IDI Forum FAQ Part 2

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Agnem

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This is the continuation of FAQ Part 1.

HISTORICAL FAQ'S

1979 brought square headlights for all F-Series trucks.

1980-1986

Entering the eighties, Ford's 1980 trucks sported an evolutionary, more aerodynamic redesign. The face of the hood was slanted rearward, the grille had a cleaner look and the body sides were more chiseled with a flatter accent groove. The SuperCab's quarter windows were split for a twin window effect. A bonus of the revamped interior was 10 percent more legroom. Flareside (regular cab only) and Styleside (regular or SuperCab) styles were again offered and the big 460 V8 was dropped from the option list.

1982 saw the "FORD" letters on the hood replaced by the blue Ford oval in the grille center and the fitment of new, "lubed for life" ball joints. The Ranger name was dropped from trim lines, as it would be the moniker for a new compact pickup that Ford introduced later that year. F-Series models now consisted of base, XL, XLT and XLT Lariat.

1983 saw engine offerings increased to again include the 460 V8 (or 7.5-liter, as now engine sizes were referred to in liters) with 245 horsepower and a 6.9-liter diesel V8. The diesel had less horsepower (170 horses) than a gas engine of equal size but a lot more torque for heavy hauling and towing duty. And this was the last year for the F-100, as the F-150 became the new base truck for 1984.

No changes occurred for 1985 and 1986.

1987-1991

After being the best-selling vehicle (that's right, not truck but vehicle, which includes cars and trucks!) for nine straight years, Ford made evolutionary changes to the F-Series in 1987. A new front end featured flush headlights (which required only the bulb, not the whole headlight to be replaced), wraparound parking lights and a simple grille with 12 rectangular openings. New front fenders, hood and bumper added to the new, more streamlined look. A revised instrument panel had more legible gauges and a bigger glove box. Maintenance was made easier via an easy-access fuse box and simplified belt replacement for the alternator, power steering pump and A/C compressor. Safety took a leap forward with antilock rear brakes, as Ford was the first company to make this feature standard on trucks. The 4.9-liter inline six received fuel injection and a healthy 20 percent increase in output, for a total of 150 horsepower. And later in the year, the 7.5-liter V8 also benefited from the fitment of fuel injection.

1988 saw the SuperCab offered in a shorter (139-inch versus 155-inch) wheelbase and all engines were now fuel injected, including the 5.0- and 5.8-liter V8s. The Flareside body style was dropped. Horsepower for the various engines stood at 150 for the 4.9-liter inline six, 185 for the 5.0-liter V8, 210 for the 5.8-liter V8, 230 for the 7.5-liter V8 and 180 for the now 7.3-liter (up from 6.9 liters) diesel V8. Four-speed manual gearboxes were replaced with five-speed units.

A new silver and black grille replaced the all black unit for 1989 Custom and XL models. SuperCab models with the optional captain's chairs had a tilt and slide feature on both sides that afforded easier ingress and egress for rear seat passengers. Later in the year, automatically locking front hubs (on F-150) came on line as standard equipment, and manual locking hubs were made optional for those who preferred them.

1990 was the year of the Package. A heavy-duty service package, ideal for snowplow operators, consisted of a heavy-duty battery, high-capacity radiator and skid plates. And a sport appearance package included fancy wheels and a large tape stripe adorning the pickup's flanks. An electronically controlled, four-speed unit was now offered which promoted better fuel economy and reduced engine wear.

Automatic hub locks were made standard for F-250 and F-350 trucks for 1991. And as with the F-150 the year before, the manual hubs were optional. Helping to make the transition from two-wheel to four-wheel drive even easier was an optional (on models with the 5.0-liter V8/automatic overdrive transmission) "Touch-Drive" electronic transfer case control that put the truck into four-wheel drive with the press of a dash-mounted button. Two-sided galvanized steel was adopted for the hood, tailgate and doors to help fend off body cancer (rust). The oddly named "Nite" package debuted this year as an option for the XLT Lariat and featured blackout trim, alloy wheels with 235/75/15 white-lettered tires, sport suspension and the obligatory decals.

1992-1996

Taking the aerodynamic approach a step further, the 1992 F-Series was facelifted with a smoother nose that had the front light clusters and bumper ends angled back slightly. "Aero" mirrors and a revised tailgate completed the fresh look. A new instrument panel contained easier-to-use controls and a power point. Plusher seats and door trim made the interior more inviting, and SuperCab models offered a large, optional console in addition to standard three-point rear seatbelts. And after a four-year hiatus, the Flareside version returned in 1992.

For 1993 the Custom model was dropped, as the XL became the new base model. The Sport Appearance was also axed. Raising the seat cushion and adding padding improved rear seat comfort in SuperCab models. The aptly named Lightning, with its tire-smoking 240 horsepower, 5.8-liter V8 joined the popular F-Series lineup. More a boulevard brawler than workhorse, the Lightning was available only in a standard cab, two-wheel-drive configuration.

Safety upgrades took place for 1994 when a driver's side airbag (except on heavy-duty models), side door beams and a high, center-mounted third brakelight debuted. A couple of new options showed up this year: a CD player and a 40/20/40 front seating arrangement that had a center seat which converted to an armrest with a built-in storage compartment and cupholders.

Still on top of the sales charts as the No. 1 selling vehicle, the F-Series brought a new model into the fold for 1995: the Eddie Bauer edition. Named after the outdoor gear and apparel company favored by yuppies, the Eddie Bauer F-Series was the most luxurious Ford pickup available, with features such as two-tone paint, air conditioning, power everything, stereo with cassette, alloy wheels and the 40/20/40 front seat. A new 7.3-liter, "Power Stroke" turbodiesel became optional on F-250 Heavy Duty pickups. Matched to a four-speed automatic gearbox, the new engine put out 210 horsepower and 425 foot-pounds of torque, making it ideal for heavy hauling and towing applications.

The following link takes you to an excellent article on design and development of the 6.9L engine. Because this is an outside link, OB cannot control the durability of this article. Please report any broken links to Agnem for cancellation.

DIESEL POWER MAGAZINE'S IDI ARTICLE

In late 2008, Diesel Power began an article on doing an IDI Buildup. The first installment is HERE .
 
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