Are You a Big F-150 Fan? Test Your Blue Oval Knowledge with our Trivia Test
- Sep 16, 2016
The Ford F-Series is one of the best-selling nameplates of all time. And it’s little wonder given two important factors. First, Ford launched the F-Series not long after the conclusion of World War II and second is the enormous fan base that exists for the F-Series. If you’re one of those fans of the Ford F-Series, we’ve put together a little trivia test for you. It’s just 10 questions but it’ll test just how deep your knowledge of the F-series goes. Q. What was the first model year of a Ford F-series? A. 1953 was the first year that carried the F-Series name, although it predecessor, which was manufactured from 1948 – 1952 was called the Ford Bonus-Built. The Ford Bonus-Built is now recognized as the first in the F-Series line, despite its name, as it began the trend of a dedicated light truck versus the car-based trucks that had been sold previously. Q. What does the F in F-Series stand for? A. Despite the performance of the Lightening and the Raptor, no it doesn’t stand for Fast. It actually stands for Farm. Whoever chose that name would be surprised how many F-150s are parked in front of suburban houses with no more farming going on than a tomato plant on the back deck.
Q. When did Ford start to offer factory-installed four-wheel-drive? A. While a four-wheel-drive option installed by an outside company had been available, Ford moved production of its 4x4 drivetrains in-house for the 1959 model year. Ford was also the first of the “Big 3” automakers to offer factory-built four-wheel-drive light trucks. Q. What was unique about the 1961-1963 Ford F-100? A. It featured what was called a “unibody” design. It was still body-on-frame except that the cab and the bed were one piece. Customers didn’t care for it and for the 1964 model year, Ford returned to a separate cab/bed design. 1964 is also the first year for which K&N manufactures air filters (E-1040) and oil filters (HP-3001) for the F-Series. Q. Were Ford F-Series trucks ever sold through Mercury dealers? A. From 1946 to 1968 Ford of Canada needed two models of trucks based on their distribution system and the geography of Canada. A vast country with thousands of small town at times many miles apart, Ford would place a Ford dealer or a Mercury dealer in each little town, but not both. Since the Mercury dealer was up against Chevrolet or GMC, they needed their own Mercury-branded truck to sell the farmers, ranchers, miners, and loggers in their area. Named the M-Series, these trucks were produced from 1948 until 1968.
Q. While F-150 has become synonymous with Ford light trucks, when was the first F-150 introduced? A. In 1975, as a 1976 model. It was slotted in between the F100 and F250 and offered a heavier payload capacity than the F-100 in an effort to have the F-150 classified in a less-stringent emissions control category. If you’re lucky enough to own one of the first F-150 pickups, you’ll be happy to know that K&N makes the E-1570 air filter for the 360ci engine and the HP-3001 oil filter for both the 360ci and 390ci motors. Q. Did you know Ferrari built an F-150? A. No, this wasn’t payback for Ford beating Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was Ferrari’s Formula 1 model for the 2011 season. The 150 name was selected to honor 150 years of Italian reunification. When Ford threatened legal action, Ferrari changed the name to Ferrari 150° Italia, where the 150° translates to sesquicentennial. Ford subsequently withdrew their legal challenge. As a demonstration of how wide the product offering are at K&N, the company manufactures air filters that fit Ferraris as a far back as the 1972 Ferrari Dino (E-9240) and even for the mind-blowing Ferrari F40 (33-2816).
Q. So we know that Mercury sold Ford trucks. Were they the only ones? A. In an effort to keep pace with Cadillac, Lincoln launched the luxury Blackwood pickup in 2002 based on an F-150 Crew Cab. A combination of price and lack of utility kept customers away and it lasted just one year on US showroom floors. In 2006, Lincoln took another swing at the luxury truck market and did only marginally better. The Ford F-150-based Lincoln Mark LT lasted for three model years. K&N carries oil filters for both, part number HP-2010. The Blackwood takes a K&N E-0945 air filter while the Mark LT uses a 33-2287 air filter. The Mark LT can also be fitted with a K&N 57-2556 FIPK air intake system that’s been dyno-proven to add an estimated 15.5 rear wheel horsepower to your Mark LT, as well as being 50 states emissions compliant. Q. After the two different Lightening pickups (’93-’95 and ’99-’04) Ford took another swing at the street performance truck market. What was that model called? A. The 2014 Ford F-150 Tremor. It used the standard 3.5-liter turbo V6 but backed by a strip-ready 4.10 rear axle ratio. Inside was a console-mounted shifter, unique bucket seats and a flow-through center console not found in any other F-150. The Tremor was available in both 4x2 and 4x4. Both options featured an electronic locking rear differential and upgraded suspension. Unfortunately only a measly 2230 Tremors were sold, making it another one year only model. K&N manufactures both air filters and oil filters for the 3.5 V6, part numbers 33-2385 and HP-2011, respectively.
Q. What’s the most powerful six-cylinder engine Ford has installed in an F-Series pickup? A. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 (I’ll bet you were you digging through Wikipedia to see if there was a more powerful inline 6 from 40 years ago, weren’t you?). Not a chance. In fact, the EcoBoost V6 produces 365 horsepower, compared to 360 horsepower from a 2000 Ford Lightening with a supercharged 5.4 L V8. And if you’re looking for some extra power and response from your 3.5 V6 turbo, check out the K&N 63-2592 Aircharger intake kit. It’ll add an estimated 11 horsepower at the rear wheels of your EcoBoost F-150. Always remember, K&N makes products for a wide variety of vehicles. From cars and trucks to lawnmowers and snowmobiles. Use K&N’s extensive search tool to find the product for your vehicle. |
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