American automakers sometimes get the brunt of the criticism for producing models that are ugly, useless, or even downright dangerous. Ford has had its share of beasts through the years in addition to several winners including the current Mustang for which demand cannot be met. For the fun of it let’s take a look at some of the Ford models that have been derided down through the years.

Model T – What?! How can the car that introduced mass production make the list? Well, the car was fine, but Mr. Henry Ford’s statement, “…you can have any color you want as long as it is black” has been attributed with the rise of General Motors [who gave its customers a choice in colors] which eventually dethroned Ford as the top automaker in the world. No, the Model T was fine, but Mr. Ford’s marketing strategy was not.

Edsel – In September 1957, Ford launched a new division – Edsel – and introduced to America one of the weirdest looking cars. Sporting a “horse-collar” shaped grille – some equated it with a toilet seat – the Edsel line was hyped by Ford and rejected by consumers wholeheartedly. Expecting to build 200,000 Edsels in its first year of production, only 63,000 were built. Other “radical” aspects of the Edsel included a “floating” speedometer that glowed upon reaching a particular speed and an awkward push button transmission with controls attached to the hub of the steering wheel. Even with a quick makeover completed in time for the next model year, the Edsel limped along only to be pulled one month after the third model year vehicles were released.

Pinto – Hey, even I owned one! With a 2.3L inline four cylinder paired with a 4 speed manny tranny, the Pinto was Ford’s answer during the 1970s to the onslaught of Japanese cars flooding the market. The compact rear wheel drive coupe, three door hatchback, or wagon sold fairly well until disaster hit: the revelation that the Pinto’s gas tank was capable of exploding during a rear impact scared buyers away. Mercifully pulled after the 1980 model year; replaced by the popular Escort.

Mustang II – Ford tarnished the Mustang name during the 1970s with this forgettable and ugly model. Resembling a bloated and stretched Pinto, the Mustang II was weak, poorly made, and a terrible competitor against its arch rival, the Camaro. All was forgiven by the early 1980s with the return of a newly designed Mustang. Today’s Mustang, on the other hand, is a sold-out success story as it took its styling cues from a Mustang of another era: the fastback cars of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Before you point your finger at Ford, don’t forget to recall some truly forgettable models, foreign and domestic. The Toyota Van was panned for its ugly styling and for having an engine that had to be dropped from the engine bay in order to do a tune up; the Chevy Vega – a Pinto wannabe; AMC’s Pacer – the Jetson’s car; the Suzuki Samurai and Isuzu Rodeo – flip over specialists; the Yugo – a thinly redone 1960s era Fiat; and countless other cars not worth the mention. You hope that automakers learn from their mistakes, but don’t count on it. Maybe in another generation we will see a truly forgettable Ford show up, but for now there isn’t one in the line up...hooray for that!

Matt Keegan is a writer and an automotive enthusiast. For the best Ford parts, including Catco catalytic converters or Bosch oxygen sensors for your Escort, F Series, Thunderbird, Freestyle or other fabulous Ford vehicle, please visit the Race Pages today!

Ford vehicles are known for their toughness and reliability; however just like other vehicles you see on the road, they are subject to regular car maintenance and occasional repair. Its original Ford parts may wear down over time and so you would need to replace them. However, you too can replace stock parts and equipments in your Ford vehicle to upgrade its performance especially when your car or truck is already old.

One of your most trusted online auto parts dealers is Ford Parts Online. This store is dedicated to giving you top quality replacement performance Ford parts. These parts greatly affect how your vehicle performs and usually, they carry out the most critical tasks. Keeping them in excellent form and working condition is a must in order to bring out your vehicle’s maximum abilities all the time.

Some of these performance parts are also designed to give your Ford auto an outstanding exterior look. They can set your vehicle apart from ordinary cars you see on the streets and highways. Take for example the Ford wheels and tires. The quality of these parts, the size or dimension and how they are positioned greatly affect ride quality and handling; however, they too can give your car a sporty, luxurious or rugged look, depending on what kind of wheels you get for your vehicle.

Ford Parts Online, as your number one Ford Parts Discount store offers these performance parts in very affordable deals, giving you the best satisfaction. Let’s take a look at the store’s available performance parts for your Ford’s engine and electrical systems as well as some insights on the said systems’ function and components.

Ford Engine Parts

Available at Ford Parts Online are heavy duty Ford Explorer timing belt cover, Ford F150 Pickup harmonic balancer, Ford Mustang timing belt cover with oil pump. These parts along with other performance Ford Explorer parts, Ford F150 pickup parts and Ford Mustang parts are designed to endure extremely hot temperatures under the hood so you can expect them to last longer and perform better.

The timing belt cover gives protection to the timing belt. Its task is very important since the timing belts are among the engine parts that easily wear out. The timing belts or timing chains, though simple in design (it looks like a bicycle chain), performs very essential task too, which is to synchronize the movement of the camshaft with the crankshaft. Without proper timing, there could be too little or too much air-fuel mixture entering the engine for combustion.

On the other hand, the crankshaft is the one that converts the straight line motion of the pistons into rotary motion. The turning motion is then transmitted to the transmission and ultimately to the Ford wheels.

Ford Electrical Parts

The major components of your Ford’s electrical system are the Ford battery and the Ford alternator. Many think that the battery is the main source of power but it is not. It only stores the power produced by the alternator.

When the engine is running, it is the Ford alternator that supplies electricity to all the parts of the vehicle that needs it such as the Ford lights, the horn and other electrical equipments. On the other hand, when the engine is not running, the battery takes charge of supplying electricity to all auto parts that need it, such as the Ford starter, which is used to spin the engine over so that the pistons can draw in fuel and air mixture into the cylinder.

There are three sections in an alternator that generate three separate voltages in one revolution or cycle (each phase is shifted by 120 degrees from the next phase). Each phase has its own windings, each of which also has its own pair of diodes. Each of the windings and diodes can fail at a time. Although the alternator may still be able to charge the battery when one of the winding/diodes fails, power stored by the battery would not be enough to supply for the car’s electrical needs. This means you have to limit the use of the AC system and some electrical parts.

However, you don’t have to wait till the alternator finally surrenders. Replace your old or worn out Ford alternator with Ford Parts Online’s top quality replacement alternator. Offered in the store are premium quality alternators for almost all Ford models.

For other performance parts, go visit this number one Ford Parts Discount store’s website. Just click through the link and see for yourself their best quality Ford parts and their exciting deals.

Chuck, a 38 year old freelance writer from Charleston, South Carolina, has been specializing on automotive-related articles and news. He has a degree in Automotive Techonology.