How Much Have Heavy-Duty Ford Trucks Changed in 50 Years?

By Brett Foote - December 1, 2025

While heavy-duty Ford trucks have gotten more expensive and tech-laden, they still serve essentially the same purpose.

Ford trucks have existed for well over a century to this point, though a lot has obviously changed during those years. Today, Ford trucks are more capable, comfortable, and technologically advanced than ever, though many would argue that they’re perhaps a bit too feature-laden – and expensive. Regardless, it’s always fun to take a look back in time and see how, exactly, things have changed over the years, and that’s exactly what’s happening with this recent comparison between a new Ford F-550 and an old F-600.

In this video from The Fast Lane Truck, we’re treated to a pretty in-depth comparison between the channel’s old 1976 F-600 and a brand new F-550 XL chassis cab. The vintage hauler is powered by a 361 cubic-inch V8 mated to a five-speed manual transmission, driving all four wheels. It’s equipped with a beefy transfer case and heavy-duty axles, but as one might imagine, it isn’t exactly that fast – hitting a top speed of just over 50 mph.

On the flip side, we have the new F-550 chassis cab, which is also a four-wheel-drive model, though in this case, it’s equipped with far more modern mechanicals. Those include the turbocharged 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8, mated to the 10-speed automatic transmission. Along with a much more comfortable cabin, there are quite a few modern amenities to be found here as well, such as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – not to mention the ability to cruise along at highway speeds with no problem.

We also have to throw in the fact that the new F-550 can obviously haul and tow more than the old F-600, even if both are pretty darn capable by today’s standards. The old truck proves to be far less comfortable – and more laborious – to drive around town, which is to be expected. The newer truck is just a nicer place to be, however, and even in base XL trim, it still offers up plenty of niceties like phone integration, adaptive cruise control, air conditioning, and safety goodies such as airbags and three-point seat belts.

Of course, one pays for all that extra gear, as this particular F-550 stickers for just over $76k, with around $15k in options. By comparison, TFLT picked up its vintage F-600 for a mere $300 on Facebook Marketplace, and has around $8,500 in it, altogether.

However, perhaps the most interesting thing about these two heavy-duty Ford trucks isn’t how different they are – but rather, how similar, as both represent essentially “bare bones” workhorses squarely focused on doing on thing very well – hauling and towing heavy loads from one point to another.