Description
The Ford Model T Pickup was one of the most practical and enduring adaptations of the Model T, created to serve tradesmen, farmers, and small businesses that needed a light-duty work vehicle. While many early Model Ts had been converted into utility wagons by owners or local coachbuilders, Ford officially introduced the factory-built Model T Runabout with Pickup Body in 1925, just two years before production of the T came to an end. This model is widely considered the direct ancestor of the modern Ford pickup truck.
The Pickup was based on the standard Model T chassis and used the same 177 cubic inch (2.9-liter) four-cylinder engine producing around 20 horsepower. Paired with the two-speed planetary transmission operated by pedals, it offered a top speed of 30–35 mph, perfectly adequate for hauling goods across farms, towns, and rural roads. The rugged transverse leaf spring suspension gave it durability over uneven terrain, which was one of the reasons farmers and tradesmen embraced it so quickly.
The defining feature of the Pickup was its small steel cargo bed mounted behind the two-seat open cab. The bed measured about 56 inches long and 40 inches wide, with steel sides and a wooden floor, offering just enough capacity for tools, crates, farm produce, or supplies. It was designed for light work, but its versatility made it invaluable for everyday tasks. Unlike the larger and more expensive trucks of the time, the Model T Pickup was affordable, simple to maintain, and easy to use.
Priced at only $281 in 1925, the Pickup was one of the cheapest trucks available, making it attractive to thousands of small-scale operators who needed a vehicle that could double as both personal transport and a workhorse. Many were used in towns for deliveries and by farmers for hauling feed, produce, or equipment. For businesses, it offered a way to expand operations without the expense of a full commercial truck.
The Model T Pickup was short-lived as a factory model, since the Model T itself ended production in 1927. It was quickly succeeded by the Ford Model A Pickup, which expanded on the idea with more modern engineering and styling.
Today, the Ford Model T Pickup is regarded as the forefather of America’s pickup truck tradition. Surviving examples are cherished by collectors, not only for their rarity but also for their historical importance as the first Ford to carry the pickup name. They symbolize the adaptability of the Model T and its role in shaping the working vehicles that would go on to define much of Ford’s reputation in the decades that followed.