Ford Pickup

Nine years after the launch of Ford's Model T, its customers demanded a vehicle that could transport heavy loads. On July 27, 1917, Ford was ready and launched the TT model, the first pickup in Ford's history. The cab and engine were the same as on the Model T, but the frame, which could now carry a payload of one ton, had been massively reinforced.

The wagon was practical and versatile to Ford's taste, as the frame could accommodate cargo holds and third-party pickup beds.

In 1925, the first factory-assembled pickup truck based on the Model T joined the Ford product range, marking the beginning of the Ford F-series, which is still successful today. This recipe for success sold a good 1.3 million units by 1928, before it was replaced by the AA model with a 1.5-ton payload.

The AA model was available with a new drive train and various axle options. The competition had long since reached the same level as Ford with its commercial vehicles, which is why the AA model was replaced as early as 1933 by the somewhat more powerful BB model, which was used very successfully as a vehicle for civil servants and public authorities.

Two years later, the well-known, thoroughbred pickup called the Model 50 came onto the market. This became famous above all for its legendary drive, as the 1935 Model 50 was available exclusively with the V8 flathead engine. The pickup shared the styling of the current passenger car product range at the time.

In 1938, new pickup and panel models were introduced that had little in common with the previous pickups. The vehicles had been completely redesigned and the look was carried over into 1939 virtually unchanged.

The chassis was outdated, but still did its job and was therefore only slightly optimized. The loading area was larger, the cab more spacious and the grille was now strikingly oval. One of the special features of the 38/39 models was the car-like, curved mudguards.

The introduction of the 39 model was a major event, despite the only slight visual changes, as this was the first model to feature hydraulic brakes. It was the response to many years of criticism of the braking performance of Ford's pickups. For a whole 11 years, Ford resisted changing the tried and tested mechanical braking system.

As with its predecessor, the engine range of the 38/39 models also only included flathead V8 engines. These were available with 60 or 85 hp and a V8 with 95 hp could be fitted to the 39 model on special order.

Henry Ford's quote that you could have your vehicles in any color as long as it was black was already a few years ago, and so you could order the Ford pickup in the colors pewter red, black, blue, green with a cream stripe, maroon, gull gray and dark gray with a red stripe.

Production of the successful model came to a halt in 1941 when Ford shifted its considerable production power in favor of the war effort. By this time, Ford had produced over 4 million trucks.