Ford Rhein

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Ford Rhein was a German truck built by Ford Germany (together with its smaller sister, the Ford Ruhr) from 1948 to 1951 in Cologne. It followed the Ford V8-51, with only small changes such as larger headlights. It used a 3,924 cc V8 petrol engine, starting at 90 PS and rising to 95 PS from 1949, with power sent to the rear wheels via a four- or five-speed gearbox; an all-wheel-drive option was available on request from Marmon-Herrington. In 1951, after a major update, the Rhein/Ruhr range was renamed Ford FK, using a four-digit weight-rating code. The trucks typically had an all-steel gray driver’s cab and a flatbed, with a wheelbase of 4,013 mm and a payload of 3,000 kg. From 1949, two low-floor chassis were offered for buses and other special bodies with extended wheelbases, and Drauz or NWF built buses for up to 25 seats and 33 standing places. Gasoline engines could be fitted with wood gasifiers to save petrol during shortages, but diesel engines later became more popular, leading to diesel conversions by Kämper and others. The successors, FK 2500 to FK 4500, used two-stroke diesel engines.