OK, I’ll admit it, I’m not a pickup truck guy. They are immensely popular, growing in stature over the last twenty years but they just don’t trip it for me. That said, I really appreciate an older model like this 1987 F-150 XLT, as opposed to the monstrously proportioned behemoths being pushed today by Ford, Chevrolet/GMC, and Ram. And don’t get me started on the hideous headlight/grille arrangements that are now in vogue. Forget about today, however, let’s go back 36 years and take a gander at this very clean and trim Ford 4X4. It’s located in Tacoma, Washington and is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $8,100 with 33 bids tendered so far.
Today’s find is an XLT Lariat which Ford proclaimed to be, “Top-of-the-line in looks and comfort” with an interior that is “The most plush of all F-series models“. From a collectability perspective, this F-150 is the more popular short-bed version, hauling around a six-and-a-half-foot cargo bed. While the mileage is recorded at 143K miles, this truck shows beautifully. The Canyon Red finish is still deep and isn’t showing the typical chalkiness that befalls bright red paint jobs that are exposed to lots of sunshine. The seller tells us that the finish is original and the only notable item that has been replaced is the windshield. I’d label this truck a “survivor”.
This ready-to-roll-offroad 4X4 pickup is powered by a 5.0 liter V8 engine generating either 150 or 160 net HP (depending on your research source), connected to an automatic transmission, and driving a four-wheel drive transfer case. The 4X4 set-up came standard with manually locking hubs but an automatically engaging arrangement was optional – no disclosure as to what’s in place here. The seller states, “This truck runs and drives good…Automatic transmission shifts smooth“.
One of the more notable XLT Lariat features is the interior appointments, things like a premium cloth upholstered bench seat, a center fold-down armrest with cup holders (imagine that in 1987!), color-keyed carpeting, headliner and sun visors, map pockets, a storage compartment residing under the armrest, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The seller claims, “Interior is in good shape no rips or tears nice and clean” and boy oh boy, is that the case. It’s hard to imagine that this F-150 was used for typical truck stuff, the interior environment is in amazing condition considering 143K miles of usage and the passage of time equalling 36 years!
So, considering all of this Ford’s goodness, do I want to rethink my pickup truck position? Nope, still not my thing but if I had to pick between a new bugly, humongo F-150, with the attendant payments that it would require, or this super sharp ’87 F-150, it would be a tough choice, 143K miles, or not. That’s my thought, what’s your preference?
A really nice F150 in and out with the desirable short bed and looking very sharp in red. I’m wondering if there has been some restoration, though. I43K is a lot of miles but if what the seller claims is true and the truck is mostly original, then the condition is indeed remarkable.
I wholeheartedly agree with Jim O’D on today’s pickups. Too big with gigantic, ugly grilles along with being overloaded with options more suitable for your living room. I dislike 4-doors and extended cabs because the beds are usually too short which pretty much is contrary to the whole point of having a pickup. Besides, it’s just me and the little woman so I have absolutely no use for two extra doors and another bench seat. If I didn’t already have a decent vintage F150, I’d love to have this red beauty. It will cost a lot less than a new pickup and will only appreciate in value.
I have to disagree on a short bed being the desirable option, I keep my 93 because its the long bed I can put a stack of 4×8 sheets of plywood in the bed and shut the gate, my opinion is the shorter beds have been shoved down our throat if we want them or not.
Troy, of course the short bed is more desirable than a long bed. Auction results and sales bear that out. And nobody can shove a vehicle type down your throat, people will buy what they want, not what somebody says to buy. The short beds look sportier and to most guys, that justifies a higher price. There have been many long bed pickups converted to short beds as well. I’m Ok with both bed lengths, especially the longer bed if you use the truck as intended, i.e., for hauling stuff. My ’95 F150 is a short bed but I still use it as a truck. Mulch, topsoil, dump runs and especially for whatever furniture I pick up at a local auction house.
I agree – any pickup bed shorter than 6-1/2 feet
is basicly useless,& why does almost everyone nowa-
days feel like they need a crew cab 4WD monster with
every conceivable option?
To me,this era of Ford trucks are the best they ever
built – enough high-tech to be reliable,but low-tech enough
to still work on,& not be distracted from driving with all
those electronic things.
https://www.axios.com/ford-pickup-trucks-history
Really interesting, thx!
