How’s this for a Christmas present?  Ford knew it was onto something cool when it first combined its legendary F-Series with the iconic Harley-Davidson brand in 1999.  Now in its third year, the Harley-Davidson edition F-150 continues as the king of cruisin’ factory custom pickups.

The idea is pretty simple; take an F-150 SuperCrew and slap a bunch of Harley decals on it.  Ford’s done much more than that to distinguish the Harley F-150, though.  Both Ford and Harley-Davidson are celebrating their 100th anniversaries this year, so for 2003 their joint venture becomes even more distinctive, with two color options, special badging and  20″ wheels.  Backing that up is a supercharged V8 engine, and a lowered suspension.  It’s instantly recognizable as something special.

The addition of the optional silver-black two-tone paint transforms the Harley F-150.  In all black it’s merely menacing, but the two-tone has a high “cutline” which emphasizes the truck’s size.  It also calls attention to the chrome-bar grille and foglamps and distinguishes the Harley from lesser pickups.  The effect is impressive.  Massive 20″ chrome wheels put the power to the street and there are big Harley badges on the wheels and flanks.

The interior is familiar, and yet different.  It’s basically an F-Series, with its full instrumentation, comfortable seats and plasticky dash, but the two-tone leather and Harley logo-emblazoned bucket seats are definitely not run-of-the-mill.  The Harley F-150 features four captain’s chairs with large consoles front and rear.  The instrument panel has a cool “spun metal” finish.  An in-dash CD changer is also included, and sharp eyes will notice that the Harley-Davidson F-150 sports more chrome inside than its lesser brethren.  The leather-swaddled yet truckish interior is reminiscent of the recently departed Lincoln Blackwood.

Unlike the ill-fated Blackwood though, the Harley F-150 isn’t just a pretty face.  To add even more oomph to this special-edition truck, Ford dropped in a supercharged 5.4 liter V8 engine.  If the snazzy paint job and Harley badges don’t get your heart racing, 340 horsepower certainly will.  When you put your foot in it, the Harley F-150 reacts much like the SVT Lightning whose concept it shares.  A giggle-inducing explosion of power from the blower rockets this truck up to speed with an authority normally reserved for sports cars.  A four-speed automatic transmission and a quick 3.73:1 rear end are standard, as is a limited-slip differential.

The ride is smoother and less tippy than a standard F-series.  The Harley F-150 quickly puts paid to any accusations of being too fancy to work, though.  The suspension is lowered an inch but that doesn’t prevent the Harley F-150 from towing up to 4500 pounds.  It gives up just over a ton of towing capacity to the standard pickups, thanks in part to the low-profile Goodyear Eagle tires that are wrapped around those giant wheels, but that’s the cost of having a showpiece instead of a boring old workhorse.  Ford would of course like to see these limited production trucks on the road with Harleys trailered behind, and the truck is certainly up to that task.  Trailer wiring is standard equipment.  So are anti-lock brakes, to help the truck stop as well as it goes.

A special truck deserves special equipment, too.  Ford will outfit your Harley-Davidson F-150 with a headliner-mounted memo system called TravelNote, a power rear window, heated seats, a moonroof and more if you check the right option boxes.

Want one?  Better get on the phone to Santa Claus quickly.  Only 12,000 Harley-Davidson F-150 SuperCrews are on the menu for 2003, and when they’re gone, they’re gone.  Previous versions reportedly sold out like hot concert tickets, despite a starting price of $37,295.

Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Ford Harley-Davidson F-150 SuperCrew, which we tested.
Length:     225.9 in.
Width:        79.1 in.
Height:        73.9 in. (regular F-150)
Wheelbase:    138.5 in.
Towing capacity:     4500 lb.
GVWR:        6700 lb.
Base price:    $37,295
Engine:     5.4 liter supercharged OHV V8
Drivetrain:     four-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower:     340 @ 4500
Torque:     425 @ 3250