Bus products
Ford manufactured complete buses in the company's early history, but today the role of the company has changed to that of a second stage manufacturer. In North America, the E-Series is still used as a chassis for small school buses and the F-650 is used in commercial bus markets. In the 1980s and 1990s, the medium-duty B700 was a popular chassis used by school bus body manufacturers (Thomas Built, Ward, Blue Bird, etc...), but Ford lost its market share due to industry contraction and agreements between body manufacturers. Older bus models included:
Prior to 1939, For buses were based on truck bodies:
Model B – 1930s
Model T – 1920s
F-105 school bus
During World War II Ford manufactured Ford Transit bus, a series of small transit buses with bodies built by second party[99]:
09-B/19-B City transit bus – 1939–1941
19-B/29-B City transit bus – 1941–1942
49-B/79-B City transit bus – 1944–1947
69-B City transit bus – 1946–1947
29-B City transit bus – 1946–1947
72-T transit bus – 1944–1945
After 1946 the Transit City bus was sold as Universal Bus with the roof changed from fabric/wood to all metal:
79-B Universal transit bus – 1946–1947
Succeeding the Ford Transit bus was the Ford 8M buses:
8MB transit bus – with Wayne Works 1948–?
Following World War II and from 1950s onwards Ford lost out to General Motors.[99] This led to the end of transit buses for Ford in North America.
B500 or B-series – 1950-1990s based on Ford F-series truck chassis used by school bus body manufacturers
In Europe, Ford manufactures the Ford Transit Minibus which is classed in Europe as a Passenger Carrying Vehicle and there are options of 12, 15 or 17 seaters.[100] In the past European models included:
EM
N-138
D series buses (Australia)
Ford tractors
In 1986, Ford expanded its tractor business when it purchased the Sperry-New Holland skid-steer loader and hay baler, hay tools and implement company from Sperry Corporation and formed Ford-New Holland which bought out Versatile tractors in 1988. This company was bought by Fiat in 1993 and the name changed from Ford New Holland to New Holland. New Holland is now part of CNH Globa
Ford trucks
From the 1940s to late 1970s Ford's Ford F-Series were used as the base for light trucks for the North American market.
In the United States, Ford's heavy trucks division (Classes 7 and 8) was sold in 1997 to Freightliner Trucks, which rebranded the lineup as Sterling.[93] Freightliner is in the process of discontinuing this line.
Line of heavy trucks made by Ford for the North American market:
- Ford F-650 – joint venture model from 2000 to present
- Ford L9000 – last model year 1999
- Ford LNT9000 – short nose tandem axle from 1970s to 1997
- Ford LT9000 – tandem axle with last model year 1997
- Ford FT900 – until 1998
- Ford LT8000 – last model year 1998
- Ford L7000 – last model year 1996
In 1999 the end of the F800 meant Ford was not producing in any F-series heavy truck chassis.
In Europe, Ford manufactures the Ford Transit jumbo van which is classed as a Large Goods Vehicle and has a payload of up to 2,265 kg, there are options of a panel van, pickup or chassis cab. The Ford Transit is also available as a light van called the Ford Transit Connect and the Ford Ranger pickup is available.[98]
Reference