[DeTomaso] Another blast from the past....

MikeLDrew at aol.com MikeLDrew at aol.com
Mon Jun 11 17:28:08 EDT 2012


In a message dated 6/11/12 9 09 39, scscottc at gmail.com writes:


> Thanks for sharing that Mike... Though now I am scared after reading the 
> part about the 'Dash-1' ZFs.... My '71 still has the original 'Dash-1' ZF 
> and a 377 Stroker.. Guess I should take it easy on her.. :-)
> 

If it ain't broke...it ain't broke!

For reasons unknown, Ford got it into their minds that there was a problem 
with some of the early gearboxes.   I think the factory set up the clutch 
system improperly so there was insufficient clutch throw, leading to grinding 
of the gears.   Somebody at Ford hit the panic button and issued a bulletin 
to the dealers telling them that if they had any customers with Dash-1 
gearbox problems, that Ford would supply a new Dash-2 free of charge, AND pay the 
dealers for X hours of labor for warranty work.

So, when a guy like you with a perfectly good car with a perfectly good 
gearbox went in to his dealer for an oil change, the unscrupulous service 
writer would say, "Psst, hey, would you like a free new, upgraded transmission?"  
 Who would say no to that?

So they would then yank the Dash-1, install a Dash-2, and send a big fat 
bill to Ford who duly paid them for the work.   It was a total scam, and led 
to piles of perfectly good Dash-1 gearboxes getting scrapped!

Mike


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