Ford F100 Glossary

25 essential terms every F100 owner should know — from engine types and body styles to restoration techniques and truck identification codes.

Published by fordf100s.com · Last updated March 26, 2026

Bumpsides, Dentsides, Crown Vic swaps — the F100 world has its own vocabulary. Each term links to a dedicated page with full context and related terms. Pair this with the restoration guides and parts reference.

#

300 Six: Ford's 300 cubic inch inline-six engine (1965-1996), renowned for extreme durability and longevity as the base F-Series engine for over three decades.; Related: Windsor, Y-Block

B

Body-on-Frame: A construction method where the truck body is mounted on a separate steel ladder frame, the standard building approach for all F-100 trucks (except the Unibody bed option).; Related: Unibody, Crown Vic Swap, Twin I-Beam
Bumpside: Nickname for the 1967-1972 Ford F-100, derived from the prominent raised feature line (bump) that runs along the body sides.; Related: Dentside, Twin I-Beam, Styleside

C

Cleveland: Ford's 351 Cleveland (351C) V8 engine (1970-1974), a high-performance small-block sometimes swapped into F-100 trucks for added power.; Related: Windsor, Modified Engine, FE Engine
Concours: A show-quality restoration to exact factory-original specifications, where every component matches what the truck looked like when it left the assembly line.; Related: Restomod, Data Plate, Cowl Tag
Cowl Tag: An identification tag mounted on the firewall or cowl area of an F-100, containing build data including paint codes, body style, trim, and date of manufacture.; Related: Data Plate, VIN Plate, Concours
Crown Vic Swap: A popular suspension and drivetrain swap using the front subframe from a 1992-2011 Ford Crown Victoria to give an F-100 modern independent front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, and disc brakes.; Related: Twin I-Beam, Restomod, Body-on-Frame

D

Data Plate: An information plate typically found on the door jamb of an F-100, listing original factory build specifications including paint code, trim, axle ratio, transmission, and other options.; Related: VIN Plate, Cowl Tag, Concours
Dentside: Nickname for the 1973-1979 Ford F-100, named for the indented body-side character line that looks like a long, deliberate dent running the length of the truck.; Related: Bumpside, Modified Engine, SuperCab

F

FE Engine: Ford's big-block V8 engine family (1958-1976), encompassing displacements from 332 to 428 cubic inches and serving as the primary F-100 V8 option through the 1960s.; Related: Y-Block, Windsor, Cleveland
Flareside: A truck bed design with exposed rear fenders that flare out from the bed sides, giving the classic stepside appearance associated with traditional pickup trucks.; Related: Styleside, Short Bed, Long Bed
Flathead V8: Ford's L-head (flathead) V8 engine (1932-1953), the original engine of the F-Series truck line and an icon of early hot rodding.; Related: Y-Block, 300 Six

L

Long Bed: The longer of two available F-100 bed lengths, typically 8 feet or more, mounted on the longer wheelbase chassis option for maximum cargo capacity.; Related: Short Bed, Styleside, Flareside

M

Modified Engine: Ford's 351M and 400M V8 engines (1971-1982), related to the 351 Cleveland but with a taller deck height, commonly found in Dentside F-100s and F-150s.; Related: Cleveland, Windsor, FE Engine

P

Patina: The naturally aged, weathered appearance of a truck's original paint, rust, and surface wear, intentionally preserved as an aesthetic choice rather than restored or repainted.; Related: Rat Rod, Restomod, Concours

R

Rat Rod: An intentionally rough, unfinished, or stripped-down custom truck build that embraces a raw, aggressive aesthetic over polished show quality.; Related: Patina, Restomod
Restomod: A restoration approach that combines period-correct or restored exterior appearance with modern mechanical upgrades such as engine swaps, disc brakes, power steering, and air conditioning.; Related: Crown Vic Swap, Concours, Patina

S

Short Bed: The shorter of two available F-100 bed lengths, typically ranging from 6.5 to 8 feet depending on generation, mounted on the shorter wheelbase chassis option.; Related: Long Bed, Styleside, Flareside
Styleside: A truck bed design with smooth, flat exterior sides flush with the cab, introduced by Ford in 1957 and eventually becoming the standard F-100 bed style.; Related: Flareside, Short Bed, Long Bed
SuperCab: Ford's extended cab option introduced in 1974 for the F-100, adding a rear space behind the front seat with fold-down jump seats for occasional passengers or extra storage.; Related: Dentside, Short Bed, Long Bed

T

Twin I-Beam: Ford's independent front suspension system introduced in 1965, using two forged I-beam axles that pivot independently to improve ride quality over solid axle designs.; Related: Crown Vic Swap, Body-on-Frame, Bumpside

U

Unibody: A unique 1961-1963 F-100 design where the cab and bed were integrated into a single body unit, eliminating the traditional separate bed mounted to the frame.; Related: Body-on-Frame, Styleside, Flareside

V

VIN Plate: The vehicle identification number plate stamped with the truck's unique serial number, with its location and format varying across F-100 generations.; Related: Data Plate, Cowl Tag

W

Windsor: Ford's small-block V8 engine family including the 289, 302, and 351W, the most widely used and swapped V8 platform in F-100 trucks.; Related: Cleveland, FE Engine, 300 Six

Y

Y-Block: Ford's first overhead-valve V8 engine family (1954-1964), named for the Y-shaped deep-skirted block design visible from the front.; Related: FE Engine, Flathead V8, Windsor