The Original One-Ton Pickup Truck: What Could You Haul in a Ford TT?

Jul 20th 2021

Pickup trucks are just over 100 years old. During that time, engines have become more powerful, chassis have grown in size, and the technology in the cars has improved. But one aspect that did not change was the emphasis on power. From the first Ford pickup to the modern models, Ford trucks were designed for power, and the first pickup did not fall short.

Ford released the 1918 Ford Model TT pickup truck after drivers asked for better hauling capabilities. The Model TT used the same engine and cab as the Model T car, but had a sturdier frame. What the truck looked like was up to the buyer since Ford only sold the chassis. The driver would have to fit it with a truck bed designed by a third party.

Going to Work with a Ford Model TT

The sturdy frame of the Model TT allowed for a payload capacity of 1 ton, or 2000 pounds. Consumers embraced the ability to haul almost anything they needed and Ford sold 1.3 million Model TTs before introducing the Model AA in 1928.

With the ability to customize the bed, consumers turned the chassis into Ford Model TT pickups, Ford Model TT flatbed trucks, and Model TT buses with enclosed seating. These trucks could be spotted anywhere as:

  • Farm Vehicle
  • Delivery Trucks
  • Passenger Buses
  • Oil Tanker Trucks
  • Dump Trucks
  • Tow Trucks

These early pickup trucks were generally built with only the necessities in mind and were entirely a working vehicle. It was not until 1925 that a windshield wiper was added, and it had to be hand operated.

Comfort for drivers and passengers would not come until the late 1940s with the Ford F Series Bonus Built Trucks, at which point Ford was targeting both private drivers and commercial hauling. Now that pickup trucks could be a family car, Ford unveiled three pickup trucks in its 1948 line up with more limited carrying capacities:

  • Ford F1 - ½ Ton
  • Ford F2 - ¾ Ton
  • Ford F3 - Heavy Duty ¾ Ton

The other trucks in the First Generation F Series line up had a payload capacity of up to 2 tons, but were largely commercial vehicles for shipping, passenger buses, fire trucks, and more. In terms of towing capacity of vintage Ford pickups, Ford did not start publishing that data until the 1980s.

Ford continued with its F Series line and still produces pickup trucks under that line. While some, like the F-350 have a payload capacity around 3.5 tons, the smaller F-150 has not changed all that much from the Ford Model TT with a capacity of about 1 ton.