range Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 New package that will go on sale this spring. Labeled "midbox" and "Tough Box," will be targeted to commercial buyers. "The new F-150 package took only six months to go from the planning stage to the final version, said Ken Macfarlane, Ford's director of truck manufacturing operations. Typically, he said, such a modification would take 18 months to develop and produce." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 What is that exactly? Six months is quick and good job to them. Perhaps this was aided by the overall design which had something like this in mind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
range Posted January 28, 2007 Author Share Posted January 28, 2007 I have no idea. I'm thinking its some kind of plastic storage box that goes in the bed, but who knows. I don't expect it anything dramatic if it only took 6 months to start to finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g48150 Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 What is that exactly? Six months is quick and good job to them. Perhaps this was aided by the overall design which had something like this in mind? Its a Bold realization that more and more truck customers DON'T buy F-series trucks to replace the grocery-getter. This past summer was a big "wake up" call for Ford because of the market shift of people going from F-series to Camrys, Accords, and Sonatas. The truck market is correcting itself, and more commercial application customers are buying than the "regular joe" type of customer. This is great news, this shows that the target customer can and will CHANGE between product years and in this case product months, what a Bold Move! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenp77 Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 I am guessing it is a composite bed like the toyo tacoma has had for the last2 yrs or so WOW what a breakthrough!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark B. Morrow Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 (edited) I am guessing it is a composite bed like the toyo tacoma has had for the last2 yrs or so WOW what a breakthrough!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Or a composite bed like the Sport Trac has had since its inception in 2001, long before Toyota copied it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Explorer_Sport_Trac Edited January 29, 2007 by Mark B. Morrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoss96racing Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 don't forget chevy tried it too... I beleive it went away the same time as quadrasteer ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 Or a composite bed like the Sport Trac has had since its inception in 2001, long before Toyota copied it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Explorer_Sport_Trac Ranger Flareside had a composite bed the year it came out (93 or 94...can't remember which). When it went by the ultra lame name "Splash" (awww heck I almost bought one! Probably would have if I had not just bought a new Ranger Supercab in 92) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemiman Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 New package that will go on sale this spring. Labeled "midbox" and "Tough Box," will be targeted to commercial buyers. "The new F-150 package took only six months to go from the planning stage to the final version, said Ken Macfarlane, Ford's director of truck manufacturing operations. Typically, he said, such a modification would take 18 months to develop and produce." OMG! A mid yr change? It can't be done! Just think of the billions in standard bed parts that have already been ordered! We all know that Ford can't do this, any more than they could correct the New Escape's sub-standard drum brakes, mid yr. Would cost a whopping $36 in parts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DearbornDerek Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 http://www.blueovalforums.com/forums/index...6&hl=midbox post #8 tells what a midbox is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 Ooooo!!! That's what I thought it was, but I didn't want to say so and be wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANTAUS Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 "OMG! A mid yr change? It can't be done! Just think of the billions in standard bed parts that have already been ordered! We all know that Ford can't do this, any more than they could correct the New Escape's sub-standard drum brakes, mid yr. Would cost a whopping $36 in parts!" The main reason isn't so much cost after the fact, rather, the contracts binding them. Anyone can change anything, at any time, but like everything else, there's a cost. So the suppliers are left with XXXXX number of parts, then Ford changes the order to something else...well the supplier needs to unload XXXXX number of parts somehow. Again, all this boils down to execution. At what point, where, exactly when, did someone say to themselves "Ah yes, we tested these brakes out, and they work great". And thats where the problem really lies. The conversation should have been "Wow, these are some damn good breaks, they stop quicker than any other competitors!" ANd maybe that did take place, but there was a beancounter who might have said "Nope we can't have those, it's $21 more per unit, and we think that's too much"... THEY should be fired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igor Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 "OMG! A mid yr change? It can't be done! Just