Kim's Torque Monster Post

[John Hofstetter <hofs@domain.elided>]

>Date: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 20:54:56 -0700
>From: Kim Sol <kimsol@domain.elided>
>Subject: Re: Torque Monsters
>
>My Dad and I stopped by the Ford Dealer, sometime in the mid '60's, with 
>our '64
>IHC 4x4 1100C just to chat, and the Ford man looked at out at that 
>International
>and remarked, "boy, those are tough trucks ... if you put bigger tires on 
>it, that
>would be a tractor." Prior to that moment, my Dad hadn't been a real IH 
>truck fan;
>we always had IH farm equipment, but he didn't know the truck line very well.
>Thought the engines were too "cold blooded" for Montana winters. His 
>favorite had
>been a '54 Studebaker, and when that wore out, found a little '47 Ford with a
>flathead V-8. He really liked that tough little pickup. That Ford V-8 was 
>about as
>big as a Volkswagon engine; not at all like the later Ford V-8s, but it 
>always
>started and got great gas mileage. The '64 IH was sooo big (longbox, 131"
>wheelbase) by comparison, he couldn't turn around in the corrals with it, 
>and that
>big International V-8 SUCKED gas, by comparison with that little Ford. 
>And, he
>thought four wheel drive was just a new, expensive way to get really 
>stuck, a lot
>further along in the mud than if you had two wheel drive. "If you are 
>going to get
>stuck, you shouldn't go there," he used to tell me with a certain infallible
>logic, leavened with a heavy Dutch accent. So, when the Ford dealer 
>remarked on
>the pulling power of those International pickups, my Dad began developing 
>a much
>higher regard for it after that. Still have it, in storage, after all 
>these years,
>partly in regard for that day and many other memories. Happy Thanksgiving. 
>Kim
>Sol, 1980 Scout II, 4" life, AT, auto hubs, "copper."

Digesters,
It's odd that I got behind in digest reading and passed up several 
requests for information that maybe I had, and told myself that others 
would address those questions, and yet ....

Anyway, in reading Kim's post, I not only appreciated the story that he 
told, but couldn't help but be impressed with his writing ability. Very 
nice, Kim!  For instance, "he used to tell me with a certain infallible 
logic, leavened with a heavy Dutch accent". Well said.

Anyway, those whom I passed over, let me know if you think I can help. 
Ken H., my friend, I suppose you are past the Ford solenoid problem, but 
if you are not, let me know, and I'll send you some directions. 

Thanks to the many of you who bothered to wish us binder people a nice 
holiday. At the Hofstetters, we had a great holiday, although in some 
ways, the best feeling was the one of relief when all the little ones 
went home. Grandma is spending the day recovering, and as you can see, 
I'm finally reading my mail.

John H.