The American dream of the late 90's was having one of these in the driveway for the husband, and a "Bubble" Taurus in the garage for the wife. So wholesome.
Ehhh I’d say the wife’s desired car at the time was the Ford Explorer or the Dodge Caravan for the kids while the dad had the F-150 and Taurus😅 I was born in 2002 and growing up my dad had his 2002 Ford F-250 SuperDuty and 2004 Buick Regal while my mom drove a 2002 Dodge Caravan before switching to a 2007 Honda Odyssey. Now as of 2024 my dad has a 2013 Dodge Ram 3500 and 2007 Buick Rendezvous while my mom has a 2021 Honda Pilot and I have a 2001 Ford F-150 😆
Such a clean design, especially the front end. None of the gaudy, ridiculous hideous front ends out there today. Also do not need a step ladder to look under the hood or get into the cab and bed.
10th gen F150 with 2 valve motors up to 2003 are still some of the best trucks you can own. (The 'Heritage" in 2004 still kept the 2v also). I have one and I'm not getting rid of it ever.
@@Commentleaver-c6xonly issues these trucks really had were bad timing cover gaskets on 97-8 V6 trucks, and the sparkplugs shooting out on the v8s (easily fixed, just tighten them more than the factory spec). Very solid trucks, and definitely better transmissions and differentials than the GMs
I have a 1998. The best vehicle I have ever owned. My daughter drove it from California to Ohio last year. Not a single glitch. Out in my driveway as I write this
@@RohanSanjith it spent a lot of time in California- no salt allowed. Just returned back to Ohio a couple of years ago. Rust is minor. Headliner is giving way though.
It probably depends on what part of the country you're in. Up North in the salt belt, you don't see these a lot anymore. Just all rusted away. But there are a couple times where I still see them. Good trucks
@@JDMsubaruGuy rare for a reason. They aren't a good pair. The torque of the pushrod V6 with the manual is a way better pairing than the modular engine
My friend's mom had a 97 extended cab, long bed with the 4.2L and a stick shift. The tail end would break loose so easily, we'd drift around on dirt/gravel back roads (and this is before we even knew what "drifting" was). Sadly, it was totaled when it ran off the road in a rain storm into a deep ditch, messed up the entire front suspension and structural parts.
I always wondered if Motorweek did a video on the 1997 F-150 back then! My father ordered one the same burgundy color brand new back in late 1996 with the 4.6L, supercab, long bed, 4 wheel drive, and a 5-speed manual transmission. We still have it to this day as mainly a spare vehicle and it is always a treat to drive!
My dad had a 02 lariat crew cab he got for a absolute steal back when I was in elementary school in like 08. Such a solid truck unfortunately he totaled it around 3 years ago after putting 150k miles on it. Absolute machine
My dad had a 1997 F-150 for 13 years. He put well over 200k miles on it. It was a good reliable truck for a long time. It eventually rusted out really bad and it was time to sell it.
@@markk3652 I'm not sure who he sold it too. He put it for sale out in the front of the house and it was gone within a week or two. I think he was asking $2000 for it back then. It was a 13 year old truck with 200k+ miles at the time.
I have a 1997 Lariat Super Cab Flareside 4x4 5.4 Triton and I love it. This is my favorite year ever for the F150. Mine has reached over 600,000 miles with the original drivetrain and is still chugging, heading to 1,000,000 miles.
I love Ford's mid to late 90s bubble aesthetic, but i also understand that nostalgia of my parent's 96 Contour they had when i was born to around when i turned 10 is the cause for that love
If you think about it; Ford really paved the way for the bold and boundary-pushing curvaceous exterior styling on vehicles in the mid to late 90s, which was a welcome change from the dull and drab boxy exterior styling of the 80s and early 90s.
I bought an 03 sport off the lot when the 04s came out. I really prefer the look of these aero styled trucks, they still look great on the road today. Wish I still had mine.
@@turbo8454 what's new. Sadly, my friends Chevy split in half, and so did his Tacoma. It needs to be illegal to salt the roads. No one can drive regardless in the snow
I still see a lot of these trucks near me. Some rusted out, and some look brand new. I just saw an '01 SuperCrew cruising the other day, looked like a brand new truck.
These 10th gen Fords looked soft but they were very tough trucks. Back in the 90's I had a 97 ext cab, short bed 2wd with a 5.4. My dad had a 98 Ram with the same setup & a 5.9. We needed to pickup 30 bags of quick Crete, 100lbs a piece. We put 15 bags in each truck, mine was level & his rear end was sagging big time & driving down the road his front end was bouncing up and down.
no joke, those 2nd gen Rams were not that good in payload, specifically the 1500s. Some configurations in ext cab would max at 1100 lbs or so. No joke. And I'm a Ram owner (much improved trucks right now) but that's the truth
Its 2022, I still own a 97 F150 4x2 supercab with 270k miles. Had it for 12 years as the 3rd owner - But it has a production date of 4/96 meaning it was possibly one of the very first ever made. I would love to meet the man who likely preordered the truck and waited like a kid on christmas.
Great trucks. Love my 97 4x4 regular cab 4.6. Still going strong after over 200000 miles. Ride better, quieter, and handles better than any Ford F150 generation before it. A huge step up in handling and ride over the I-Beam design.
