I love Craigslist and eBay finds, though I try not to run them too often. Still, I decided I’d try something new and challenge myself to find something interesting locally (it is the hip thing these days, don’tcha know) and it didn’t take long to find this gorgeous ’87 F-250. It even seems Paul friendly, being a Ford with a vinyl floor, five-speed and straight-six.
The 1992 facelift versions never appealed to me as much as these, and while I prefer the ’79-’86 originals, this is quite the attractive beast. It’s worth the $7,000 asking price (update: listing taken down) and is what a truck should be, built for a high payload, no more than three passengers, with no goal of high performance. In other words, there’s no glamor here at all, but if you want to rip apart an entire house and carry it all to a landfill (or wherever else such trash could be taken), a six-cylinder 3/4-ton pickup is frugal way to get it done.
This was a much better interior than those which followed in ’92 and later, ’96; those designs had a real Rubbermaid feel about them. Despite the austerity on display here, there is full instrumentation, another nod to this truck’s functionality. Also note the tuning knob on the original stereo (underneath the steering wheel’s spoke). I’ve never minded a heavy or long-throw shifter if it’s got solid action, and as this sits right above the transmission, it’s probably pretty positive. So even sans V8, this would make a fun daily, even though it really should just be preserved. This isn’t the sort of vehicle usually kept as a collector’s item and in that sense, it’s unique among barn finds. Speaking of which, with the changing nature of agriculture in the US over the past thirty years, what’s the future hold for barn finds? Will there be many ’80s barn finds in coming years?
I prefer my full-size trucks with a bowtie as they’re a bit less rustic, but for this Paoli, Indiana native, style was a secondary consideration. Equipped as it is with nothing extra but four-wheel drive and maybe a/c and a radio, someone bought this to get stuff done, which makes its pristine state all the more unusual. Normally, these get worked so hard that they’re haggard-looking after only a few years. It has 70,000 miles on it, so it got a good amount of use before being put away, but it must’ve been somebody’s pride and joy at a certain point.
Here’s the view of these trucks with which I’m most familiar. There’s great country road driving in the midwest, but also a lot of slow moving larger vehicles which you cannot see around. At least these gave me some nice straight lines to look at while getting pebbles thrown at my windshield, unlike the ovoid-influenced, rust-prone 1996 model and its ‘roided-out successor. Don’t get me started.
What can you find in your own local listings? Anything interesting, classic and cheap? Or are you forced to look far outside your local area?
Wonderful pickup. I’m not a fan of the 300 but have seen a number of these 3/4’s with it. These are certainly a shade more rust repellant than the GM offerings. I’m partial to the Dodge of this vintage.
The V8s seemed to be much, much better engines. I own a 1995 F150 with the 300, and the engine is just not robust at all. My 1987 Chevrolet with the 305 will run laps around the Ford- loaded, unloaded, whatever the case.
I’ve heard that the Carbed 300s were better for work than the EFI ones. I think 1987 was the first year for an EFI 300, right???
I couldn’t recommend a 300 to anyone. Mine seems like it’s wheezing on the highway, and can’t tow much. It drinks more than a drunk man on Friday night.
I’ll stick with Chevrolet in the future, but you have to admire the care of this truck. It’s in really good shape for the age. I’m not sure if it’s worth $7000 (Depends where it’s at), but it’s still a nice, clean truck.
Assuming it runs as well as it looks, I think it’s a steal at $7,000. A new one like it is over $30,000. You could easily get 20 years of service out of it and, with it’s capacity and 4wd, it would be very versatile. If I were in the market for a work truck I would snap it up. (I would rather have an eight, though.)
A new truck would be completely out of the question for me.
But, my 1987 Chevrolet cost me about $1500 and has already given me 4 years of service. I think I can get another 10 years easily.
I don’t know where you or the truck are located at. I’m in Wyoming, so there are trucks everywhere you look. A friend was able to buy a 2001 Dodge 2500 V10 for $1700. It was 2×4 and had 160,000 miles, but still…
Out here, I can’t see spending $7000 for a 30 year old truck. I buy from a man who fixes salvaged and broken vehicles, so his prices are cheaper than retail. For $7000, I could have a circa 2005 truck easily.
Of course, if this truck is in the Rust Belt, $7000 probably is a steal.
