Ford F-Series (fourth generation)

The fourth generation of the Ford F-Series is a line of pickup trucks and commercial trucks that were produced by Ford from October 1960 to August 1966. Sleeker and wider than its predecessor, the new F-Series introduced several firsts to the truck line. In Canada, the F-Series continued to be distributed by Mercury dealers as the M-Series.

Fourth generation
1964 Ford F100
Overview
Manufacturer	Ford
Also called	Mercury M-Series
Production	October 1960–August 1966[1]
Model years	1961-1966
Assembly	Cuautitlan, Mexico Dearborn, Michigan, USA Edison, New Jersey, USA Kansas City, Missouri, USA Long Beach, California, USA Norfolk Assembly (Norfolk, Virginia, USA) St. Paul, Minnesota, USA St. Louis, Missouri, USA General Pacheco, Argentina (Ford Argentina) Hapeville, Georgia, USA Louisville, Kentucky, USA San Jose, California, USA Wayne, Michigan, USA Lorain, Ohio, USA Oakville, Ontario, Canada (Ontario Truck Plant) Salisbury, Rhodesia (FMCR)
Body and chassis
Class	Full-size pickup truck
Body style	2-door pickup 4-door crew-cab pickup
Layout	Front engine, rear-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
Powertrain
Engine	223 CID (3.7 L) Mileage Maker I6 292 CID (4.8 L) Y-block V8 289 CID (4.7 L) Windsor V8 240 CID (3.9 L) I6 300 CID (4.9 L) I6 352 CID (5.8 L) FE V8
Dimensions
Wheelbase	115 in (2,921 mm)[2] (6.5' bed) 129 in (3,277 mm) (8' bed) 132 in (3,353 mm) (F-350 9' bed) 147 in (3,734 mm) (F-250 crew cab) 152 in (3,861 mm) (F-350 crew cab)
Chronology
Predecessor	Ford F-Series third generation (1957–1960)
Successor	Ford F-Series fifth generation (1967–1972)

1960–1962

1961 "unibody" design

Along with the traditional separate Flareside beds, Ford introduced unibody trucks. These were originally named as the "integrated pickup" and consisted of the cab and the bed into one continuous piece, with no gap between them.[3] The design required fewer stampings, such as the back of the cab served as the leading edge of the bed, less complicated assembly, such as the single-wall bed sides were spot-welded directly to the door sills, and the body had a less complicated path through the assembly plant's paint shop.[3] This achieved cost savings in the manufacture of the truck, but the one-piece cab and bed body was still mounted to a traditional ladder frame chassis.[3] Only two-wheel-drive F-100 and F-250 models used this one-piece construction--four-wheel-drive models and all F-350s, as well as all models with Flareside beds, continued to use separate cabs and beds. Styleside beds were carried over from the 1957-60 models.

1962–1964

Due to poor market reception, and rumors that overloading caused the doors to jam shut, the unibody trucks were dropped midway through the 1963 model year. The 1961/64 models have the turn signals in the grill. 1964 models received an all-new Styleside bed with more modern styling as well as longer wheelbase on 8' 2wd trucks while shortbeds and 4x4 retained the earlier wheelbases.

1965-1966

In October 1964, the 1965 F-Series introduced an all-new frame, which would be used on the F-Series through 1979. The body itself remained largely unchanged, but on 1965 and 1966 models the turn signals are above the headlights. Replacing the rudimentary straight-axle in the front was all-new independent "Twin I-Beam" suspension with coil springs on two-wheel-drive trucks.[4] The 1965 and 1966 F-Series trucks are distinguished with a "TWIN I-BEAM" emblem on the front fender. A 4-door crew cab was also introduced on F-250 and F-350 models.

The 240 cu in (3.9 L) and 300 cu in (4.9 L) straight six was introduced. With the introduction of the 208 hp (155 kW; 211 PS) 352 cu in (5.8 L) FE V8, output surpassed 200 hp in the F-Series for the first time.

