Why can't FORDs or Mercurys be GM's? GMs are so much easier to work on. I can do a brake job on any on my GM's blindfolded, half drunk, with one hand tied behind my back. ;) But my daughter's Mercury drives me nuts, what is the story with all these parts? a FORD takes 1503 parts to do what GM does with 2 parts. I got springs, pins, clips, squeek pads, then the brake pads on this Merc.
Don't get me wrong FORD makes good cars, but I guess I have a GM mind and not a FORD mind. :D

A holden v ford debate hmmm this sounds Australian.

are you sure you are not from Autralia JD harris [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

Well, my granddaddy, a mechanic during the 40s - 60s called FORDs Fix Or Repair Daily. ;)

And GMC's mean "Got a Mechanic Coming." The only reason you find it so difficult to work on Fords, is because they are different then GM's. Brakes, are pretty much brakes mind you.
When I built up my '67 F100, I pretty much had to do a frame up. Brakes are manual drums front and rear with no power. So, I'm doing the front brakes, and realize I need new wheel cylinders, so off to the local Lordco I go to grab the necessary parts.
I get home, and what'd'you know, one of the cylinders doesn't fit, but same part number? It turns out that the shoe's I got, don't fit on the other drum, but they seem to fit fine on the one I can't get the cyclinder to go on.
Turns out that the one side required the wheel cylinder from a '65 and shoes from a 67, and the other side took a cyclinder from a '67 but shoes from a '66. Nice, huh! Luckily, my local parts guy knows what he's doing, but try explaining that one at your local Canadian Tire!

You got that right I can look at a GMC and reconize the parts and they look like they are suppose too, but when I look at FORD I'm scratching my head mumbling to myself "what that Hale is that" ;) But I gues sI'm going to have learn what they look like My wife just got herself a used Merc. Cougar, runs great, drives like a dream.

FORD = Funny Old Recycled Dodge,
- or -
F&*^!$&% Old Rusty Dodge,
- or -

variations therof... :D

Gotta agree on the insanity of the "Ford way" of doing things. Just about every mechanic I know hates working on them. Like always, there's the "right" way, the "wrong" way, and the "ford" way! They always seem to have to find their own brain-damaged way of doing things. (Not that GM or Chrysler is any better sometimes, but at least they keep things simpler!)

One good example is the way Ford handles the electronic diagnostics. With GM or Chrysler, you can plug in a scanner and read any sensor or parameter in the processor at will - in a ford (OBD II excluded; which appears only on '96 or newer) you have to go through Fords KOEO and KOER tests and let it tell you what codes pop up - and it won't tell you what the actual sensor readings are so you can use your own smarts to figure out what the likely cause is.

You got that right I can look at a GMC and reconize the parts and they look like they are suppose too, but when I look at FORD I'm scratching my head mumbling to myself "what that Hale is that" ;) But I gues sI'm going to have learn what they look like My wife just got herself a used Merc. Cougar, runs great, drives like a dream.</font>[/QUOTE]Nice thing about Cougar/Thunderbirds is there are a lot of them about, so parts, if needed are still fairly cheap. If memory serves, the Cougar was a decent car, especially with the 302 in it. A decent shop manual, and yer set. A lowering kit, window tint, Paxton blower, Nitrous kit and you'll have one mean grocery getter.

I like big trucks and I cannot lie, you other drivers can't deny, that when a ford rolls in with its itty bitty tires and a bunch of cargo space I get tounges stickin out at me as I roll my dodges tires, even the bumber it's bearin, I'm hooked and my tire's sparrin, oh baby, I wanna get witcha and tork your pitcher, my homechanics tried to warn me, but that truck you got is, ooh so corney... Watch me now as I rev up my dodge with tires the size of a winter lodge i'll dive over your truck and make you dead with the dancin dipsticks floating through your head!

*squibidibitootibi*

... I don't even know what I'm typing about any more... I'm no car buff! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Okay, everyone slowly back away. Don't make any threating gestures or noises. Nice and slow, now. Okay, NOW RUN FOR IT!

GM does it the easy way, with fewer parts, and it makes sense? I almost died laughing when I read that sentiment. Don't get me wrong, I have 3 Chevrolets and had GMC trucks/vans before that.

HOW TO GET THE BATTERY OUT OF A CHEVROLET LUMINA
1)remove the three bolts that hold the crosspiece which makes it impossible to even get jumper cables in contact with your battery.
2)remove the two bayonet pins holding the water bottle to the frame.
3)remove the pump from the water bottle
4)remove the water bottle (I won't even try to explain how you get it past the fuse box)
5)remove the three bolts holding the bracket which hold the battery
6)remove the battery bracket (don't forget that it's holding the air filter in place)
7) remove the battery "cosy"
8)congratulations! You have now reached the battery