Gotcha. Where I am, in SC, trucks are driven until the wheels fall off or a dog can stick his head trough the holes in the floor, whichever comes first, so anything of that age in that kind of condition would be worth it.
Of course, market value and actual value aren’t necessarily the same thing. For me, a working truck that appeals to me on some less-than-practical level is worth a little extra.
Had an 85 ford stretch van with a carbed 300. The engine was the best thing about the truck and frankly, I liked the whole thing. You are probably right about changing with the FI. I understand a lot of the 87 model years and on snapped some cranks.
Not a mechanic but I sure did like that engine. Always wanted another but possibly you are right. It needs to stay a memory.
From what I understand, the EFI engines were changed with a camshaft that reduced torque from the carbureted numbers. They bumped the power at the expense of torque.
My truck is a 1995 Flareside (Reg cab/short box). It has the 300, the M5OD manual, and a 3.31 rear end. At 65 MPH, I feel like I’m beating on the engine.
My Chevrolet is a 1987 Reg Cab/Long Box. It has the 305, the 700R4 Automatic, and a 2.76 rear end. There is noA A/C stuff on this truck.
The Chevrolet gets 6 MPG more than the Ford, and will pull as much weight. Once the speedometer broke. My passenger installed a GPS app on her phone. It turned out I was doing just shy of 80. The engine was humming along in overdrive, nice and peaceful.
I’ve never owned a carbed 300, but I’ve heard that they are much better than a stock EFI 300 for towing/hauling. But, I’ll defer to the community. I’d pass on a EFI 300,though. A 351 will still get around 12-14 MPG (What my Flareside gets), and will do more work.
I’d take a carbed 300 though. My father swears by the 300. All of his were before my time, and would have been carbed.
I have same truck same color except I have the 460cid. Love it, best truck I ever owned, I’ve had 300s in a couple of my trucks, 460 hands down all day much better workhorse. But otherwise, 7000 is not bad at all for that clean of a truck, if it was the big block easily 10-12k here in california.
Wow. Wish I had found something like this when I was looking for a replacement truck. Instead, I found this: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/cars-of-a-lifetime/coal-stormy-relationship-how-long-will-a-ford-f-150-transmission-last-without-fluid/
At least these gave me some nice straight lines to look at while getting pebbles thrown at my windshield, unlike the ovoid-influenced, rust-prone 1996 model and its ‘roided-out successor. Don’t get me started.
Yeah, those 96 and older Fords weren’t rust-prone at all. Not even a little.
Well, one expects more from a vehicle made in the late ’90s as far as rust protection is concerned
Every truck is a reflection of how its owner cares for it. We go out of our way to maintain our beds and fenders and we didn’t have even the slightest rust until we’d had our ’98 for about 10 years (bought it in ’01), and that’s here in Minnesnowta. I’ve seen more than a few bullnose, squarebody and aeronose (’80, ’87, and ’92, respectively) Fords with the fenders hanging on for dear life to the crumbled remains of the bedsides.
There are plenty of cars from the late ’90s which survive neglect rust-free; it’s more than an issue of personal responsibility. Otherwise, why compare different cars’ varying resistance to rust? Can I not point that, say, late ’90s Benzes had embarrassing rust issues? The whole point is that not everyone goes out of their way to maintain their beds, especially not on this sort of a vehicle.
For what it’s worth, the most rust-prone of the “new-generation” trucks that came out in the 90s are the Dodges, at least from where I sit in Saskatchewan.
Yes, they’re the most subpar as that’s concerned.
We need a link to the listing!
These Fords were by far my all-time favorite Ford trucks – a cleaner design, I believe, has never been done since the early-mid 1950s.
Oh man. Sweet. I’d take one in F150 2x guise. If this were that I’d be sorely, sorely tempted to drive to Paoli this afternoon.
Well, I believe it’s been sold, sadly. If never actually been to Paoli; it’s where a lot of skiing on fake snow happens, is it not?
It’s a charming town with a great square and worth visiting in its own right. I don’t know anything about the skiing!
My course of action, time & money limitless:
1. Buy Truck
2. Find 12-valve Cummins, maybe 24 valve Cummins (more wiring involved)
3. Drop the 300 gasser
4. Install the Cummins, which fits in very nicely. Probably get beefier clutch and internals for the transmission. Destroked.com makes all the necessary adapters.
