DB>  
 DB>    I think you are right, and there is alot less to go 
 DB> wrong with the older
 DB> style tranys. I guess that reliability, durability, and inexpensive 
repair
 DB> bills are higher on my list than mileage..... It's just my opinion :)
 
     I have to agree, of course, but I'm glad we have both. My '70 Chevy has 
had almost everything that can go wrong with it already happen in the past 
quarter century, and I learned a long time ago how to shift without a clutch 
when necessary and how to fix linkage with chewing gum and bailing wire.  I 
had to pay almost $400 to have the three speed tranny rebuilt last year, 
finally...and that's because the PARTS are so tough to find so they are 
pricey.
With its little 307 it gets about 10-12 mpg.  I drive 44 miles a day to work 
and back, so it adds up.  It has no trouble pulling horse trailers in town as 
its gearing is so low, coupled with the short, wide tires I put on it for 
looks and traction.  But for hauling them anyplace else I gotta stick with 
the Dodge.
 DB> and the parts are plentiful and inexpensive. 
 DB> So far it has never
 DB> broke down on me.
     Well, I wish I could say the same thing but I always KNOW when something 
is going out.  You get to know what feels right and sounds right when you've 
driven the same truck as long as I've driven this one.  I put almost 1 1/2 
times the original price into the engine and suspension about 8 years ago; 
it's faster and stronger and better than Chevy built it.  But I had planned 
on doing some slalom racing with it; shortly after I got the engine rebuilt 
they had the LAST slalom racing in the Valley!  (It's a lot like pole 
bending, but for cars instead of horses.)
 DB>    Ford is now building trucks with computers that only Ford Shops have
 DB> access to. That means if you have one of these trucks, almost all of the
 DB> maintenence will have to be performed at a Dealer Service Center.All 
other
 DB> shops are locked out of the onboard computer.ABS brakes, trany's, Engine
 DB> adjustments and a whole bunch of other things are computer controlled.
 
     Oh, great.  Out here FORD stands for Found On Reservation Dump.  They're 
a really popular truck out here, especially the new ones - which look to me 
like they melted in the sun, but I used to think that the '94 Dodges looked 
too much like semi's, too - I got used to them and started to like them.  The 
only reason we take the Dodge to the dealer for so much now is to make sure 
everything is covered by warranty...we got the 7 year, 70,000 mile one.  If 
we are gonna smoke anything hauling too many horses uphill, it'll be nice to 
have Chrysler fix it for free.
     Sure wish I had spent the summer up your way - Jeez!  Am I getting tired 
of SUN and heat!  (Of course, when I spent the summer at Fort Lewis once I 
was PRAYING to see the sun...  ;)
--- Maximus/2 3.00
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