Ford · 1947–1952

Ford F-Series first generation

The first generation of the Ford F-Series (also known as the Ford Bonus-Built trucks) is a series of trucks that was produced by Ford Motor Company from the 1948 to the 1952 model years. The introduction of the F-Series marked the divergence of Ford car and truck design, developing a chassis intended specifically for truck use. Alongside pickup trucks, the model line included also panel vans, bare and cowled chassis, and marked Ford's entry into the medium- and heavy-duty truck segment. From 1947 to 1952, Ford assembled F-Series trucks at 16 facilities across North America. In Canada, the model line was also marketed through Lincoln-Mercury as the Mercury M-Series to expand dealership coverage in rural areas. This generation of F-Series pickup trucks is the only generation to use entirely flathead engines (inline-6 and V8s).

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Successor: Ford F-Series second generation

All Ford F-Series data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

Development & Design

After World War II, Ford's war-time effort toward producing B-24 bombers, jeeps, tank engines, and other military hardware ended. When civilian passenger cars and trucks were put back into production, Ford produced the same truck and car design since 1941. After the 1947 model year was introduced, a completely new design was planned, which could appeal to various applications, extending further than just having a single purpose. The development objective included making the driving easier, with comfortable and roomier cab, and a great customer appreciation. When introduced, Ford's new truck would be the only truck featuring an all-new post-war design. GM's Advance Design trucks featured an all-new body, but was based on a pre-war A platform which were at the time shared with other GM passenger cars. Dodge's B series, although fully redesigned, retained an outdated semicircular rear wheel well design. Ford departed from sharing a common platform with its passenger lineup and developed a purpose-built truck frame specifically for the F-Series. The new frame included a third cross-member which enabled extra strength enough to be shared with its medium-duty lineup. Also, Ford was the only company to offer V8 engines for both pickup trucks and medium-duty trucks until 1954. To better absorb rough uneven roads, and to reduce maintenance costs, Ford was also the first to introduce telescopic double-acting shock absorbers to the pickup truck market in place of the lever shocks and were advertised as the "Aircraft Type Shocks." Ford also spent $1 million on research and tooling for the new cab, which was dubbed the "Million-Dollar Cab." Compared to the previous model of Ford trucks, the new cab was seven inches wider and provided extra headroom. It also included wider doors that

Models

The first-generation F-Series was marketed in eight different chassis (based on their GVWR), giving them their model names: the F-1 was the lightest-capacity version and F-8 the highest. F-1 through F-3 pickup trucks were offered (forming the basis for panel trucks) and the bare F-3 chassis served as the basis for a parcel delivery truck. The heavier-duty F-4 chassis was produced as a light-duty commercial truck. The F-5 and F-6 were produced as medium-duty trucks in four configurations: a conventional, A special-order heavier duty parcel delivery version (as the P-Series), a COE/cab-over (as the C-Series), and a school-bus chassis (as the B-Series, with no bodywork aft of the firewall). The F-7 and F-8 were heavy-duty commercial trucks, marketed under the "Big Job" brand name from 1951. With the exception of bus chassis and parcel-delivery vehicles (which used bodywork produced by second-party manufacturers), Ford shared the same cab design on all F-Series trucks; C-Series trucks moved the cab upward and forward, requiring a higher hood and different fenders than conventional models. Also, F-2 and up used larger wheel well openings than the F-1 models. The most common first-generation model was the F-1 with a 6.5-foot (2.0 m) bed with 45 cubic feet volume of cargo capacity and 114-inch (290 cm) wheelbase, followed by the F-2 and F-3 Express models with an 8-foot (2.4 m) bed with 122-inch (310 cm) and a single side member located each side over the wheel housing. All pickup truck beds used an all-steel floor construction with hardwood subfloor to keep it from being dented. Skid strips were now stamped into the steel, so they would not come loose, unlike the previous model. The tailgate was strengthened and reinforced using a rolled edge with a tapered truss. Anti-rattle

Powertrain

=== Engines === Transmissions. All are manual. 3-speed light-duty: F-1 only 3-speed heavy-duty: F-1 through F-5 4-speed (spur gear): F-1 through F-6 4-speed Synchro-Silent: F-4 through F-6 5-speed overdrive: F-7 and F-8 5-speed direct drive: F-7 and F-8

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name: First generation
Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
aka: Ford Bonus-Built
Production: November 27, 1947 – 1952
Model years: 1948–1952
Assembly: United States:, Chester, Pennsylvania, Dallas, Texas, Dearborn, Michigan, Edison, New Jersey, Hapeville, Georgia, Highland Park, Michigan, Long Beach, California, Norfolk, Virginia, St. Louis, Missouri, St. Paul, Minnesota
Class: Full-size pickup truck
Body style: 2-door pickup, 4-door panel truck
Related: Mercury M-Series (1948–1952)
Layout: Front engine, rear-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
Engine: 226 cuin I6, 239 cuin Flathead V8, 254 cuin I6, 337 cuin Flathead V8, 215 cuin I6, 279 cuin Y-block V8, 317 cuin Y-block V8
Transmission: 3-speed manual, 4-speed manual, 5-speed manual
Predecessor: Ford pickup (1942–1947)
Successor: Ford F-Series (second generation) (1953–1956)

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5467751CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_F-Series_(first_generation)CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1358133473 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1950_Ford_F3.jpgPublic domain · Photo: Gordonrox24 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.