The Mercury M series is a series of pickup trucks that was marketed by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company. Produced from 1946 to 1968, the Mercury M series was sold primarily in Canada, as a rebadged version of the Ford F series.
In 1946, Ford of Canada split its Ford and Lincoln/Mercury divisions into separate sales networks. Alongside the creation of the Monarch and Meteor sub-brands, Ford of Canada introduced trucks to the Mercury division. At the time, few rural communities offered both the Ford and Lincoln-Mercury dealership networks, miniminizing model overlap and allowing for greater coverage for potential truck buyers. To differentiate Ford and Mercury trucks, Mercury added a brand-specific grille and slightly different exterior and interior trim.
Nomenclature
In 1948, following the introduction of the Ford F series, Mercury adopted the use of the "M" prefix, for Mercury. From 1948 to 1950, nominal tonnage ratings were replaced by a series designation in which the numbers indicate the GVWR when equipped with tires of appropriate capacity. Each code number is arrived at by dividing the GVWR of the series by 100. Thus an F-47 (M-47) indicates a GVWR of 4700lbs., F-135 (M-135) indicates 13500lbs., etc.
In 1951–52, Ford of Canada got back in step with Ford USA with F-1 (M-1), F-2 (M-2) etc.
Pickup trucks
1949 Mercury M series1966 Mercury M-100
From 1948 to 1968, the Mercury M series followed the development of its Ford F-series counterparts, differing largely in exterior trim.
For 1961 to 1966, Mercury trucks had a gear/lightning bolt symbol on their horn button and no other interior Mercury nameplates.
For 1967 and 1968, trucks used Ford interior trim only, such as the horn button, dash cluster bezel and radio block-off plate.
Alongside rebranding the F-Series pickup trucks as the M-series, Lincoln-Mercury also marketed other vehicles of the Ford truck range. The Ford medium-duty F-series (F-500 and above) was part of the M-series, including an MB-series bus chassis (Ford B-series). As part of its commercial truck range, Lincoln-Mercury also marketed the Ford C-series tilt-cab truck as an M-series; produced until 1972, this would outlive the rest of the Mercury truck range.
The first-generation Ford Econoline was marketed in Canada as the Mercury Econoline EM-series, sharing both van and pickup truck body configurations. As Mercury-brand light-truck production ended during the 1968 model year, there was no Mercury version of the second-generation Econoline (which was moved to the 1969 model year).
While not sold as a Mercury, the Lincoln-Mercury division also marketed the first-generation (1957-1959) Ford Ranchero through its Meteor brand in Canada.
Discontinuation
1968 Mercury M100, final year of production
When the Auto-Pact was signed in 1965, opening the border to tariff-free movement of vehicles produced on both sides of the border, Mercury truck production was split between the Oakville, Ontario, plant and the San Jose, California, plant. This enabled Oakville to ramp up production to supply the eastern US and Canada with Ford trucks. No Mercury trucks were sold in the US.
Ford wound down production of the Mercury trucks in the late spring of 1968; documented Mercury trucks have been found built as late as May 15, 1968. Employees of Ford in this time period have reported leftover Mercury M series being converted to Ford trucks. However, no paperwork or confirmation has yet surfaced regarding the final disposition of these, nor of an official end date to production.
Following the discontinuation of the Mercury M-series pickup, the M-series tilt-cab version of the C series survived until 1972. After its discontinuation, the next Mercury light truck would be the 1993 Mercury Villager minivan.
Mercury is a defunct division of the American automobile manufacturer Ford Motor Company. Created in 1938 by Edsel Ford, Mercury served as the medium-price brand of Ford for nearly its entire existence, bridging the price gap between the Ford and Lincoln model lines. Competing against Buick and Oldsmobile from General Motors for decades, the brand also competed against Chrysler's namesake brand.
The Ford E-Series is a range of full-size vans manufactured and marketed by the Ford Motor Company. Introduced for model year 1961 as the replacement for the Ford F-Series panel van, the E-Series line is currently in its fourth generation.
The Ford F-Series is a series of light-duty trucks marketed and manufactured by Ford since the 1948 model year. Slotted above the Ford Ranger in the Ford truck model range, the F-Series is marketed as a range of full-sized pickup trucks. Alongside the F-150, the F-Series also includes the Super Duty series, which includes the heavier-duty F-250 through F-450 pickups, F-450/F-550 chassis cabs, and F-600/F-650/F-750 Class 6-8 commercial trucks. The most popular version of the model line is the F-150 pickup truck, currently in its 14th generation. From 1953 to 1985, the entry-level F-series pickup was the ½ ton F-100.
The Ford Excursion is a heavy duty, full-sized SUV that was produced by Ford. The longest and heaviest SUV ever to enter mass production, the Excursion was marketed as a direct competitor of the 2500-series Chevrolet Suburban/GMC Yukon XL. Introduced on September 30, 1999 for the 2000 model year, a single generation was produced through the 2005 model year.
The Lincoln Blackwood is a luxury pickup truck that was marketed by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company for the 2002 model year. The first pickup truck marketed by Lincoln, the Blackwood was derived from the Ford F-150 SuperCrew and the Lincoln Navigator. Drawing its name from its simulated black woodgrain cargo box, the Blackwood was offered solely with a black-painted exterior.
The Ford Ranger sold in the Americas is a range of pickup trucks manufactured and marketed by Ford in North and South America under the Ranger nameplate. Introduced in early 1982 for the 1983 model year, the Ranger is currently in its fourth generation. Developed as a replacement for the Mazda-sourced Ford Courier, the model line has been sold across the Americas; Ford of Argentina began production of the Ranger for South America in 1998.
