still have the old ford!

[scout4]

Hey All, still got my old F-150. It was about 4* above 0 last night, the old ford cranked over a bit slow but then fired right up! Then sat right there and idled nice an smooth. Golly I like this truck! Ford made a big mistake when they quit makin the 300 six. scout4

[Ranger99]

it is truly a shame that a lot of things
aren't made anymore.
unfortunately, it's usually government
mandates that drive what automakers
build . to cut weight and try to bump
fuel economy up to meet regs, a lot
of plastic is used now, there are no longer
vent windows, old heavy reliable rebuildable
engines are no longer used, a good bit of
component parts are no longer available,
so you have to buy assemblies, on and on.

[scootrd]

I have always been a ford guy . Lost my ' 70 era 300 six when a yuppy tried to pass me hit black ice and started spinning about 20 feet off my front bumper when he cut back in . to avoid taking the idiot out I ended up hitting a culvert , through a barb wire fence and rolled my F-150 into a pasture.  The yuppy was able to keep his beamer type car on the road and took off without even offering assistance.
folks behind me stopped and helped me get out ....

Since then I have been through 2 other F-150's and now running an F-250 V10 , The 250 was hard to start at 10 below this AM . To this day I still miss my '70 F-150. I hear what your saying mine was also Tonka Tuff  and would start in any weather !!!!

[scout4]

Yep! Not the prettiest little truck on the block, but does run good! 119,000 miles on it and I've done the usual ford rear fender well replacement panels. Its balmy 2* and again this old ford started right up! Thanks for your replies!  scout4

[wtxbadger]

Have a 66 F100 that was my daily driver for a long time. It never let me down or failed to start. Had the 352 V8 and 3 speed column shift. Don't drive it much now but go out and start it up and drive it around every month or so to circulate the fluids and it still starts up every time.

wtxbadger

[buffermop]

Two great motors of the past were the Ford 300 six and the Plymouth 225 slant six.

[mcbammer]

Yep! Not the prettiest little truck on the block, but does run good! 119,000 miles on it and I've done the usual ford rear fender well replacement panels. Its balmy 2* and again this old ford started right up! Thanks for your replies!  scout4

THAT  looks  like  a  94   F-150 XLT  .  got  one  in   white.

[hillbill]

the 70's model 300 six was one of the best moters ever made. the 225 dodge was better but lacked the power. the 250 chevy was close to the ford and had better carbs.ive ran them all for years back in the day.the 225 was my fav for economy and smootheness. the 250 chevy was tuff and powerfull but not as powerfull as the 300 ford.
 
they tried fuel injecting the 300 in the late 80"s i believe and it was awesum so they quickly stopped that.then they ran a series of v6 engines that could not hold a candle to the 300. if they had developed it and went with a system like jeep did with the 240 six, it would be unbeatable.

[scout4]

Its a 95, but no real difference in the two 94 or 95. They where all about the from 92 - 96. scout4

[Lloyd Smale]

nostaltia is nice and back in the day the 300 ford and 225 slant 6s were good motors. They went a 100k when most died at 80. But ive seen newer chev and ford trucks still on the road with 300k on motors that have never even had a valve job. Make 3 times the hp and get better gas milage. Old stuff is cool and its fun to look back on but how many people would run to the dealer right now and buy a ford with a 300 straight 6 that made 200hp and got 15mpg. Im not a ford fan but that ecotec 6 that makes 300hp and gets 20mpg sounds a bit more interesting to me. Betcha its starts right up in below zero weather too

[scout4]

Hey Lloyd, If you like the stuff from "back-in-the-day" thats cool. But this truck is not that for me. Its all I got, can't afford something new or newer. And I need the 4wheel drive for work. Actually I'm plenty gratefull that this "old" to you but good to me ford pickup runs great and gets me there and back without a bunch of problems. Especially this time of year....- 5* this morning and I'm glad this truck starts right up for me! And actually this truck gets 18mpg, I can deal with that over an aluminum block, made in brazil ecotec.  scout4

[scootrd]

The 300 is Tonka Tuff , easy to maintain, has great low end torque. (which is what I looked for in a truck)
There were and I'm sure still are plenty aftermkt parts to increase performance and HP out of a 300
IE: manifolds, carb etc.. if one really felt the need. I sure never did. My 70's 300 hauled everything I ever
needed without wincing a bit.

As far as most 300's dieing at 80k That's just unequivocally not an accurate statement. 300's were known for their longevity. 
Rare a 300 would even have an issue below 200k (on the low end ) usually more. The body of the truck would be well past it's prime before the 300 ever was.

