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Nice condition - 1985 Ford F-250 XLT HD 6.9idi Diesel - $2850 ocala florida location

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MagooInFL

Nice condition - 1985 Ford F-250 XLT HD 6.9idi Diesel - $2850 ocala florida location

This one is a little out of my budget range but sure looks nice

https://ocala.craigslist.org/cto/d/1985-ford-250-xlt-hd-69idi/6694962515.html

My current collection consists of nine projects in various stages:
1986 F350 6.9 4x4 C6 regular cab long bed - I bought this from the ORIGINAL OWNER!
1986 F350 6.9 4x4 C6 regular cab with a Knapheide Service Bed
1985 F250 6.9 4x4 C6 regular cab dually with a steel flatbed with a gooseneck hitch in the bed
1987 F350 7.3 4x2 E4OD regular cab dually 10ft wooden flatbed.
1981 Mercedes Benz 300D with OM617 Diesel - my current daily driver
195? Willys CJ3B - my future project - Not sure what I am going to do with this.
1985 Mercedes Benz 300TD diesel station wagon - had plans to pull the motor for a Jeep build or something.
1975 GMC C20 with big block 350 - bought this for the motor - not sure what I am going to do with it.
1978 Mercedes Benz w116 with OM617 diesel - bought this to chop the body up and make it look like the bat mobile - this project is on the way back burner.

Gary Lewis

Re: Nice condition - 1985 Ford F-250 XLT HD 6.9idi Diesel - $2850 ocala florida location

Administrator

It is nice, and that’s a decent price if it doesn’t have rust.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

1986F150Six

Re: Nice condition - 1985 Ford F-250 XLT HD 6.9idi Diesel - $2850 ocala florida location

Administrator

Gary Lewis wrote

It is nice, and that’s a decent price if it doesn’t have rust.

Did you notice the side molding trim, Gary?

Gary Lewis

Re: Nice condition - 1985 Ford F-250 XLT HD 6.9idi Diesel - $2850 ocala florida location

Administrator

I did, and scrolled back up to see if it is an '84 or '85. 'Tis an '85, and we know it is an early one at that.

On that type of subject, meaning being able to spot some of the differences, Brandon/Bruno2 recently asked the question on Facebook how to tell yearly differences w/o looking at the certification label or VIN. And then he sent me a text suggesting I join the discussion because "the people that don't have high reading comprehension skills are coming out of the woodwork". Boy, was he right, with some people saying you can't tell an '82 from an '86, or anything in between. And others having equally-wrong guesses, like burled wood started in '84.

My response was:

Ok Brandon, I'm here. Had Prashant come by from Atlanta. Driving his '86 460 with a Harley in the back. On his way to CO.

Anyway, it is difficult to spot the differences. One clue is the trim - there was an unusual trim used in late '84 and early '85 that is a giveaway. In fact, there was an early '85 at the show (which you didn't come to) and I asked the guy if it was early '85 - and he dropped his teeth. You can see the trim on the early '85 catalog and not on the late '85 catalog here: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/1985-literature.html

Another is the slide locks, which were used in '80 and part of '81. And there were the clear vs amber turn signals, both of which are discussed here: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/door-locks.html

Another is the trim line, like the Lariat, which didn't exist in '83 and '4, as discussed here: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/bullnose-faqs.html.

Then there was the swiss cheese frame in '80 and '81. And the Rosewood trim from '80 through '85 and Burledwood in '85 and '6.

Should I go on? 🤔

But Brandon then asked how the gentleman at the FORDification show knew that Big Blue is an '85 by just seeing it drive by. And, to tell the truth I don't yet know. But I suspect that the Light Regatta Blue/Bright Regatta Blue combo of colors wasn't available in other years. So far that looks to be the case, but I don't have an '86 brochure so can't tell for sure. However, I should be able to tell on Saturday.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: Nice condition - 1985 Ford F-250 XLT HD 6.9idi Diesel - $2850 ocala florida location

Gary Lewis wrote

On that type of subject, meaning being able to spot some of the differences, Brandon/Bruno2 recently asked the question on Facebook how to tell yearly differences w/o looking at the certification label or VIN. And then he sent me a text suggesting I join the discussion because "the people that don't have high reading comprehension skills are coming out of the woodwork". Boy, was he right, with some people saying you can't tell an '82 from an '86, or anything in between. And others having equally-wrong guesses, like burled wood started in '84.

I was watching that one. I don't know if its that they came out of the woodwork, or if they were already there in plain sight all along...lol.

I don't know all of the exterior colors and dash/trim options, but I do try to use other little clues when looking for stuff online. If you get a picture of an interior, the radio will quickly tell you if a truck is an 85-86 Bullnose. If you're looking at engine bay pics, the hydraulic clutch master is another quick indicator that a truck is not an early one. Seeing the rear diff would be another clue, at least for the 1/2 ton trucks (9" or 8.8).

The only exterior visual comment I had to offer was the front fender lettering....and I'm not even sure when exactly that changed. 1982? 1983? The F150 on my 1984 front fender has the long F, and I know that the earlier trucks it was shorter...but I don't know when that change took place.