I remember being 10 years old and my dad pulled up with a 97 dark green/brown F250 LD he had just bought. As a kid that truck just blew me away with how beautiful it was and different than anything else on the road! It was supposed to be my first vehicle when I turned 16 but life happens he sold it after several years and it was just Rock solid reliable. More than the truck the memories in that thing and the certain smells will never leave my mind.
I was six when my dad got his 2012 F150. It was red, and had the 5.0 Coyote. Lots of fun times in the truck. It too was supposed to belong to me, but it started to rust and lose parts and my dad had to trade it in for a new one. The 12th gens remind me a lot of the 10th gens seen in this video, because they look like a modernized version of it. Same shape and everything. I want both trucks someday
Just titled my 1997 regular cab, short box with classic plates. No one seems to like this 10th gen, but I'm glad, as the earlier generations everybody wants them and wants your first born for one that still runs.., I bought another 99 that still ran, for less than a 1000, just for parts and yes, this past year.
@@richardalvarez6768 Rich the 99 was not a 4x4. I had bought it for body parts. I did buy a used 2001 supercrew Lariat 4x4 in 2015 from my son, he had bought it used in 2011, so it had history. It ran great but at sometime in its life it was in the north or along the coast as it was excessively rusted, to the point we though at one time it may have been underwater.....I have looked at 9th gen and earlier the cost just seemed to be high. On another note, I've seen more than a handful of 10th gens (other than Ligtnings) at the Good Guys auto shows and few at the F100 Roundup in Texas. When fully restored, they look bada$$.....
@@tmo2798 This generation had the 2v 4.6s and 5.4s, they're not equipped with the auto-ejecting spark plugs... That'd be the later model trucks with the 3v heads. Only real nightmare with this particular generation is if you ever have to change a heater core on one of them.
I'm glad I own this truck. Sadly my transmission went out in it but I should have it back here in a couple days. Never drove a truck this smooth in my life
These trucks are still all over the road in my city. It's crazy I was in 3rd grade when this truck came out and I actually remember being amazed by it lol.
I bought my 98 F150 in 2004 with 100,000 miles on it. At 300,000 miles I replaced the head gasket and she is still going strong. I'd buy another one in a heartbeat
I never had this generation F-150, but I knew several people who have had them and they had nothing but good to say about these trucks overall. I currently drive a 2010 F150 and you can definitely see the roots of its interior design this 97. Before the 2010, I had a 93 F150 - which I thought the interior was pretty modern for its time but the 10th generation definitely pushed truck interior design to the next level and closer to what we have today.
One of the most severe cases of underrated design ever! Look the black one, or the red one, even the base at 5:00 looks damn great. And how can anybody say this design is soft or female-like? Just look that thing coming at 5:30, that's presence and toughness. And besides everybody talks about how durable and reliable is, you can't ask for more in a truck.
My dad had to quit driving due to bad vision in 2015, gave me his 98 pacific green f-150 with the 4.6 2v engine. Still has the original chrome wheels and runs great. Not fast or fuel efficient but this has to be one of Fords most reliable engines ever made. 180k and never worked on motor
These trucks are actually relatively fuel efficient compared to other half ton trucks from a similar time period, even the ones with the V8's. At least, that's what I've heard
I loved these "Jellybean" F-150's! I had a 2001 F-150 super crew lariat with the black and silver lower trim with the 5.4, leather seats and both front and rear benches it was a fantastic truck!
We got a 98 in 97. That truck was pretty sky blue. Great power I really miss those prices. I have a 21 xlt and it was 3x as much as they were back then.
It’s sure nice to see velour cloth and color-keyed interiors weren’t that long ago. The sea of coffin-like black interiors today is majorly depressing.
Yeah, I hate how especially on the lower trims, your only options are black, or grey(sometimes only grey). That's why I like those western themed trucks, like the King Ranch. Just something different.
Grandpa out here in Mexico has a 97 5.4 he's had it for like 8 or 9 years got it off one of my Dads childhood friends. The truck had an engine replacement maybe around 200k cause the whole engine shit itself starved of oil new engine does not make a single sound or vibration when the truck is on! Overall I like the truck a lot he uses it for construction work so it's a little beat up but I still think the design is timeless
I drove my younger brother's 03 Lariat Super crew for 2 years after I've had just about enough of the POS money pit car I was driving at the time in 2018. He loaned it to me to get by until I saved up enough to get my own truck which was a 2003 GMC Sierra but I loved that F-150 during the time I had it.
Still have my 97 in the family. I gave it to my son with over 300k miles on it and it still hauls ass. I recommend moving the tailpipe behind the tire though.
My dad bought one back in 97'. All tan, beautiful truck at the time. 2 years down the road he traded for a 99' 7.3 f250 zf6. That what drew me into ford. So now I own a 2000 7.3 with a zf6 swapped. Truck is a beast.
I absolutely love mine! same year/generation with the 4.6 2v, extended cab 4x4, amazing truck! It's still one of the best purchases I've ever made. Mines pushing 200k but still drives very smooth and solid, some may disagree and thats fine but it genuinely looks better than most trucks today.
I bought one of these, can’t believe it’s been 26 years ago already. I then moved on to an ‘09 Supercrew which I still have as I finally came to the realization that I didn’t need to keep replacing perfectly good trucks just because they were a few years old.
