Who'd of thunk a simple post about a belt would get 25 responses. I guess these days I'd rather drive than wrench. Always was a better troubleshooter than troublemaker. Gumby, you've got a few years on me I guess, you didn't list your age. Got you beat on first car, mine was a 62 olds f85. Funny thing was we had that tool, you'd think my buddy Carl would have known it helped with install! I tried the hex in the pulley but the ratchet fit easier. You younger guys are like I used to be, loved a challenge, these days I just enjoy a good single malt scotch afterwards!
1955moose, I'm vintage 1955 as well. My first car was a '58 Ford Custom 300 that had a 352 "Thunderbird" engine. I totaled it when I was 16. Second was a '63 Galaxie 500, also with a 352. Had to sell that one after a slight misunderstand with the law. Got $50 for it. Then I got a '72 Datsun pickup in '74 that I sold right before heading to Japan in '78. In Japan I got a Mitsubishi Minica - two cylinder, two stroke, water cooled with a radiator about the size of a dictionary. Bought a '79 Corvette through GM's overseas program and picked it up in Reno when I got back to the states. Sold it two days later for a small profit and used that to buy a new Dodge D-100, slant-six, three on the column. While I had the D-100 I made an ill-considered purchase of a grey-market '72 Rolls Silver Shadow on a trip to the UK. It was held together by rust and bondo but sure looked good. Fortunately it got wrecked by a kid with a brand new truck or I never would have made my money back on that one. That Rolls is a three-beer story all by itself. It sounded like a great idea at the time. I bought a used '78 Corvette after that and broke even on it when I sold it. Then I bought a new '87 Bronco II that I sold in 2000 when we bought a new 2000 Expedition 4WD EB 5.4. Also bought a new '95 Explorer that I sold in 2005 when I got a new '05 Explorer. In 2008 I bought a used '05 Explorer for the boys to use going to high school. We still have it, with 180K miles. I put 25 hours and about $1300 (including tires) into in the last two weeks so son #2 can take it when he goes on active duty in May. The '08 F-150 I bought 2014 so the boys could learn to drive a stick and so son #3 could have something to drive to high school. 2008 was the last year Ford put a stick in an F-150 and it was only with the 4.2 and the work package. I bought my wife a new 2011 Expedition in 2011. So right now I have the 2000 (297K miles) & 2011 (140K miles) Expeditions, two 2005 Explorers (until son #2 drives away with one next month), and the 2008 F-150. So yes, I changed a lot of fan belts in my day. And after all this, I really wish I still had my Custom 300 with the 352.
