“In 2023, Ford offered over 700,000 F-Sequence pickups, making it the best-selling truck in the USA for the 47^th consecutive 12 months,” mentioned Robert Kaffl, Director of Ford’s U.S. gross sales in a December 2023 press launch. In his remarks, Kaffl highlighted the previous, current, and way forward for America’s favourite pickups.

F-Sequence Historical past

The F-Sequence truck has now been round for 75 years and 14 generations. Of all these eras, my favourite was the physique type that debuted after I was in grade faculty within the early Nineties. Though the ninth-generation F-Sequence launched 1992, its truck’s underpinnings truly dated again to 1980. The fanatic group has labeled these vehicles as “Previous Physique Fashion” (OBS) as a result of they pre-dated the extra rounded, trendy look we see right now. There are literally thousands of OBS fanatics interconnected by means of Fb teams, boards, and Instagram pages that acknowledge and have fun Nineteen Eighties and Nineties pickups.

The 1994 F-Sequence brochure reads, “On this planet of vehicles, the title F-Sequence is synonymous with rugged and reliable efficiency. F-Sequence is, and all the time has been, Constructed Ford Powerful.”

The top of the Nineties marked a big change in Ford’s truck hierarchy: Mannequin 12 months 1996 would mark the final time that the identical physique type was used for such a variety of F-Sequence vehicles, from the light-duty F-150 to a heavy-duty F-350. Starting in 1997, three-quarter-ton vehicles have been break up off when a separate Tremendous Obligation line was created – and the parallel product traces stay in place right now.

Household Historical past

I grew up in Ford vehicles. My dad was driving one the 12 months I used to be born. Yearly, our household would drive to Jackson Gap, Wyoming or different locations within the Rockies. (See this photograph custom story)

Even a long time later, I can shut my eyes and listen to the sound of the doorways closing, the window switches clicking, or the engine turning over. The slim bench seat behind the extended-cab mannequin was sufficient for me as a younger baby, and I spent loads of time driving there. My dad is an avid outdoorsman, and we ceaselessly attached our vehicles to camp trailers, jet skis, and utility trailers. I even keep in mind dad latching a sequence to his F-Sequence and pulling out a tree stump within the yard. Certainly one of our household images exhibits my dad’s two-tone extended-cab truck with three ATVs within the mattress.

I had casually entertained the concept of getting a Ford truck for years now, not only for the sake of nostalgia, but in addition as a result of it’s so useful to have a rig round the home for utilitarian duties like ironmongery store runs, automobile half transport, and even occasional towing. I did a spontaneous on-line search a number of weeks in the past for “1994 Ford F-250,” simply to see what form stuff it introduced again. My eyes bought a little bit wider after I noticed an immaculate two-tone blue pickup, so I needed to dig a little bit deeper. The following factor I knew, I used to be sending an inquiry to the promoting vendor and placing the wheels in movement to place a deal collectively.

Acquisition and Logistics

Anybody who has ever bought a car sight-unseen is conscious that it may be a little bit unsettling to ship cash to somebody in one other state (and for a car you’ve got by no means laid eyes on). Fortunately for me, the vendor had a pair hundred images and a really detailed description. I did my diligence by reviewing the Carfax report, inquiring about service historical past, and digging into the promoting dealership’s status through prior listings in varied on-line marketplaces.

After the vendor glad my inquiries and the truck handed my checks, I organized for cost and coordinated with a transport dealer to deliver the car about 1,300 miles to Phoenix, Arizona from Hayden, Idaho through an open service. It arrived a few week later – filthy from the climate alongside the best way, however in as good of situation because the promoting vendor had described.

Truck Specifics

What are the deets on my new big-rig? It’s a 1994 F-250 XLT 4×4 SuperCab longbed. Beneath the hood, energy comes from a gas-guzzling 460-cubic-inch big-block V8 mated to a four-speed automated overdrive transmission and a dual-range switch case.

You could have heard of Marti Auto Works. Based mostly in El Mirage, Arizona, the corporate was began in 1982 by Kevin Marti. Kevin has a particular contract association with Ford that offers him entry to the manufacturing database for all Ford Motor Firm automobiles (together with Mercury and Lincoln) from 1967 to 2014.

Based mostly on my truck’s VIN, Kevin and his group have been capable of dig up a gold mine of details about its specs and relative rarity. Included with this story is a duplicate of Kevin’s report, and listed below are a number of highlights that stood out to me.

• Manufacture date of June 13, 1994 (30 years in the past this summer time!) in Kansas Metropolis
• Paint mixture of Sensible Blue (M6563) and Royal Blue (M6504)
• Bought new from McCollum Ford Gross sales in Dishman, Washington on September 12, 1994
• Certainly one of 117 1994 F-250 4×4 SuperCab vehicles with these paint/trim codes
• Optioned with vivid grille, sliding rear window, camper bundle, and tremendous engine cooling

Two-tone paint schemes have been all the fashion again within the Nineties, and this truck caught my eye with its distinctive configuration. I’ve a number of upgrades and enhancements deliberate, however will maintain the truck near authentic as a result of the manufacturing unit look is what attracted me to the ninth-generation F-Sequence within the first place.

Now, how lengthy do you suppose it is going to be till somebody asks me to assist them transfer or haul one thing?   

Drive Your Personal Dream

There are a number of morals to my story. Certainly one of them is that your automotive “cravings” by no means go away. The vehicles that I liked 30 years in the past as a teen are nonetheless a few of my favourite automobiles on the highway. And this expertise taught me that if you need one thing unhealthy sufficient, you’ll discover a solution to finally personal it – higher late than by no means. Perhaps there’s a automobile or truck in your previous that you simply’ve by no means fairly forgotten.

On the conclusion of Robert Kaffl’s remarks in Ford’s December year-end press convention, he mentioned, “The enduring legacy of the F-Sequence isn’t just a results of our relentless pursuit of enchancment, but in addition a mirrored image of the belief between our firm and prospects.”

I’m glad to lastly be a part of that buyer household, and completely satisfied that my pursuit paid off.