And...

[bruiser]

Later this year you can call Ford F150 trucks soda cans. About the only thing left on it that will be steel is the frame. The body will be aluminum. Two new V6 engines will be available too.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money...-ford-f-series-pickup-f-150-aluminum/4421041/

 

[ARtraveler]

It will be interesting to see how the aluminum Ford will be accepted. But, I do think it is the wave of the future. Only a matter of time for other brands to follow suit.

 

[jerpinoy]

Aluminum made cars are made to save weight and good mpg. Audi, Lambo, Ferrari and many other super cars are made with beer cans. And I'll drink to that.:yes::yes::yes::yes::yes::yes::yes::yes::yes::yes:

 

[Bob Denman]

...And up here in the "Salt Belt"; they don't rust! :2thumbs:

Hey; :bowdown: Carroll Shelby :bowdown: had Aluminum bodies on his Cobras... :2thumbs:

 

[Chupaca]

Curious..!!

don't you need some weight to get traction..?? What good is your four by four if the wheels just spin....:yikes:

 

[Bob Denman]

"Technique", impoves traction any day! :2thumbs:

 

[SNOOPY]

Lots of cars have aluminum parts, the only reason this made news is because it is "most" of the body. I would say that most cars today have at least aluminum hoods and trunk decks. Practically all have aluminum engines and transmissions along w/ many other aluminum parts.

All of this IMO is much better than plastic....which by the way is extensively used on GM products even doors. :yikes:

Only downfall I see in aluminum body panels is that if you get a dent it can't be simply removed by a local dent man, aluminum stretches and makes it near impossible to remove a dent, even w/ dry ice techniques.

.

 

[IGETAROUND]

don't you need some weight to get traction..?? What good is your four by four if the wheels just spin....:yikes:[/QUOTIf they are saving 700#'s that will still leave them with more than 1 3/4 tons of weight for traction!!:gaah::yikes:

 

[DJFaninTN]

just wait till it gets caught in a hail storm.

 

[Bob Denman]

With the cheap tin that they use today; hail can tear up ANY current vehicle... :gaah:
(We insured; and PAID FOR, too many hail claims this past two years!

 

[jcthorne]

You will see some commercials and demonstrations of this but the aluminum body panels in the new F150 are actually MORE resistant to dings than the steel panels they replace or those on the GM product.

This is not Ford's first rodeo with all aluminum bodies. They have nearly 10 yrs experience with this and several different build techniques. Its just that they are now applying what they have learned to the most important product they build.

They estimate the mileage ratings for the new truck with 2.7EB and 6 spd automatic to be very near 30mpg. GM cannot do this with the mini trucks much less its full size. Its a big step and Ford is getting its just attention.

 

[bruiser]

I still don't think they'll be able to combine power and mileage. Right now, and this pains me, Dodge is the leader in truck fuel mileage.

 

[Bob Denman]

Yup! A buddy of mine has one; he gets 26 MPG out on the highway... :thumbup:

 

[Bob Ledford]

...And up here in the "Salt Belt"; they don't rust! :2thumbs:

Hey; :bowdown: Carroll Shelby :bowdown: had Aluminum bodies on his Cobras... :2thumbs:

Corrosion is just aluminum rusting