Fred Vinson has likely heard a story or two about Fords and performance – after all, he was a college roommate of Shelby American CEO Joe Conway. But the Vinson family has its own Ford story about performance – except this one’s not the kind measured by horsepower numbers from a dyno, but rather the mileage numbers from an odometer. It’s the odometer from a 1990 Ford F-150 XLT Lariat that’s been in the family since new, to be precise. What’s as impressive as the family truck’s longevity is the amount of love and interest that Vinson’s grandchildren have in “Ol’ Red” – wonderfully told by Fred himself in his email to us below:

“Appreciation of old trucks is routinely enjoyed by ‘country folks;’ however, this admiration is really universal, as my ‘city kids/grandkids’ from Dallas can attest. My three daughters and five grandkids have grown up being driven in, as well as driving, this Ford truck. On Wednesday, October 5, 2022, at 3:42 p.m., our Vinson Family Truck (Ol’ Red) reached its 300,000 miles milestone. This truck was purchased by my father-in-law, J.W. Gilbreath, on September 15, 1990, during the first week of his retirement. It was a working truck then, as it was routinely seen pulling his tractor and trailer around Whiskey Flats, Texas.

“Papaw drove it for 114,803 miles, and then Mamaw gave it to me in 2006. It’s been a daily driver since, with 185,197 additional miles driven and still going strong. This Ford F-150 XLT Lariat was top-of-the-line in 1990, as it has power steering/windows/locks, EFI, cruise control, Lariat trim, etc. Everything still works perfectly, and I even break things every so often so I can work on ’em.
“Although many of the ancillary things, such as AC, water pump, power steering pump, etc., have been replaced, most of the truck is original. It’s never been in a wreck. The six-cylinder engine proper has never been touched by a mechanic, and almost never needs any oil added between oil/filter changes. Pride in Ford is frequently and earnestly expressed, due to the ease of doing normal maintenance things like brakes, shocks, etc. by myself. My wife periodically asks why I don’t buy a new truck, and the answer is always . . . why? It’s perfect for me, as it fits like a glove and drives like a spinning top. She every so often glances at minor ‘character marks’ that her dad put on the truck, and smiles. Then lovingly advises, ‘Never fix or repaint those.’

“The photos don’t do this old truck justice. Evidence of this is from the frequent inquiries about selling from myriads of friends and strangers.  I always tell folks that the reason Ol’ Red is in such good shape is because it’s been in the garage every night. Proactive, routine, preventive maintenance also sure helps.   

“My grandkids have all expressed interest in getting Ol’ Red handed down one day. My oldest granddaughter can be seen in one picture longingly sitting in the driver’s seat. I’ve committed to passing the truck to her on her 16th birthday to be hers for high-school driving. The four grandsons shown in the bed of the truck are all in que and anxious to get their turn for high-school experiences as well. The truck’s only 32 years old and by the time the youngest gets through with high school, Ol’ Red will be 45 -- and then she gets returned to me. I’ll still be able to get parts, fix things myself and keep her on the road for my great-grandkids. Old Red is a true legacy Ford family truck.”

Here’s How YOU Can Get In The Spotlight: For more than 15 years now, one of the most popular features on FordPerformance.com and in our weekly Fast News e-newsletter continues to be "Ford Fan Spotlight," where readers can send in their own reasons why they're fans of Ford Motor Company and its vehicles. You know who they are: Ford "superfans;" grassroots Ford racers; unique Ford vehicle owners; loyal Ford enthusiasts; notable Ford club people; special Ford families; and/or any avid supporter of Ford, Ford vehicles, Ford motorsports or Ford Performance who deserves a little bit of special recognition.

All you need to do to get you, your car or candidate considered is to send in a brief description (200-500 words or less) and a few photos (in .jpeg format, preferably around 1 mb in size) with the owner’s full name and hometown, please. Just tell us about the vehicle(s) and why you think Ford Performance should feature it (them) in the "Ford Fan Spotlight" for an upcoming installment of Fast News as well as for posting on FordPerformance.com. Then email it to: ClubHub@Ford.com with your contact info. Your submission allows us the rights to use your words and images (along with any edits) for editorial purposes; we’ll choose one submission in random order to post online. We hope to see YOU and your Ford in our Spotlight soon!