Ford Celebrates 100 Years of Work Trucks
Timeline courtesy of Ford.
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Timeline courtesy of Ford.
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Ford is celebrating the centennial of its first purpose-built truck, the 1917 Model TT, which eventually led to the company producing many iconic work trucks, including the F-Series that has been the best-selling truck lineup for 35 years.
Henry Ford launched the Model TT nine years after his Model T sedan to provide a vehicle that could haul heavier loads and provide greater utility for work and deliveries, according to a Ford release. When it was introduced on July 27 of that year, it used the Model T cab and engine, but added a heavier-duty frame that could carry a 1 ton payload.
Ford sold 209 Model TT trucks in 1917 for $660 per vehicle.
At the time, Ford wanted a chassis that could accommodate third-part beds, cargo areas, and other add-ons that increased functionality for work. By 1928, Ford has sold 1.3 million Model TTs, when the company replaced the truck with the Model AA that offered a 1.5-ton chassis.
Henry Ford marketed his early trucks heavily in rural areas, said Bob Kreipke, Ford’s historian.
“Model AA trucks in particular had a certain class to them,” he said. “Customers could use them on the farm, yet still take them to church on Sunday.”
In 1933, Ford replaced the Model AA with the Model BB that could be outfitted as a mail or freight vehicle, ambulance, or stake truck. Two years later, Ford introduced the Model 50 pickup that was powered by Ford’s Flathead V-8 engine.
By 1941, Ford has sold more than 4 million trucks. The company shifted to war production and began building heavy-duty military trucks and four-wheel-drive personnel carriers.
Ford introduced its F-Series Bonus Built trucks in 1948, which offered vehicles with a range of capability from classes 2-7. The F-1 pickup was the entry model, while the F-8 arrived as a …Read the rest of this story
