But in those days, Ford and Chevy (and Chrysler’s Plymouths) were all considered low-class and junky., or at best, cheap cars for large families. By the time you got up to a loaded Cutlas Supreme, you were way above the Chevys and Pontiacs of the world.
I suppose, technically, you’d have to call me a “Ford Guy”, because over about the last 28 years, I’ve owned three F-150s. But that’s largely because they’re the vehicle I fit in.
Growing up, we had a few different cars, and my dad was emphatically not a “car guy”. I think he ever only owned one car that he actively liked (a classic Rocket Oldsmobile), but other than that, he bought what was on the lot, that he could drive away with that day, if it was big enough for the family.
Every time I’ve been out looking for a new vehicle, I’ve looked at many different models, and aside from the F-150s, there’s always been something about the interior space of the other cars and trucks that have made them non-viable for me. So I’m a “Ford Guy” by default, mostly. I’d love to have a smaller, more fuel efficient car, but I can’t find one.
I did test drive a Nissan Cube last time around (in 2019), and I could have driven that, but they stopped making the Cube a few years earlier, so all you could find were really old used cars, that were well outside their useful life spans. The one I tested was being sold “as is”, and they were clear upfront that it couldn’t meet the provincial safety standards without a lot of work.
I used to be Chevy all the way. I really don’t think it matters much anymore. You spin the wheel, you take your chances.
Dodge Ram guy here. But for specific mechanical reasons, no brand loyalty or fandom.
I frequently relocate heavy objects* on the Earth’s surface. For that I need a heavy duty (3/4 ton) pickup truck. Occasionally I must drive the truck empty as well. Most heavy duty trucks have a brutal ride when unloaded.
Ram is the only manufacturer of heavy duty trucks with coil springs in the rear. The ride comfort when empty is amazingly good, compared to the other two brands.
*2000+ lbs. in bed, 12,000+ lbs. towed.
The bean-counter theory makes a lot of sense, but I would not rule out that the engineers never used the final product, or didn’t use it until the production line had been set. I found this out on a non-automotive piece of equipment where the maintenance protocol touch screen was blocked by an access panel to the part being maintained.
Ford.
We twinning. Me too! 
ISTM that other than families who worked for the big 3, any brand loyalty in the 1960s-1990s was a form of ancestor worship: following our parents’ prejudices formed by their 1950s anecdotal experiences.
Excepting special circumstances such as @pullin, brand loyalty to any big three after ~1990 is a major exercise in ancestor worship for now irrelevant reasons.
Good call. I’m told that after I was born, I rode home from the hospital in my mother’s lap, in my Dad’s 1957 Chevy. Years later, I would learn to drive on Dad’s 1969 Chevy.
So I’m a Chevy guy. True, I once owned a Honda (which I quite liked, except for the little itty-bitty repairs that were often needed, like burned-out headlights) and a Chrysler-Jeep (which worked great until it didn’t), but I’ve driven a Chevrolet of some sort since 2000. I guess Dad’s influence worked. First, I owned a Blazer, then a Tahoe. The Blazer lasted twelve years, and could have lasted a few years longer; the Tahoe has lasted 13 years so far. Each has been taken on great long road trips (the Blazer made it to all Canadian provinces except Newfoundland; the Tahoe is missing QC, NB, NS, PEI, and NL), and performed well every time.
I’ve found Chevrolets to be good, reliable vehicles. So, I’ll stick with them.
I would consider owning a Ranger or Colorado/Canyon, but 1) RAM doesn’t make smallers size and 2) I would not own Stellantis.
Ram has plans to revive the Dakota in 2028. That solves 1, but obviously not 2.