This, to me, is the PERFECT combination. I borrowed a friend’s ’86 4×2 F-150, straight six, but with the four speed O/D manual around 1995 to move some stuff (on Oahu), and the big six loaded down rolled up the H-2 freeway (uphill grade all the way) in O/D. No pain . . . no strain. All about torque and aside from eating water pumps, these big Ford sixes are bulletproof reliable. This example is extremely clean and would get $7K easily in most places.
These Fords nailed it for me in the ’80s. Nice example.
Gotta love a non-pretensious truck!
No fancy stuff on this model but it looks immaculate. Someone loved this truck and took good care of it. It will likely outlast the bloated Nancy-pants trucks we are building nowadays.
I’ll tell ya – a no frills, working mans truck is what these automakers should be building these days. But I suppose that’s not in vogue any longer.
It’s not that it’s not in vogue–it’s that the old ones were _too_good_. A brand new stripper-model XL F-150, 4×2 regular cab with an 8′ bed, will run you $25K. 4×4 is an extra $4600. And then you’d have a brand new work truck that’ll probably last you as long as it needs to. Not to mention it’ll return 20+ MPG on the highway with over 300 hp. But why would you buy that new truck when there are straight, rust-free specimens like this one to be had for less than a third of that price?
Every now and then when I’m on CL I’ll look at some of the trucks advertised. I’m more interested in Fords than Chevys or Dodges so this would get my attention. However, while the “advertised” low miles (don’t the odometers on these stop at 99,999.9?)and rust free body are big attractions, for $7K it better have A/C and miles would be verifiable. Where I live, asking 5 or 6 thousand might be a stretch as newer, admittedly higher mileage trucks can be had for under $7K.
BTW, it appears that the grille has been painted, leading me to wonder if the price is reflective of a visit to a local body shop for a re-paint in the original color.
IIRC, a black grille was available on 1987 Fords. It was for the basic work truck configurations only, so that grille may be stock.
The rest being repainted- it’s a definite possibility.
What a beautiful F-250 though a T-100 is more realistic for me since I do not do much requiring a pick up.
I almost bought a 67-69 Camaro about 6-8 years ago for $200 that was in a collapsing garage. Apparently granny had dementia and the siblings hauled the Camaro off so she would not try to sell it again.
There is not much classic metal worth looking at on Twin Tiers Craigslist, but Portland, OR Craigslist is full of goodies and there is not much rust to deal with.
Our family ordered one of these from the fleet dept at a local dealer for my Dad to use as a camp manager in the Sierras in ’87. We called out an injected 5.0 liter V8, positraction, 3/4 ton rear, etc. Interior was strippo. No headliner even. Very municipal. We used all kinds of cheapo shortcuts, like deleting the factory spare because all the trucks came with an extra rim anyway, and only needed a gas-station spare tire to be whole. (Ordering from a clean sheet is a blast!)
My brother was still driving the F-250 on its way to 400,000 miles before it finally moved on. (Still had the nifty raised white lettering on the tailgate though.) The overall color is called Dark Canyon Red, I think.
Personally I prefer the ’92 redesigns, though I don’t like how everything’s placed in the interior. The ’87-91’s are just… Off. Something about the tiny grill I think. The fact that that you have flat sides, an almost level hood, and squared off corners on both the body and cabin leaves the front end looking out of place… Especially after looking at the grumpy, big-jaws ’80-86 models… It may just be the combination of tiny grill and brick headlights, but I don’t like the design of these trucks. Give me it’s predecessor or successor any day.
I find the entire aesthetic of the 8th-gen–no-frills to the point of asceticism–to be dull when set against the bullnose 7th-gen, which at least maintained some of the style of the dentsides, or the aero 9th-gen, which was the first to admit that pickup trucks didn’t have to be all right-angles.
Especially considering the slight curve at the end of the hood the ’92-96s had, this looks like somebody didn’t finish the styling. Looking at then-new Explorer and Ranger, they broke up the headlights and added a bit of a rise in the middle of the hood. I understand they were having a money crunch at this point as they were getting ready to launch the Explorer, but even scalloping out the corners of the fenders and giving it taller headlights with seperate turn signals would’ve worked to spice up the front end a bit. Along with the tall bumpers and lack of sheetmetal at either end, the truck looks like a bad 1980s cartton sketch rather than an acceptable redesign.
