central PA
[QUOTE=fatfords;6923081]
Hi Kent! In an effort of full disclosure, Kent is right one of the mirrors on my truck is from a '56 F-100 from Texas! Guess who I got it from... Kent! I also have 3 out of four hubcaps that are not "original" to a '54. They also come from a '56 F-100 in Texas!!!
As far as cookies are concerned I have already eaten enough Christmas cookies. My wife tries to hide them until Christmas but to no avail.
Merry Christmas! I have got to sitdown and watch Ralphie! and his search for his BB gun!
Oh no! I knew about the darkside, but never thought it captured so many. I will never give in to the darkside! This headcount makes me even more determined to stay stock!! Someone must preserve history!quote]
Abe,
In the spirit of the discussion (and the season), I seem to remember that one of your mirrors is actually from a 1956 F-100, so it is not "technically" original for a 1954 F-100.
And since you've now started down the slippery slope, I'll remind you that we have cookies, Christmas cookies as a matter of fact! Come on over, there's always room for another Darksider. You'll have to work on your tan a little but I can see great possibilities!
Merry Christmas!
Abe,
In the spirit of the discussion (and the season), I seem to remember that one of your mirrors is actually from a 1956 F-100, so it is not "technically" original for a 1954 F-100.
And since you've now started down the slippery slope, I'll remind you that we have cookies, Christmas cookies as a matter of fact! Come on over, there's always room for another Darksider. You'll have to work on your tan a little but I can see great possibilities!Merry Christmas!
As far as cookies are concerned I have already eaten enough Christmas cookies. My wife tries to hide them until Christmas but to no avail.
Merry Christmas! I have got to sitdown and watch Ralphie! and his search for his BB gun!
Post Fiend
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,641
Likes: 21
From: Poway, Ca.
Come now Julie, fess up. You have done way more than the wiring harness. Or are gonna blame that one on Dad??? That boosted 390 is pretty dark on the shade spectrum. However, I'm not into judging the shades of the spectrum as it seems to be a highly opinion driven process.
Personally I think everyone is taking a monochromatic view of this whole thing with the shades of gray. I think it is more like all the shades of all the colors in the visual spectrum and then some. I prefer to think as myself as being dark Ultra-violet. I think that roughly translates to being way out there.
As for you place in the order of shades and such, I'd guess you're someplace between hot pink and dark purple with frequent fluctuations. But hey, that's just the way I see it and that doesn't really count for much in the cosmic scheme of things does it? What the heck, there's room for everyone I think.
Later Girl...
Personally I think everyone is taking a monochromatic view of this whole thing with the shades of gray. I think it is more like all the shades of all the colors in the visual spectrum and then some. I prefer to think as myself as being dark Ultra-violet. I think that roughly translates to being way out there.
As for you place in the order of shades and such, I'd guess you're someplace between hot pink and dark purple with frequent fluctuations. But hey, that's just the way I see it and that doesn't really count for much in the cosmic scheme of things does it? What the heck, there's room for everyone I think.
Later Girl...
To support your point in something with the purists. If one of them professes to be a purist and his voltage regulator was made by an after market company instead of Autolite or Ford; or if his tires are not bias ply; or if he has back-up lights, or license plate lights, stainless steel bed strips, stainless steel bolts, is he still a purist. No, I don't think so - if it's not OEM specs. Point was can any of these trucks that has had any work or part replaced on it still be as original as the day it rolled off the assembly line.
And if not, then where is the "line" between darkside and purist.
Maybe we are ALL darksiders, as much as I hate to point it out to the purists...there goes the neighhborhood!
We need RULES we need CITERIA we need a LINE!!!!!!!!
Stir stir stir!!!!!
J!
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,138
Likes: 2
From: Marietta, Ohio
I am a darksider by nature, however I'm fascinated with unique autos, pure or not. I purchased my 1960 F100 with the sole intent of putting my (GULP) 350/700R4 combo in it, and obviously retain the 9". I have gotten so much flak from the Ford purists that have told me that I shouldn't do it, it's wrong, I won't make it into heaven, etc.
While I don't necessarily like seeing a plain old "belly button" small block Chevy in everybody's hot rod, I've owned two in my driving years and beyond being simple, it is possible to make them look tasteful. People say that there is a reason they are so popular. There are actually SEVERAL reasons. I've owned two Fords in my life, as well. Both Y blocks, both a real marvel as to how long the engineers who designed them kept their jobs at Ford. Just as there are several reasons that the SBC is so popular, there are several reasons why Ford changed their designs every 3 years. My Ford experience, albeit it limited to Y blocks, has shown me that the designs are not very well thought out. The simplest of jobs needs not be simple. The design of the thermostat housing...COME ON. Who came up with that? Just today I wanted to do a simple belt replacement...on an SBC it would have taken 5 minutes...The geniuses at Ford put one of the tightening nuts in such a place that the engine mount would obscure it from allowing a socket to fit over the nut, and then located it on the back side of the bracket...NOT ONLY THAT, but it's on the bottom of the engine where it's a pain to get to AND can get wet...so they had to design a separate splash guard for it. All of this added up to what SHOULD HAVE BEEN a 5 minute job taking 40 minutes (part of that was a result of a belt that was too small on it to begin with). EVERY time I find myself doing anything on it (9 inch excluded) I find myself sarcastically saying over and over to myself..."This must be another one of Ford's BETTER IDEAS..."
