The last entry stopped on Ford trucks sporting new square headlights during 1979. That would bring us to 1980, an exciting year for Ford Motor Co. as its redesign focused more on the aerodynamics. The hood’s face slanted towards the rear while the grill sported a cleaner look. The more evened out and smooth accent groove were lent to the body sides. SuperCab now has split quarter windows to give the twin window effect. Due to the overhauling of the interior, a ten percent increase in legroom was given. The two styles, Flareside and Styleside were again offered that year. Ford discarded the huge 460 V8 engine from their options. The “twin-traction beam” was introduced to the four-wheel versions of the pick-up trucks, a front suspension which was independent and coil-sprung. The “FORD” letters located at the hood was discarded at 1982. It was replaced by the blue oval Ford insignia instead. The Ranger trim level was chucked out and the “lubed for life” ball joints were introduced. That year, the F-Series line-up consisted of Base, XL, XLT, and XLT Lariat.
Engines were improved yet again by 1983. There was a 460 V8 (7.5-liter) engine which gave off 245 horsepower and a 6.9-liter diesel V8 with 170 horsepower. The diesel may have given off less horsepower but it had a lot more torque meant for serious hauling and towing. By 1984, the F-100 was dropped and the F-150 was adopted as the new base truck.
Ford became the best-selling vehicle for nine straight years and by 1987, they have decided to give their F-Series major overhauling. Headlights were changed in a way that they no longer needed to have everything replaced except for the bulb. The grille saw another change that year: 12 rectangular openings gave a cleaner, simpler look. A sleeker, smoother look was achiever with fresh front fenders, hood and bumper. The instrument panel was also given some tweaking, such as a roomier glove box. Maintenance was made more convenient with a fuse box that’s easier to get to, as well as a more basic yet completely functional belt replacement. Ford came up with the antilock rear brakes and that made them the first to offer this feature on trucks as a standard. Fuel injection was introduced to the 4.9-liter inline six engine, which resulted to an additional 20 percent in the output. 150 horsepower was given off by this engine with the fuel injection. Later that year, the 7.5-liter V8 engine also used fuel injection.
By 1988, all of the engines were fuel injected. Five-speed units took place of the four-speed manual gearboxes. The SuperCab was presented with a smaller wheelbase of 139 inches. The Flareside style was disposed of and by 1989, a new grille was introduced. This fresh silver and black grille replaced the all black unit which the Custom and XL models used. Later that same year, front hubs which automatically locked became a standard. By 1990, the Package was introduced for seasonal driving. The package which comprised of a heavy-duty batter, high-capacity radiator and skid plates was meant for drivers who had to deal with snowplows. This was called the heavy-duty Service Package. On the other hand, the Sport Appearance Package comprised of wheels that were meant to impress, with a bold tape stripe that ran the flanks of the pick-up truck. To get better fuel economy and a longer-lasting engine life, a four-speed unit which was electronically controlled was offered.
1991 was the year that the Nite package was given birth to. Built as an option for the XLT Lariat, this package sported alloy wheels, sport suspension and decals that enhanced its looks and made it stand out clearly from all the other F-Series models.
Come back again for the last installment in this post series. The next post will talk about more exciting changes the F-Series trucks had undergone, such as enhanced safety features and the awe inspiring Eddie Bauer edition.
source: Edmunds
image: How Stuff Works
