Rare Rides: A Supercharged Harley-Davidson F-150 From 2003
Rare Rides has featured a couple of F-150 things previously, in the super luxurious Lincoln Blackwood, and the performance-oriented first generation SVT Lightning. Today’s truck combines both luxury and performance into a single F-150.
Let’s check out this very clean triple-tone Harley-Davidson F-150 from 2003.
The 10th-gen F-150 marked a change in approach for Ford, as the most extensive redesign for their mainstream full-sizer in many years. Through the Eighties and Nineties, trucks in North America saw increased usage as family vehicles; more consumers selected them instead of sedans and wagons for everyday tasks. As expected, these new suburban truck buyers demanded more comfort and equipment. Ford took note and made the 10th-gen F-150 look softer and more friendly. They added an independent front suspension, used a new overhead cam engine (an industry first), and most importantly, added four full-sized doors in 2001. That newly created F-150 SuperCrew was the first half-ton pickup to offer such a family-friendly layout. Back to Harley.
Today’s subject is part of the very first run of Harley-Davidson trimmed Ford trucks. The F-150 was already on its fourth model year when Harley versions came along; the aerodynamic design having debuted for the model year 1997. The family customers mentioned above were offered much monochrome trim and winged Harley badges for their motorcycle-themed truck needs. But Ford had more plans for its new trim.
In 2002, the Harley-Davidson grew into more than mere appearances: Ford blessed it with a reworked version of the 5.4-liter V8 from the contemporary SVT Lightning. In its transition from the all-powerful Lighting to the Harley, Ford de-tuned the V8 a bit. In its new use, it made 340 horsepower and 425 lb-ft of torque, rather than the 380 and 450 lb-ft of the Lighting. In addition to the big decals of prior versions, the new performance Harley-Davidson F-150 had reworked bumpers and side sills, a chromed side step, unique chrome wheels, and (optionally) a very noticeable triple-tone paint job.
Inside, notable changes over standard F-150s included a two-tone grey and cream interior treatment, lots of chrome-covered levers and dials, and plentiful Harley-Davidson logos. Each supercharged truck was numbered via a metal plaque in the center binnacle. Unlike some special edition vehicles, the visual treatment continued unabated into the rear passenger area as well, where two bucket seats replaced the bench.
The supercharged truck was offered for only two model years. After 2003, the Harley-Davidson trucks returned to a basic trim package for a few years. The next Harley F-150 with a supercharger was available as an option in 2007, courtesy of Saleen. In 2012, Ford phased out the Harley editions, as the trim was replaced by Limited. The broader appeal of a non-motorcycle themed truck was obvious.
Today’s excellent condition truck hails from 2003. With 58,000 miles, it’s available in Cincinnati for $23,995.
[Images: seller]
Interested in lots of cars and their various historical contexts. Started writing articles for TTAC in late 2016, when my first posts were QOTDs. From there I started a few new series like Rare Rides, Buy/Drive/Burn, Abandoned History, and most recently Rare Rides Icons. Operating from a home base in Cincinnati, Ohio, a relative auto journalist dead zone. Many of my articles are prompted by something I'll see on social media that sparks my interest and causes me to research. Finding articles and information from the early days of the internet and beyond that covers the little details lost to time: trim packages, color and wheel choices, interior fabrics. Beyond those, I'm fascinated by automotive industry experiments, both failures and successes. Lately I've taken an interest in AI, and generating "what if" type images for car models long dead. Reincarnating a modern Toyota Paseo, Lincoln Mark IX, or Isuzu Trooper through a text prompt is fun. Fun to post them on Twitter too, and watch people overreact. To that end, the social media I use most is Twitter, @CoreyLewis86. I also contribute pieces for Forbes Wheels and Forbes Home.
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When the world says, "America has really feel behind the rest of the world". I was too proud to believe them and thought they were being prejudice but, they are right I'm assuming you're all Americans commenting here.
I have to say the 2OO3 F15O CREWCAB HARLEY DAVIDSON is an awesome truck! I've put 200,000 cruising the roads of America in mine. You don't slow down in this truck you speed up. This truck is super fast, good looking, sexy, and funner than a whorehouse on nickel nite!
I couldn't keep the women out of it!
I had more tail in this truck than Vegas had hookers.
Americans used to know their sh*t, now you all just talk sh*t and know nothing. Especially the guy who said they all have hard bed tops. He's wrong and an idiot.
I’m just trying to figure out where you guys got your information from. Because it’s not exactly correct. The first time that Ford put out the F-150 Harley-Davidson pickup with a supercharged 330i engine was in the year 2002 . I personally have one of them and Ive owned it for 15 years now. If you are interested in getting a better idea of the truth about the Harley-Davidson pickup truck, you might want to have a look at the ford motors website. Or there’s a good website for the Harley-Davidson pickup truck owners, that you can sign in to , and there’s a lot of information about the trucks and the people who own them. But you should probably be aware that many of these people, aren’t really very knowledgeable about engine’s or anything related to the operation of anything else about a motor vehicle. But they are really funny to read about the things that they have done to their own trucks. It’s a great source of humor, if you have even a little bit of knowledge about cars and trucks and how they work. Anyway, I just thought that maybe you’d like to have the best information to be putting out on your website, it’s been really fun to give you some imput for your website, thanks for letting me help you out with your abilities to be able to share the most accurate information on the subjects that you have chosen to put out in your website. Sincerely appreciate your time and the fact that you have been able to listen to me on this subject, Danny.