I think it was about 3 months prior to GM's PR show (when they actually revealed their new line up of 900 pickup trucks at their Michigan proving grounds) that we saw a real pic of the 900 Silverado truck. Some guy was waiting in a car wash lane with a red 1500 crew cab 4WD. I wonder when the auto world "private eyes" will actually supply us truck enthusiasts with a true pic of the new 09' F-150? I'm sure there are plenty of bragging rights awaiting the first person/group to provide these pictures. We all in some way have an appeal for espionage. I believe the GM pic that I described above was from some private investigation entity that was following the covered truck which was transporting the GM trucks to the Arizona desert for some more testing. How they knew the truck contained the new Chevy's I don't know. But I wish someone would get us a pic before the Detroit auto show this winter of the new F-150..

 

Chevy is already got another truck in the works, gee wizz!! I miss the days when the only thing that changed within a decade was the grille, headlights, and the interior. I guess trucks actually looked better then though, so no change was needed. I think the 09 Fords will look better than the 04 to 08 Fords, but it's impossible to beat the 78-79, and it would be real tough to beat the 80-86, those were some fine looking trucks.

 

I fully agree with tou. In my case I like the model since 1973 till 1979. I know 78 79 are nicer. I think those will be the best looking trucks ford will ever have.

 

I have owned a 1974 Ranger XLT, 1982 Lariat, 1985 SC Lariat, and now 1994 XL. In addition to a 64 Dodge D100, 66 Chevy C10 and 1973 C10 Cheyenne Super. The coolest of all was probably the 74 XLT for looks. But none of them out drives, rides or was as slick as the 1994 XL. It's coming up on 14 years and still looks good even next to newer trucks. I look at the newbies coming in the pipeline, and yeah they are really very nice trucks. But I'm not interested. They don't tug at my libido like the 94 did when it was new. Now, the SD truck that is to follow the 08 design. Maybe. The 08 SD looks to be a transitional design change and I bet you what, it'll be a stunning piece of work. I'm thinking that Ford will be moving away from the AeroMaxx look---finally! And breaking some new and interesting ground. Maybe some actual styling from an American Manufacturer! Just like it used to be.

BTW, I see GM trucks as mis-directed in styling. Clunky wheel openings, creaces and folds in the sheet metal just to do a crease or a fold. I guess you have to make it so it doesn't flap!
And Dodge is all about being a poser. It isn't, wasn't and never will be a BIG truck. I don't care how big the grill opening is made. The radiator is only 2 foot square!
Toyota is a small puddle frog that got too fat for the sake of being fat. Nissan is almost right, even if I don't like it. They get a good interior, it'll be a nice package.

 

TOMHONE's post is describing an event that occurred prior to the introduction of the current Chevy pickup. Someone shot some "spy photos" of the pickup with no camouflage. These photos were release on the Internet weeks before the "official" GM unveiling. He is wondering when we might see a similar early non-camouflaged photo of the 2009 F150.

My guess is that we will see the photos eventually. Right now, the "new" truck is several months away. Heck, Ford doesn't even seem to know what the '09 will have for an engine, so they might not know what it's going to look like either.

 

nomo: If they don't know what engine is to be offered I think those pics I referred to are a long way off.

 

We know...we just are not saying what and when

 

DD: Do you think edmonds is actually talking to ford suppliers and getting their info on the engines or are they just pedaling BS???

 

If you have not already seen it.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...leId=100879421#

 

Looks pretty much the same to me, still ugly. I say long live the 67-79.

 

I'm going to call B.S. I've seen the launch dates for engines (sorry...thats all I can say).

 

If it was something real exciting a bunch of people would wait to buy and that would hurt the sales numbers for the 2007 and 2008 model years. JMHO

 

My parents live in Royal Oak Mi, real close to Detroit, I have seen some pretty crazy cars and trucks that drive around that city. Last weekend I saw what looked to be the 2009 F150, but you can't tell because the test vehicles look like crap, small wheels, flat black paint, and crazy looking tail pipes.

 

I've heard this many times from people reside near large auto mfg. facilities. These mules are constantly beind spotted at street lights, highways, but not car washes and/or parking lots. They don't want any pics taked while they're sitting there would be my best guesss. I'd love to see some true pics of the new 09' model though. But maybe they haven't been produced yet.

 

Yeah the mules are used just to cover what they are testing underneath, like engine and drive tranes. But what I saw was definitely a 2009 in testing.