My dad bought a 2002 Ford f150 Lariat and when my dad pass away I took the truck now has 171,000 good old truck. I drive it more then my new Tundra and Tacoma.
I have a 1997 f150 4x4 with the limited slip that I use to hual firewood. I bought it souly because it was the cheapest truck on the internet at the time, thus being subjected to untold molestation and abuse prior to my ownership. At 287,000 we are still going strong, it hauls 7/8ths of a cord of green firewood several times a week, and is completely ungodly in the snow. I once drove up a mountain on primitive dirt trails in a blizzard. I made an error and drove into like a two-foot-deep ditch, and the truck REVERSED OUT, up hill. I was just completely dumbfounded. My only complaint is that the factory rear springs were just a complete joke, and I suspect that this was done to improve the ride.
Original owner of a 97 lariot here of only 130k miles. Looking to restore it and turn it back into my daily because all the cars and trucks I've had since parking it, makes me remember good old larry never once let me down. Has adequate everything I need.
1:37 "Lower the hoodline for better visibility" I like how trucks now are doing the complete opposite of this, reducing visibility mostly for looks, no function.
Yep. I valet and most modern trucks have hood heights up to my neck. I am 6 foot. Laughably, they also have super low scoops at the bottom end of the bumper that give 2-3 inches of ground clearance at best
That brown interior was pretty rare, most trucks were optioned with either gray or tan interiors. The rarest interior color for pickups and first year Expeditions was green.
I've seen the green interior but never the brown one, I thought that was a pre-production interior color that never made it to retail. Were there also blue interiors like on the 8th gens? I believe I've also seen those. On a separate topic I had an 08 Escape with a rare color interior: it was 2 tone charcoal with brown in the middle. The dash also had brown on top of the passenger side airbag cover. I thought it was a re-upholstered vehicle until I saw a brochure listing it. Only available in 08 & 09
@@luisinhoens90 Part of me wants to say there were blue interiors on that body style, I could swear I’ve seen a few before, but I’m not certain so I left that out of my original comment. As for the interior on the Escape you had, that makes me think of the Eddie Bauer and King Ranch trims, but neither were available on the Escape. What trim level was it if you don’t mind my asking.
@@chumbawaumbacumpa it was a 2WD XLT with the V6 and cloth interior. That color combo was also available on leather equipped XLTs although I've never seen one of those. According to the brochure it's Charcoal Black with Dark Rust Inserts. UPDATE: I found the 09 brochure and that color was gone so it was available in 08 only. Guess I was lucky
Great trucks when powered by the 4.6l modular V8. The appearance has definitely grown on me, compared to newer trucks this looks less like it's trying to appear opulent. Also the simple interior space without too many technological gimmicks really helps these hold up.
@@AsteroidsDeluxe it's the one with suicide doors. Don't get one with the suicide doors and you'll be fine. Sturdy trucks, but no B pillar will kill any car
Yep. I still have my 4.2L F-150 XLT extended cab flareside with 89k miles. I just need to get it back up and running again. I'm 42 now, but it was given to me by my mother when I was 19. Drove it for many years and never ever wanted to sell it.
The realest comment. I love Ford but these trucks just weren't it. I see more of them than the next generation, which were total shit, but these are still looking rough these days. OBS Fords with some battle scars look like Dirty Harry. These look like beluga whales with herpes.
I currently have a 2000 and my dad had an '03. Never a peep out of any in the reliability and durability department. In my neck of the woods these things are still absolutely everywhere. Way more common than the equivalent Chevrolet or Dodge of the time period. These were and still are good trucks. "Car like handling" is a little more than a stretch, though. My 4x4 7700 package truck feels like what I would imagine an ocean liner to feel like.
Those trucks have such amazing carpet. Very thick and plush. It’s just like the carpet I have in my Grand Marquis. I do like the car like look. It doesn’t look so big and intimidating.
People trash on this truck all the time but they are tough SOB's! I had an 01 4x4 and absolutely beat the crap out of it, never let me down once. Until a texting teenager ran a stop light and totalled it out for me.
For the 1996 model year, Ford actually sold this truck alongside the old 1980-1996 truck alongside the new '97 model, virtually unheard of at the time. Auto manufacturers typically shut down production of the old model to retool for the new model. The older model continued to be sold through the '98 model year for the F250 and F350, as well as for the chassis cab models. The Super Duty trucks would then be split off from the F-150 with a completely separate model for heavy duty buyers.
Chrysler also does that as well. The current Ram 1500 has been around since 2019 yet they still sell the previous generation model along side of it which is called the Ram 1500 Classic.
I believe Chevrolet did the same thing back in 1988 when their new pickup came out they still had the old body style butt in K5 Blazer and Suburban not sure about the dually
@@subeyguy66 Not exactly. Heritage edition was introduced in parallel to the redesigned model in 2003 and discontinued production early in 2004, before other 2004 MY trucks. Most were built in 2003 and overstock sold into 2004, called '04s making it easier to offload that overstock.
My '98 XLT SuperCab 4x4 with 5.4-liter Triton V8 and manual gearbox was my first pickup. Lived out of the back of it for 6 months while I traveled around the U.S. I regret selling it to this day.
