How Well Were The New Bullnose Trucks Received in 1980?

[FuzzFace2]

In 86 when looking for a new full size SUV I don't even remember looking at Ford Bronco's. May have had to do with motors for pulling a trailer?

Only gave a quick look at Dodge (could get a 360) but was hooked on the GM diesel in the Blazer and could not get a diesel in anything else.

Dave ----

But, I hear it was a dog, stock?

LOL yes it was but getting 21+ MPG and a little lower pulling the trailer but I lived with it for 100K till it got a little boost LOL

Just before the first year was up, had over 12K on it by that time, I had the LS clutch housing go bad and when I was changing that I went with 4.11 gears (from 3.08 I think it was) and that helped be less of a dog till I hit the 100K mark.

Dave ---

 

[Gary Lewis]

In 86 when looking for a new full size SUV I don't even remember looking at Ford Bronco's. May have had to do with motors for pulling a trailer?

Only gave a quick look at Dodge (could get a 360) but was hooked on the GM diesel in the Blazer and could not get a diesel in anything else.

Dave ----

But, I hear it was a dog, stock?

LOL yes it was but getting 21+ MPG and a little lower pulling the trailer but I lived with it for 100K till it got a little boost LOL

Just before the first year was up, had over 12K on it by that time, I had the LS clutch housing go bad and when I was changing that I went with 4.11 gears (from 3.08 I think it was) and that helped be less of a dog till I hit the 100K mark.

Dave ---

I'll bet the 4.11's helped the MPG as well?

The Bullnose era was a time of change. You could see that change was coming, but it wasn't quite here yet. Engines were all over the map, with Ford offering the little 232 and 255, neither of which lasted long, and on the other end of the scale introducing the 6.9L IDI and bringing back the 460. But diesels weren't very impressive w/o turbos, and turbos wouldn't be available from the factory for a few years. And early versions of EFI were just being phased in for some of the gas engines, although it wasn't for several more years before all of them would get it.

As for transmissions, the "little" engines had just gotten 5-speed manuals with O/D, but they weren't yet available for the "big" engines - which happened just a few years later. And the autos were either the gas-guzzling C6 with both no O/D nor a lock-up torque converter, or the AOD which was just for the "little" engines. But again, a few years later the E4OD came out and gave us both an O/D gear and a lock-up torque converter.

Then there's the interior and options. The Bumps and Dents were mostly metal with a bit of plastic, and mostly utilitarian. The Bullnose trucks introduced a lot of plastic and more upholstery. In fact, by the end of the era even the door panels had fabric on the top-end trucks. And options included power door locks and windows. Basically, pickups were no longer utilitarian.

[Rogue_Wulff]

I'll bet the 4.11's helped the MPG as well?

The Bullnose era was a time of change. You could see that change was coming, but it wasn't quite here yet. Engines were all over the map, with Ford offering the little 232 and 255, neither of which lasted long, and on the other end of the scale introducing the 6.9L IDI and bringing back the 460. But diesels weren't very impressive w/o turbos, and turbos wouldn't be available from the factory for a few years. And early versions of EFI were just being phased in for some of the gas engines, although it wasn't for several more years before all of them would get it.

As for transmissions, the "little" engines had just gotten 5-speed manuals with O/D, but they weren't yet available for the "big" engines - which happened just a few years later. And the autos were either the gas-guzzling C6 with both no O/D nor a lock-up torque converter, or the AOD which was just for the "little" engines. But again, a few years later the E4OD came out and gave us both an O/D gear and a lock-up torque converter.

Then there's the interior and options. The Bumps and Dents were mostly metal with a bit of plastic, and mostly utilitarian. The Bullnose trucks introduced a lot of plastic and more upholstery. In fact, by the end of the era even the door panels had fabric on the top-end trucks. And options included power door locks and windows. Basically, pickups were no longer utilitarian.

I was 16 when they came out. The first glance I got was during a football game commercial, watching with dad. We both said, almost simultainiously, that it looked like a chevy. Of course, dad had a 74 F100 and I had just got a 1970 F100 (302 3 speed 3.50 rear axle). Someone stated they weren't sure when the 302 became available in trucks, well, it was there by 1970.

After a couple months, I saw one in person, and changed my mind. I thought they looked pretty good, but still preferred the looks of the older trucks.

I did end up buying one in 1997. Still have it today, as well as the 74 F100 dad bought new.....

[Dan Crowley]

My first thought was "hell that truck looks like a brick" and today I still can't understand why we call them Bullnose.

[Angelo Voltura]

My first thought was "hell that truck looks like a brick" and today I still can't understand why we call them Bullnose.

I wasn't alive when these trucks came out so I'll add a bit of insight from my dad and from my own perspective years later.

My father pretty much thought they looked damn good, ended up buying his in his last high school years in 87/88. We still have it today, as you all know. However, by his own admission that 300 in it was absolute pig and by 1990 it had a 351W in it. He was never really concerned with all the engine options, the truck was still at that point in history were you could put whatever you wanted for a motor in it relatively easily. 390s, 460s etc were all considered before we ended up going with a Windsor. Compared to the 70s trucks, he still says those were the "real" trucks Ford built, but puts the bull right up there with them. He definitely prefers the more squared off styling, but doesn't care for 87-91 trucks. The tech was cool, but at the end up the day it was pretty simple to remove all that feedback carb crap and go back like they were before...in his eyes they were nothing more than a mere body and chassis progression of the 70s trucks.

