Aluminum F150? WHOA!

[Del Gurney]

Just saw on the news that Ford will be introducing an F150 with more aluminum components including body panels.
They figure to shave something like 800lbs off the weight of the truck.
The concept image looks pretty nice. Hope some one else is more tech-savvy and can post the photo.
It's a year out but I'm thinking of saving up for one!

[BigAl]

the hood on my 2011 F150 is aluminum. Heard they were going to do this about 18 months ago. About time.
Al

[Shacksman]

Al, can it be stripped and polished?

[WineStream]

That's just what they need to sell... a clear coated aluminum truck from the factory. They'd save money on paint and be able to sell it for 3x more to Airstream owners. ;-)

-sent from the Airforums mobile app

[Ridgerunner3]

Oh boy more filiform to work on.

[richinny]

the AIRSTREAM edition!

[crazeevw]

Found all of below online on USA Today

Get ready for Ford's aluminum pickup truck, likely either to be hailed as a breakthrough product or one that draws scads of comparisons to a beer can.
Ford is going to announce in a couple of weeks that the next F-150 will have a body made mostly of aluminum instead of steel in a bid to save weight, and thus gas, says Bloomberg News on the basis of what it says are confirmations by unnamed sources. And, it says Ford is going to lengths to invite comparisons to the aluminum used in military vehicles, not in flimsy beer cans.
To try to sell the press, and thus the public, on its new silver bullet, Ford has approached Alcoa to borrow some military-grade aluminum for its booth at the North American International Auto Show, where the truck is expected to make a grand entrance, according to Bloomberg. The macho appeal of the military vehicles would be used to crush the beer-can image.
Remember, though, making a truck out of aluminum is a highly risky move for Ford. It has a proven winner in the F-150, not only the nation's most popular pickup, but the most popular vehicle of any sort. Pickup truck buyers tend to be brand-loyal traditionalists, and they don't take easily to changes.
"Ford's sales job will be considerable: The company is eager to demonstrate the toughness of aluminum, which is lighter than steel, to pickup buyers who've made F-150 the bedrock of its business," Bloomberg writes.
If Ford can pull it off, analysts say F-150 will blaze the way for more extensive use of aluminum in mainstream cars, not just the high-end models where it found now.
"Like alternative drivetrain technology, lightweight materials will be a key component in meeting the fuel economy standards of the future. Ford's use of aluminum in the next F-150 foreshadows a widespread trend we'll be seeing across every vehicle segment in the coming years," says Karl Brauer of Kelley Blue Book in a statement to USA TODAY.
Ford is apparently trying to squeeze more than 700 pounds out of its next generation of pickup trucks, according to the news service. Aluminum body panels would play a key role. Last January, Ford showed the Atlas truck concept that is expected to be the forerunner to the next pickup.
Ford has showed it is willing to make changes for a better product. When turbocharged engines were introduced, they became a huge hit in F-Series pickups. In the past, pickup owners clung to V-8s as the only way to produce the towing and hauling power they need no matter how bad their gas mileage.
The change to aluminum may be the last big ones from Ford CEO Alan Mulally, who is due to retire next year or leave for Microsoft's top job. As the head of Boeing's commercial airline business before coming to Ford, Mulally was a huge proponent of weight savings through use of composites. But the resulting 787 jet has been racked by delays and trouble. Mulally must be hoping that the same issues don't extend to an aluminum F-150 even though the metal is trickier than steel when it come to automotive components.

[cwf]

Will impact body shop folks... Replacement of parts rather than repair/straightening.

It will be interesting how hey manage stress fatigue...

[rodsterinfl]

the AIRSTREAM edition!

Na, the filliform custom cab edition - no two alike!

I have been keeping up with this. The testers are out and they say it looks like much from the prototype is unchanged.

[crazeevw]

Just remember as far as an Aluminum body, Jaguars, and the Audi A8 have been ALL aluminum for quite a while.

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by crazeevw

Just remember as far as an Aluminum body, Jaguars, and the Audi A8 have been ALL aluminum for quite a while.

My 1967 MBG-GT had an aluminum hood... got replaced with steel after it the latch failed and it wrapped back over the top of the car.

Aaron

[Ridgerunner3]

I believe I also read somewhere that Ford was studying the concept of building F-150's with unibody construction instead of a conventional frame. I think a unibody F-150 would cost Ford a portion of the market.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by Ridgerunner3

I believe I also read somewhere that Ford was studying the concept of building F-150's with unibody construction instead of a conventional frame. I think a unibody F-150 would cost Ford a portion of the market.

Sorry to hijack but I have to plead ignorance here. :Blush: What do those differences in construction mean in practical to someone who tows? Thanks!

[r carl]

Originally Posted by Ridgerunner3

I believe I also read somewhere that Ford was studying the concept of building F-150's with unibody construction instead of a conventional frame. I think a unibody F-150 would cost Ford a portion of the market.

Like a honda ridgeline.

[perryg114]

I wonder what this is going to do to the already crappy weight distribution and poor traction that most trucks have empty.

Perry

[Del Gurney]

Perry: know what you mean. this time of year I keep 150lbs of sand bags in the truck bed.
Still, I really like this F150 and modern paints should hold up better than in the past. Either that or Ford is going to be like the Chevy's of the '70's "on a quiet night you can hear a Chevy rust":-)

[r carl]

Originally Posted by Del Gurney

Perry: know what you mean. this time of year I keep 150lbs of sand bags in the truck bed.
Still, I really like this F150 and modern paints should hold up better than in the past. Either that or Ford is going to be like the Chevy's of the '70's "on a quiet night you can hear a Chevy rust":-)

You could hear Vega's and Pinto's rust in the showroom.

[crispyboy]

That's really a nice looking truck!

I wouldn't think it would be that big of a deal to change the body panels to aluminum. The interior of the bed could still be steel or they could use a composite bed like the Toyota Tacoma.

[JFScheck]

I think its safe to say the "Atlas" show truck is more akin to their "Super Duty" then F-150.

Perhaps a few cue's from the grill, etc. Don't want anyone to think the F-150 is going to get even bigger than what it already is (we have a whole tread on that topic)...

[Firedog1]

heard aluminum was coming thats why I just bought the 2014 F150 super crew, ecoboost. Last of the model year. Ford isn't sure what the tow capacity will be on the new model yet. I didn't want to take any chances.