I've worked at Ford dealers since 67 and I remember some of those prices. A valve job was $100. $85 labor and $15 parts. You can't buy a head gasket for $15 now. Of course a valve job is a thing of the past now. And my new 71 Ranchero was $93.06 a month.

Dan      Kingman Az.      86409

I forget what the hourly rate was when I worked at Ford dealerships in the 60's/early 70's but I remember some of the flatrate charges. We charged $75 to overhaul a auto trans, $12.50 for a basic tuneup, $17.50 if you wanted the delux which included checking the engine on the Rotunda engine analizer. Of course the machanic only got 50% of this and the dealership got the other half. Of course a new 1967 LTD 2dr ht w/ 390 four barrel listed for $3473.00 and with the tradein of my 55 scrub, the payment was $121.23 per month. Twenty one years old and cruzing in that baby, talk about being in "Hi cotton" and Amoco preimum was .21 a gal.

Glen Henderson



Freedom is not Free

Letohatchee, AL

I got my first jalopy in 1958. I never went to a dealership because I felt I couldn't afford it. Independent mechanics charged $2 an hour and I couldn't afford that either. But most of them allowed me to watch them so I could learn how to fix things myself.

Kenneth

Fredricksburg, Texas

I just bought an interesting item on Ebay.It is an original suggested flatrate time schedule for repair operations on 1956 cars and trucks.Gives times for all normal repair operations.Remove engine on a T-Bird is 4.0 hours with additional .3 if Fordomatic.Overhaul 4bbl Teapot-2.1 hours.Replace valve lifters through the bottom of motor on a car-2.9 for one and 3.2 for all.Replace fender on a Fairlane is 2.9 hours plus additional time to paint.This book is 200 pages and covers just about any conceiveable labour charge on cars and trucks.Another interesting part of the book is the time conversion table based on the hourly shop rate.The table starts at $1.75 and maximum is $5.00/hour.Multiply suggested repair times by the hourly rate and that is what is charged to the customer.Hourly rate at $3.00 per would cost a T-Bird owner $12.90 to remove an engine with Fordomatic.Cost have sure changed in 50 years!