1918 Ford Model TT Stake Bed Truck 0401-2718

An early Ford one-ton stake bed truck, lettered "Ford Motor Co." on the body side, photographed against a plain pale ground.

What Is in This Photograph?

A front three-quarter black-and-white view with no background at all beyond a bare floor and a white void. The truck has an open cab with a flat fabric-covered roof on slim posts, no side doors, and canvas panels laced to the body sides where a door would be. Behind the cab is a wooden flat bed with removable stake sides in plain timber. The bonnet is short and slab-sided with louvres, the radiator shell carries a small Ford script, and there are brass sidelamps at the scuttle, a small headlamp each side and a simple front bumper bar. It runs on tall wooden-spoke wheels with solid-looking tyres, and the rear track is noticeably narrower in appearance than the front. Hand-lettered signwriting reads Ford Motor Co. in three lines on the body side.

What Was the Model TT?

Ford's first truck. Announced on 11 January 1917 and on sale from 27 July that year at $600, it was a one-ton chassis derived from the Model T car but with a stronger frame, a heavier rear axle and extra rear springing (Blue Oval Trucks, National Museum of Transportation). It was sold as a bare chassis for the buyer to have a body built, which is why so many survive with different beds; by 1926 the price had fallen to $325 (Ford Model TT).

Why the Blank Background?

Because it is a specification photograph. The body has been masked out so the chassis, the wheels, the cab structure and the bed can be read without distraction, in the same way a catalogue illustration would be prepared. The company's own signwriting on the side says this was a Ford-operated vehicle, photographed for the record rather than for a customer.

Who Is This Print For?

This early Ford truck print suits Model T and TT collectors, commercial vehicle historians, workshops and offices, and anyone who wants a clean cut-out subject that hangs like a technical drawing. The white ground makes it one of the easiest images in the archive to frame. Choose framed print, stretched canvas, ChromaLuxe metal or Giclée.

Photograph Details

• Vehicle: Ford Model TT one-ton stake bed truck
• Body: Open cab with canvas side panels, wooden flat bed with stake sides
• Lettering: Ford Motor Co. hand-signwritten on the body side
• Model context: Announced 11 January 1917, on sale 27 July 1917 at $600 as a bare chassis
• Archive reference: 0401-2718

This archival photograph is made available through Fordimages.com, the official Ford archive imagery licensee operated by Richard Weedn LLC. Each image is digitally restored before printing and handcrafted to order.

Available as:

• Framed Print — museum-quality paper, archival inks, Acrylite glazing, hanging hardware included
• Stretched Canvas — hand-stretched over 1.25-inch pine bars, heavy cotton poly matte finish
• ChromaLuxe Metal Print — image infused directly onto sheets of alloy metal for maximum vibrancy and durability
• Giclée Art Print — 260gsm satin finish paper, finest archival inks, white border

Made in the USA or Europe depending on your location.

About the Artwork

Artwork in this collection comes from the Ford Motor Company Archives, The Henry Ford Museum, the Carroll Shelby Archives, and the collections of acclaimed photographers and painters from around the world. Reproduction rights are reserved by the respective copyright owners.

Our framed prints feature a black, hand-stained solid wood frame with a white mat, museum-quality paper, archival inks, Acrylite glazing, and hanging hardware. The frame features a slim 0.8-inch face and projects 1.3 inches from the wall, creating a clean, contemporary shadow-box effect. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

Our stretched canvas prints are produced on acid-free, pH-neutral, and fade-resistant canvas. Each canvas is hand-glued to solid wood stretcher bars and stretched over 1.25-inch-thick pine bars. Mounting brackets are included. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

Our Giclée prints are produced using premium 200gsm semi-gloss paper and high-quality archival inks. Each print includes a white border around the perimeter.

For the 40 x 60 size, we use 250gsm museum-quality archival paper with an off-white, uncoated finish.

The listed size refers to the overall paper dimensions. The image is printed proportionally within the selected paper size. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

ChromaLuxe prints use a state-of-the-art coating process that infuses the image directly onto sheets of alloy metal. The result is photography with an exceptional combination of vibrancy, clarity, and durability.

Each print arrives ready to hang. An alloy subframe on the back allows the artwork to float away from the wall for a sleek, modern appearance. This is the finest-quality print we offer. Made in the USA.

All images are digitally restored before printing. Production location varies by product and destination. Shipping is calculated at checkout.