Ford Motor Company F-53 and F-59 chassis
 | ||
| F-53 and F-59 Stripped Chassis | ||
| Years of manufacture: | 1988 to Present | |
| Length: | 13ft (3.96m) to 21ft (6.4m) | |
| Fuel Type(s): | Gasoline | |
The Ford Motor Company F-53 and F-59 chassis are a pair of stripped chassis manufactured by the Ford Motor Company as a variant of their F-Series trucks. Produced from 1988 to today, the F-53 and F-59 are used primarily for Class A motorhomes and commercial delivery vans. The F-53 and F-59 are comparable in scope and specification to models currently or previously built by Freightliner, General Motors, and Workhorse.
History
Introduced in 1988 for the 1989-model year, the F-53 'Class A Motorhome Stripped Chassis' and F-59 'Commercial Stripped Chassis' were built as an extension of Ford's existing F-Super Duty line of trucks. From 1988 until 2000, the F-53 chassis was produced by Industrias Metalicas Monterrey S.A. (IMMSA) at their assembly plant in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. Produced alongside the F-53 by IMMSA, the F-59 was discontinued in 1994, but would be re-introduced in 2011. From 2000 onwards, the F-53 (and later the F-59 upon re-introduction) would be produced by Detroit Chassis, LLC of Detroit, Michigan.
As of 2025, both the F-53 and F-59 continue to be produced for Ford by Detroit Chassis, LLC. However, a decline in projected sales by Ford has lead to a reduced workforce at Detroit Chassis' assembly plant,[1] which occurred in early 2024. It is likely (though unconfirmed) that the F-53 chassis will be discontinued in the near future, which is supported as of June 2025, with only the F-59 chassis remaining available on Ford's website.[2]
Specifications
Current specifications are based on the 2025-model year.
| Wheelbase | GVWR | Payload | GCWR | Engine | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 178" | 18,000lbs (8,165kg) | 11,630lbs (5,275kg) | 23,000lbs (10,433kg) | Ford 7.3L Godzilla V8 |
Ford 6R140 6-speed automatic |
| 190" | 11,590lbs (5,257kg) | ||||
| 208" | 11,630lbs (5,275kg) | ||||
| 22,000lbs (9,979kg) | 15,300lbs (6,940kg) | 26,000lbs (11,793kg) | |||
| 228" | 15,210lbs (6,899kg) | ||||
| 26,000lbs (11,793kg) | 18,720lbs (8,491kg) | 30,000lbs (13,608kg) | |||
| 242" | 22,000lbs (9,979kg) | 15,140lbs (6,867kg) | 26,000lbs (11,793kg) | ||
| 26,000lbs (11,793kg) | 18,650lbs (8,459kg) | 30,000lbs (13,608kg) | |||
| 252" | 24,000lbs (10,886kg) | 16,610lbs (7,534kg) | |||
| 26,000lbs (11,793kg) | 18,600lbs (8,437kg) |
Applications
| Manufacturer | Model | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cable Car Concepts | Midi | Trolley Replica | |
| Hometown Manufacturing | View | Transit Bus | |
| Villager | Trolley Replica | ||
| Molly Corporation | Cityview | Trolley Replica | |
| Imperial | Trolley Replica | ||
| Original | Trolley Replica | ||
| Stadium | Trolley Replica | ||
| Starcraft Bus | Allstar XL MVP | Transit Bus | |
| Quest XL | Type B School Bus | ||
| Supreme/StarTrans | Classic American Trolley | Trolley Replica |
References
- ↑ Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Letter; Detroit Chassis, LLC; 25 January 2024
- ↑ 2025 Ford F-Series Stripped Chassis; Ford Motor Company; 17 June 2025