Ford has been making trucks for decades, and consumers have been eating them up since the day they hit the market. These trucks were functional and perfect for labor-heavy jobs that required a vehicle that could withstand all sorts of conditions. It was the start of an era that is still going strong to this day as we see evidence of them all over the roadways.
There are some facts that every Ford truck enthusiast should know about these awesome vehicles. A few of these facts have been lost with time, but we are here to uncover the truth. Keep reading to learn ten things you didn't know about the Ford F-150!
10 10. It Debuted In 1948
The birth of the Ford F-150 was in 1948 when they released the F-1 for the first time. It was used mainly on farms for hauling and transportation and it became an instant hit in American society.
The name F-150 wasn't coined until 1975 when they decided to find a name for their intermediate model, and it seemed to stick. That same year we saw the F-100 and F-250 make their grand entrance, but the F-150 is what has stuck in the minds of the people to this very day.
9 9. Ford Made Trucks In Brazil
Ford teamed up with Sulamericana in 1962 to make trucks at factories in Brazil. They were built on the Ford F-series frame, but it would be hard to believe it is the same company we have in America.
They came up with their own versions of these trucks like the GB Fly and the Monaco which looked nothing like the trucks we are used to seeing. They seemed to combine the functionality of the truck with that of their favorite car design and they only became stranger as the years went on.
8 8. They Made a Truck That Came With A Camper
This special edition truck was called the Ford Super Camper Special Pickup and it was a sight to see. The company partnered with an RV company in Indiana in order to produce the campers that were made specifically for their trucks. Unfortunately, it wasn't a huge seller and production stopped after only 1,000 units were produced. It was a great idea, but the timing was all wrong as people during this time were not in the market for gas guzzlers with the oil embargo breathing down their necks in the 1960s.
7 7. There Are Commemorative Lego Sets
There is a Lego set called the Ford F-150 Raptor & Ford Model A Hot Rod that gives enthusiasts the chance to build their very own truck. This included a truck that you had to assemble, as well as an accompanying trail. There are a total of 664 parts in the set, complete with stickers and a welding kit for the ultimate experience.
They managed to give the model-independent suspension just like the actual truck, and Lego enthusiasts couldn't be happier about this development. It serves as the perfect gift for anyone obsessed with this brand, but it can be difficult at times to find due to its special features.
6 6. 4WD Wasn't A Ford Thing Until 1959
The option had been available to truck owners back in the day, but it came at a steep price. This was because Ford had sent their trucks out to a third-party vendor to be converted into a 4WD vehicle.
It wasn't until 1959 that Ford's factories gained the capability and knowledge to install this feature themselves which cut costs and increased sales on this already popular truck. It transformed the market for these vehicles as they grew the brand with their ingenuity.
5 5. There Was Something Called The Mercury Truck
The Mercury truck was a popular model in Canada in the 1950s and 1960s. It was not called Ford in Canada, but rather it was a Lincoln-Mercury-Ford dealership as they transformed the Ford Truck into something a little more civilized than what was on the American market.
This new vehicle was called the Meteor and they were an upscaled version of this classic truck. The Canadian market was not as lucrative as that in America, but they still managed to turn a profit on these similar-looking trucks.
4 4. They Are A Bestseller
These trucks have been popular since their release in 1948, and in terms of trucks has been a global bestseller. Ford's second-quarter in 2019 saw the sale of 324,243 trucks, which made up half of their entire vehicle sales.
It was their best performance since 2004 and they couldn't be happier with the results, especially since their Ranger sales seem to be picking up the pace. They continue to wipe the floor with their competition as they beat out their competitors like Chevrolet and Dodge for the top spot in the race to sell the most.
3 3. They Used The Same Front Bumper For 20 years
Ford was a huge fan of the front bumper they used in 1959, so they decided to keep the same part in production for the next 20 years. It could come in chrome or be painted to match the body, and no one saw anything wrong with sticking with this old part.
It made it easy to find a replacement for trucks made in this era, and it is a shame they didn't continue this trend with the trucks they released later on. It is an impressive state though, and one that has not been beaten to this day.
2 2. It Made The Best Monster Truck
Monster trucking became huge in the 1980s and the Ford was the truck of choice. The first monster truck was built using a Ford F-250 and it was a huge hit with the crowds. Many others began jumping on the bandwagon by turning their trucks into these huge demolition machines. They were built to handle anything, and it showed at these events when people tested their Ford's abilities and took down the toughest opponents. They have continued to be the truck of choice as legendary monster truckers created icons like Bigfoot, Snake Bite, and Grave Digger all rested on Ford frames.
1 1. The Unibody Was The Worst Design
Ford tried something new in 1961 when they created the unibody design that made the cab and bed of the truck into a single piece. They thought it would give it a unique look as well as cut down on costs as production time was decreased in this simplified process. All was well until someone decided to load the truck bed with heavy supplies.
A truck is meant to be used and abused, but this caused issues as the doors would pop open on their own. Customers even found that sometimes their doors would never shut again as the weight distribution in the back caused the bed to bend in irreversible ways.