JO
Manual hubs.
Good truck for which it was initially designed.
We’ve a’79 F150 longbed standard cab 4×4 with a 351 for the lightweight stuff around here.
For hauling front end loaders, tractors and the like we’ve a newer Cummins.
Every vehicle has an engineered reason for its design.
What the buyer uses it for is up to them.
BTW, Jim-totally agree with your appreciation for the crazy market for older trucks though it appears to be dropping again (gas prices?). It took off in part when everyone started buying 4×4 station wagons-AKA SUV’s-for those trying to avoid the boring urban profile minivans apparently bring to those that are trendy style focused, using the excuse of bigger is allegedly safer.
Finally, an accurate description. See? A truck with 150K CAN still look like this. They could easily claim it only 43K and shackle someone into thinking it’s low mileage. Perhaps the NEXT vulture will do that. Manual hubs,,what the heck is that? I can see it now, this truck stuck in snow,owner can’t understand why it won’t go, it’s in 4WD!! Giving people today a bit too much credit simply because, they have no exposure to it. Push a button today, is the rule.
Some folks have the audacity to rip on Lucas electrics, conveniently leaving out the USA nightmares. I had a friend, truck just like this, going somewhere, 2 lane, he pulls out to pass, and the engine misfires in synch with the turn signal. I said, what the hell is that? Yeah, he said, there’s a short in the system when the signal blinks, sometimes it shorts out the F.I.
The hype of an older pickup does seem to be fading a bit, a check on FB Marketplace shows a lot of crossed out prices, with the “new” lower price below it. Think a new Ford is the answer? Well, my neighbors son bought a new F350 4×4, TOP OF THE LINE, what does it exhibit? Death wobble. A $75,000 truck with death wobble? The dealer gave him some bull story, and replaced the steering stabilizer( to get him out the door) but apparently, he’s not the only one, and there’s a class action lawsuit on just that matter. No comment from Ford,
There’s what? A million or so F150’s riding around out there? And your buddy had an electrical problem. Got it. Almost every other British car equipped with Lucas electronics, had a failure. Apples and oranges.
Pre-chip shortage, there were at least a half-million F-150’s sold PER YEAR. Counting newer ones, there are multiple millions of them out there.
Read this to appreciate what a consumer product behemoth it is:
https://fordauthority.com/2020/06/ford-f-series-second-only-to-iphone-in-branded-consumer-product-sales/
Sorry,but with your logic,it’s also unfair to
blame Lucas for everything.Most times it’s owners
that don’t do proper maintenance/repairs,or shops that
that don’t know how to work on them.
Have you ever owned a British car?
Yep. Had a Spitfire for a couple of years. I never travelled very far without a toolbox, some electrical tape, wire and emery cloth.
Bidding at $9,000 my 93 is just as clean and only has 111k maybe I should put it on a auction site and see what happens. But then I would have to find another truck and that can be difficult to find one the seller doesn’t think is made of gold
I’m not a truck enthusiast either, to me they are useful tools and I appreciate when they do their job well but the driving dynamics are not such that I want one as a daily. My 2002 silverado sits in the garage until tmcalled upon. And don’t get me started on a high performance SUVs, two tons, an automatic gear box, and 500HP just doesn’t make sense to this curmudgeon. I’d much rather have a 2,000 pound car with manual and 200-300HP.
Long bed vs short bed, single cab vs extended vs crew cab. They all serve a purpose. It depends on what YOU need. I recently sold a Nissan Frontier 4×4 crew cab that could haul a yard of gravel or bark, a dual sport motorcycle (with the tailgate closed), 12’ lumber (although it was better after I bought a hitch mounted bed extension. I could also haul 5 people in comfort. My wife loved it for road trips because the super comfortable bucket seats reclined for napping. Oh, and it had a 6 speed manual. If I was in the market for a truck today, I’d buy a short bed extended cab with a 6 speed, but I don’t think it’s possible anymore (maybe an overpriced Tacoma?). Anyway, people tend to judge other people’s choices using their own personal preferences (and I know I am one, but try not to put them on BaT and Barn Finds comments). This is a nice F150 by the way.
Winning bid of $10k, I think that is a good deal.
Love this truck.It’s a beautiful survivor.I like that is has a V-8 .
Ford’s are the best trucks