Beyond the window sills you can comfortably rest your elbows on, reasonable hood heights, and the vent under the steering column, sometimes called a 9000 bead cooler, one thing I miss most about old trucks is their paint options. Sure, fleet trucks were always solid white, but before you could get a true two-tone. After what seems like way too long, Ford is bringing it back and you don’t have to buy a limited-run special edition to get it either.
This re-entry into the vast two-tone arena comes via Ford Custom Garage, a Blue Oval initiative that brings together dealer-installed accessory packages. Do you want a supercharged F-150 street truck or a big-turbo Maverick? This is the division you’re looking for, and his latest creation is an enchanting piece of theater. The two-tone package is available on crew cab XLTs and Lariat F-150s with a 5.5-foot bed, or primarily on Ford’s most popular half-ton trucks. White, Gray and Black Mid Stripes are currently available on any standard order paint option, really allowing you to mix and match.
Do you want a white stripe on a red truck, or a black stripe on a gray truck, or a gray stripe on a silver truck? No problem. The two-tone treatment even follows the hollow of the greenhouse forward of the front doors and the contours of the tailgate, and even leaves a relief for the F-150 nameplate embossed on the rear to let a little contrast show through. It’s a charming nod to classic models and a nifty visual trick that works well with the latest trucks.
You see, for the most part, two-tone paint has been relegated to stripes of contrasting colors on the rocker panels of some trim levels. This worked well in the 2000s, but now there are some issues which are all related to modern proportions and cladding. You see, the towing wars have necessitated huge radiators and coolers on the front of modern trucks, which means the hoods of today’s trucks are extremely tall. To keep things uniform, almost every manufacturer has raised the bottom of the greenhouse so their trucks don’t look like Scrappy Doo, meaning there’s a huge amount of metal on every door and bedside. Designers break this up with character lines, but using them for a two-tone break results in a truck that looks even more elevated than it already is.
Using a large two-tone stripe visually breaks up that metal so it’s not as tall to the naked eye, and adds horizontal lines to the sides of a truck and tailgate. This may seem small, but it has the effect of reducing the visual height of a truck, giving it a sectioned look without any structural modifications. Additionally, keeping the body-colored sills means the wheels and tires don’t appear to be floating in space. Overall, it’s a win.
Although Ford is the first automaker to bring back this once-popular color breakdown option, don’t be surprised if it takes it further. The aftermarket has applied similar two-tone treatments to modern Chevrolets and Rams with great success, and Ford could theoretically give the Super Duty, Ranger, and even Maverick a similar treatment as well. For now, we’re getting an optional new look for the 2027 F-150. Excellent.
Top graphic image: Ford
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