Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth purchased a new meadowmist green 1956 Ford F-100, which became his rolling business card. Painted white and covered in wild bright red flames, the result was unforgettable. Roth sold the truck at the end of 1957 to Oliver Bradshaw. Bradshaw painted the truck powder blue, followed by dark green, and eventually moved to Paden, Oklahoma, in 1968, where the truck sat in a barn for almost 50 years. Luckily he kept the Roth-painted grill, which later confirmed the truck's pedigree.
Roth's long-lost truck was acquired by Beau Boeckmann in 2016. When it arrived in Van Nuys, California, it was documented and featured in the January 2017 issue of Hot Rod Deluxe. Next, the truck was torn down for a complete restoration to showroom condition. It was then immediately customized and painted exactly as it appeared in vintage photos. Kustom Kulture legend 'Robert Williams' replicated the abstract dash. The body and paint were handled by Dave Shuten and Manual Lopez. The pinstriping and lettering are by Pete 'Hot Dog' Finlan and the tonneau was airbrushed by Von Franco. The stitching was redone, and the correct Y-block V8 was installed before the truck debuted at the 68th Annual Grand National Roadster Show.
There's a reason why the Ford F-Series pickup became America's favorite truck, and it came down to
affordability and durability, which have been present from the beginning. The truck has changed significantly during its first 60 years, but what hasn't changed is Ford's focus on making an increasingly better truck. For over twenty years the Ford F-Series trucks have been the best-selling vehicles in the United States. The F-150 half-ton truck continues to hold on to its title, America's favorite pickup truck for more than thirty years. Though the F-Series continues to redesign itself, high gas prices and a dwindling economy are to blame for the lower truck sales today.
A series of full-size pickup trucks from Ford Motor Company, the F-Series represents a long-standing history with strength and utility. Sold continuously for over sixty years, the F-Series is in its thirteenth generation and continues to be the popular choice for millions of truck enthusiasts. The best-selling vehicle in the US for 24 years, the F-150 is the most popular variant of the F-Series. Though it doesn't include combined sales of GM pickup trucks, the F-150 was also the best-selling vehicle in Canada. In 1998 the F-250 and F-350 changed body style during the 10th generation and joined the Super Duty series. Smaller Canadian provincial communities either had a Lincoln/Mercury/Meteor dealer, or a Ford dealer, but not both, so a Mercury-badged version was sold at the former dealership from 1946 through 1968. These trucks were nearly identical to their Ford brothers, the only differences being found in the grilles, trim and badging.
Ford's all-time best-selling vehicle, the F-Series was the first truly new pickup truck since the start of World War II. Following the war, by 1948 people were returning to their normal lives when Ford introduced the F-1: the first Ford truck to wear the F designation. Buyers could choose from one of three different engines, each with more power than Ford's earlier pickups, along with the appeal of better fuel economy. The first generation of the F-Series rolled out in 1948 as a replacement for the earlier car-based pickup line that had been around since 1941. Also known as the Ford Bonus-Built, the F-series was introduced in eight different weight ratings, with conventional truck, panel truck, pickup, cab-over engine (COE), and school bus chassis body styles. This first generation continued on until 1952.
Ford introduced what they called a Million Dollar cab, and buyers relaxed on a much more comfortable seat than in previous vehicles. An unobstructed view lay before them in Ford's expanded, one-piece windshield. Level Action cab suspension was added along with a stronger chassis to withstand the strenuous job a work truck was designed for. For 1951 the trucks received a new front-end design, and now featured two new trim levels. To improve visibility in the rear the rear window was expanded slightly. The following year brought about Ford first truck overhead valve (OHV) engine, a 215 cubic inch 6-cylinder.
The
second-generation F-Series barreled onto the scene in 1953 with enlarged dimensions, better engines and an enhanced chassis. This generation brought modifications to utility, comfort and safety. This generation lasted until 1956. In 1953 Ford celebrated its 50th anniversary and revamped the F-Series trucks as an important part of the celebration. During this generation the pickups were given there now familiar names with the F-1 becoming the F-100, the F-2 becoming the F-250 and the F-3 renamed the 1-ton F-350.
The updates for this generation went beyond just a typical facelift. Ford added an expanded wheelbase on the trucks and added longer front and rear leaf springs to improve ride quality while still keeping good hauling ability. The inside of the trucks was also completely revamped beginning with a large hood that swept into bulging front fenders. A new windshield was installed with a broader expanse of curved glass to make visibility improved. The rear glass in the truck was also increased. The bench seats were made wider and now featured more adjustment opportunities, improved springs and more padding. The instrument cluster was grouped and now a single unit with relocated switches within easier reach. Added to the 1953 options list was an automatic transmission at a time when many were skeptical how well it would pan out in a pickup. The engine options remained the same in '53, and buyers could choose an Overhead Valve 6-cylinder or a Flathead V8.
In 1954 Ford introduced its new
Overhead Valve V8 engine. This was around six years of research and development and an engine that would lay the stepping-stones for the future of Ford's V8 engine program. 1956 brought about some important updates that include the car-like Full Wrap windshield that increased the field of vision by extending over to a vertical door. The truck's back window also had the option of a Full Wrap as well. On the inside of the F-100 was a newly raised instrument panel with improved visibility for driving. New safety items this year included optional seat belts and double grip Lifeguard door latches. The F-100 featured Ford's Lifeguard Steering wheel, which had a deep-dish design that put a bigger distance between the driver's chest and the center hub. The new V8 engine was modified this year and the displacement grew from 239 cubic inches to 272.
