(May 8, 2017) A new graphic shows how the price of a Ford F-series truck has changed since 1950, when adjusted for inflation. Created by BlueSpringsFordParts.com, the chart shows the price for a base ½ ton Ford truck going back more than 65 years. The pricing data was found in NADA guides and other reliable sites, and the inflation adjustment was done using Bureau of Labor data.

“When we put this data together, we were struck by the difference in pricing between 1973 and 1982,” says Kyle Harris, director at BlueSpringsFordParts.com.

“I guess if you consider the economic times, it’s not that surprising. And, yet, when you adjust that 1982 price for inflation, it’s practically the same price the F-150 was in 2008.”

The ½ ton Ford F-1 was introduced in 1948 as a no-nonsense yet capable work truck. Often sold to farmers and other workers whose jobs required hauling, the trucks were priced under $1300. Although it retained the same basic design through 1956, the F-1 became the F-100 in 1953. An automatic transmission and four engine upgrades were offered this same year.

The chart illustrates a 54% price increase from 1950 to 1959, and Ford’s selling point remained focused on economy. Advertisements for both 1958 and 1959 F-100 Ford trucks proclaimed, “Ford Trucks Cost Less.” The ads highlighted not only the initial cost but the minimal cost to maintain the truck over time. The chart reveals a similar price increase more recently: 57% between 2008 and 2016.

“Ford started out building their trucks to be affordable and reliable,” Harris says. “And that’s still true. Some Ford truck owners drive them past 400,000 miles. Most owners will tell you, if you maintain it, you’ll get more than your money’s worth out of an F-150.”

In the 1960s, Ford recognized its trucks were doing more than just work. In an effort to make the F-100 a family vehicle, the trucks received Twin I-Beam axle and interior amenities to make the ride more comfortable. Pricing increased little during this decade.

Despite the recession and oil crisis during the early 70s, Ford F-100 trucks kept selling. By 1974 the truck was officially both a work and family vehicle, so the Supercab was introduced. By 1977, the F-150 was an option and the F-100 would disappear after 1983. This new F model had increased payload but maintained a good price point. It immediately became a best seller.

Although prices jumped to the double-digits in the late 1980s, the F-150 continues to be affordable for many. According to Ford, they’ve sold more than 26 million F-150s since 1977.