I'll keep the Y block for some kind of Hot Rod project, but something tells me I'll thank myself for not keeping it in the truck, but we'll see what happens.
(I think I just needed to vent...I was a little upset earlier...)
While I don't necessarily like seeing a plain old "belly button" small block Chevy in everybody's hot rod, I've owned two in my driving years and beyond being simple, it is possible to make them look tasteful. People say that there is a reason they are so popular. There are actually SEVERAL reasons. I've owned two Fords in my life, as well. Both Y blocks, both a real marvel as to how long the engineers who designed them kept their jobs at Ford. Just as there are several reasons that the SBC is so popular, there are several reasons why Ford changed their designs every 3 years. My Ford experience, albeit it limited to Y blocks, has shown me that the designs are not very well thought out. The simplest of jobs needs not be simple. The design of the thermostat housing...COME ON. Who came up with that? Just today I wanted to do a simple belt replacement...on an SBC it would have taken 5 minutes...The geniuses at Ford put one of the tightening nuts in such a place that the engine mount would obscure it from allowing a socket to fit over the nut, and then located it on the back side of the bracket...NOT ONLY THAT, but it's on the bottom of the engine where it's a pain to get to AND can get wet...so they had to design a separate splash guard for it. All of this added up to what SHOULD HAVE BEEN a 5 minute job taking 40 minutes (part of that was a result of a belt that was too small on it to begin with). EVERY time I find myself doing anything on it (9 inch excluded) I find myself sarcastically saying over and over to myself..."This must be another one of Ford's BETTER IDEAS..."
I'll keep the Y block for some kind of Hot Rod project, but something tells me I'll thank myself for not keeping it in the truck, but we'll see what happens.
(I think I just needed to vent...I was a little upset earlier...)
Later Man...
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 206
Likes: 0
From: Atwater, CA
I'm a darksider.
The one thing that really gets me about this site is how the darksiders catch a lot of flak about changing things up a little bit....or a bunch. I see it this way. When I'm driving down the street, people see a 1956 Ford F-100 pickup....heck, many of them just see a "cool old truck." They don't have a clue what is under the hood (whether it's a Ford, Chevy, Mopar, etc.) or what tranny I'm running, or whether I have power steering or power disc brakes. They see an old truck that makes them smile....maybe even causing them to think about days of old, or they give me a thumbs up, or yell "nice truck!" I enjoy working on my truck and I appreciate what others have done with theirs....whether it's as stock as the day it rolled off the lot, or has been drastically modified.....or falls somewhere in between. We are saving old pickups from the scrap yards and making ALL OF THEM works of art.
The one thing that really gets me about this site is how the darksiders catch a lot of flak about changing things up a little bit....or a bunch. I see it this way. When I'm driving down the street, people see a 1956 Ford F-100 pickup....heck, many of them just see a "cool old truck." They don't have a clue what is under the hood (whether it's a Ford, Chevy, Mopar, etc.) or what tranny I'm running, or whether I have power steering or power disc brakes. They see an old truck that makes them smile....maybe even causing them to think about days of old, or they give me a thumbs up, or yell "nice truck!" I enjoy working on my truck and I appreciate what others have done with theirs....whether it's as stock as the day it rolled off the lot, or has been drastically modified.....or falls somewhere in between. We are saving old pickups from the scrap yards and making ALL OF THEM works of art.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
From: White Hall , Illinois
I'm gettin darker by the day! Love the twelve steps program of the darksiders. With the help of my higher power I will surrender and accept all the help he will bestow upon my project. I admit I have a problem and that is the first step. As long as I hurt no one else I see no troubles and will help others with theirs .
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: SE IA
I have enjoyed all the threads. Lone wolves, purist, instigators. all shades of darksider. At least nobody has gotten mad enoughto take their ball and go home. As to Dave 's comments I need to add anyone can make a chevy go faster it takes talent to make a Ford go faster. It's all dollars and cents!!!
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 929
Likes: 0
From: S.C.
I think I've done just enough for the light to burn me if I steped into it...
Add one to the "On my way to the Darksider" column.
Here's an old pic and "Happy Hollidays to All..... and to All, A Good Chop"!
Ed
Add one to the "On my way to the Darksider" column.
Here's an old pic and "Happy Hollidays to All..... and to All, A Good Chop"!
