What is the oldest Ford truck?
The oldest Ford truck is the Ford Model TT, introduced in 1917 as Ford's first purpose-built light truck. This article explores its origins, design, and lasting impact on Ford's truck lineup.
The Model TT: Ford's first true truck
The Model TT is widely recognized as Ford's earliest dedicated truck. It emerged from adapting the Model T’s running gear to payload duties, but its purpose-built chassis and higher payload capacity set it apart as Ford’s first true truck.
- The TT was introduced in 1917 as Ford's first true truck (a 1-ton class vehicle).
- It used the Model T's drivetrain and engine but featured a much stronger, longer frame and a heavier-duty chassis.
- Common configurations included a flatbed or stake-bed body for cargo-focused use.
- Production ran through roughly 1928, establishing Ford’s credibility in commercial transportation well before broader car-market expansion.
- Its design set the stage for Ford's future trucks, including the 1930s AA/BB series and the later F-Series lineage.
In short, the Model TT's approach—combining Model T components with a purpose-built truck chassis—established Ford's market for trucks and commercial vehicles, a foundation that influenced Ford's entire truck strategy for decades.
Model TT: key technical profile
Below are the defining features and specifications that characterized the Model TT as Ford's first dedicated truck.
- Payload: typically around 1 ton (about 2,000 pounds), reflecting a one-ton-class capability for commercial use.
- Chassis and frame: reinforced, longer frame than the Model T to accommodate heavier loads.
- Engine and drivetrain: used the Model T’s inline-four engine with the same basic drivetrain adapted for heavier use.
- Body options: commonly sold with a flatbed, stake-bed, or other cargo bodies rather than a passenger car body.
- Production period: produced from about 1917 to 1928, marking Ford's earliest sustained truck production window.
The Model TT's combination of running gear from the Model T with a rugged, truck-oriented chassis created the template for Ford's subsequent commercial vehicles, from vans to larger trucks in later decades.
From TT to the modern era: Ford's truck evolution
Ford's truck program evolved beyond the Model TT, introducing larger, more capable vehicles and a family of trucks that would eventually culminate in the iconic F-Series. The following timeline tracks major milestones in Ford's truck history.
- 1917: Ford introduces the Model TT as the company’s first purpose-built truck, establishing Ford's entry into commercial transport.
- 1928: Production of the Model TT ends; Ford shifts focus to expanding its light- and medium-duty truck offerings, setting the stage for the AA/BB series in the 1930s.
- 1930s: The Model AA/BB family expands Ford's heavy- and medium-duty truck lineup, broadening commercial applications for Ford vehicles.
- 1948: Ford launches the F-Series, a new generation of light- and heavy-duty pickups that becomes a long-running best-seller and core to Ford's truck strategy.
- Present: The F-Series continues to evolve, with modern generations offering advanced technology, improved efficiency, and high towing/payload capabilities, while the lineage traces back to Ford’s earliest trucks like the Model TT.
In summary, the Model TT is the oldest Ford truck, and it represents the starting point of Ford's enduring emphasis on commercial vehicles, a lineage that evolved through the AA/BB era and culminated in the best-selling F-Series of today.
Summary
The Ford Model TT, launched in 1917, is recognized as Ford's oldest purpose-built truck. It introduced a dedicated chassis for payloads and established Ford's long-running commercial-vehicle program, a lineage that continues through the modern F-Series lineup.