It looks like a pickup that would be made in Eastern Europe. Straight lines, round fenders, flat nose, no fun. My grandfather didn’t like it, either, so when he was ready for a new pickup in ’87 my dad and uncle went all the way up to Hastings to find an ’86 that had been sitting on the lot for a year.
I’m with you on the aesthetic – these were *too* plain. The previous model had more character and the successor model was just rounded enough to fix the looks, while still square overall.
This one is, however, in absolutely fantastic shape, especially for a Work Truck (capitals with emphasis). Perhaps an older farmer or country gentleman bought this as his “nice” truck, and cared for it zealously, but was still too practical and/or thrifty to get something that wasn’t cut out for hard work when needed?
The interiors on the 1987-1991 are actually very nice to be in. I worked for a man who owned a 1991 F150. I drove it all summer, and the interior was nice. The gauges are easy to see, the radio is easy to reach, and the HVAC is accessable too.
The only fault I have for them is the power locks and windows. The switches are mounted flat on the doors, and they’re a little low to reach for me. Both Dodge and Ford used this setup, and I didn’t like it on either.
Give me this interior with a 1992-1996 nose and a 351. That would be a nice truck!
First off, Perry–
Running CL finds is a good thing, provided its something like this: A niche vehicle that a real CCer might actually want to buy, preserve and enjoy. This rig deserves a loving home, not to be picked up by someone who will thrash it.
On paper, this truck sounds just right. But that gawdawful aero nose with the big goo goo eyed composite lights looks dorktastic. Most all of the Fords came away looking FAR worse after the ’87 jellybeaning. The ’80-’86 models looked chiseled, stylish…macho. Even the 1st gen Super Duties seem to evoke that basic look. Even the ’88 Silverados looked better than this, since it was a clean sheet design that integrated a softer edged look, rather than melting the previous design. Naturally, I like the contemporary Dodges. In those days they were criticized for looking dated, but a bodystyle that is behind the times but is coherent, makes sense and actually looks attractive is a lot better than a half baked attempt to jump on the latest bandwagon.
That said, this truck is worth every penny of $7K. In fact, for a clean old school 4×4 with a MANUAL, no less?!?! Im not a Ford guy…far from it. But if I knew someone in the market close to this Id send them right for this.
Oh and its worth noting that if not this particular F250…SOME of the 3/4 and 1-ton 4×4 TTB era Fords have the distinction of running an independent front axle supported by leaf springs. 1/2 tonners used coils. May well be the only such design in North America.
Over priced for out here by a mile. Found a F150 with a 300 and manual at 94,000 California miles for $1800 photo below.
Then a F250 4×4 with auto and 5.0L engine at 83,000 miles for $3800.
nice truck but way overpriced. I can get a nice GMC or Chevy pickup truck from the 1990’s for under $4000 in good condition. For 8,000 dollars, I can put a nice down payment on a 2-3 year old truck.
I do like these, and having had my fill recently with the Ford AOD automatic, a stick shift would seal the deal.
I am spending way too much time at the hospital where my Mom is trying to recover from surgery. I parked right next to a beautiful one of these this afternoon, painted that dark bluish green that was fairly uncommon. Matching fiberglass cap, even. CC effect strikes again.
A friend in college often had use of one of this generation–it had been her grandfather’s but became the family work truck after he could no longer drive. Very unusual sky-blue color (no idea if it was factory) with a matching cap. Only an F-150, and no idea if it was 4×4 or not, but she did say it was the I6 and it was a fairly basic model. Just a good, honest truck, if not the most stylish thing on the road.
She was a Ford girl anyway when it came to trucks–one of her previous vehicles was a late 70’s Courier. (Another was a ’72 Coupe DeVille, Amazingly, she wasn’t a gearhead, just ended up with some very interesting hand-me-downs!)
This may be my favorite CC ever.
Not a good deal!
Too much for an old truck. Looking good is not very valuable if you do work with it. Not fun to drive (no power) or great mileage. I would take my 85′ RamCharger (1000$) for fun, and my 99′ Silverado 2500 (4800$) for work/ daily use any day. Both are cheaper to run (RC on pane) and make more power.
Don’t get me wrong, these were the last good fords (better with carb) but still way too much money for a thirty year old truck!
I like my Silverado, but despite the rust, dents, punished interior, etc. RamCharger is King! It goes anywhere, pulls anything, pushes anything, hauls but and is fun to drive! I had some joker nearly total his S10 on my back bumper last winter. I could hardly tell if he had actually hit me.
