A guy came into the shop today and said he spent the weekend looking at new trucks. Then he said the ford 1/2 ton only comes with an auto. I laughed at him, but he was adament! F-250 or bigger for a std tranny.
I never got a chance to call the dealerships...but he's wrong...right???
Ford wouldn't be THAT stupid would they??
A ford half ton not available with a clutch...IMPOSSIBLE!

This wouldn't be a Canada thing either would it??

 

As far as I know, for 2005, the F-150 will be available with a 5-spd manual, but only coupled to the 4.2L V-6. The 4.6L and 5.4L V-8s will be auto only. Thats the way it is here in the U.S. In Canada it could be auto only, but I really have no info either way.

 

The new style '04's have only the auto & V-8. The '04 Heritage were made w/V-6 & manual which now have been discontinued, and this drivetrain will be avail in the '05 models.

 

I think he's half-right. According to Automotive News, August 2, 2004:

"Ford adds a 4.2-liter V-6 engine for the 2005 model year...introduce the next-generation SVT F-150 Lightning pickup during the 2006 model year...a re-engineering is planned for the 2009 model year as Ford consolidates the Expedition, Navigator and F-150 on the T1 platform. T1 is a new platform designation, but its roots are in the 2004 F-150.

"Ford is developing several engines, including a V-8, a bigger V-6 and a V-6 diesel engine. The Hurricane V-8...is a 6.2-liter engine to join the truck horsepower wars...The first vehicles to receive the engine could be the redesigned 2007 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator...also expected to be offered in the F-series pickups eventually.

"A V-6 diesel is in the works for the F-150 pickup, the Expedition and possibly the Navigator...expect that diesel sometime after 2007. Ford is also working on the next-generation Power Stroke disel for its Super Duty pickups. Ford could take design, engineering and manufacturing in-house after the troubled launch of the current 6.0-liter Power Stroke V-8 supplied by International Truck and Engine Corp.

"The re-engineered 2005 F-series Super Duty pickups feature more powerful gasonline-powered engines, stronger frames, bigger brakes, more towing capacity and improved payload capacity. The Super Duty line will be redesigned for the 2007 model year."

Strangely absent in all of that is any mention of manual transmissions coming to any of the V-8 engines. However, the manual transmission will be a carry-over for the baseline V-6 model. I imagine that demand for V-8 manual transmission trucks is diminishing. Who really wants to be shifting a full-size truck all the time? With more and more trucks falling into family hands, the writing was on the wall several years back, which was why Ford didn't even offer the option in the new '04's.