[AT] Autos-Was:refusing to replace old equipment-OT

[charliehill]

Cecil, that's nothing new for Ford.  A friend of mine had a 69 Fairlane GT 
with a factory 429 in it.  He had to unbolt the motor supports and jack the 
engine up to change the plugs about every 3000 miles.  My 06 GMC truck has 
91,000 miles on it and I haven't touched the plugs yet.  There's not a 
vacuum line on the engine anywhere and no points or even a distributor to 
fool with.

Charlie
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Cecil Bearden" <crbearden at copper.net>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2008 8:04 PM
Subject: Re: [AT] Autos-Was:refusing to replace old equipment-OT


> Charlie:
> I might agree with you on the reliability, but I can't on the ease of
> working on them.  Ford keeps moving the engine further under the cowling
>  so that you have to have a special topside creeper to change the spark
> plugs.  They have individual coils that will go bad if the plugs are not
>  just the very best $5 each ones you can find.  I have both Ford
> Chevrolet and Chrysler from 95 to 2002, what I consider to be late
> model.  Forget about working on that Dodge mini van. You have to pull
> the engine down or raise the body up just to change the alternator...
> Same thing with changing the back 3 spark plugs.  I got good mileage
> with my 70's cars and trucks and they were just as reliable.  We are
> paying for a lot of pollution controls and government controls that just
> make big shots managers more money.
>
> One of my goals aftrer retirement was to have a shop to rebuild the
> older trucks and tractors.  Parts for the industrial engines are so hard
> to find that It looks like that dream is shot too...  Not all of my toys
> are tractors.  Sending all our manufacturing overseas has created a
> nation full of unserviceable junk...
>
> The younger folks I talk to just tell me that is the cost of doing
> business...    Looks like that cost has put a lot of businesses out of
> business...
>
> Cecil in OKla
>
> Bob McNitt wrote:
>> Plenty of blame to go around regarding the mess with the Big Three auto
>> makers. Top exec greed, corrupt politicians, and an overly greedy union.
>>
>> We'd all love to be making $45-50 an hour with cushy benefits, but what 
>> US
>> employer can afford that these days? Obviously not GM, Ford or Chrysler.
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Howard Weeks" <weeksh at wildblue.net>
>> To: <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
>> Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 7:36 PM
>> Subject: Re: [AT] Autos-Was:refusing to replace old equipment
>>
>>
>>> The auto makers (and the GOV as well) would rather we buy a new
>>> vehicle every three or four years.  Lots of people do.  I understand
>>> that some countries in Europe raise the taxes on them as they age.
>>> At some point, you can't afford to keep driving them.
>>>
>>> Personally, I buy good used vehicles, maintain them, and drive them
>>> until the wheels fall off.  My oldest PU, at the moment, is a 76 Chev
>>> that is good for about any trip I may want to take in it.  Body rust
>>> is eventually going to side line it.
>>>
>>> Nearly anything you buy these days is designed for the throw away
>>> society.
>>>
>>>
>>> On 19 Dec 2008 at 10:24, charliehill wrote:
>>>
>>>> Brad, I'm with you on the yes and no.  I don't have much problem with 
>>>> the
>>>> way cars and trucks are made now.  They are for the most part a lot 
>>>> more
>>>> reliable and in many instances easier to work on that say mid 80's 
>>>> cars.
>>>> My complaint is with what they build and the restrictions placed on
>>>> building
>>>> them.
>>>>
>>>>
>>> Howard Weeks
>>> Harlem, GA
>>> K5JCP
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> AT mailing list
>>> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>>
>>
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