1973 Ford Truck Stars in Silent Movie: Throwback Thursday

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The Motor Company promoted the 1973 Ford truck with a unique silent movie-style commercial.

In 1973, the Ford F-Series pickup was all new and introduced the sixth generation of the legendary truck. As had been the case in previous years, the Ford marketed the F-Series pickup by highlighting the combination of working abilities with a smooth ride. For the 1973 trucks, Ford went so far as to include the phrase ‘Works like a truck, Rides like a car’ in their commercials.

The 1973 commercial above not only touches on the working abilities and the smooth ride, but the company also pointed out some features that are all quite common today. However, back in 1973, these items were a big deal for the F-Series lineup.

1973 Ford Truck in a Silent Movie

The Ford truck commercial above comes from the YouTube channel of William Presley and it is modeled after a classic silent movie. It begins with the poor piano player pushing a piano down the street. At one point, he comes across the owner of a new 1973 Ford F-100, who offers to help the piano player transport his instrument more easily.

1973 Ford Truck Ad Image

After loading the piano into the bed of the 1973 F-100, the owner shows off a handful of the key features of the new pickup. The hidden storage area behind the seats, the roomier cab, and the optional ‘built-in’ air conditioning system all made the 1973 F-100 far more comfortable. The suspension system carried the load while offering a smooth ride, and the standard front disc brakes save a lazy dog from an unfortunate demise.

Along the way, we watch the 1973 pickup make short work of a path that would have been a nightmare for someone pushing a piano.

Really, although Ford Motor Company has made some corny commercials over the years, this 1973 F-Series commercial might be one of the best of them. The silent movie approach is still copied today, so this Ford commercial has proven to be fairly timeless.

Chime in with your thoughts on the forum. >>

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

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