As far as MPG its was common to be somewhere between mid to upper teens.

and that's not nostalgia


 

[Lloyd Smale]

sure not saying theres a thing wrong with your truck. Im not a ford fan but do think that old 300 6 4x4 you have has some cool factor.  I too like cool old stuff. Point i was trying to make is some guys get nostalsia mixed up with fact. those old 300 6s were great motors in there day and its cool to see them still running. But some would have you think that vehicle technology peaked about 1950 and has gone down his since. My point is you look at a new truck for 30k and what you get and factor in the wages i got back in the 70s and 80s and what you got for the same money in a truck then and the new ones blow the old ones out of the water for bang for your buck. Will a new camero or challanger ever replace an old one even though there vastly superior? NOPE not to me. But in a pickup i have to live with day to day id take new over nostalsia anyday. But like you said you have to be able to afford it and being retired now i will probably be looking at used ones myself next time.

Hey Lloyd, If you like the stuff from "back-in-the-day" thats cool. But this truck is not that for me. Its all I got, can't afford something new or newer. And I need the 4wheel drive for work. Actually I'm plenty gratefull that this "old" to you but good to me ford pickup runs great and gets me there and back without a bunch of problems. Especially this time of year....- 5* this morning and I'm glad this truck starts right up for me! And actually this truck gets 18mpg, I can deal with that over an aluminum block, made in brazil ecotec.  scout4

[Larry L]

That 300 inline 6 is still being made, you just can't have it. It's still made for UPS which converts it to diesel. That's the engine in all of their delivery trucks until they replace those units with CNG. The 300 is still used in South America but then, Ford still makes the 1958 Galaxie 500 for the South American market. The 300 was a strong engine and would out work a 302/5.0 V8 and do it on less gas. The 300 was found under the hood of much larger trucks like the F650 and did a great job. It was a long life engine.
The 3.5 V6 EcoBoost engine in the F150 has a nick name now- EcoBust. The dealers lots are full of trucks they can't make run and the Ford techs are clueless how to fix them. The most common issue is total loss of power when passing on the hiway- now that's a great thing and a wonder folks haven't been killed. Fords idea of a fix is to R&R the intercooler but that's not the problem. Research says the intercooler is making water and it puddles in the intake system. At full throttle the water is sucked into the engine and the PCM shuts it down to limp mode. They're also having issues with it pumping oil out of the PCV. If you have one that's running good, yer a blessed person. Misfires, coils, spark plugs, injectors, coking in the cylinders, are all issues this engine is facing. The 3.5 is a GM 3.6 clone and GM has had similar issues with their DI engines. Direct injected engines are not a good thing....yet. Between the EcoBust and the 300 inline, make mine inline. It has a fabulous history of reliability. Afterall, what counts on any trip is getting there. All of the 3.5 EB engines are made at the #1 engine plant in Cleveland, not Brazil.
Here's a bore scope of the intake at the valve in a 3.5 EcoBust. As deposits grow, air flow in the intake is reduced as is power. No fuel injector cleaner works as the intake never sees the fuel like a sequential injected engine.

[wtxbadger]

Always wondered if the cars and trucks made back in the 50's, 60's, and early 70's had been made with the closer machine tolerances etc. that todays vehicles are made with how many of them would still be on the road.

[spruce]

Larry L - interesting post.  Can anyone say "government regulations"?
 
I had 3 of those 300 engines and all served me well.  Traded off my 94 for a new 97 model with the new V6 - wished I'd kept the 94!

[FPH]

The 300 is Tonka Tuff , easy to maintain, has great low end torque. (which is what I looked for in a truck)
There were and I'm sure still are plenty aftermkt parts to increase performance and HP out of a 300
IE: manifolds, carb etc.. if one really felt the need. I sure never did. My 70's 300 hauled everything I ever
needed without wincing a bit.

As far as most 300's dieing at 80k That's just unequivocally not an accurate statement. 300's were known for their longevity. 
Rare a 300 would even have an issue below 200k (on the low end ) usually more. The body of the truck would be well past it's prime before the 300 ever was.

As far as MPG its was common to be somewhere between mid to upper teens.

and that's not nostalgia


 

nostaltia is nice and back in the day the 300 ford and 225 slant 6s were good motors. They went a 100k when most died at 80. But ive seen newer chev and ford trucks still on the road with 300k on motors that have never even had a valve job. Make 3 times the hp and get better gas milage. Old stuff is cool and its fun to look back on but how many people would run to the dealer right now and buy a ford with a 300 straight 6 that made 200hp and got 15mpg. Im not a ford fan but that ecotec 6 that makes 300hp and gets 20mpg sounds a bit more interesting to me. Betcha its starts right up in below zero weather too

I agree, I've had the 300.  My last 350 (98) had 330,000 miles on it when I sold it, and was giving me 16 mpg.  My 04 Cummins has 348,000 miles on it,gives 23 mpg and has more torque than a gasser can think about.