My uncle owns a 98 F-150 with the 5.4L V8 that he bought new for about $20k. The truck is still going strong and has very few issues for a 25 year old vehicle. I used to think the fuel economy was very poor, but seeing how the new ones aren't much better, it's made me reconsider. For years now, I've wanted a newer F-250 so I can have a truck and not need another vehicle for several years. Fuel economy be damned!
These trucks get a lot of hate and I don't think they deserve it. They were actually really good trucks, they just had the disadvantage of coming after the incredibly well loved obs trucks. There are almost no clean 10th gen f150s left outside of lightnings, they were all workhorses and heavily beat. I'm sure one day these will have a cult following
21 year old here and I’ve got a 98 xlt with the 5.4 just over 230k miles and still runs like a dream. Only issue is the squeaky suspension that needs replaced.
I just did the suspension myself, the entire thing. I recommend getting new knuckles, the hubs WILL be frozen in. If you have torsion bar suspension you WILL NOT be able to remove them if they've been in there for over a decade. Simply replace ball joins for the lower control arm.
The American dream of the late 90's was having one of these in the driveway for the husband, and a "Bubble" Taurus in the garage for the wife. So wholesome.
And a '70 Torino Cobra in the garage.
Yes, it was. Can we go back there, please?
Simpler times
You mean jelly bean Taurus.
Ehhh I’d say the wife’s desired car at the time was the Ford Explorer or the Dodge Caravan for the kids while the dad had the F-150 and Taurus😅
I was born in 2002 and growing up my dad had his 2002 Ford F-250 SuperDuty and 2004 Buick Regal while my mom drove a 2002 Dodge Caravan before switching to a 2007 Honda Odyssey.
Now as of 2024 my dad has a 2013 Dodge Ram 3500 and 2007 Buick Rendezvous while my mom has a 2021 Honda Pilot and I have a 2001 Ford F-150 😆
Such a clean design, especially the front end. None of the gaudy, ridiculous hideous front ends out there today. Also do not need a step ladder to look under the hood or get into the cab and bed.
Agreed, one of the better looking gens
I thought the exact same attributes growing up seeing them all the time as a kid in the 90's.
that thing is ugly but god damn its reliable
And, it’ll kill you in a head-on collision.
Most feminine looking truck ever. Just no.....
10th gen F150 with 2 valve motors up to 2003 are still some of the best trucks you can own. (The 'Heritage" in 2004 still kept the 2v also).
I have one and I'm not getting rid of it ever.
one of the best generations ever. Some people may not have liked the Jelly bean design when it came out but it sod in droves and it has aged well
I agree, it's a great looking truck even in 2022!
Most underrated truck design in history.
@@fernandochaves9665 Fantastic truck this generation of F150. Great engines
The GMC’s and Chevys of this time put them to shame, both in looks and reliability.
@@Commentleaver-c6xonly issues these trucks really had were bad timing cover gaskets on 97-8 V6 trucks, and the sparkplugs shooting out on the v8s (easily fixed, just tighten them more than the factory spec). Very solid trucks, and definitely better transmissions and differentials than the GMs
I have a 1998. The best vehicle I have ever owned. My daughter drove it from California to Ohio last year. Not a single glitch. Out in my driveway as I write this
I have a 97 and it runs perfect, also in the driveway.
Any rust issues?
@@RohanSanjith it spent a lot of time in California- no salt allowed. Just returned back to Ohio a couple of years ago. Rust is minor. Headliner is giving way though.
It hasn't rusted away to dust yet?
@@markk3652 a little rust. Spent 13 years in California- no salt
There's still a lot of these on the road. Just in my neighborhood there's at least 3-4 of them that I see daily.
I'm genuinely surprised at how many of these 97-03 trucks I still see on the road in 2023.
It probably depends on what part of the country you're in. Up North in the salt belt, you don't see these a lot anymore. Just all rusted away. But there are a couple times where I still see them. Good trucks
There are legitimately one of the best built trucks ever made. I see so many of these that still look great, even with clean factory paint
@@motormouth2472i live in the northeast they are everywhere. there is no chevys or dodges of these years around. THEY all rusted away.
I just picked up a 2003 FX4 5speed. 3.55, limited slip and a bulletproof 4.6. Awesome truck!
5MT with a 4.6L? That's a rare combo!
Don't be to hard on the tranny, it's a little fragile and they don't like the torque of the 4.6. it's the m5od from the 4.0 ranger.
@@JDMsubaruGuy I CAN'T STAND TRANSMISSION INITIALS I SEE A LOT!!!!🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬😪😪
@@santinoeli71506 cry
@@JDMsubaruGuy rare for a reason. They aren't a good pair. The torque of the pushrod V6 with the manual is a way better pairing than the modular engine
My friend's mom had a 97 extended cab, long bed with the 4.2L and a stick shift. The tail end would break loose so easily, we'd drift around on dirt/gravel back roads (and this is before we even knew what "drifting" was). Sadly, it was totaled when it ran off the road in a rain storm into a deep ditch, messed up the entire front suspension and structural parts.
I always wondered if Motorweek did a video on the 1997 F-150 back then! My father ordered one the same burgundy color brand new back in late 1996 with the 4.6L, supercab, long bed, 4 wheel drive, and a 5-speed manual transmission. We still have it to this day as mainly a spare vehicle and it is always a treat to drive!