think of the billions in standard bed parts that have already been ordered! We all know that Ford can't do this, any more than they could correct the New Escape's sub-standard drum brakes, mid yr. Would cost a whopping $36 in parts!" The main reason isn't so much cost after the fact, rather, the contracts binding them. Anyone can change anything, at any time, but like everything else, there's a cost. So the suppliers are left with XXXXX number of parts, then Ford changes the order to something else...well the supplier needs to unload XXXXX number of parts somehow. Again, all this boils down to execution. At what point, where, exactly when, did someone say to themselves "Ah yes, we tested these brakes out, and they work great". And thats where the problem really lies. The conversation should have been "Wow, these are some damn good breaks, they stop quicker than any other competitors!" ANd maybe that did take place, but there was a beancounter who might have said "Nope we can't have those, it's $21 more per unit, and we think that's too much"... THEY should be fired. the reason this was possible, was that they did not actually change any existing parts .. they simply mount existing 5.5ft beds on existing 8ft-bed-frame and putting an all new integrated cabin in the 3-or-so ft left between the cabin and the bed ... Igor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark B. Morrow Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 If they already have orders for 25k units form Scotts then it would seem to be worth the effort. Especially true if no one else is offering it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGallun Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 lol, they are going to sell 25k of these, heck, thats 25% of what toyota will sell of the new tundra this year! lololol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Yeah. 25k to ONE CUSTOMER. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Although, truth be told, I'm inclined to doubt that number. 2500 I could believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark B. Morrow Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Although, truth be told, I'm inclined to doubt that number. 2500 I could believe. I was wondering about that number too. I guess its possible if Scotts is replacing their fleet. 25k is a lot of trucks to anyone short of UPS or FedEX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old_fairmont_wagon Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 25000 / 50 = 500 so, if this were true, that would be an average of 500 trucks per state if they were all over the US. They aren't, so, that number could likely rise to 6-700 per state that they are in. Seems somewhat high to me, unless they have something like several thousand in states like California and Texas. Hmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLPRacing Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Here it is: The Ford "Tough Box" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igor Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 just saw it and have been correcting everyone who compares it to the Cheyenne side door.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLPRacing Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 just saw it and have been correcting everyone who compares it to the Cheyenne side door.. I saw the comparison too and thought it was funny. Have you emailed Autoblog about it? There has been quite a few concepts with the"Cheyenne" type side door. It would be pretty cool option on the next F150. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igor Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 (edited) OK more details "It's a very cool feature but also very functional. In addition to storage on the inside, you can also add sliding tool drawers that extend back into the bed. You can also install a cap over it and the rest of the bed. We're trying to offer as much flexibility as possible," says Sherwood. Customers will be able to order the Tough Box option on 145-inch wheelbase regular cab pickups with a 5.5-foot box, or on 163-inch wheelbase Super Cab models with a 5.5-foot box. The Tough Box project came together in less than a year. In June 2006 Scotts Miracle-Gro, the well-known fertilizer company, requested an order for pickups to meet new federal regulations requiring the separation of liquid and granular fertilizer in the same space. Ford responded by delivering this new 'midbox' concept. EVEN MORE INFO AT THE LINK BELOW: All of these will be built in KCAP and then shipped to a "second stage manufacturer" in MI what gets me is: is KCAP the CLOSEST F150 plant to Detroit? this arrangement has the trucks shipped for almost 800miles ...before even being shipped. http://www.pickuptruck.com/html/2009/ford/...pied/mule1.html Igor Edited March 9, 2007 by igor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DearbornDerek Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 OK more detailsEVEN MORE INFO AT THE LINK BELOW: All of these will be built in KCAP and then shipped to a "second stage manufacturer" in MI what gets me is: is KCAP the CLOSEST F150 plant to Detroit? this arrangement has the trucks shipped for almost 800miles ...before even being shipped. http://www.pickuptruck.com/html/2009/ford/...pied/mule1.html Igor We don't build regular cabs or the 163" wheel base at DTP. We only build the 133", 139", 145" (supercab) and the 150" W.B. Supercabs, crewcabs, 5.5' and 6.5' (bed) only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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