Ford F-Series is First Produced

For more than two decades, Ford F-Series trucks were the best selling vehicle in the United States, and the F-150 (the series' half-ton) still retains a title its held for over thirty years America's favorite pickup truck.
Today's lower truck sales are the result of higher gas prices and a dwindling economy, and not a reflection of the latest F-Series redesign. F-Series trucks still own a decent share of the automotive market, and were popular with buyers during the U.S. government's Cash for Clunkers program, with 16,263 F-150s sold (versus the top selling vehicle, the Toyota Corolla at 29,488).

Ford F-Series Pickup Trucks: 1948-1952

In 1948, Ford introduced the F-Series, the first truly new pickup trucks since the beginning of World War II. Here's a look at the beginnings of the pickup truck that's since become Ford's all-time best selling vehicle.
F-Series Pickup Trucks: 1948-1952
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Ford F-Series Pickup Trucks: 1953-1956

Ford revamped its F-Series pickup trucks in 1953 to coincide with the company's 50th Anniversary. Take a look back at the features early 1950s buyers found when they went shopping for a Ford truck.
F-Series Pickup Trucks: 1953-1956
Ford F-Series Pickup Trucks: 1957-1960

New additions to Ford's third generation F-Series trucks included the introduction of the first Styleside body in F-Series history, with a steel bed floor and a sleeker, more modern appearance.
F-Series power was boosted and Ford began producing its own 4WD trucks, no longer sending them out for conversion.

The Ranchero was introduced during this period, and Lee Iaccoca became Ford's Trucks Marketing Manager.

F-Series Pickup Truc...

1948-1952

The first 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" improvements over Ford's previous pickups were smoother body contours, integrated headlights, a bigger cab and a one-piece windshield. Two engines were available: a 226-cubic-inch inline six rated at 95 horsepower and a 239-c.i. V8 that put out 100 horses.

1951 brought a new base engine, a 215-c.i. inline six with 101 horsepower.

The F-Series continued through 1952 with some cosmetic revisions (such as different grille inserts) as well as mechanical upgrades (such as a waterproof ignition) to improve performance and durability.

1953-1956

A somewhat sleeker look appeared for 1953, with the hood flowing into the grille and front fenders, as opposed to sitting on top of them. The consumer-oriented pickups were now called the F-100 and F-250. Heavy-duty versions were renamed F-350.

For 1954 the "Mileage Maker" inline six grew to 223 c.i. and put out 115 horsepower. The 239 "Power King" V8 kicked out 130 ponies. A "Driverized Cab" option provided such luxuries as armrests, a dome light, a cigar lighter and sun visors. Minor cosmetic updates, mainly in the grille area, continued through 1956. Horsepower also increased, with the six rated at 137 horsepower and the V8 (increased in size to 272 c.i.) pumping out 173 horsepower.

1957-1960

A modern restyle occurred for 1957 with a lower hood that was now flush with the front fenders. Two body styles were available, the traditional Flareside with its separate rear fenders and a new Styleside model with smooth sides that lended a more unified appearance.

A new grille debuted for 1958.

1959 saw a larger V8 (292 c.i., 186 horsepower), the availability of four-wheel drive and two-tone interior trim along with the traditional front-end freshening. The clean '59 grille gave way to a heavy, bug-eyed scheme for 1960.

1961-1966

1961 brought a com...

The F-Series is a series of full-size pickup trucks from Ford Motor Company sold for over five decades. The most popular variant of the F-Series is the F-150. It was the best-selling vehicle in the United States for 23 years and has been the best-selling truck for 33 years, though this does not include combined sales of GM pickup trucks. Analysts estimate that the F-Series alone makes up half of the Ford Motor Company's profits in recent years[citation needed]. In the tenth generation of the F-series, the F-250HD and F-350 changed body style and joined the Super Duty series.

The first F-Series truck (known as the Ford Bonus-Built) was introduced in 1948, replacing the company's previous car-based pickup line. It was a modern-looking truck with a flat, one-piece windshield and integrated headlights. Options were the "See-Clear" windshield washer (operated by foot plunger), passenger side windshield wiper & sun visor, and passenger side taillight. The F-1 truck was also available with additional chrome and two horns as an option. All F-series were available in "Marmon-Herrington All Wheel Drive" until 1959. A Mercury-badged version of this F-Series was sold only in Canada.
Design of the F-Series truck changed little from 1948 to 1952. From 1948–1950, the grill was a series of horizontal bars and the headlights were set into the fenders. For 1951 and 1952, the headlights were connected by a wide aerodynamic cross piece with three similarly aerodynamic supports. The rear window was wider in the later trucks and the dashboard was redesigned.
F-series trucks were built at sixteen different Ford plants. Serial numbers indicate the truck model, engine, year, assembly plant, and unit number. The most common model was the F-1 with a 6 ½-foot bed followed by the F-2 and F-3 Express models with an 8-foot (2.4 m) bed.

F-1: 1/2 ton (4,700 GVWR max)
F-2: 3/4 ton (5,700 GVWR max)
F-3: Heavy Duty 3/4 ton (6,800 GVWR max)
F-3: Parcel Delivery (7,000 GVWR max) & optional...