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1925 Ford Runabout Pickup
"America's First Pickup Truck"
- 1925 Ford Ad
Originating from the original Ford Model T Runabouts that owners added on back beds to themselves, the 1925 Ford Runabout Pickup was officially designed and sold by Ford after seeing the vast amount of customers converting the Runabout themselves. After Ford released the invention with the steel pickup bed, it's widely believed that the Ford Runabout Pickup is the first Pickup Truck ever factory sold in America.
- 1925 Runabout Ad
Along with the back bed addition, the '25 Runabout Truck became known as the first off-roader of its time. With the capabilities to drive both on the road for every day purposes, as well as on a more rough terrain, the truck was sold by Ford as an adventure vehicle. A car that would take you to places you couldn't reach before, the truck was marketed as not only convenient and useful, but fun.
1925 Roadster on the Trail
- '25 Ford Roadster Pickup being used as some of the first ever "company trucks" for delivery and wholesale. This form of transportation and marketing would grow to heights still used by millions of companies to this day.
With the vastness of new possibilities the Ford Runabout Pickup allowed - a truck designed by the people, for the people - the ideas of pushing the little pickup to fulfill all needs were soaring. The photo above shows truck accessories of skis and track drive to allow the Roadster to be used as somewhat of the first snowmobiles. The windows were covered with plastic curtains as well to keep the passengers inside warm in the cold.
"1925 Model T at Work"
In Film
Lassie, 1954
The 1925 Runabout was used throughout the spinoff show Lassie within multiple episodes from 1954 - 1974.
Laurel & Hardy, 1929
In the episode "Big Business" that aired in 1929, the famous comedy duo aired an uncovered 1925 Model T Roadster Truck that would inevitably break down on the side of the road.
The Night of the Hunter, 1955
The 1955 horror movie would see the '25 Roadster Pickup as one of the key components in what was said to be "one of the most harrowing scenes ever put in film." The Roadster sinks to the bottom of the lake with a small child as passenger - leading to haunting events.
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