[Lloyd Smale]

no doubt it would have made them better motors yet. thing is that gas milage killed them all off. A 300 6 probably weights more then any new v8. Now i guess they could have thrown an aluminum 4 valve per cyl head on it and switched to an aluminum block but then it wouldnt have been your good old school 300 6 anymore. Like i said. I look at my newer truck with 300hp and 20mpg and probably at least 200k of good service,  and sure dont look back fondly on my old chevs that road like a lumber wagon had maybe 200hp and got 12 mpg and lasted maybe a 150k if you babied them and all the stars were aligned. NOPE i dont want to go back to keosene lamps and black powder either!

Always wondered if the cars and trucks made back in the 50's, 60's, and early 70's had been made with the closer machine tolerances etc. that todays vehicles are made with how many of them would still be on the road.

[scout4]

            You have the right to think about it as you please. But, I also have that right. I posted this thread thinking that maybe a few folks would enjoy the fact that there are still those of us who know just what a real man's truck still is. Some fortunate, or lucky people have hundreds of thousands of dollars and go all out "whole hog" and invest in a brandy spanky new truck with all the "girly" bells and whistles,  But most of the folks I know don't. Yeah, your right in the fact any new or newer truck drives like a mustang rides like caprice. But you gotta know, some of us are not ever gonna give into the gumball B.S. of modern marketing and go lay down hard earned money for a modern 4-door car with a square box on the back with all its girly trinkets that they like to call a truck. A truck is a man's machine, and smart knowledable understanding ladies will always be invited to own one. So, bottom line here, if you Sir just gotta have that new girly truck, then go for it! But, and I ask in the best manner that a "down-to-earth" real man is able to. Don't go knocking us "old school" folks because of our "old school" machines.   scout4

[scootrd]

....sure dont look back fondly on my old chevs that road like a lumber wagon had maybe 200hp and got 12 mpg and lasted maybe a 150k if you babied them ....

No wonder you had a bad expirience, there's the crux of the longevity issue you had right there. You were driving a chevy not a ford with a solid 300 under the hood that would easily last 200K plus miles even with abuse. 

-  Just joking.

Semper Fi

[Lloyd Smale]

Looks like its you bashing my truck not me bashing yours. A MANS TRUCK EH! Hook my truck bumper to bumper with yours and we will see whos is a mans truck. Mine might be a bit shinnier and have power windows but it will still pull what yours will even with your truck added to the load and ill do it with the ac on and a cd in the player. Last i heard 50 percent more hp and torque will do that. Dont see to many farmers or construction workers restoring old trucks because the new ones are inferior!! Take a chill pill pal. If you read my posts youd have seen that i do like older stuff and anyone here that knows me will tell you im the LAST GUY that would think his better then you because he had a fliping newer truck! Look at history and youll see it was the ford trucks that came out with 4x4s with independant front suspensions that road like cars. Look at a late 70s ranger xlt and youll see the start of what your calling the sisyfied trucks we drive today. Back in the 70s if you bought a chev 1/2 ton your got a straight axle truck. You had to step up to a 3/4 ton to get that same rugged staight axle in a ford. thing is the chev 1/2 tons back then road like lumber wagons and i sure dont want to go back to that. Only point i was trying to get across is that technology isnt all bad and that considering wages and cost of living compared to new truck prices i can buy a new truck now thats a much better truck for about the same as I could in 1975. Get better gas mileage, more power, better towing capablity and much more confort. Last i heard those were all good things. If getting 12 mpg boucing down the road with an am radio and no ac makes you feel like a man then go for it i guess. All this said id dearly love to own an old late 60s chev. But i sure wouldnt want it for my everyday truck. All i posted was my opinion. You said ford made a big mistake when they quit making the 300 6 and i sure disagree with that statement. Its about like saying ford made a mistake when they replaced the flathead v8 with an overhead valve motor. Flatheads are sure cool but i dont want a flathead v8 truck for a daily driver either. I kind of chuckle anyway at guys that take a vehicle so personaly. Youd think i kicked your dog! Ive owned probably 2o trucks through the years. Ive owned chevs fords and dodges, Never named one or even genltly stroked one.

