The Ford F-150 is widely represented across the large lake in almost all generations ever built. Here, however, a modern F-150 is normally a rarity, let alone a 45-year-old one. Time to put this (extra) in the limelight.
As ordinary as a Volkswagen Golf is here, as unremarkable is a Ford F-150 in the United States. Even old copies, like this one from 1975, won’t be worth a second look to many Americans. This is of course different here in the Netherlands. This red is also prominently parked along the road in the sun, so not to be missed. Hermanna Prinsen understood that too. She took the camera and was kind enough to share the snaps with us, for which of course we thank you!
This is not just an F-150, but one of the very first hour. Yet it is also a sixth-generation F-series. That is as follows; Although the Ford F-series existed for almost thirty years in 1975, it was only from that year that the F-150 was first mentioned. The 150 variant was only added to the sixth generation of the F-series. Due to new fuel regulations in the U.S., all vehicles with a maximum laden weight below 2,720 kilograms (6,000 pounds) had to use unleaded (and more expensive) gasoline from that year. The smallest member of the F-series, the F-100, fell under that new rule. To escape the regulations, Ford introduced a slightly larger and heavier F-100; the F-150. The rest is history; the F-150 subsequently became the most successful name of the F-series to this day.
All right, back to the red pickup on the corner of the street. At first glance, it is still a fairly neat copy, but the question is whether restoration has been involved. The slightly discolored panels here and there and the faded white Ford letters on the slightly damaged tailgate suggest that this F-150 is still original. The fact that the car only came to the Netherlands in 2007 adds to this hypothesis. It is probably an F-150 that has lived most of its existence in a dry place in the US. Now there is Dutch petrol (admittedly still unleaded) in the thirsty 5.9-liter V8. Fortunately, the owner also has the option to choose LPG, because he likes it too.