Classic Metal Works - 50371 - Truck, Ford F-Series - Schaefer - 1954 Ford F-Series Box Van

Prototype History: The Ford F-Series is a series of light-duty trucks and medium-duty trucks (Class 2-7) that have been marketed and manufactured by Ford Motor Company since 1948. While most variants of the F-Series trucks are full-size pickup trucks, the F-Series also includes chassis cab trucks (flat bed) and commercial vehicles (box van). The Ford F-Series has been the best-selling vehicle in the United States since 1986 and the best-selling pickup since 1977.

In 1999, to bridge the gap between the pickup line and the medium-duty trucks, the F-250 and F-350 became the Ford Super Duty vehicles; considered an expansion of the F-Series, the Super Duty trucks are built on a distinct chassis with heavier-duty components. As of the 2017 model year, the F-Series includes the F-150, the Super Duty (F-250 through F-550), and F-650 and F-750 Super Duty medium-duty commercial trucks. The most popular version of the F-Series is the F-150, now in its thirteenth generation.

Through the use of rebadging, Ford has marketed the F-Series through all three Ford divisions in North America. From 1946 to 1968, Mercury sold the Mercury M-Series in Canada; during the 2000s, Lincoln sold the Lincoln Blackwood, replaced by the Lincoln Mark LT.

From Wikipedia

Road Name History: Schaefer Beer is a brand of American beer first produced in New York City during 1842 by the F. & M. Schaefer Brewing Company. The company relocated to Brooklyn in the early 20th century. It went public in 1968 with a $106 million stock offering.

In order to expand capacity for regional sales and fend off competition from national brands Schaefer began construction of a large modern brewery in Fogelsville, Pennsylvania that same year. Known as the Lehigh Valley Plant it opened in 1972. In 1974 it was expanded from its original 1,100,000 barrels-per-year capacity to 2,500,000 and then, in 1975, it expanded again to 5,000,000 barrels plus.

In the mid-1970s, Schaefer Beer was one of the top selling beers in the U.S., ranking as high as fifth in both the 1950 and 1970 rankings. Though it was producing more than twice as much beer in 1970 the gap between it and the top national brands was dramatically widening. Recognizing the handwriting on the wall, the Schaefer family sold out to the Stroh Brewery Company in 1981.

Stroh's then took over the Allentown plant in its own bid for national market share. It operated the plant until absorbed by Pabst Brewing Company in 1999. When Pabst opted to become a "virtual brewer" it sold the plant to Diageo just two years later. In 2008 Diageo sold it to the Boston Brewing Company, brewer of Samuel Adams beer.

Pabst retained the license to Schaefer and today outsources a reformulated brew it labels "Schaefer" and sells in niche markets in the United States.

From Wikipedia

Brand/Importer Information: Focused on the production of HO and N Scale post World War II to 1970s era North American vehicles, the Sylvania, Ohio based Classic Metal Works was founded in 1997, by William J. Giacci.
Primarily constructed out of die-cast metal, Mini Metals CMW products are factory assembled and decorated.
In May 2017, Classic Metal Works and Mini Metals product ranges have been taken over by Round 2 Corp.

Note: The following CMW stock numbers have not been used, breaking the linearity of the numbering: 50313 to 50315, 50362 to 50364, 51154 to 51163