Discover the Ford F-150

Early Days of Ford F-Series

Ford introduced the F-150 truck in 1948, known then as the Bonus-Built trucks. One of the features that made this truck unique was that it was built on a dedicated truck platform instead of a car platform. The F-150 was a long way from the first Ford truck, which was a Model TT in the 1910’s.

The F-150 wasn’t actually known as such in the early days. It was part of the F-Series trucks, which were labeled F-1 through F-8. The models were divided by weight, but all had a manual transmission. Production was shut down in these early years because of the war effort and Ford’s involvement in producing war vehicles. However, the F-Series was one of the first vehicles to be recognized after the war ended.

The Next Generations

The second generation came along in 1953 with a complete redesign. Along with a new look, the Ford F-Series had new names with the F-1 becoming the F-100. A third generation was produced in 1957 with the fourth generation coming in 1961. These models were predecessors of the F-150, which wouldn’t be developed until later.

During these early generations, Ford continued to innovate the trucks with features that were practically unheard of at the time. For instance, the Twin-I-Beam front suspension was introduced in 1965 and would become part of the design for the F-150 until the late 90’s.

The Introduction of the F-150

While Ford had made a name for itself as a truck manufacturer, it wasn’t until 1975 that the F-150 was introduced and would change the truck and Ford forever. This model would become the best selling truck ever.

The seventh generation came out in 1980 with a complete redesign. The F-150 became the lightest truck in 1983 when production of the F-100 stopped. This model also was updated to add more upscale amenities, such as a locking gas cap, power windows and doors, power mirrors, and tinted windshields.

The F-150 was altered to become the first truck with a non-carbureted engine in 1988 as part of the eighth generation. This pickup received a facelift during the ninth generation with a lower hood line, a new grille, and fender. The dashboard was updated in 1994 and a brake stop light was added.

Newer Models Making History

With the release of the tenth generation, the Ford F-150 was in a category of its own as the F-250 and F-350 were moved into the working class category. The F-150 was updated to provide a smoother ride as a personal truck with the addition of a V6 as standard power.

The eleventh generation saw a new platform for the F-150 with four doors being standard for all trims. A V8 Triton engine was added as an available option while navigation also became available. During this time period, the F-150 won the North America Truck of the Year award in 2004 along with numerous other awards.

More changes came with the twelfth generation, such as electric power-assisted steering. The thirteenth generation added more technology, such as adaptive cruise control. One of the big changes for the F-150 was losing 750 pounds from the design as it switched to all-aluminum for the body.

As Ford continues to innovate with the F-150, it consistently stays at the top of its category. Come on out to Premier Clearance Center Metairie to find the Ford F-150 model that’s right for you to drive around New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, and Chalmette.