In-Depth with the 2015 Ford F-150's Aluminum, Presented In an Alloy of Facts ... - Car and Driver (blog)
Henry Ford’s Model T was the 20th century’s boldest automotive stroke. Like Lotus’s Colin Chapman and every other shrewd motorsports engineer, Ford—even way back when—identified weight as the enemy. Model T frames were made of steel containing vanadium for extra strength, and millions of T hoods were aluminum long before that metal entered the car-material mainstream. With only 20 horsepower under the hood, the T needed its weight to be kept below 2000 pounds to meet Ford’s ambitious performance goals. Now that 2015 Ford F-150 s are finally in customer hands, inquiring minds wonder why it took a century for aluminum to leap from Model T hoods to the cabs and beds of America’s bestselling vehicle. Unfortunately, aluminum also offers only one-third the stiffness, so gauge increases are usually needed when aluminum replaces steel. Ford managed to make the math work for its new F-150, and we’ve compiled everything you need to know about the new truck’s aluminum, from how it is used to where it comes from. Where Does It Go. Ford’s aluminum-body research began in earnest two decades ago. Source: blog.caranddriver.com
