The FORD Lounge

[Nothing Special]

Gary Lewis wrote

I got lost in the dialog, but that doesn't look like a 140 HP Johnrude.  Looks like a Merc to me.  

I've said before, no one's ever accused me of being concise , but yes, it is a Johnson.  I can't find any pictures to prove it right now, but if you saw the width of the 90° V-4 you'd know it wasn't a Merc!

When we were getting the boat and I was asking for an OMC outboard the salesman asked if we wanted Johnson or Evinrude.  I turned to Lesley and asked "white or blue?"  The salesman said that they also had Johnsons in a charcoal, so we had three color choices.  The charcoal engines were 2 models years old, but that brought the price down a bit.  I probably would've picked charcoal anyway, but the lower cost made it an easy decision.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, it is easy to tell from the profile if it is a Merc or a Johnrude.  But I forgot about the charcoal colored ones, which explains it.  

As for not being concise, they say it takes one to know one.  

[BigBrother-84]

Guys, talking about boats and trailers…

During our road trip, while crossing almost desert places (I mean infinite lands with no water hundred miles around), we were surprised to see a lot of Locals pickups towing boats.  So much that my wife began to take pictures of these curious travelers.
«But, why are these guys towing their boat in the desert???»


So much intrigued that I asked the question to a Local who was fueling beside me at a gas station.

He laughed and answered, «we simply find it looks good, man»!


Then explained me that there was some reservoirs around, not near but for Locals it is worth to tow their boats on long distances and go fishing.  The general weekend hobby, let’s say.

[Gary Lewis]

You weren't far from Lake Powell and Lake Mead.  I've not been on Mead but have been on Powell four times, three of which we pulled a boat from Oklahoma to Utah to do.

Lake Powell has (had?) as much shoreline as the state of California, and was hundreds of feet deep in the channel south of where you were.  It was a wonderful boating lake, with so many beautiful spots you could get to by boat, but not by road.

[salans7]

Recently came across a guy selling a NOS Trailer Special emblem (1980-1981 only) on Ebay for $120. That's pretty steep, but it made me wonder how many I have. Here's the answer and a picture in case somebody someday stumbles across this post in a Google search. I remember struggling to find some for my F150, but now I have enough to put on multiple trucks.

-1 NOS Complete Emblem
-1 Used Complete Emblem
-1 Used Emblem (Missing top layers)
-5 NOS Inserts

Bonus:
-2 Used "Camper Special" emblems (Missing top layers)

[Gary Lewis]

Pretty!  Worth a fortune!  Those are not being replicated and there aren't many available.  IOW, the value will continue to climb as these trucks come into their own.

[salans7]

Gary Lewis wrote

Pretty!  Worth a fortune!  Those are not being replicated and there aren't many available.  IOW, the value will continue to climb as these trucks come into their own.

My thoughts exactly. I may part with them at some point, but likely not all of them as I'd like to keep a backup set of inserts in case something happens to the ones on the truck.

For those who have no idea what these are,

[BigBrother-84]

Gentlemen (hoops, I realize I'll have to change my usual introduction, as it appears that we have some ladies among our members).

Friends, imagine you receive a call from Ford, saying you «hello, we want to restore your truck».

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxeslTCGjaU

[ArdWrknTrk]

Would I want my truck restored to pristine stock?

No. Not me.

But if they wanted it for their museum and offered me a comparable beater with lifetime tires and oil changes I'd probably bite that hook.

[Gary Lewis]

That is really cool!  They really did a good job on the Beetle.  

But I don't think I want Ford to "restore" Big Blue.  Granted his EFI system is one of theirs, but they'd need my wiring diagrams on how I interfaced their 1996 EFI system to their 1985 wiring.  However, if they plugged one of their ECU's in it would have a fit since it wouldn't find the EGR system nor the vapor recovery system.

And they could probably figure out how I used their 1990 A/C system.  Similarly they could work out how I used the ZF5 tranny they put in later trucks.

But what would they do with the front & rear cameras?  The bed cover?  The tool box with the on-board air system?  The inverter?

No, sorry.  I don't want Ford to restore it.  I have Big Blue about where I want him.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I rather pity whomever gets my truck.
While I keep box tabs with proper parts numbers in the glove box Lil Red is FAR less documented than Big Blue.