1994 F150 4x2 Flareside. 5.0 w/MAF, 4R70W, stock.
1984 F150 4X2 Flareside. Mild 302 w/ 5spd. Sold.
1980 F150 4X4 Flareside. 300i6 w/ 5spd. Sold in 2021.
1980 F100 4X2 Flareside. 351w/2bbl w/NP435. Sold in 1995

Gary Lewis

Re: Nice condition - 1985 Ford F-250 XLT HD 6.9idi Diesel - $2850 ocala florida location

Administrator

Yes, there are other clues I could have added. But I'd forgotten about the "F" on the fender. My page on Exterior/Name Plates shows that the change was for '82. The 1980 & '81 trucks take one badge, and the '82 through '86 trucks take another.

Good point!

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

LARIAT 85

Re: Nice condition - 1985 Ford F-250 XLT HD 6.9idi Diesel - $2850 ocala florida location

This post was updated on .

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

The most obvious clue that Big Blue is a 1985 or 1986 model is the paint scheme. For 1985 and 1986, the tu-tone paint started UNDER the sidemarker light and was separated from the other color by the early 1985 models "pressure sensitive" side molding (that was quickly dropped) or a tri-color tape stripe.

From 1980 - 1984, the tu-tone paint started ABOVE the side marker light and was separated from the other color by aluminum trim molding attached to the body by rivets.

Lucille: 1985 Ford F150 XLT Lariat

*Colors: Dark Canyon Red exterior, Canyon Red interior
*Engine: 5.0, CompCams 31-230-3, "Thumper" E7 heads, Edelbrock Performer intake, Autolite 4100 carburetor, DuraSpark II ignition, Thorley Tri-Y headers, Flowmaster dual exhaust, H-pipe.
*Drivetrain: AOD transmission, 3.55 gears, 2wd.

Gary Lewis

Re: Nice condition - 1985 Ford F-250 XLT HD 6.9idi Diesel - $2850 ocala florida location

Administrator

Rick - I didn't know that. Good to know. Thanks! I'll add that to the Bullnose FAQs.

All - Here's a pic from the '81 brochure to show the way the Tu-Tone was done then:

And here's a pic from an '85 brochure:

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

1986F150Six

Re: Nice condition - 1985 Ford F-250 XLT HD 6.9idi Diesel - $2850 ocala florida location

Administrator

Beautiful trucks!

Gary Lewis

Re: Nice condition - 1985 Ford F-250 XLT HD 6.9idi Diesel - $2850 ocala florida location

Administrator

You can also see the change in mirrors, grilles, and lettering on the hood in those pics.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

1986F150Six

Re: Nice condition - 1985 Ford F-250 XLT HD 6.9idi Diesel - $2850 ocala florida location

Administrator

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/9s0AAOSwP6pbt5bu/s-l1600.jpg

vs.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/jSoAAOSwzFxa41nZ/s-l1600.jpg

LARIAT 85

Re: Nice condition - 1985 Ford F-250 XLT HD 6.9idi Diesel - $2850 ocala florida location

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

When the early 1985 models came out with tu-tone paint, Ford initially used the upper "pressure sensitive" trim molding at the top and under the sidemarker light to separate the two colors and a tri-color tape stripe was used at the bottom and around the wheel wells to separate the two colors. This gave a noticeable different look from the tu-tone models from 1980 - 1984:

The later 1985 and 1986 models reversed this scheme with a tri-color tape stripe at the top and the older 1981 - 1984 trim molding at the bottom and around the wheel wells. At first glance, this looked very much like the older models.

Gary Lewis

Re: Nice condition - 1985 Ford F-250 XLT HD 6.9idi Diesel - $2850 ocala florida location

Administrator

Rick - That is interesting. From your research and experience did the late 84’s get that “early ‘85” trim? I saw something recently that seemed to say that they did. But that would require them to have had the 85/86 Tu-Tone scheme wouldn’t it?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

LARIAT 85

Re: Nice condition - 1985 Ford F-250 XLT HD 6.9idi Diesel - $2850 ocala florida location

That depends on what you mean by "late 1984."

My 1985 F150 has the "pressure sensitive" upper trim molding and it was born in November of 1984. The early 1985 sales brochure - that came out in August of 1984 - describes the molding like this:

"Outside: the sculptured steel lines are accented with a new full-length bodyside protection molding (black with bright insert)."

Notice the word "NEW." Plus, the part numbers for the new for 1985 "pressure sensitive" upper trim molding all begin with E5TZ.

The tu-tone paint was still applied ABOVE the sidemarker light on 1984, along with the upper aluminum trim molding that was used since 1980. It wasn't applied UNDER the sidemarker light until the 1985 model year, when the new "pressure sensitive" upper trim molding came out.

So NO, *not* for the 1984 model, but it *did* come out in late 1984 for the earlier 1985 models.

Gary Lewis

Re: Nice condition - 1985 Ford F-250 XLT HD 6.9idi Diesel - $2850 ocala florida location

Administrator

That makes sense. Thanks!

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile