• Pickup trucks were largely sold to farmers in the 1960s.rusty trucks in an old farm yard. image by Tom Oliveira from Fotolia.com
  
  Ford wanted to expand the market for its famed F-series trucks at the beginning of the 1960s. Ford Engineers came up with the uni-body concept, where the cab and the bed are one body. Traditionally pickup trucks were made with two pieces that had a gap between the bed and the cab. This had never been done before and Ford engineers saw it as a way to save production cost. The uni-body ran from 1961 to 1963.
  
  

Ford Amenities 1963

• During the era of the uni-body, Ford tried to capture the suburban market. Ford focused on increasing comforts in the trucks. Ford had three trucks available, the F-100 1/2-ton, F-250 3/4-ton, and the F-350 one-ton. This meant that the 1963 F-series had a better interior. Interior improvements meant Ford added 5 inches of foam to the interior seats, added comforts such as air-conditioning, and put more insulation to lessen cab noise. In addition, Ford added a panoramic large rear window for a better view. According to Ford, the entire F-series line had more style to appeal to a more genteel crowd. As Ford tried to appeal to a broader more sophisticated consumer it did not ignore its base, the farmer. Farmers tended to buy stripped-down versions of the Ford line so amenities such as seat belts, mirrors and even rear bumpers were still offered as optional on the F-series trucks.
  
  

Available Engines

• The Ford 1963 F-series came equipped standard with the 223 cubic inch, 137-horsepower straight-six. This engine was called the Mileage Maker.
  
  The 292 cubic inch, 186-horsepower V-8 was the only V-8 option. The 292 was called a Y-block engine. It had a four-barrel carburetor for induction and a bore and stroke of 3.75 by 3.3 inches. The engine was discontinued in 1964.
  
  Ford equipped its trucks 1n 1963 with three-speed and four-speed manual transmissions or with a three-speed automatic transmission.
  
  

The Body

• The uni-body came in two models, the F-100 and the F-250, in 1963. Both models offered a short-bed and long-bed. These trucks were available only in two-wheel drive. If you wanted a step-side or flare body, this was available but did not come in the uni-body. The downfall of the uni-body, produced from 1961 to 1963, was its inability to carry big loads. Big loads often twisted and contorted the truck in ways that would open the doors while crossing railroad tracks or prevent the owner from closing the door. The uni-body was thus discontinued in 1963.