Good one. I cant deny that FEs were as bad as any Chrysler engine for leaking.
Uh, no. Ford generally used Autolite carbs, and GM used mainly Rochester. I believe most Chrysler products used Carter. They all used Holley carbs from time to time. You will find the occasional Quadrajet on a Ford, but this was an exception. The most common 4 barrell on Mopars was the AFB(?) and it was a very good unit. The TQs were leaky and temperamental, as were the 2 barrell carbs. Holleys are a PITA no matter what they were used on IMHO.
No myth Steve, I've seen it for myself many times. You just got lucky. If I had a nickel for every ballast resistor I replaced back then, I would be pretty well off. I used to carry one in the glove box of my car to help out stranded motorists. If you saw a Chrysler product broken down beside the road, most often it was due to the ballast resistor.
Don't get me wrong Steve, I'm not saying this just to rag on Chrysler products. All of the manufacturers had their quirks. I always preferred Fords and dealt with my share of flaky chokes, hard starts on damp days, bent pushrods and cracked exhaust manifolds. Now that these cars are collectible, folks tend to forget the faults that were common when they were in daily service.