Feijoada Friday with a heavy duty (hence the trabalho pesado) spice! You certainly know better than us the Ford F-100, but you probably don’t know the history behind this workhorse down here. The first Fords came to Brazil early in 1904, imported directly from the US, and in 1919 they began assemblying Model Ts that came in pieces. But it was only in 1957, when Ford Motor do Brasil S.A. was founded that the first brazilian-made Ford was built, a Ford F-600. Two months later, the first F-100 was produced.
These first F-100s were identical to the north American model, and made to compete with the Chevrolet Brasil (future FF!) light truck. In 1963 the double cab, three door version was introduced. It was a curious project, with a single door on the driver side and two doors on the passenger side, with the back being a suicide door!
After acquiring Willys-Overland do Brasil S.A. in 1967, Ford got control of their factories, and could produce much more than before. One year later, in 1968, they gave the F-100 a facelift with a large grille and bigger lamps. The biggest change, however was to change the front suspension from a solid beam to a Twin-I-Beam, used until now in some pickup trucks.
Three years later a major revision on the model was made. The new 1971 models were now identical to the US market 1968 models with two round lamps, an enormous grille and an overal boxier look. This 1978 Ford F-100 have this 1971 design.
In 1976, after the big ‘73 oil crisis, the F-100 got the same 4 cylinder, 2.3l engine that they had put on the Maverick. This was a very modern engine for the time, with OHC and 120hp. But even with a smaller engine, a gasoline powered work truck wasn’t a very economical idea... In 1979 Ford finally débuted the diesel version, now called F-1000 in reference to the cargo capacity. They needed to make some modifications on the chassis because the Brazilian law doesn’t allow diesel vehicles with less than 1,000kg cargo capacity. With a sturdier chassis and harder rear suspension they made the F-1000 achieve a cargo capacity of 1,005 kg!
Now the model wasn’t called the F-100 anymore, it was the F-1000. Ford introduced also a DeLuxe version, with disc brakes in the front, two tone painting and a right side mirror! In 1982, with all incentives from the Proálcool program, ford introduced also the F-1000A, powered by cachaça sugarcane ethanol.
The 80’s marked the explosion of the truck sales. Everyone wanted a pickup truck! It was like today’s SUV/CUV craze but only with heavyweight trucks. Please keep in mind that here the F-1000 is considered a big truck. Both Chevrolet and Ford were selling loads upon loads of these trucks, and a huge coachbuilding market arose to customize those trucks. Many of those companies still exists like Tropical Cabines and Souza-Ramos. Another important company was Brasinca, which even made a sports car, the 4200 GT Uirapuru, a future FF post!
Some examples: A F1000 sedan
The Furglaine, built over the F1000
The Scorpion, made by Engerauto
Another sedan F1000, by Tropical Cabines
In 1990 the Turbodiesel version was introduced, and it was the first Brazilian turbo light vehicle (not a bus or a semi truck). With the turbo it got a very 90’s huge “TURBO” decal plastered on the sides. The F-1000 was discontinued in 1998 when Ford began bringing the American F-250 here. It was a very important car for our country, since we hadn’t may options of (relatively) cheap trucks with a large cargo capacity. Plus, both it and Chevrolet’s D20 made the coachbuilding industry flourish. Those sedanized trucks I don’t see anywhere else.
Bonus photos
Bonus ads:
The family progessed with Ford...
Powerful, economical, rude, beautiful, strong, delicate, car, pick-up. The Ford F-100 is full of good surprises.
The super beast arrived
Ford F-1000 Super Series Special. Strong as a bull, with the pedigree of a pure-blood (referring to horses)
Ford F-1000-A, 6 cylinders, 1 tonne. Pure alcohol.
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