When an old vehicle is in good shape any fender bender sucks. My 76′ Dodge tradesman looked like brand new until 2004 when a southern fool (I live in the Yukon) slid through a light and shattered my grill and headlight bezel. Just try to find some thing to match! Not up here!
If this was a 2500$ truck it would be worth it. 3000$ with a good pane setup.
Also any regular cab pickup is nearly useless to a family man like me.
I have one of these, with the exceptions of 2wd, C6 auto, and a long bed (and costing me only $2K), but the no-frills interior looks very familiar. I can also only daydream about such nice, shiny paint as this example possesses.
The 4.9 I6 is legendary for its durability; on the forums I visit there is no shortage of examples with 600K miles (mine is 1/4 the way there). It is true that the ’87 was Ford’s first foray into EFI for this engine, and they had to employ several kludgy solutions for various issues, such as an after-shutdown fan for the fuel rail to mitigate vapor lock. ODB I can make troubleshooting problematic as well, but scan tools are available and lots of interpretive and practical know-how exists on the interwebz. However, this engine happily chugs along and returns 20 MPG if I keep my foot out of it (meaning exercising patience while getting up to road speed).
GREAT truck for those of us who actually work with pickup rather than expecting them to be Cadillacs .
Finding non worked to death base model rigs is always tough .
I had to go to TEXAS to find this one :
I’m in the process of a body – off rebuild right now , it’ll remain an I-6 until I’m dead .
-Nate
Nice!
Great find!
My late older brother had both an ’81 Bronco with the 300/stick and an ’87 F150 with the same powertrain. Drove them both on a couple occasions, thought the Bronco was much peppier. Still, I would pass on that truck, for the right price anyway.
Sometimes I dream (if I had the money) of opening my own museum/garage. I would take beloved and preserved examples of more original and “regular” vehicles such as these that people wouldn’t normally collect and save them.
Just a quick note.
The F trucks in 1979 were still “Dent Sides”.
I haven’t read anything about the development of 97+ F trucks but they came off a bit feminine after the Ram made it’s debut.
This is the last style of F-series that Ford built in Australia, and I think there are still a good proportion of them still on the road.
I’d buy in a heartbeat. Last Ford truck was 84 F150. Bought from guy at work who was retiring in 1997 with 50k miles. Back and forth to work and truck stuff hauling junk to landfill and other light duty stuff. 300 six with carb automatic transmission power steering and brakes not even a radio. Drove for 6 years gave to my son-in-law who drove it for 6 more years. Without a doubt the best half ton I’ve owned, and I’ve owned a few.
Lets set some things straight, even 4 years after the fact…
1- The 300CID (4.9L) Straight 6 is generally regarded as the best gasoline fueled engine ever used, in any pickup, period. It places 3rd overall for best engine, regardless of fuel type among truck engines (outplaced only by the 5.9 cummins and the 7.3PSD). They had 7 main bearings, and would handle any whuppin’ handed to them, and come back for more. The EFI ones had 145hp@3500 rpm and 265ftlb@2000rpm. Race trucks they are not, but they’ll pull anything a 350/351/360 will, and pull circles around a 302/305/318. The carbed ones came in at 120hp@3000rpm and 260ftlbs@1600rpm.
2- The 87-91 “bricknose” fords get very little love. Most guys looking for a “collector” truck go for the 73-79s (which, were, by far, the best/toughest pickups ever built), the old geezers wanting to pretend regan is still in office go for the 80-86s, and the 92-96s seem to be the favorite of guys (like me) who think any truck built after 97 is overated and to sedanish.
3- That big, long, straight shifter tells me this truck has a T18, T19, or NP435 trans. All of which had the super low (6.32 for the T18, 6.69 for the NP, 5.58 for the 19) 1st and a reverse geared in the 7.00:1 territory, that coupled with the 300s low end resiliance means that this truck, locked in 4low, and 1st, literally has the abililty to rip apart some seriously stuck/heavy/stubborn shit.
4- No truck built after this era had the “truckness” of these things. Sure, new trucks ride and handle better, but if you got a job that needs done, pre 1990 trucks cant be beat. Ford trucks peaked from 73-91, dropped a bit 92-96, and after 97 went straight to hell.