As far as I go, being born in 95 his truck was already 10 years old and had seen a frame off once already by that point.

I just remember the thing stood out from everything on the road and had it's own personality...everyone knew who owned and drove it. I always liked that it had it's own identity and in a way shaped me as a person as I got older. Kids my age used to ask me if dad had a monster truck...I'd just laugh. But that's how the 80s and 90s were, everyone had roll bars and KC lights. Honestly, that truck in of itself is why I became a bullnose obsessor...there's simply nothing that looks that mean on the road!

 

[salans7]

I wasn't alive when these trucks came out so I'll add a bit of insight from my dad and from my own perspective years later.

My father pretty much thought they looked damn good, ended up buying his in his last high school years in 87/88. We still have it today, as you all know. However, by his own admission that 300 in it was absolute pig and by 1990 it had a 351W in it. He was never really concerned with all the engine options, the truck was still at that point in history were you could put whatever you wanted for a motor in it relatively easily. 390s, 460s etc were all considered before we ended up going with a Windsor. Compared to the 70s trucks, he still says those were the "real" trucks Ford built, but puts the bull right up there with them. He definitely prefers the more squared off styling, but doesn't care for 87-91 trucks. The tech was cool, but at the end up the day it was pretty simple to remove all that feedback carb crap and go back like they were before...in his eyes they were nothing more than a mere body and chassis progression of the 70s trucks.

As far as I go, being born in 95 his truck was already 10 years old and had seen a frame off once already by that point.

I just remember the thing stood out from everything on the road and had it's own personality...everyone knew who owned and drove it. I always liked that it had it's own identity and in a way shaped me as a person as I got older. Kids my age used to ask me if dad had a monster truck...I'd just laugh. But that's how the 80s and 90s were, everyone had roll bars and KC lights. Honestly, that truck in of itself is why I became a bullnose obsessor...there's simply nothing that looks that mean on the road!

First time I recognized a bullnose was when I was around 10 years old (2002). There was an old 1980 sitting in the back of somebody's yard, and I always thought it was ugly because it didn't have the blue oval like my dad's trucks. Little did I know that five years later I would buy that same truck, and eventually found myself at a point where I prefer that early grille. The 82+ trucks look too modern in my opinion, and I think that's why I like the 80-81 trucks. They remind me of the bump and dentsides.

How I found it:

[Nothing Special]

My first thought was "hell that truck looks like a brick" and today I still can't understand why we call them Bullnose.

When I got into Ford trucks on-line it took me a while to figure out how to remember what nickname went with what body style. Eventually I figured out that it's easiest to remember that they're all wrong:

• "Bullnose" trucks are the ones that are squared off, like a brick

• "Bricknose" trucks are the ones that are still pretty blocky, but instead of having squared off corners like something man-made, it has more rounded corners, kind of like a big solid animal, like a bull

• "OBS", which stands for "old body style", is the newest body style of the three

And since I find the nicknames much less than helpful, I don't use any of them. I will say "old body style" to differentiate between the '97 F-250HD and the '97 F-250, but otherwise I usually use the year ranges.

Having said that, I'm not trying to change anyone else's habits. So go ahead and call '80 - '86 trucks "bullnose." I know that you mean the trucks that look like a brick:nabble_smiley_wink:

[Gary Lewis]

When I got into Ford trucks on-line it took me a while to figure out how to remember what nickname went with what body style. Eventually I figured out that it's easiest to remember that they're all wrong:

• "Bullnose" trucks are the ones that are squared off, like a brick

• "Bricknose" trucks are the ones that are still pretty blocky, but instead of having squared off corners like something man-made, it has more rounded corners, kind of like a big solid animal, like a bull

• "OBS", which stands for "old body style", is the newest body style of the three

And since I find the nicknames much less than helpful, I don't use any of them. I will say "old body style" to differentiate between the '97 F-250HD and the '97 F-250, but otherwise I usually use the year ranges.

Having said that, I'm not trying to change anyone else's habits. So go ahead and call '80 - '86 trucks "bullnose." I know that you mean the trucks that look like a brick:nabble_smiley_wink:

Amen, brother! I was part of the discussion on FTE that resulted in deciding to call these trucks Bullnose, as explained on the Bullnose FAQ's page. But I didn't vote for "Bullnose". I actually voted for "Bricknose".

[Danny G]

When the Bullnose generation was first released in late 1979 as all-new trucks with a completely new design for 1980, how well were they received by the general public?

I would love to hear from the older guys in here who can remember and hear what their first impressions were at the time.

http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/file/n46582/1980-Ford-truck-500.jpg

Curious where they got those fuel economy numbers lol.

[1986F150Six]

When the Bullnose generation was first released in late 1979 as all-new trucks with a completely new design for 1980, how well were they received by the general public?

I would love to hear from the older guys in here who can remember and hear what their first impressions were at the time.

http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/file/n46582/1980-Ford-truck-500.jpg

Curious where they got those fuel economy numbers lol.

"Curious where they got those fuel economy numbers lol."

I once owned a 1984 F150 with 4.9L, 4 speed manual OD and 2.47 rear gears. This truck came with the tiny air dam / spoiler on the front bumper.

Driven @ 65 mph on the interstate, it routinely returned 26+ MPG. It was a dog when accelerating.

This was before the widespread use of gasohol.