Red Horse

Well JB I hear you on the Fusion Sport. I do believe it has more interior room than the Taurus correct? And what you say about the Koreans and the Japanese is so true. Apparently they haven't read the same tea leaves that Hackett reads because it seems they are continually updating their four door sedans. The current Taurus is 8 model years old and the only changes have been very minor. I recognize that Fields is more responsible for that error but Hackett doesn't seem to be addressing that. In the meantime, it seems every other year or so there is an upgraded Camry and a new Kia or Hyundai.

Ugh! At this point nothing would surprise me. This guy Hackett-or as some say.."Hatchett"- so far does not seem to be doing anything but spout buzz words. For sure he is no Alan Mulally. I think Bill Ford has swallowed the "autonomous/electrification thing hook line and sinker. Supposedly, they are going to kill the Taurus after a short 2019 model run. If they kill the Fusion too, then they have no sedan bigger than a Focus. Hate to see the Taurus go. I have a 2010 SHO that is pushing 96,000. In 96,000, had to replace the battery and the right "blend door" in the AC failed. But in typical Ford fashion, they have done nothing to upgrade the car or advertise it-just like the Crown Vic. Now they are building a new Taurus in China that is beautiful-but of course-not here!

Kevin- any word on what the big 520 HP motor is? A current Cursor?? Also you have any thoughts on the Work Truck Show news??

Heard two potential announcements for Work Truck Show in March -4 WD Transit - Mid size Transit between Connect and the full size. Unfortunately, no rumors about new gas engine for 650-750 or a 6 cyl diesel.

And MOST importantly-never engage when you had a wheel spinning!

Thx Jim- I thought it was something like that but wasn't quite sure.-I would imagine the two ratios were pretty close too.

A friend asked me about a "3 speed axle". My response..."no clue" other than I remember when Eaton or Rockwell offered a 3-speed tandem. ring a bell with anyone? and how did they work? My memory says they were two 2-speeds but how could you get a third ratio out of that?

Enjoy the ride-what engine-trans?- Remember your first tractor?

Nice- those trucks were run on double shifts. First shift did the pre -trip for the second shift!

Hmnn- Half a load of toothpicks How about it -someone must have a good shot of an RD-800 coming out of the Maine woods with a real load Jim H????

Well appreciate your loyalty to Cat. Like I said, a very loyal base. Just hope they keep it as the low cost Chinese product makes its way here. Friend of mine bought a Liugong loader about the size of a 638. He said he could have bought two and had one as a parts machine vs. what the 638 would have cost. Scary.

Thx-Never knew Textron was into this market. Just out of curiosity, do you know who builds the Deere line of ATV's///

Well come on guys-cut him some slack-after all, he did call it a "Concrete mixer" as opposed to a "Cement mixer"

I think KSC's point is they have made a lot of changes. As for the Cat truck circus, I said when they came out-"a marriage made in hell". think of it- Cat abandons the on highway engine business and International was involved with the EGR fiasco where the guy at the top thought he was smarter than everyone else. Doomed from the start. IMO Cat thinks they can paint a pile of dog shit Cat yellow and everyone will stand around saying..."isn't that the nicest pile of dog shit you have ever seen". Don't get me wrong- I like Cat equipment-but I do think they do depend on their rep to win sales in new markets. International's sales have taken off so hopefully things are looking up. Then again, friend of mine owns a salvage yard with a few ramp trucks- Dodge 5500's (Cummins) and International. He is fed up with International service and his next trucks will be Fords-not at all worried about the 6.7 PowerStroke.

wonder who rebrands this for Cat? Polaris? wonder why the ol' boy didn't ask about the power train? Hopefully it will live longer than the Cat "truck"

You guys have it all wrong-plenty of jobs will remain-starting with lawyers, all the staffing to man the court system and probably quite a few in the trades to BUILD the new court facilities that will be needed.

Kevin-I do believe frames were same options-only difference was engine matched to appropriate transmission. As to class 8, I would assume given GVW they were 8's. then again when GM was building "mediums", you could get a GM tandem yet they never reported any class 8 sales. How did THAT work? You have an explanation? No clue as to how Ford reported those sales-might be a good question for BON site.

No clue on the hydraulic retarder but Ford in that era offered a "Transmatic" that I think was an Allison-my bet same transmission as used in the Chevy.

Correct on "T" designation. F-800, gas-or 8.2. F-8000, diesel- 3208 and then Ford 6's. I don't think there ever was an F-9000. There was an FT-900 and it was a 8.2 Detroit, with either a 34 or 38 rear but not gas. It is amazing if you go on Ebay or Trucktrader and see the Ford listings with incorrect designations. If you want to understand Ford's designation history, DO NOT use either of these two to verify your info!. My memory is getting "old"-yuk yuk-so some stuff I remember but usually I go to archives and dig out what sales literature I might have. Also the Wagner book is good.

And I thought Howie Long was bad!

Kevin- the 9 L is off road only?

For sure-everything looks good when you step up to the cash register with your EBT card!

Nice Rich- and Kevin, per TJC later on the Brazil Ag Fords. And as "1965" said even the 8.2 Fuel Pincher. That I think was the first diesel offering in the F 8 series and in the end they even offered it while they were using 3208's. the 3208's were F-8000's and if it was an 8.2 it was a 900. Now if you really want to get into ancient history, in the 60's you could get a Cummins C-180. I think they were a 464 cu. inch 6 but that was in the old Super Duty cab-which was 800 and up. The 750 and smaller mediums used the "pick up" cab.

Well if Rich says so that is a given for sure. And Rich-where is the F-8000 today?

I'm with HG. 10 G is very low IMO Buddy did his R-688 last year for 18-new Mack rails plus liner, and new pintle plate. Done by Mack dealer Truck has 55 rears. He was hesitant to do it and I gave him same speech. That R will still be a mush lesser headache than any new POS. Also an 88. 350, 6 speed.