| 1948-1952 The first Ford F-Series, called the F-1 (half ton), F-2 (three-quarter ton), or F-3 (Heavy Duty), were introduced as 1948 models. A few "modern" additional improvements over Ford's previous pickups were smoother body contours, integrated headlights, a bigger cab and a one-piece windshield. The 2 engines available were a 226 cubic inch inline six of 95 horsepower and a 239 cubic inch V8 that produced 100 horsepower. The 1951 release brought a new base engine, a 215 cubic inch inline 6 with 101 hp. The Ford F-Series continued through 1952 with minor revisions (such as slightly different grille inserts) plus mechanical upgrades (such as a waterproof ignition) which brought improvements to performance and durability. |
| 1953-1956 A sleeker look appeared for 1953, with the hood flowing into the grille & front fenders, instead of sitting on top of them. The consumer-oriented pickup trucks were now called the F-100 and F-250. In addition, a heavy-duty version was renamed F-350. For 1954 the "Mileage Maker" engine to 223 cubic inch and produced 115 horsepower. The 239 "Power King" V8 put out 130 hp. A "Upmarket Cab" option provided luxuries as armrests, a dome light, and sun visors. Minor cosmetic updates, mainly in the grille area, were made throughout 1956. Horsepower was also increased, with the six cylinder engine rated at 137 horsepower and the V8 (increased in size to 272 cubic inch) producing 173 horsepower. |
| 1957-1960
A modern-looking restyling occurred in 1957 with a much lower hood flush with the front fenders. Two body styles were available, the standard Flareside with separate rear fenders and a newer Styleside model featuring smooth sides that created a more unified appearance. A new grille was introduced for 1958. 1959 saw a larger V8 (292 cubic inch 186 horsepower), plus the availability of 4wd and two-tone interior trim along with the some minor front-end restyling. The cleaner '59 grille gave way to a heavier, bug-eyed styling for 1960. |
| 1961-1966
1961 brought a complete redesign of the body. The F-Series went back to single headlights and the trucks were slightly lower and wider than previous models. Flareside and Styleside trays continued to be available, and the Stylesides model had a one-piece cab and box for a smoother look. Yearly grille changes took place again in 1965, with 3 new engines introduced. The 240 and 300 cubic inch inline sixes, producing 150 and 170 horsepower, respectively, plus a 352 cubic inch V8 with 208 horsepower. |
| 1967-1972
A newer, smoother body styling was introduced for 1967 that also provided a larger cab with more glass. Three trim levels were added - base, custom and Ranger. The Ranger featured carpeting, plush seats with chrome external trim standard. In 1968 functional improvements were made, featuring a new, 360 ci V8 engine which replaced the 352, plus a 390 V8 was now available. Ford F-100 models now featured a new, "Mono-Beam" front suspension with coil springs instead of the leaf springs, which the F-250s still had. A Crew Cab was offered for 1969. 1970 provided Ford F-Series buyers a choice of four trim levels - Custom, Sport, Ranger and the high-end Ranger XLT. A 302-cubic inch V8 with 220 horsepower was now available in addition to the former engine choices. Grille designs changed slightly to for the 1971 and 1972 models |
| 1973-1979
Ford's popular pickup was updated and improved in many ways for 1973. A beefier frame, a roomier cab, an optional 460-cubic inch V8, an optional automatic transmission and Twin-I-Beam (Twin-Traction Beam on four-wheel-drive models) front suspension were the more notable functional changes. A new body topped these changes and featured a concave groove that ran the length of the body and a cleaner grille with integrated turn signals. The big news for 1974 was the introduction (late in the model year) of the extended cab version of the F-Series, called the SuperCab. A SuperCab was available only with the Styleside body and could be fitted with either a bench seat or a pair of jump seats in the rear compartment. Aside from minor facelifts in the grille area, the F-Series continued through 1976 with little change. Engine choices were revised for 1977 with 351- (163 horsepower) and 400-cubic inch (169 horses) V8s replacing the 360 V8 option. For 1978, the 300-cubic inch inline six (114 horsepower) became the standard base engine and square headlights debuted (on all models except Custom). The luxurious Ranger Lariat was introduced that year as well as a new, more massive grille. 1979 brought square headlights for all F-Series trucks. |
| 1980-1986