Wow, what i wouldn't do to find a 4wd 10th gen with a 4.6 and a 5 speed, been looking for quite sometime
@@BrownBomber92181 get the 4.2
Same reliability, easier to work on, pushrod so lower end torque (worse mpg though)
Let me buy it
I truly loved MW when you had to set a particular time aside to watch it on tv. You planned your day around it.
So did I.
My dad had a 02 lariat crew cab he got for a absolute steal back when I was in elementary school in like 08. Such a solid truck unfortunately he totaled it around 3 years ago after putting 150k miles on it. Absolute machine
My dad had a 1997 F-150 for 13 years. He put well over 200k miles on it. It was a good reliable truck for a long time. It eventually rusted out really bad and it was time to sell it.
lol who bought that shit? how much u sell it for
Sell it to whom?
@@markk3652 I'm not sure who he sold it too. He put it for sale out in the front of the house and it was gone within a week or two. I think he was asking $2000 for it back then. It was a 13 year old truck with 200k+ miles at the time.
Agreed
My dad had one for 22 years, put over 250k on it. It was a great truck.
I have a 1997 Lariat Super Cab Flareside 4x4 5.4 Triton and I love it. This is my favorite year ever for the F150. Mine has reached over 600,000 miles with the original drivetrain and is still chugging, heading to 1,000,000 miles.
Awesome brother
I love Ford's mid to late 90s bubble aesthetic, but i also understand that nostalgia of my parent's 96 Contour they had when i was born to around when i turned 10 is the cause for that love
yeah i do too, theyre some of the best looking vehicles imo
If you think about it; Ford really paved the way for the bold and boundary-pushing curvaceous exterior styling on vehicles in the mid to late 90s, which was a welcome change from the dull and drab boxy exterior styling of the 80s and early 90s.
I bought an 03 sport off the lot when the 04s came out. I really prefer the look of these aero styled trucks, they still look great on the road today. Wish I still had mine.
I bought an 03 in Dec 02 and still have it.
its crazy you still see alot of these on the road today
There are none left on the road in the salt belt. 15 years was max before the frame dissolved.
@@turbo8454 what's new. Sadly, my friends Chevy split in half, and so did his Tacoma. It needs to be illegal to salt the roads. No one can drive regardless in the snow
I still see a lot of these trucks near me. Some rusted out, and some look brand new. I just saw an '01 SuperCrew cruising the other day, looked like a brand new truck.
You see them all over the place in California.
These 10th gen Fords looked soft but they were very tough trucks. Back in the 90's I had a 97 ext cab, short bed 2wd with a 5.4. My dad had a 98 Ram with the same setup & a 5.9. We needed to pickup 30 bags of quick Crete, 100lbs a piece. We put 15 bags in each truck, mine was level & his rear end was sagging big time & driving down the road his front end was bouncing up and down.
no joke, those 2nd gen Rams were not that good in payload, specifically the 1500s. Some configurations in ext cab would max at 1100 lbs or so. No joke.
And I'm a Ram owner (much improved trucks right now) but that's the truth
@@luisinhoens90 yea, it seemed like the capacity was around 1,000 lbs or so. My truck was 1,750, I didn't realize it was such a big difference
Its 2022, I still own a 97 F150 4x2 supercab with 270k miles. Had it for 12 years as the 3rd owner - But it has a production date of 4/96 meaning it was possibly one of the very first ever made. I would love to meet the man who likely preordered the truck and waited like a kid on christmas.
We began production of these in November 1995, so it's not one of the very first ones and not even Job 1. These hit dealers in January 1996.
Still a very clean look to this day. Can be modified in so many ways and still look good!!The Ford Lighting was probably my favorite!!
My first new truck was an 01 regular cab, off road package, 5.4 V8, and built at the Norfolk Assembly Plant. Excellent vehicle.
I had a black XLT extended cab with 3rd door, V6 stick shift and it was AWESOME. Thanks for posting this again!
Great trucks. Love my 97 4x4 regular cab 4.6. Still going strong after over 200000 miles. Ride better, quieter, and handles better than any Ford F150 generation before it. A huge step up in handling and ride over the I-Beam design.
Original owner of my 1997 Ford F-150 XL super cab with 205878 miles.
My 98 4.6 is still going strong with 170,000 miles.
I'll keep it as long as I can. It's been a good truck.
Who can afford a new one,? Not me.
I remember being 10 years old and my dad pulled up with a 97 dark green/brown F250 LD he had just bought. As a kid that truck just blew me away with how beautiful it was and different than anything else on the road! It was supposed to be my first vehicle when I turned 16 but life happens he sold it after several years and it was just Rock solid reliable. More than the truck the memories in that thing and the certain smells will never leave my mind.
I was six when my dad got his 2012 F150. It was red, and had the 5.0 Coyote. Lots of fun times in the truck. It too was supposed to belong to me, but it started to rust and lose parts and my dad had to trade it in for a new one. The 12th gens remind me a lot of the 10th gens seen in this video, because they look like a modernized version of it. Same shape and everything. I want both trucks someday
My dad has a 2002 f150 supercab flare side with the 4.6L v8 and 4 speed auto. Very resilient truck, weve owned it since 2016.
