The Ford F-Series Trucks book is a “History of America’s Most Popular Pickups,” covering the F-Series from its inception in 1948 to the present. In this book photo layouts, old advertisements, and commentary from those who were working on the trucks in question are all gathered together to reside with Jimmy and James’ historical explanation and commentary on the trucks of each of the F-Series. Specifically focusing on the half-ton F-100/150 models, but with discussion including the heavy-duty models in the range as well. This includes engine and transmission options, cab and body changes, and bed length and bed wall designs.
If you are going to read a book about pickup trucks, I recommend that you start with an author named Jimmy. A similar book written by someone with a less truck-expert-sounding name like Bryce or Toby just isn’t going to cut it. Even the name Tim is pushing that expected expertise assumption. But with a name like Jimmy? Definitely someone who knows stuff about trucks.
Our friend Jimmy Dinsmore, along with co-author James Halderman (James being a name that might, potentially, also carry some truck knowledge weight), wrote the book we’re talking about today.
Ford F-Series Trucks walks through the various renditions of the F-Series, including design, build, and sales. Innovations throughout the evolution of the F-Series are also discussed. Including how changing management at Ford, differing marketing focal points in the company’s history, and the acceptance of the pickup truck as a mainstream American vehicle affected the F-Series’ design, development, and marketing through its history.
Throughout the book are photos of restored F-Series trucks from various collectors and museums. Many of these are used to highlight various options and accessories that were sold for these trucks as well as illustrations of the various use cases for the pickups themselves. By the time the F-100 came about, for example, Ford had long since abandoned the “any color, so long as it’s black” of Henry and moved into what the industry now calls a “lipstick pallet” of options.
I had long thought that the colorful mixes found on many car show pickups were just concoctions of the owners restoring them. But now I know that many of those colors (or shades very similar) were actually from the factory. Baby blue? Green? Fire truck red? At one point or another, Ford had those as factory choices.
The breadth of knowledge shown in the Ford F-Series Trucks book is deep. Where Dinsmore’s previous book, Mustang By Design, was largely about one of its principal designers rather than the car itself, this book is all about the F-Series pickup.
The illustrations, photos, vintage adverts, and other things included in Jimmy’s latest book are all worth the price of admission. The insights, information, and commentary are icing on that sweet. Ford F-Series Trucks can be found on Amazon or purchased directly from the publisher, CarTech.
