FROM THE EDITOR
MY GRANDFATHER WAS A Ford and Mercury man. Throughout my childhood and early adulthood, I never saw any other makes in his driveway or garage. Even after he got to be too old to drive, he would still go outside and wipe off his Mercury wagon at least once a week to make sure it was still presentable.
After a while of not being able to drive his own cars, he started asking me to take him places in his wagon, which was the perfect opportunity to talk to him and ask him the questions I was once too young to ask. Why did you decide to move to the United States (a long and crazy story, as it turned out)? What were my uncles like (they both passed years before I was born, but I was named after one of them)? Why had you owned so many Fords and Mercuries, but never a Ford truck?
The answer to that last one surprised me.
As it turned out, he did used to have Ford trucks—quite a few, in fact. I’d just never seen any of them because he owned them before I was born and before he moved to the US with his family to start a new life here.
He was very much a “trucks are meant to haul things” kind of guy. And so, he’d use his truck(s) for his businesses, which included a night club and a hunting club, and for personal stuff like camping. And yes, he’d always give me crap for not having a bed floor in my bagged truck, but mostly in a kind-hearted way. Not so much about that particular truck being a Chevy, though. He was actually pretty ruthless about that!
So, why didn’t he ever buy a Ford truck once he landed in America? From what he told me, he just didn’t need a truck anymore since he had sold his businesses. While most of you—and I—prefer to drive trucks on the daily, Grandpa saw his trucks as tools to be used for their intended purpose. Without stuff to haul around, he didn’t see the point. Still, his love for Ford carried over to the cars he owned, from Fairlanes to Fairmonts.
I’m telling you all of this just to say, the Ford brand has always been an important one in my family because of my grandfather, and
I’m honored to now be a part of F-100 Builder’s Guide’s evolving history. If someday I happen to see Grandpa again, I’m definitely gonna mention this gig. But, I’m also gonna leave out the part about y’all putting LSes in your trucks, OK?
Oh, yeah—I’m Mike, your new editorin-chief. I was lucky enough to be one of the “First Four” on Street Trucks back in the day, and I live and breathe trucks (and the occasional hotrod and kustom). Thanks for coming along for the ride, and please share your Ford stories with me at mself@engaged.media!