Just titled my 1997 regular cab, short box with classic plates. No one seems to like this 10th gen, but I'm glad, as the earlier generations everybody wants them and wants your first born for one that still runs.., I bought another 99 that still ran, for less than a 1000, just for parts and yes, this past year.
Was the 99 you bought a 4x4 model? I was looking at a 9th gen 4x4 but most of them are going for 13k . 10th gens are about 5-8k
@@richardalvarez6768 Rich the 99 was not a 4x4. I had bought it for body parts. I did buy a used 2001 supercrew Lariat 4x4 in 2015 from my son, he had bought it used in 2011, so it had history. It ran great but at sometime in its life it was in the north or along the coast as it was excessively rusted, to the point we though at one time it may have been underwater.....I have looked at 9th gen and earlier the cost just seemed to be high. On another note, I've seen more than a handful of 10th gens (other than Ligtnings) at the Good Guys auto shows and few at the F100 Roundup in Texas. When fully restored, they look bada$$.....
The 97-03 f150s are fantastic trucks. Not everyone loves the styling but they last forever if taken care of
They outlast the people who shot themselves by those spark plugs. You motorweek fans don't do your own tune-ups, do you?
@@tmo2798 This generation had the 2v 4.6s and 5.4s, they're not equipped with the auto-ejecting spark plugs... That'd be the later model trucks with the 3v heads. Only real nightmare with this particular generation is if you ever have to change a heater core on one of them.
@@admiralrustyshackleford119 o
@@admiralrustyshackleford119 do you play airsoft
@@admiralrustyshackleford119 Wrong about the plugs.
I'm glad I own this truck. Sadly my transmission went out in it but I should have it back here in a couple days. Never drove a truck this smooth in my life
These trucks are still all over the road in my city. It's crazy I was in 3rd grade when this truck came out and I actually remember being amazed by it lol.
I’ve still got a 98 regular cab short bed with the V6. Runs great and it doesn’t have the rust out over the rear wheels most have.
Ok, grease it up. Just make sure you have the revised head gaskets because the 4.2 had awful ones pre 98 and mid 98
My boy had one of these in high school. The truck doesn't die, they just get new owners and new lives.
Wife and I bought a 1997 short box regular cab off road pkg new in 97 and she drove it to work this morning 😎 LOVE MY FORD TRUCK
I bought my 98 F150 in 2004 with 100,000 miles on it. At 300,000 miles I replaced the head gasket and she is still going strong. I'd buy another one in a heartbeat
I used to have one of these 4x4 4.6 5spd supercab and I really liked the side exhaust
I never had this generation F-150, but I knew several people who have had them and they had nothing but good to say about these trucks overall. I currently drive a 2010 F150 and you can definitely see the roots of its interior design this 97. Before the 2010, I had a 93 F150 - which I thought the interior was pretty modern for its time but the 10th generation definitely pushed truck interior design to the next level and closer to what we have today.
love my 97 flareside 4X4 5speed with the 4.6L V8 still going strong
One of the most severe cases of underrated design ever! Look the black one, or the red one, even the base at 5:00 looks damn great. And how can anybody say this design is soft or female-like? Just look that thing coming at 5:30, that's presence and toughness. And besides everybody talks about how durable and reliable is, you can't ask for more in a truck.
My dad had to quit driving due to bad vision in 2015, gave me his 98 pacific green f-150 with the 4.6 2v engine. Still has the original chrome wheels and runs great. Not fast or fuel efficient but this has to be one of Fords most reliable engines ever made. 180k and never worked on motor
These trucks are actually relatively fuel efficient compared to other half ton trucks from a similar time period, even the ones with the V8's. At least, that's what I've heard
I loved these "Jellybean" F-150's! I had a 2001 F-150 super crew lariat with the black and silver lower trim with the 5.4, leather seats and both front and rear benches it was a fantastic truck!
I still come across clean examples of the 97' F-150 in the year of 2022 🔥
We got a 98 in 97. That truck was pretty sky blue. Great power I really miss those prices. I have a 21 xlt and it was 3x as much as they were back then.
My grandpa has a 2002. He’s lucky to never have an issue with yet, it still runs great even though, he’s had it since 2004.
just bought one of these. absolutely love it
It’s sure nice to see velour cloth and color-keyed interiors weren’t that long ago. The sea of coffin-like black interiors today is majorly depressing.
Now that you mention it, I would say you’re right.
Yeah, I hate how especially on the lower trims, your only options are black, or grey(sometimes only grey). That's why I like those western themed trucks, like the King Ranch. Just something different.
I truly like this truck. Looks so much better looking than the current model.
Grandpa out here in Mexico has a 97 5.4 he's had it for like 8 or 9 years got it off one of my Dads childhood friends. The truck had an engine replacement maybe around 200k cause the whole engine shit itself starved of oil new engine does not make a single sound or vibration when the truck is on! Overall I like the truck a lot he uses it for construction work so it's a little beat up but I still think the design is timeless
I drove my younger brother's 03 Lariat Super crew for 2 years after I've had just about enough of the POS money pit car I was driving at the time in 2018. He loaned it to me to get by until I saved up enough to get my own truck which was a 2003 GMC Sierra but I loved that F-150 during the time I had it.
My dad had a 1998 Ford F150 with a 4.6L SOHC 2V Triton V8 in it and man it was a beast.