Ed
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,138
Likes: 2
From: Marietta, Ohio
Stir with dignity...
Ah come on Dave!!!! I know I'm a true Darksider. I just wanted to stir the shoot! You know us girls and what trouble makers we can be.
To support your point in something with the purists. If one of them professes to be a purist and his voltage regulator was made by an after market company instead of Autolite or Ford; or if his tires are not bias ply; or if he has back-up lights, or license plate lights, stainless steel bed strips, stainless steel bolts, is he still a purist. No, I don't think so - if it's not OEM specs. Point was can any of these trucks that has had any work or part replaced on it still be as original as the day it rolled off the assembly line.
And if not, then where is the "line" between darkside and purist.
Maybe we are ALL darksiders, as much as I hate to point it out to the purists...there goes the neighhborhood!
We need RULES we need CITERIA we need a LINE!!!!!!!!
Stir stir stir!!!!!
J!
To support your point in something with the purists. If one of them professes to be a purist and his voltage regulator was made by an after market company instead of Autolite or Ford; or if his tires are not bias ply; or if he has back-up lights, or license plate lights, stainless steel bed strips, stainless steel bolts, is he still a purist. No, I don't think so - if it's not OEM specs. Point was can any of these trucks that has had any work or part replaced on it still be as original as the day it rolled off the assembly line.
And if not, then where is the "line" between darkside and purist.
Maybe we are ALL darksiders, as much as I hate to point it out to the purists...there goes the neighhborhood!
We need RULES we need CITERIA we need a LINE!!!!!!!!
Stir stir stir!!!!!
J!
Please feel free to stir and every so often add a pinch of irony and some much needed sarcasm. They're all big boys now and the ought to be able to take it. Hey, **** 'em if they can't take it. (insert your personal choice of expletive in place of asterisks. Character count is not exclusive.)
Purists - schmurists... Is there really any such thing??? If there is, it's probably old Henry, (in the collective corporate form.) Unless it was preserved at the time of manufacture, it's probably not original, thus making it all a moot point. For the most part I think the so-called purists would be better defined as Ninety Percenters. Personally I think all the attempts toward a close as possible restore are admirable and I can appreciate them as a labor of love. I do think they get a bit carried away with it and their paltry attempts to criticize those of us that lean to the Darkside are just a defense mechanism of sorts. But what the heck,,, Whatever get's 'em through the night. I have a cousin that is into restoring old John Deere tractors. He even buys bolts from John Deere in the fool misguided belief that they are making the bolts. This is the kind of thing I run into with the purists. You can't tell 'em otherwise, so why waste time on 'em. It's painfully obvious, just as a result of what has been written here, that we of the Drakside really don't give a fat rat's patootie. It's kind of like spraying water on a duck. I think we even like it. I know I enjoy it.
OK, enough of this, I have to go figure out how to squeeze a Rolls Royce V-12 into a '53 F-100. Hmmm, should I go with 4WD on this one??? Oh wait, I got it, I think I'll make it a half track... Maybe chop the top... Naw, just cut the top off...
Later Girl...
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 295
Likes: 1
If those SBCs are so well thought out why did they put that distributor on the back end??? That was an abortion from day one. I guess they wanted to make sure you got circumcized while adjusting the dwell. But for the most part, any fool can work on an SBC, it takes a mechanic to work on a Ford. I've owned, driven and worked on about every engine Ford has built for the last 60 years and I have owned and worked on a lot of Chrysler and GM products. When it comes to down and dirty durability, the sbc has failed miserably as a real truck engine by my personal comparrison. They have no low end torque and that's where it's at in a truck. However, for cars I have to admit that the sbc is probably the best thing GM ever came up with. If I had a Chevy I wouldn't put a Ford in it unless I thought I could get a Chevy guy all lathered up about it. So why turn a Ford into an abortion??? Funny you didn't bother to compare with the other Ford engines. What's with that??? And why bring all this up in a Darksider head count when the main bone of contention here is to be or not to be a Darksider??? Seems a bit strange... Go figure...
Later Man...
Later Man...
Didn't Ford put their dizzy in back on the Y block before Chevy did? I am POSITIVE there are good Ford engines but all of my Ford experience comes from Y blocks and they made a ton of mistakes on those. I'm sure Ford has some great engines but, for me, it comes down to what I know works, and what I already own.
As for the purists...if you have a bone stock old vehicle, then it's probable that someone else somewhere has the exact same vehicle as you, and part of driving something old is for the uniqueness factor...If you have something that you've customized then you've got something that is truly YOURS.
I'll have the Roast Duck
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 9,622
Likes: 110
From: Northshore, MN
As for the purists...if you have a bone stock old vehicle, then it's probable that someone else somewhere has the exact same vehicle as you, and part of driving something old is for the uniqueness factor...If you have something that you've customized then you've got something that is truly YOURS.