The Ford Super Duty is a series of heavy-duty pickup trucks produced by the Ford Motor Company since the 1999 model year. Slotted above the consumer-oriented Ford F-150, the Super Duty trucks are an expansion of the Ford F-Series range, from the F-250 to the F-550. Rather than adapting lighter-duty trucks for heavier use, Super Duty trucks have been designed as a dedicated variant of the Ford F-Series, including pickup trucks and chassis cab vehicles; the Ford F-450 is the largest pickup truck offered for sale in North America.
The International Extreme Truck Series is a range of pickup trucks produced by Navistar International from 2004 to 2008. The first vehicle marketed by International to consumers since the discontinuation of the Scout in 1980, the XT trucks marked the return of International to pickup truck production since the discontinuation of the 100-series pickups in 1975. Two vehicles were based on the International medium-duty truck range, while another was derived from a military tactical vehicle produced by Navistar.
The medium-duty version of the Ford F-Series is a range of commercial trucks manufactured by Ford since 1948. Derived from the smaller F-Series pickup trucks, the medium-duty range is currently in its eighth generation. Initially slotted between the F-Series pickup trucks and the "Big Job" conventionals, later generations were slotted below the L-Series "Louisville" trucks; the last two generations are the largest vehicles produced by Ford since its exit from the heavy-truck segment.
The Ford C series is a range of trucks that was assembled by Ford between 1957 and 1990. The first cab-over engine (COE) truck produced with a tilting cab by Ford, the C-series replaced the C-series COE variant of the F-series, produced since 1948. Produced as both a straight/rigid truck and a tractor, a wide range of versions of C-series was produced, ranging from Class 5 to Class 8 GVWR ratings. The C-series was also used as a basis for fire apparatus production.
The Ford B series is a bus chassis that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. Produced across six generations from 1948 to 1998, the B series was a variant of the medium-duty Ford F series. As a cowled-chassis design, the B series was a bare chassis aft of the firewall, intended for bodywork from a second-stage manufacturer. While primarily used for school bus applications in the United States and Canada, the chassis was exported worldwide to manufacturers to construct bus bodies for various uses.
The first-generation of the Ford F-Series is a series of trucks that was produced by Ford from the 1948 to the 1952 model years. The introduction of the F-Series marked the divergence of Ford car and truck design, developing a chassis intended specifically for truck use. Alongside pickup trucks, the model line included also panel vans, bare and cowled chassis, and marked the entry of Ford into the medium and heavy-duty truck segment.
The fourth generation of the Ford F-Series is a line of pickup trucks and commercial trucks that were produced by Ford from the 1961 to 1966 model years. Lower and wider than the previous generation, the fourth-generation F-Series marked several design changes to the F-Series, distinguished by bed sides matching the hood line and window sill in height. The model line returned to two headlights, a change that remained in place for over 50 years.
The fifth generationof the Ford F-Series is a line of pickup trucks and commercial trucks that were produced by Ford from the 1967 to 1972 model years. Built on the same platform as the fourth generation F-series trucks, the fifth generation had sharper styling lines, a larger cab, and expanded engine options.
The sixth generation of the Ford F-Series, also known as the "dentside Ford" to enthusiasts, is a line of pickup trucks and medium-duty commercial trucks that were produced by Ford Motor Company from the 1973 to 1979 model years. Produced by Ford in North America, Argentina, and Australia, this is the third and final generation of trucks derived from the 1965 Ford F-Series.
The seventh generation of the Ford F-Series is a range of trucks that was produced by Ford from the 1980 to 1986 model years. The first complete redesign of the F-Series since the 1965 model year, the seventh generation received a completely new chassis and body, distinguished by flatter body panels and a squarer grille. This generation marked several firsts for the model line, including the introduction of the Ford Blue Oval grille emblem, the introduction of a diesel engine to the model line, and a dashboard with a full set of instruments (optional). Conversely, this generation marked the end of the long-running F-100, the Ranger trim, and sealed-beam headlamps. This was also be the final generation of the F-Series produced with the traditional Flareside bed, using separate rear fenders and taillamps, steel sides, and an (optional) wooden floor.
The ninth generation of the Ford F-Series is a lineup of trucks that were produced by Ford from the 1992 to 1998 model years. The final generation of the F-Series to include a complete range of trucks from a half-ton F-150 pickup truck to a medium-duty F-800 commercial truck, this is the third generation of the F-Series body and chassis introduced for 1980.
The tenth generation of the Ford F-Series is a line of pickup trucks produced by Ford from the 1997 to 2004 model years. The first ground-up redesign of the F-Series since 1980, the tenth generation saw the introduction of an all-new chassis and a completely new body. In a significant model change, the tenth generation was developed only for the F-150, with the ninth-generation F-250 and F-350 replaced by the all-new Ford Super Duty variant of the F-Series for 1999.
The thirteenth-generation Ford F-Series is a range of pickup trucks produced by Ford. Introduced for the 2015 model year, this generation of the F-Series is the first aluminum-intensive vehicle produced on a large scale by an American vehicle manufacturer. For the 2017 model year, the fourth-generation Super Duty line adopted the cab design of the F-150, consolidating the cab design for the first time on Ford light-duty trucks for the first time since the 1996 model year; the Super Duty trucks still retain separate bodywork and a higher-GVWR frame.
The fourth generation of the C/K series is a range of trucks that was manufactured by General Motors. Marketed by the Chevrolet and GMC brands from the 1988 to the 2002 model years, this generation is the final version of the C/K model line. The C/K nomenclature itself became exclusive to Chevrolet, with the GMC division applying the GMC Sierra nameplate across its entire full-size pickup truck line. Internally codenamed the GMT400 platform, the fourth generation C/K was not given a word moniker. After its production, the model line would informally become known by the public as the "OBS", in reference to its GMT800 successor.
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