I still see these. They are really cool looking
One of my favourite F-series generations. When i get enough money i would like to import one here
Still have my 97 in the family. I gave it to my son with over 300k miles on it and it still hauls ass. I recommend moving the tailpipe behind the tire though.
I had 406,000 miles on me. She rotted away, still ran, just rusted away. That truck was so good to me
My dad bought one back in 97'. All tan, beautiful truck at the time. 2 years down the road he traded for a 99' 7.3 f250 zf6. That what drew me into ford. So now I own a 2000 7.3 with a zf6 swapped. Truck is a beast.
My brother had a ‘99 which is pretty similar. What a classic.
That brown interior looks nice I've never seen it before
I absolutely love mine! same year/generation with the 4.6 2v, extended cab 4x4, amazing truck! It's still one of the best purchases I've ever made. Mines pushing 200k but still drives very smooth and solid, some may disagree and thats fine but it genuinely looks better than most trucks today.
I bought one of these, can’t believe it’s been 26 years ago already. I then moved on to an ‘09 Supercrew which I still have as I finally came to the realization that I didn’t need to keep replacing perfectly good trucks just because they were a few years old.
My dad bought a 2002 Ford f150 Lariat and when my dad pass away I took the truck now has 171,000 good old truck. I drive it more then my new Tundra and Tacoma.
I have a 1997 f150 4x4 with the limited slip that I use to hual firewood. I bought it souly because it was the cheapest truck on the internet at the time, thus being subjected to untold molestation and abuse prior to my ownership. At 287,000 we are still going strong, it hauls 7/8ths of a cord of green firewood several times a week, and is completely ungodly in the snow. I once drove up a mountain on primitive dirt trails in a blizzard. I made an error and drove into like a two-foot-deep ditch, and the truck REVERSED OUT, up hill. I was just completely dumbfounded. My only complaint is that the factory rear springs were just a complete joke, and I suspect that this was done to improve the ride.
I remember when these came out and I was excited to see the Crew Cabs.
Original owner of a 97 lariot here of only 130k miles. Looking to restore it and turn it back into my daily because all the cars and trucks I've had since parking it, makes me remember good old larry never once let me down. Has adequate everything I need.
My 1999 f150 4.2l standard Trans has 360672.8 miles, currently, amazes me every time i crank it
This is when trucks we're reasonably priced and not extremely overpriced like modern trucks are.
1:37 "Lower the hoodline for better visibility"
I like how trucks now are doing the complete opposite of this, reducing visibility mostly for looks, no function.
Yep. I valet and most modern trucks have hood heights up to my neck. I am 6 foot. Laughably, they also have super low scoops at the bottom end of the bumper that give 2-3 inches of ground clearance at best
They also go off about "ohhh better fuel economy" but the size of vehicles has DRASTICALLY increased year after year, and the wheels too
That brown interior was pretty rare, most trucks were optioned with either gray or tan interiors. The rarest interior color for pickups and first year Expeditions was green.
I've seen the green interior but never the brown one, I thought that was a pre-production interior color that never made it to retail.
Were there also blue interiors like on the 8th gens? I believe I've also seen those.
On a separate topic I had an 08 Escape with a rare color interior: it was 2 tone charcoal with brown in the middle. The dash also had brown on top of the passenger side airbag cover. I thought it was a re-upholstered vehicle until I saw a brochure listing it. Only available in 08 & 09
@@luisinhoens90 Part of me wants to say there were blue interiors on that body style, I could swear I’ve seen a few before, but I’m not certain so I left that out of my original comment.
As for the interior on the Escape you had, that makes me think of the Eddie Bauer and King Ranch trims, but neither were available on the Escape. What trim level was it if you don’t mind my asking.
@@chumbawaumbacumpa it was a 2WD XLT with the V6 and cloth interior. That color combo was also available on leather equipped XLTs although I've never seen one of those. According to the brochure it's Charcoal Black with Dark Rust Inserts.
UPDATE: I found the 09 brochure and that color was gone so it was available in 08 only. Guess I was lucky
Great trucks when powered by the 4.6l modular V8. The appearance has definitely grown on me, compared to newer trucks this looks less like it's trying to appear opulent. Also the simple interior space without too many technological gimmicks really helps these hold up.
4:19 - Rollover protection? ✅️ Front collision protection? ❌️
I saw that crash test on UA-cam. 😳
@@AsteroidsDeluxe it's the one with suicide doors. Don't get one with the suicide doors and you'll be fine. Sturdy trucks, but no B pillar will kill any car
No question it was worth the wait, John
Yep. I still have my 4.2L F-150 XLT extended cab flareside with 89k miles. I just need to get it back up and running again. I'm 42 now, but it was given to me by my mother when I was 19. Drove it for many years and never ever wanted to sell it.
If only we could go back to pre-2000's prices on vehicles of today. What a difference.
I still see plenty of these on the road today, running on 7 cylinders and nearly rusting in two.
Ehh who needs spark plugs and fenders anyway
The realest comment. I love Ford but these trucks just weren't it. I see more of them than the next generation, which were total shit, but these are still looking rough these days. OBS Fords with some battle scars look like Dirty Harry. These look like beluga whales with herpes.
Not to mention having the infamous lifter tick sounding exaust
@@dylanmooney327 that would be the generation after this with the 5.4 3v
@@dylanmooney327 these have a manifold tick but the 04+ 3V 5.4 had the cam phasers that failed.
