Post-war dreamboat

The Ford F-Series was launched back in 1948 as a range of four pickup models, running from the half-ton F-1 to the heavy-duty F-8. Our intrepid reporter eyed this mint-condition ’48 F-1, lustrous in its fire-engine-red paint, on display at NASCAR’s Homestead-Miami Speedway.  Initially, the F-Series changed little; its first restyling didn’t come until the 1953 model year. The original ’48s were the first post-war pickups Ford built on a dedicated truck platform.  Pitched by Ford as “Bonus-Built” trucks, the F-Series models shared only their drivetrain and 114-in. wheelbase with the car-based pickups they replaced—and with great success.