Entering the eighties, Ford's 1980 trucks sported an evolutionary, more aerodynamic redesign. The face of the hood was slanted rearward, the grille had a cleaner look and the body sides were more chiseled with a flatter accent groove. The SuperCab's quarter windows were split for a twin window effect. A bonus of the revamped interior was 10 percent more legroom. Flareside (regular cab only) and Styleside (regular or SuperCab) styles were again offered and the big 460 V8 was dropped from the option list. 1982 saw the "FORD" letters on the hood replaced by the blue Ford oval in the grille center and the fitment of new, "lubed for life" ball joints. The Ranger name was dropped from trim lines, as it would be the moniker for a new compact pickup that Ford introduced later that year. F-Series models now consisted of base, XL, XLT and XLT Lariat. 1983 saw engine offerings increased to again include the 460 V8 (or 7.5-liter, as now engine sizes were referred to in liters) with 245 horsepower and a 6.9-liter diesel V8. The diesel had less horsepower (170 horses) than a gas engine of equal size but a lot more torque for heavy hauling and towing duty. And this was the last year for the F-100, as the F-150 became the new base truck for 1984. No changes occurred for 1985 and 1986. |
| 1987-1991
After being the best-selling vehicle for nine straight years, Ford made sweeping changes to the F-Series in 1987. A newer front end featuring flush headlights, wrap-a-round parking lights and a simple grille with 12 openings. New front fenders, hood and bumper added to the new, more streamlined look. A revised instrument panel featuring more legible gauges and a larger glove box. Routine maintenance was made easier via an easy-access fuse box and simplified alternator belt replacement, power steering pump and A/C compressor. Primary safety improved greatly with antilock rear brakes, as Ford was the first company to make this feature standard on trucks. The 4.9-liter inline six featured fuel injection as standard, providing a 20 percent increase in output of 150 hp. Later in the year, the 7.5-liter V8 was also fitted with fuel injection. 1988 saw the SuperCab offered in a shorter wheelbase all engines now fuel injected. Horsepower for the range of engines stood at 150 hp for the 4.9 litre inline six, 185 hp for the 5.0 litre V8, 210 hp for the 5.8-liter V8, 230 hp for the 7.5-liter V8 and 180 hp for the 7.3 litre diesel V8. 4 speed manual gearboxes were replaced with five-speed gearboxes. SuperCab models had a tilt and slide feature on both sides that allowed easier ingress and egress for rear seat passengers. Later in the year, automatically locking front hubs were introduced as standard equipment, and manual locking hubs were made optional for those who preferred them. 1990 was the year of the Package. A heavy-duty service package, ideal for snowplow operators, consisted of a heavy-duty battery, high-capacity radiator and skid plates. And a sport appearance package included fancy wheels and a large tape stripe adorning the pickup's flanks. An electronically controlled, four-speed unit was now offered which promoted better fuel economy and reduced engine wear. Automatic hub locks were made standard for F-250 and F-350 trucks for 1991. And as with the F-150 the year before, the manual hubs were optional. Helping to make the transition from two-wheel to four-wheel drive even easier was an optional (on models with the 5.0-liter V8/automatic overdrive transmission) "Touch-Drive" electronic transfer case control that put the truck into four-wheel drive with the press of a dash-mounted button. Two-sided galvanized steel was adopted for the hood, tailgate and doors to help fend off body cancer (rust). The oddly named "Nite" package debuted this year as an option for the XLT Lariat and featured blackout trim, alloy wheels with 235/75/15 white-lettered tires, sport suspension and the obligatory decals. |
| 1992-1996
Taking the aerodynamic approach a step further, the 1992 F-Series was facelifted with a smoother nose that had the front light clusters and bumper ends angled back slightly. "Aero" mirrors and a revised tailgate completed the fresh look. A new instrument panel contained easier-to-use controls and a power point. Plusher seats and door trim made the interior more inviting, and SuperCab models offered a large, optional console in addition to standard three-point rear seatbelts. And after a four-year hiatus, the Flareside version returned in 1992. For 1993 the Custom model was dropped, as the XL became the new base model. The Sport Appearance was also axed. Raising the seat cushion and adding padding improved rear seat comfort in SuperCab models. The aptly named Lightning, with its tire-smoking 240 horsepower, 5.8-liter V8 joined the popular F-Series lineup. More a boulevard brawler than workhorse, the Lightning was available only in a standard cab, two-wheel-drive configuration. Safety upgrades took place for 1994 when a driver's side airbag (except on heavy-duty models), side door beams and a high, center-mounted third brakelight debuted. A couple of new options showed up this year: a CD player and a 40/20/40 front seating arrangement that had a center seat which converted to an armrest with a built-in storage compartment and cupholders. Still on top of the sales charts as the No. 1 selling vehicle, the F-Series brought a new model into