I love this Ford F150 1997. Beautifull truck
This is my favorite body style of the f150 no matter what anyone says
I have been waiting for this day!
Still rocking my 4.6 supercab my dad bought new in 98, now with long travel!😁
My uncle has one that he uses to visit all the time, bought new in '01. V6, single cab. Love the swirly design wheels.
I currently have a 2000 and my dad had an '03. Never a peep out of any in the reliability and durability department. In my neck of the woods these things are still absolutely everywhere. Way more common than the equivalent Chevrolet or Dodge of the time period.
These were and still are good trucks. "Car like handling" is a little more than a stretch, though. My 4x4 7700 package truck feels like what I would imagine an ocean liner to feel like.
To be fair, the 7700s had much stiffer shocks and a different trans than the standard F150s
The 7700 is night and day difference.
Those trucks have such amazing carpet. Very thick and plush. It’s just like the carpet I have in my Grand Marquis. I do like the car like look. It doesn’t look so big and intimidating.
People trash on this truck all the time but they are tough SOB's! I had an 01 4x4 and absolutely beat the crap out of it, never let me down once. Until a texting teenager ran a stop light and totalled it out for me.
I love this F150 look. It’s still a good looking truck!!
i actually really didnt like them when they came out. thought they where ugly. alot of people felt like that i remember at the time. now i like them.
I remember when this gen and the Expedition came out. Everyone wanted the Expedition.
@@mr.c493 thats because it had the 3rd row in it and the tahoe didnt back then.
@@jeffreyrigged that's because it looks more like a car than a truck!!
@@RohanSanjith thats true too id imagine.
For the 1996 model year, Ford actually sold this truck alongside the old 1980-1996 truck alongside the new '97 model, virtually unheard of at the time. Auto manufacturers typically shut down production of the old model to retool for the new model. The older model continued to be sold through the '98 model year for the F250 and F350, as well as for the chassis cab models. The Super Duty trucks would then be split off from the F-150 with a completely separate model for heavy duty buyers.
Ford Like GM Had Trouble letting go of the Old Style I Dont Blame em.
Chrysler also does that as well. The current Ram 1500 has been around since 2019 yet they still sell the previous generation model along side of it which is called the Ram 1500 Classic.
In 2004 they also sold this body style alongside the new one. They decaled it "heritage."
I believe Chevrolet did the same thing back in 1988 when their new pickup came out they still had the old body style butt in K5 Blazer and Suburban not sure about the dually
@@subeyguy66 Not exactly. Heritage edition was introduced in parallel to the redesigned model in 2003 and discontinued production early in 2004, before other 2004 MY trucks. Most were built in 2003 and overstock sold into 2004, called '04s making it easier to offload that overstock.
These are phenomenal trucks, they just go and go
I still see these trucks on the road today
Wish I still had my 99 4.6... Best truck I've ever owned.. Still hate that I sold it..
This is the one I've been waiting for
I love that body style. The styleside single cab versions looked the best to me.
My '98 XLT SuperCab 4x4 with 5.4-liter Triton V8 and manual gearbox was my first pickup. Lived out of the back of it for 6 months while I traveled around the U.S. I regret selling it to this day.
Why did you sell it?
Pretty sure they didn't make a 5 4 with the manual unless you're talking the lightning 5.4 super'd
@@bldontmatter5319 Huh. Go figure. It had a 5.4 Triton badge on the side. But when I decoded the VIN just now, it's listed as a 4.6L ... go figure!
I have a 2001 5.4 and I love that truck.
people can say what they want this was the truck to have. i see dozens of these still on the road today and even own one for work.
Most comfortable truck ever produced
I think this truck is the most appealing of all.
Still better than any new truck today
My uncle owns a 98 F-150 with the 5.4L V8 that he bought new for about $20k. The truck is still going strong and has very few issues for a 25 year old vehicle.
I used to think the fuel economy was very poor, but seeing how the new ones aren't much better, it's made me reconsider.
For years now, I've wanted a newer F-250 so I can have a truck and not need another vehicle for several years. Fuel economy be damned!
Your uncle still has the truck today right?
@@brandoncazares8452 yes
@@GKMess42 Good for him. My grandpa still has his today.
My '97 F150 lasted me 19 years and 358,000 miles. And at $15,000 it was cheaper than the Chevy S10's they were selling back then.
These trucks get a lot of hate and I don't think they deserve it. They were actually really good trucks, they just had the disadvantage of coming after the incredibly well loved obs trucks. There are almost no clean 10th gen f150s left outside of lightnings, they were all workhorses and heavily beat. I'm sure one day these will have a cult following
I had a 03 SuperCab. The 4.6 was gutless but it ran forever. Probably the last really well made truck Ford built.
There’s a ton of these still kicking
This was probably peak ford truck for reliability, power, all around day in and day out use.
21 year old here and I’ve got a 98 xlt with the 5.4 just over 230k miles and still runs like a dream. Only issue is the squeaky suspension that needs replaced.
I just did the suspension myself, the entire thing. I recommend getting new knuckles, the hubs WILL be frozen in. If you have torsion bar suspension you WILL NOT be able to remove them if they've been in there for over a decade. Simply replace ball joins for the lower control arm.