P.A. Schilke back stories

[D Fresh]

Need to add this one to the OP

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/towing-pontoon-on-interstate.18841/page-2

Hi Billy,

I can tell you that I am the guy behind this Mitsubishi Diesel. I was on loan to the Automobile Emissions and Fuel Economy activity in World Headquarters. AEFEO... I was the California Liaison for their inspection maintenance program. So when the stint was over in 1980, which I did okay but the political environment of WHQ sucked. So I headed back to Truck Engineering after this 3 year stint that my higher ups had me do on loan, I was assigned to an area that had a program for which I would be in charge. The HPC diesel program for Ranger. HPC Is High Power Compact diesel. I was to search the world for such a diesel engine. I had a matrix of diesels from Onan, Renault, AVL and so on. All in all there were about 52 compact diesel engines. Most were discarded but we did have meetings with several but the Mitsubishi bubbled to the top and we entered into negotiations with them. I made 5 or six trips to Japan as the Technical Expert in the negotiating team. Since the Ranger did not exist at the time, the first engine was installed in a Flairside Short Wheel base F150 with manual trans. I helped the mechanics in the X garage do the install. Truck was not bad for performance.... so Negotiations progressed and I got a prototype 1982½ Ranger in which to install another Mitsu Diesel but with auto trans.... Build took much longer as it was given to Milford Fabrication and they were just flat not able to accomplish this without hand holding. I was so frustrated I called MilFab as they were known at the time, MilBolt...they could not fabricate their way out of a wet paper bag... Testing showed the automatic trans version was a slug, but our top brass signed the contract and thus the Ranger with Mitsubishi Diesel was launched... I can't say I was proud of the package, but I got a promotion over the course of this program....Then the Oldsmobile 350 diesel debacle killed consumer interest in diesels and we abandoned the Mitisu diesel.

I still have contacts from Japan on this program, especially Akira K... We still keep in touch... The other thing as Ford and Mitsubishi agreed on rear axles and transmissions and the Ranger with the diesel you had also had a Mitsubishi transmission...

First time I have told this back story I believe...

best,
Phil

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[dano42]

bump

 

[BiilyJones]

This thread should be stickied

Yep.

 

[Cmar]

Phil have you ever read a book by Charles Sorenson, entitled "Forty Years with Ford" written by one of Henry's right hand men in the early days. It's an interesting read, mostly he's full of praise for his former boss and friend but pulls no punches in places.

 

[jdh951]

Thanks to the OP AND to Phil, those that have contributed as well .
This is a good read!

 

[AdamHarris]

This is from a cool book I got for Xmas 19 years ago. They mistakenly call it an F-series but it’s a Ranger. You responsible for this one Mr Phil?

 

[P. A. Schilke]

This is from a cool book I got for Xmas 19 years ago. They mistakenly call it an F-series but it’s a Ranger. You responsible for this one Mr Phil?

One of my Ford Teams! Johnson & Johnson...Ford Ranger... our house team was Bill Stroppe and Many Esquerra and their potent Ranger! I started managing Ford Off Road Racing in 1977 for the remainder of my career to 2002... Way cool! I have this book somewhere in my archives too...

Best,
Phil

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

Holy crap KJ - did that list grow three or four times its original length since you first posted it? It’s really something!

Thanks for posting it and adding to it. So much fun to read. ? It should be the official Anthology for all Ford newbie engineers.

 

[KJRR]

Holy crap KJ - did that list grow three or four times its original length since you first posted it? It’s really something!

Thanks for posting it and adding to it. So much fun to read. ? It should be the official Anthology for all Ford newbie engineers.

There are more stories than I expected, and I've been finding stories I haven't read before, so it's been fun.

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