10 Amazing Ford Trucks from Ford Nationals 2022

2022 Ford Nationals set a record for the highest car count  — 3,454 — of any show hosted by Carlisle Events.

The 2022 Ford Nationals was the biggest ever. Literally. And not just the largest Ford Nationals event ever. With 3,454 registered showfield vehicles it was the largest Carlisle Events show ever in the 48-year history of Carlisle. And we loved every single minute of it. So we decide to share our 10 favorite Ford trucks on dsiplay.

The list below is in no certain order. And we are sure we missed some amazing rides. (There is just too much to see.) If you have never come out this event, you are really missing out on the greatest Ford display you will ever see. Start thinking now about your plans for 2023 and get out here. But before we look ahead to next year, let’s look back at what just happened.

1963 F-100XL

How cool is this? It is a 1963 Ford F-100XL that was built by Dearborn Steel Tubing. Under the hood is a 427 FE 2×4 Low Riser engine. It is connected to a Borg-Warner four-speed transmission. As you can clearly see in the pictures, this truck was built for racing. It was originally raced by Jack “Skinny” Fuche. It was then transferred to and raced by Jack Whitby’s Friendly Ford. A great piece of history and worthy of inclusion on this list.

1954 F-100

We included this truck because a Sea Foam Green 1954 F-100 is a beautiful truck. And this one has had a recent frame up restoration with only 2,000 miles on it since. And it was for sale for only $29,500. It would be a struggle to find something as much fun that would turn as many heads for less money than this truck. It was one of the ten best trucks we spotted.

1966 Bronco

We could have written a whole article just on this 1966 Bronco. Just look at this build. Just look at it and take it all in. This Bronco has too many upgrades and modifications to list. High quality components throughout. A stunning blue paint job. Aggressive wheels and tires, but nothing too crazy. There were so many fantastic Bronco builds at the show and yet this one still stood out above the rest.

1956 Stepside

We are suckers for a cool story and this truck is stunning and has a story to go with it that makes it worthy for this list. It is a 1956 Stepside. The current owner purchased it way back on September 2, 1976. It was the first vehicle he ever bought. And now 46 years later, he still has it. There are not many trucks that stay with the same owner for nearly half a century. But this beautiful Stepside is one of them.

1983 F-250

Another great truck with a story to match. This 1983 F-250 has 99,000 original miles. The original owner blew a head gasket and parked if for nearly 20 years in California. In 2015 the current owner bought it and had it shipped to Ohio. It is a stunning truck that still wears its original paint.

1953 F-100

We are a sucker for trucks of this generation, what can we say? We like the simplicity of this one. The flat black paint with the red wheels gives is a distinct look. And under the hood a little bit of flame paint work never hurts. It is not an over-the-top build, but it definitely has that ‘50s hot rod feel to it.

Rad Ranger

This is a 1988 Ford Ranger XLT. But not just any XLT, check out the subtle 5.0 badge on the side. This one is packing a 302 V8. And the modifications don’t stop there. There are wheels and tires, a lift, auxiliary lights and a whole lot more. This is a truck that was proudly built and not bought.

Multiple Lightning Strikes

This is not a favorite truck; this is a row of favorite trucks. A lineup of white F-150 Lightnings. From the days before you plugged your Lightning into the wall. The first-generation Lightning came in Black, Red and White. White was the rarest color as it was only offered in 1994 and 1995. And here are a few of them, all lined up and looking great.

1972 F-250

This was a must-add to the ten best truck list. Another old Ford truck that still looks great wearing its original paint. That is even more surprising considering this truck was originally sold in Minnesota. Not exactly the friendliest area for keeping paint looking good. More impressive is that the original owner installed three extra gas tanks for family trips to Alaska. This truck was obviously used as intended in harsh climates but still looks great.

Bronc5.0

Boy it is tough to limit this list to just ten. But we love a vehicle that just so perfectly captures the era in which it was built. And this second-generation Bronco is a perfect example of that. This generation only lasted two years but it produced some beautiful rigs. And this one has a bonus. A modern Coyote 5.0 resides under the hood. This was one of our favorite vehicles of the show.

Images: Joe Kucinski