1957 brought along the
F-Series third generation with even more changes and updates. Featuring a significant redesign and a more innovative look, panels with squared lines replaced the previous generation's rounded appearance and prominent front fenders, and a new hood that extended the entire width of the truck. The widened cab and straight lines took away the need for running boards to connect the front and rear fenders so an integrated step-up was added just inside the doors. Ford offered a fresh new look with the Styleside which had flat exterior sides and wheel wells inside the bed. The traditional Flareside cargo box was still available though. The Flareside kept its wood floor while the Styleside bed received a steel floor.
The smooth blend of a car and a pickup, the Ford Ranchero was the ultimate vehicle for the driver who wanted to keep the smooth ride of a car while still maintaining the solid utility of a truck. Also this year, Lee Iacocca became Ford's Truck Marketing Manager.
The tilt-cab C-Series replaced the cab-over F-Series.
In 1958 Ford gave the F-Series a boost in power taking its top engine from 272 to 292 cubic inches and increasing the horsepower from 171 to 186. This year the majority of the changes included slight trim updates.
In-house production of the four-wheel-drive trucks began in 1959 by Ford instead of sending them out to Marmon-Harrington for conversion. These trucks were available in both Styleside and Flareside bodies and with a V8 engine or a 6-cylinder. Ford made numerous updates to the truck's frame to increase its strength later in the production year. Rear cross members were strengthened with 50% heavier gauge steel while reinforcing gussets were joined at the side rails and where some of the cross members attach to the frame rails, resulting in an 18% increase in torsional strength. Ford made its Powr-Lok locking differential available at this same time on 2WD F-Series trucks. It was a unit that improved control in unfavorable driving conditions by automatically transferring power to the wheel with the best traction.
In the final year of the third F-Series generation, 1960, Ford revamped the front end and also updated the materials on the inside of the truck. In this same year Four-wheel drive trucks received cab strengthening in both the mount area and around door openings. Optional on the 1959 4WD models, heavy-duty front and rear springs now became standard equipment. Improvements were also made to both brakes and steering.
A dramatic new style of truck was launched in the
fourth generation of the F-series in 1961. Leaner, longer and lower than the earlier pickups, the new model featured additional dimensions, and all-new engine and transmission choices. From 1961 until 1963 the trucks were built as a unibody design with the cab and bed joined, but this unfortunate body design was unpopular and the F-series soon returned to separate cab/bed design in 1964. To create this innovative look, the Styleside was extended forward to merge into part of the cab. It eliminated the gab between the cab and the bed and removed an ear where trapped dirt, mud and snow left to corrosion. Ford believed that this design would offer a stronger, cleaner appearance. The cargo area was now 9 cubic feet larger than the previous generation, and the open tailgate also became longer, extending almost 13 inches. The windshield posts were relocated, which made enough room for a 22% increase in the windshield itself. Other updates this year included thickier seat padding, a heater with higher output, door locks on both doors, and a recirculating ball-type steering box. The traditional Flareside pickup was also available this year.
For 1965 the F-100 didn't have too many exterior changes, but underneath the hood was where the big updates happened. The Twin I-Beam front suspension was introduced by Ford on all 2WD models which gave the trucks a more 'car-like ride' while still keeping its 'work-truck strength'. The twin axles were glued in place by large-radius arms while coil springs replaced front leaf springs. Splitting the axles, which allowed each wheel to travel over bumps and potholes independently, ensured a much smoother ride. Bench seat trucks received optional seat belts this year. Also this year Ford replaced its long-standing 292 cu. in. V8 engine with a 352 cu. in. FE series engine rated at 208 hp and 315 lb/ft of torque.
Also this year the name Ranger was first introduced on a Ford truck. It referred to a package featuring bucket seats, an optional console and carpeting, all geared towards the large number of consumers that were looking for a functional, yet sporty and comfortable pickup. This generation continued on until 1966.
A brand new 'Low Silhouette' pickup was introduced in 1966. It featured a single-speed transfer case and a mono-beam front axle. It sat much lower than a normal 4WD pickup but featured a 2 inch higher break-over point. Similar to the twin I-Beam set used on this generation's 2WD trucks, the mon-beam front axle used coil springs and large radius arms. Most of the other updates this year were very minor and mostly cosmetic.
The
fifth generation of the F-Series launched in 1967 and continued to be built on the same platform as the 1965 revision of the fourth generation. During this run, the dimensions were expanded, along with the greenhouse glass and the engine options continued to grow. Body lines became much more squared and flat side panels were highlighted with a narrow indentation. Ranger models received stainless molding. In 1967 dual brakes, a safety feature that prevented a localized failure from taking down the entire system, were introduced. More luxurious trim levels were offered during this generation also. By 1967 standards the interior became more 'plush' with added padded sun visors, padded dash and seat belts with shoulder anchor harnesses, all as standard equipment. The same engine and transmission choices remained the same as they in '55 trucks though Ford increased its power train warranty to 5 years or 50,000 miles. Until 1992 a variant of the fifth generation was produced in Brazil for the South American market.
