1985 F150 Oregon

[grumpin]

https://medford.craigslist.org/cto/d/grants-pass-1985-ford-f150-xl/6966794735.html

Hmmm...

[Rembrant]

That's a nice truck. Appears to be a 302, so we can assume EFI unless it has been carb swapped already.

[Gary Lewis]

That's a nice truck. Appears to be a 302, so we can assume EFI unless it has been carb swapped already.

That's a very nice truck. And, with the AOD it should be a 302. Would be great for cruising. Decent MPG. Nice tool box, but don't like the headache rack.

[LARIAT 85]

That's a nice truck. Appears to be a 302, so we can assume EFI unless it has been carb swapped already.

Not so fast.

That truck has the optional upper body trim molding, which means it is more than likely an *early* 1985 model. Early 1985 models (like mine) with the 5.0/302 used a feedback carburetor. I think early 1985 was the only time the 5.0 with a feedback carburetor was offered on these trucks.

According to my 1985 brochure, that engine was replaced with EFI in November, 1985. I suspect the optional upper body trim molding was also dropped around this same time.

[Rembrant]

According to my 1985 brochure, that engine was replaced with EFI in November, 1985. I suspect the optional upper body trim molding was also dropped around this same time.

Ahh yes, I forgot about the very early 1985 5.0 trucks still having carbs. When you mention above about the EFI change, you mean November 1984, right? I thought that upper trim was a late 1985 model year and early 1986 model year thing? I scrapped an '85 last year that was a 5.0 EFI truck that also had this trim, and it had a build date of February 1985.

I think it was Vinny that mentioned a while back that the 5.0 EFI change happened very early in the 1985 calendar year...or about half way through the 1985 model year production. He said most 5.0 trucks built after January 1985 were EFI.

 

[LARIAT 85]

According to my 1985 brochure, that engine was replaced with EFI in November, 1985. I suspect the optional upper body trim molding was also dropped around this same time.

Ahh yes, I forgot about the very early 1985 5.0 trucks still having carbs. When you mention above about the EFI change, you mean November 1984, right? I thought that upper trim was a late 1985 model year and early 1986 model year thing? I scrapped an '85 last year that was a 5.0 EFI truck that also had this trim, and it had a build date of February 1985.

I think it was Vinny that mentioned a while back that the 5.0 EFI change happened very early in the 1985 calendar year...or about half way through the 1985 model year production. He said most 5.0 trucks built after January 1985 were EFI.

Yes, I meant to say November 1984. Thanks!

I have two 1985 Ford F-Series brochures (so does Gary; you can see them on this site) and they are the same except that the early edition (8/84) features the "New for 1985" optional full-length upper body trim molding, while the second edition (1/85) completely dropped any mention or pictures of it. It was replaced by the familiar 1980 - 1984 lower trim molding. In fact, Ford must have some sort of Photoshop then, because every picture in the later brochure is the exactly the same, other than the trim molding.

The 1986 brochure has no mention of the "mysterious" early 1985 upper trim molding at all.

Here is a post a made about these two brochures:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1466244-mysterious-1985-bodyside-protection-molding.html

Another interesting thing I found in the early 1985 brochure is that Ford listed new cloth-covered sun visors as being standard on the Lariat models. The later 1985 and 1986 brochure has no mention of these, and listed the familiar vinyl ones instead. I decided I wanted my truck to be completely accurate, so I found a set from a 1987 truck (when they were actually introduced) and put them on my truck.

Also, my early 1985 Owner's Manual lists a "5.0 Liter High Output" engine as an optional engine that used a different spark plug then the regular 5.0 engine, but the same as the 5.8 Liter High Output engine. I have never seen a 5.0 High Output engine in an F-Series before, other than mine.

 

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, I meant to say November 1984. Thanks!

I have two 1985 Ford F-Series brochures (so does Gary; you can see them on this site) and they are the same except that the early edition (8/84) features the "New for 1985" optional full-length upper body trim molding, while the second edition (1/85) completely dropped any mention or pictures of it. It was replaced by the familiar 1980 - 1984 lower trim molding. In fact, Ford must have some sort of Photoshop then, because every picture in the later brochure is the exactly the same, other than the trim molding.

The 1986 brochure has no mention of the "mysterious" early 1985 upper trim molding at all.

Here is a post a made about these two brochures:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1466244-mysterious-1985-bodyside-protection-molding.html

Another interesting thing I found in the early 1985 brochure is that Ford listed new cloth-covered sun visors as being standard on the Lariat models. The later 1985 and 1986 brochure has no mention of these, and listed the familiar vinyl ones instead. I decided I wanted my truck to be completely accurate, so I found a set from a 1987 truck (when they were actually introduced) and put them on my truck.

Also, my early 1985 Owner's Manual lists a "5.0 Liter High Output" engine as an optional engine that used a different spark plug then the regular 5.0 engine, but the same as the 5.8 Liter High Output engine. I have never seen a 5.0 High Output engine in an F-Series before, other than mine.

Good points, Rick. Maybe we need a "Ford Goofs" page where we catch the little things, like those visors.

Anyway, here are the covers of the two brochures, side by side so everyone can see the very few differences: