Famous Trucks: Hank Hill’s Ford Ranger and F-250 from King of the Hill

King of the Hill is a classic animated sitcom that aired from 1997 to 2010 on FOX, created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels. 

Set in the fictional Texas town of Arlen, the show follows the life of Hank Hill, a suburban father and propane salesman with an affinity for hard work, family, and tradition. Alongside his wife Peggy, son Bobby, and a memorable cast of neighbors—Bill, Boomhauer, Dale—Hank navigates life’s everyday challenges. 

The show was a ubiquitous hit, running for 13 seasons and 256 episodes. Known for its grounded storytelling, dry humor, and subtle satire of American suburban life, King of the Hill remains a fan favorite—so much so that the show received a 2025 reboot for Hulu. Aside from its popularity, King of the Hill is a staple of truck culture. Scenes of Hank and his neighbors cracking cold ones and diagnosing truck problems are some of the show’s most memorable. 

The First Truck: 1990s Ford Ranger

Though Hank is always seen driving a Ford pickup and frequently touts his love of the brand, he’s seen driving a couple of different trucks throughout the show’s 13 seasons. Initially, Hank drives a 1990s Ford Ranger. On occasion, the body style swaps to an eighties model—however, that’s generally considered an error, as the red Ranger is meant to be a constant through season 5, episode 9. 

After a slew of issues led Bobby and Hank to visit a slimy car salesman masquerading as a mechanic’s shop, the truck breaks down on a train track. Unable to repair the truck or push it off the track in time, Hank watches as a locomotive plows into the side of the pickup, totaling his truck in spectacular (and emotion-evoking) fashion.

The Second Truck: 1999 Ford F-250

After the destruction of his first truck, Hank upgrades from a midsize pickup to a full-size, heavy-duty rig. His new pickup, a 1999 Ford F-250, shares a similar paint scheme and body configuration to his old Ranger (a red, supercab, short bed). This pickup remains Hank’s one and only for the remaining seasons, taking him and the family on countless adventures. 

Build Your Own King of the Hill-Inspired Truck

If there’s one thing to know about Hank Hill, it’s that he’s a classic American father with a classic American pickup. In this section, we’re detailing some of the key features of the truck so that you can build your own King of the Hill tribute. 

Platform

Hank’s F-250 is the ultimate everyday truck, featuring a rare supercab short bed configuration that’s small enough to navigate suburban neighborhoods. Under the hood, we can only guess which motor the truck packs, though between the venerable Triton V10 or the 7.3 Powerstroke, we’d like to say that Hank’s a diesel man. In either case, this configuration was available between 1999 and 2002. 

Body

The body of Hank’s truck is bone stock and seemingly XLT trim, judging by the two-tone paint job and chrome bumpers. It’s tough to tell which color exactly the truck is, though our best guess is either Dark Toreador Red (JL) or Performance Red (ES) over Silver Metallic (Z3).  

Wheels and Tires

Though it’s tough to tell, Hank’s truck appears to sit on factory 16-inch 1999 Super Duty polished alloy wheels. Assuming stock-sized tires, the truck likely sits on 265/75R16 rubber. For a similar aesthetic, consider a set of American Racing AR172 Baja wheels wrapped in highway tires, like the Toyo Open Country H/T II.  

Suspension

Suspension-wise, the truck appears bone stock. However, that doesn’t mean an aging Super Duty’s suspension doesn’t require an upgrade. Consider replacing worn-out bushings and dampers to renew the truck’s ride quality. Products like RealTruck Superlift Shadow Series shocks are available in factory lengths and mounting configurations, but with upgraded tech to ensure solid ride quality on and off-road. 

With the accessories on this list ordered, you'll be well on your way to cruising your own King of the Hill-inspired Ford F-250. 

As always, we offer all the parts and know-how to piece together this build and countless others at RealTruck. For more information, check out our other articles on RealSource and don't hesitate to contact our experts.