the fold for 1995: the Eddie Bauer edition. Named after the outdoor gear and apparel company favored by yuppies, the Eddie Bauer F-Series was the most luxurious Ford pickup available, with features such as two-tone paint, air conditioning, power everything, stereo with cassette, alloy wheels and the 40/20/40 front seat. A new 7.3-liter, "Power Stroke" turbodiesel became optional on F-250 Heavy Duty pickups. Matched to a four-speed automatic gearbox, the new engine put out 210 horsepower and 425 foot-pounds of torque, making it ideal for heavy hauling and towing applications. Two models were dropped and two were added for 1996: F-150 Flareside and Lightning models met their demise and shorter-wheelbase versions of the F-250 Heavy Duty SuperCab and Crew Cab debuted. The short-wheelbase versions had a bed length of 6.75 feet versus the 8-foot bed of the longer-wheelbase trucks. |
| Current Generation
Ford took a very risky route and went for a very different look when it created its F-150 in 1997. The F-150 best-selling vehicle, let alone truck, in America for 13 years now featured a smooth jellybean-like style that stands in sharp contrast to the chiseled box look that had lasted for so long. A trio of new engines are charged with powering the new Ford F-150. A 4.2-liter V6 with 202 hp and 252 ft lbs of torque, a 4.6-liter V8 engine rated at 231 horses and 293 ft-lbs and a 5.4-liter V8 pumping out 260 horses and an impressive 350 ft-lbs of twist. As before, a dazzling array of F-150s are offered. Regular cab, SuperCab and SuperCrew body styles cater to passenger-carrying demands. A choice of standard or Flare side tray styles are offered (except on SuperCrew — standard bed only) and trim levels consisting of base XL, midlevel XLT and plush Lariat. Additionally, the Lightning made its comeback in 1999 featuring a supercharged 360 hp 5.4-liter V8, high-performance suspension, 18-inch wheels and a standing quarter mile time of 14 seconds. Another special F-150, the Harley-Davidson edition was introduced the following year. The Harley edition (based on a 2WD SuperCab) came with black paint with orange accents, huge (20-inch) wheels, special leather interior trim, and plenty of badges Harley Davidson trim items. Ford later brought out a couple of additional trim levels for the SuperCrew with a fully-equipped "King Ranch" edition with two-tone paint and a cabin an abundance of saddle leather trim, and the latest Harley-Davidson edition that again featured 20-inch chrome wheels fitted with large 275/45R20 tires, special black paint scheme with flame striping and standard Harley emblems and a black leather interior. The other F-Series models, the 250 and 350, soldiered on with the pre-1997 body style and platform until 1999, when the heavy-duty brutes were completely revamped. A massive grille and a more traditional squared-off design separate these big boys from their smaller F-150 brother. Three body styles; regular cab, SuperCab and Crew Cab are available in the traditional Ford truck trim levels called XL, XLT and Lariat. Powering the F-250 and F-350 trucks was the 5.4-liter V8 available in the F-150 and a pair of super-engines - a 6.8-liter V10 with 275 hp and 410 ft-lbs of torque and a 7.3-liter turbodiesel V8 with 235 hp and a tremendous 500 ft-lbs of twist. 1998 consisted chiefly of a 50th anniversary decal affixed to the windshield. An STX package later became available on XLT 2WD models featuring 17-inch alloy wheels and a color-keyed grille. The deluxe Lariat now had a leather-bound steering wheel with turning signal indicators built into the side mirrors. A few years after the revamping of the light-duty trucks, the heavier models got their turn in 1999. Unlike the rounder style of the F-150 and F-250 models, the F-250 and F-350 Super Duty versions had prominent grilles, angular body lines and "stepped-down" front side windows, reinforcing their big truck status. Regular Cab, Super Cab and Crew Cab body styles were available, as were a variety of power plants that including the Power Stroke turbodiesel V8. 2000 brought the Harley-Davidson model of the F-150. Fitted with leather trim, this special SuperCab Flareside 2WD also featured black paint with orange accents, the 5.4 V8, (20-inch) chrome wheels and a plethora of Harley emblems about the body and cabin. These Super Duty trucks picked up ABS brakes, plus power windows and central locking as standard for the XLT trim levels. A crew cab body style, called "SuperCrew," was introduced for 2001. The Harley-Davidson edition opting for the the SuperCrew body this year, and a new high-end trim debuted, called King Ranch. Named after the famous Texas cattle ranch. The King Ranch featured a leather interior that reminded one of a Western saddle. Four-wheel ABS was a standard feature across the line as were power-adjustable pedals on the Lariat models. A bunch of newer options (heated front seats, power sunroof and rear-seat entertainment system) were introduced late in the year. |