Argentinian-made 1961-1968

First vehicles were made in the old plant of La Boca, in the Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. Starting in 1962, production was moved to General Pacheco, partido de Tigre (30 to the north). Using the Y-block and Diesel Perkins engines (like the 6-305 and 6-354), the F-100 (1/2 ton pickup model),[5] F-350 (1 ton truck model),[6] F-500 (4 ton truck model)[7] and F-600 (5 ton truck)[8] until 1968, when Ford Argentina launch the "punta de diamante" series.

Mexican assembly 1965-1966

New automotive assembly regulations and laws favoring domestic manufacture over imports were decreed by the Mexican government in 1962. After decades of Ford trucks built in Mexico from imported assembly kits, 1965 was first Mexican-built Ford truck in the recently-open Cuautitlán Assembly in Cuautitlán Izcalli. The models included the F-100 (1/2 ton pickup model), F-350 (1 ton truck model) and F-600 (5 ton truck). The F-100 came in two versions: a chassis cab and pickup truck with a like-Ford F-Series third generation bed). The trucks were fitted with the 289 cu in (4.7 L) V8 engine that was introduced in the Mexican market of Ford pickups and medium-duty trucks, producing 160 hp (119 kW; 162 PS) at 4,000 RPM. These engines were also used the Ford Mustang that was also manufactured in the Cuautitlán Assembly in Mexico.

Models

• F-100 (F10, F14): 1/2 ton (4,000–5,000 GVWR max)
• F-100 (F11, F18, F19)(4×4): 1/2 ton (4,000–5,600 GVWR max)
• F-250 (F25): 3/4 ton (7,400 GVWR max)
• F-250 (F26)(4×4): 3/4 ton (4,900 GVWR max)
• F-350 (F35): 1 ton (9,800 GVWR max)

A Camper Special was available featuring heavier-duty components to accommodate the slide in campers that were becoming increasingly popular during this time.

For 1965, the Ranger name first appeared as a styling package for the F-Series pickup trucks. The interior featured bucket seats and a curtain over the gas tank which was behind the seats in the cab.[9]

• Fourth-generation Ford F-Series (hover over image for caption)
• 
  1966 Ford F-100 with optional toolbox in side of bed
• 
  1961 Ford F-100 Pickup
• 
  1962 Mercury M-100
• 
  1966 Mercury M-100
• 
  1966 Mercury M-350 Tow Truck

Powertrain

Engine	Model Years	Power
223 CID Mileage Maker I6	1961–64	114 hp (85 kW)
262 CID Mileage Maker I6	1961–64	132 hp (98 kW)
292 CID Y-block V8	1961–64	170 hp (127 kW)
240 CID Straight-6	1965–66	150 hp (112 kW)
300 CID Straight-6	1965–66	170 hp (127 kW)
289 CID Windsor V8 (Mexico only)	1965–66	160 hp (119 kW)
352 CID FE V8	1964–66	208 hp (155 kW)

References

1. ford-trucks.com/forums/
2. "1965 Ford Truck Full Line Brochure". Oldcarbrochures.com. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
3. Levine, Mike (17 February 2010). "Looking Back: 1961-63 Ford F-100 "Unibody" Pickups". pickuptrucks.com. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
4. Fitzgerald, Craig (June 2008). "Ford's Twin I-Beam Front Suspension". Hemmings Motor News. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
5. http://www.cocheargentino.com.ar/f/ford_f100.htm#a1961
6. https://camionargentino.blogspot.com/2012/06/ford-f-350-nafta-1962-1967-y-diesel.html
7. https://camionargentino.blogspot.com/2013/02/ford-f-500.html
8. https://camionargentino.blogspot.com/2012/11/ford-f-600-1961-1967.html
9. "1966 Ford Pickup Trucks Brochure". www.oldcarbrochures.com. Retrieved 2019-10-26.