I don't think many could figure out how it all works together.

Same story with the BMW bike I gave my friend Bill.
I tried to tell him the details and admonished him to call me if there were problems.
He brought it into some idiots for service and it cost him a fortune for them to fubar it.
Lotta bux out the window....  😢

[Gary Lewis]

That's the trouble with modified vehicles.  Even though Big Blue is well documented that doesn't mean that someone won't change something they shouldn't or put the "right" part on when they shouldn't.  Installing a 1G alternator or the original style starter would cause all sorts of problems.  And that also goes for fuel tanks.  Imagine trying to put the FDM's into 1985 tanks - they'd go in but not index correctly.

But I can't help but want to improve things!  Why run a 1G alternator or the original starter when better ones are available off the shelf?  Why be stuck with a fuel system that fails frequently and parts are hard to find?  And on and on it goes.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Microanalysing ALL the rabbit holes!

The BMW had dual plugged heads with custom curved Dyna II electronic ignition, stage 2.5 porting, R&D titanium valve springs and keepers, rockers welded up with hard facing and reground to a better ratio, Dellorto spigots for bigger race carbs.a custom ground cam from Wudo in Germany, CC Products 1050cc overbore with Venolia pistons and shot peened rods, swiss cheese flywheel (less than 1/2 weight) undercut gearbox, frame stiffening braces, raised engine for ground clearance, Then there was the forks, shocks, swingarm, brakes, wheels, etc, etc, ad infinitum.

I should have just burned it 😭

[grumpin]

That is cool!

[ArdWrknTrk]

Thanks Dane!
It was built around the idea that it should 'look' contemporary to its /7 roots
But I went retro from there with rounded valve covers and a grab rail seat, +++

That bike could eat asphalt all day at 100 mph and hoist the front coming out of turns
People badmouth the handling of shaft drive bikes, but try to ride a 1977 chain & sprocket bike across the Mojave without cleaning, lubing, adjusting multiple times.q

She and I had ADVENTURES!!

[Gary Lewis]

That's quite a bike, Jim!

And I agree that a shaft beats a chain for distance.  My brother, cousins, and I had a good get together a week ago today and we talked about Water Buffalo, Kaw 900's, K1's, and the like.  And all agreed that you could get on them one time and the chain was no longer properly adjusted.  But my XS11 with its shaft drive would run and hide from most of those and never needed the drive looked after.

But it wouldn't raise the front w/o provocation.  However, it would run any speed you wanted all day long.  Didn't ride any distance at 100, but certainly did two-up with luggage at 80 and it was almost dead quiet and completely smooth at that speed.

[grumpin]

The only shaft drive I owned was a 2000 Kawasaki Voyager 1200.

I thought it would be cumbersome, man that thing would scoot and corner really well!

And I never missed the chain!

[ArdWrknTrk]

  The excessive eleven made a heck of a tourer, as did the FJ 1300 after that.
Glass smooth and stone reliable.
Yamaha weren't really known for shaft drive bikes but the XS750 was popular, as wes the Seca II (diversion) and I had a Vision for a bit when I got out of hospital in '84

Motorcycles today all seem very niche but formulaic at the same time.
Back then companies like Yamaha were willing to innovate with things like 5 valves and the odd all forkless Omega tourer.

Now, I hardly see any bikes on the road at all.  

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, we toured with that Yamaha.  Got to Niagara Falls and Montreal at one point, and many smaller trips as well.  Never, ever had a moments problem with it.

Not sure how well it would corner as I didn't push it.  But it handled nicely and I loved it.  Fast, smooth, quiet, reliable.  What was not to like?

[FuzzFace2]

The only shaft drive I have riden is my 83 Honda Silver Wing Interstate G650I that I bought 2 summers ago. A full dress bike radio and all.

A 1 year only as HD had the Gov. raise the import tax on anything over 700 cc because no one was buying HD bikes back them.
It is a V twin, but side to side not front back like HD.

To me it feels a little top heavy moving it around like in / out of the garage other wise it rides (air ride adjustable) and handles good out on the road. I have not pushed it as I dont see a need to.

I have not put but maybe 200 miles on it because it is so hot in the summer here and no time right now but I hope come June when I hang up my CDL (retire) I can get out more.
Dave ----