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DETROIT -- The heavy lifting in Ford Motor's move to boost North American small-car production is gaining speed.

Ford executives said today that starting in November, production equipment used to build the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs will be moved from the Michigan Truck plant in Wayne, Mich., to the Kentucky Truck plant in Louisville, Kentucky.

Starting in 2010, a new small car, possibly based on the Focus, will begin production at the Michigan Truck plant. Ford also said today that it is spending $75 million to prepare Michigan Truck to make those cars.

Ford plans to shift 1,000 workers from Michigan Truck next door to the Wayne assembly plant, where the current Focus is built. High fuel prices and a redesign of the Focus have seen sales of Ford's small car soar this year.

Focus sales through July are up 26.2 percent from last year.

Focus production has risen from 111,568 during the first seven months of 2007 to 135,696 through July of this year.