On Jan. 8, LeMay – America's Car Museum unveiled its newest exhibit, “Ford F Series: The Truck That Grew Up with America,” a collection of rare and mostly vintage pickups that illustrates the evolution of one of Ford's most popular brands.
But there is also a subtext, as emphasized by LeMay's Chief Curator Scot Keller. Ford launched its F Series in 1948. The country was still shell shocked from World War 2, and a massive cultural sea change was underway.
American industry was on the brink of a decades-long run of uninterrupted expansion. Citizens were migrating from small towns to sprawling metropolises in search of opportunity, their exodus hastened by a rapid expansion of the nation’s highway system; and a vibrant middle class was taking root in the suburbs with their malt shops, drive-ins and rock n' roll.
In essence, the 22 shiny vehicles LeMay has gathered illustrate that growth, as well, from the no-frills utility of the 1948 Ford F-1 to the new Ford F-150, a ride that's quite posh in comparison.
“You go back to 1948, you see a truck (that's) closer to a farm implement,” Keller explained, providing a sneak peek to a group of local journalists last week. “You probably would have seen it in small towns as a delivery truck and on the farms and so on and so forth.
“If you bookend that with the 2015 F Series ... it's a full-on luxury car. So the evolution of the country and how transportation unfolded (in) our professional and personal lives – the truck has evolved with that.”
Like LeMay's previous exhibit, “Masters of Mustang,” the F Series show is scheduled for a six-month run with the possibility of being extended beyond June. All 22 Fords are on loan from private collectors for varying lengths of time, Keller said, and new ones will be rotated into the show.
“The aim is to make sure we're always changing,” Keller said. “We have the flexibility, given the design of the building, to move its location based on what our guests say, which will likely entail a whole new set of vehicles.”
Meanwhile, here is a cross-section of what museum visitors have seen so far.
“Ford F Series: The Truck That Grew Up with America”
LeMay – America's Car Museum, 2702 E. D St., Tacoma
Runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, through June
Admission is $8 to $16, but free to members and children ages 5 and under (group rates available)
(253) 779-8490 or http://www.lemaymuseum.org