            You have the right to think about it as you please. But, I also have that right. I posted this thread thinking that maybe a few folks would enjoy the fact that there are still those of us who know just what a real man's truck still is. Some fortunate, or lucky people have hundreds of thousands of dollars and go all out "whole hog" and invest in a brandy spanky new truck with all the "girly" bells and whistles,  But most of the folks I know don't. Yeah, your right in the fact any new or newer truck drives like a mustang rides like caprice. But you gotta know, some of us are not ever gonna give into the gumball B.S. of modern marketing and go lay down hard earned money for a modern 4-door car with a square box on the back with all its girly trinkets that they like to call a truck. A truck is a man's machine, and smart knowledable understanding ladies will always be invited to own one. So, bottom line here, if you Sir just gotta have that new girly truck, then go for it! But, and I ask in the best manner that a "down-to-earth" real man is able to. Don't go knocking us "old school" folks because of our "old school" machines.   scout4

[Lloyd Smale]

I can take it pal;) Ive listen to that kind of dribble from my old man for years. For years he was a ford truck guy. Bottom line like any other brand he had good ones and bad ones. He was more of a fan of the 302 though. He got a bad 300 6 in 77. that year ford had there machines set up wrong and puched out a bunch of blocks with 2 tight cylinders. He threw a rod in that motor at 8000 miles and again at  15000 and wasnt till the second time the dealership admitted to this flaw and he traded it off on another v8 ford. Now im not even going to be so stupid as to say the 300 6 is junk because of those motors.  I know better it was a great motor in its day. Granted i dont know of many that made 200k but then i live in salt country and most chevs and fords around here back then were about rotted to the ground before they made 1/2 that. I guess i still get a laugh out of guys that will claim there brand is vastly superior to the next guys choise. I drive a chev because i like them. I dont think there a bit better then a ford or even a dodge. I dont sleep with mine so i dont feel i have to defends its pride.  

....sure dont look back fondly on my old chevs that road like a lumber wagon had maybe 200hp and got 12 mpg and lasted maybe a 150k if you babied them ....

No wonder you had a bad expirience, there's the crux of the longevity issue you had right there. You were driving a chevy not a ford with a solid 300 under the hood that would easily last 200K plus miles even with abuse. 

-  Just joking.

Semper Fi

[scout4]

Looks like its you bashing my truck not me bashing yours. A MANS TRUCK EH! Hook my truck bumper to bumper with yours and we will see whos is a mans truck. Mine might be a bit shinnier and have power windows but it will still pull what yours will even with your truck added to the load and ill do it with the ac on and a cd in the player. Last i heard 50 percent more hp and torque will do that. Dont see to many farmers or construction workers restoring old trucks because the new ones are inferior!! Take a chill pill pal. If you read my posts youd have seen that i do like older stuff and anyone here that knows me will tell you im the LAST GUY that would think his better then you because he had a fliping newer truck! Only point i was trying to get across is that technology isnt all bad and that considering wages and cost of living compared to new truck prices i can buy a new truck now thats a much better truck for about the same as I could in 1975. Get better gas mileage, more power, better towing capablity and much more confort. Last i heard those were all good things. If getting 12 mpg boucing down the road with an am radio and no ac makes you feel like a man then go for it i guess. All this said id dearly love to own an old late 60s chev. But i sure wouldnt want it for my everyday truck. All i posted was my opinion. You said ford made a big mistake when they quit making the 300 6 and i sure disagree with that statement. Its about like saying ford made a mistake when they replaced the flathead v8 with an overhead valve motor. Flatheads are sure cool but i dont want a flathead v8 truck for a daily driver either. I kind of chuckle anyway at guys that take a vehicle so personaly. Youd think i kicked your dog! Ive owned probably 2o trucks through the years. Ive owned chevs fords and dodges, Never named one or even genltly stroked one.

            You have the right to think about it as you please. But, I also have that right. I posted this thread thinking that maybe a few folks would enjoy the fact that there are still those of us who know just what a real man's truck still is. Some fortunate, or lucky people have hundreds of thousands of dollars and go all out "whole hog" and invest in a brandy spanky new truck with all the "girly" bells and whistles,  But most of the folks I know don't. Yeah, your right in the fact any new or newer truck drives like a mustang rides like caprice. But you gotta know, some of us are not ever gonna give into the gumball B.S. of modern marketing and go lay down hard earned money for a modern 4-door car with a square box on the back with all its girly trinkets that they like to call a truck. A truck is a man's machine, and smart knowledable understanding ladies will always be invited to own one. So, bottom line here, if you Sir just gotta have that new girly truck, then go for it! But, and I ask in the best manner that a "down-to-earth" real man is able to. Don't go knocking us "old school" folks because of our "old school" machines.   scout4

I have had my say. That is enough. scout4

[scootrd]

I can take it pal;) Ive listen to that kind of dribble from my old man for years. For years he was a ford truck guy. Bottom line like any other brand he had good ones and bad ones. 

So True definitely good ones and bad ones.

Growing up my uncle Paul had a 1960 or 61 Chevy Apache step side. He kept it all the way up to about 1973 or 74.
He use to let me go with him when running errands round town and drive it when we were down the block from the house
I thought that was a neat looking Chevy. It ran well all the time he owned it. Wish I had it today.