I think part of the reason for the lack of respect for these years is because of the age. 1980 - 1986 models are caught between the age of being considered too old for reliable, daily transportation, yet too new to be appreciated and considered a "classic" yet. This was also the very last generation of Ford trucks (other than the 1987 5.8 H.O. and 460) to have carburetion. Carburetors are considered ancient now and most people (and mechanics!) today just don't understand carburetors and expect the luxury of EFI. This generation is interesting in that it started out with carburetors, then went to computer-controlled "feedback" carburetors, and finally ended with fuel injection.

"Bullnose" refers specifically to the 1980 - 1986 Ford F-Series trucks and broncos. The members of this forum decided to come up with a nickname to separate the 1980 - 1986 years (original design) with the similar 1987 - 1991 and the 1992 - 1996 (re-designed) body styles, which basically share the same side profile.

The nickname comes from the shape of the front of the truck.

Look at the face and head of a bull. Notice how a bull's eyes slant back from its face toward its head, and the nose is pushed forward:



Now go and look at the front of a 1980 - 1986 F-Series truck or Bronco.

Notice how the headlights (or "eyes") slant back from the front of the truck (or "face") toward the cab (or "head"), and the grille (or "nose") is pushed forward from the headlights:



The nose of the truck is shaped like a bull's. Capiche?

 

I've seen these pictures comparing a bull and an '80 - '86 Ford truck before. You can describe it all you want. The truck looks nothing like a bull to me, and even if it did, I still don't see the need for the nickname. But that's just me (well, and a handful of others who also chime in from time to time). The name is on FTE to stay.

 

I tend to agree about the names. The only one that really fits is bricknose and it isn't flattering. I'd think we should just define them by the shape of the front of the hood. So 80-86 is Slant, 87-91 is Square, and 92-97 Round.


Edit,
Thinking about it a bit more, there's really only one standard term outside of the year range. That's 7th(80-86), 8th(87-91), and 9th(92-97) generation.

 

But there IS no comparison......

 

As far as having a bad rap goes I think other posters hit it on the head. Carbs and TTB to a pint, but mostly it was ahead of it's time. I personally don't think most who look at a 7th gen know how old it is.

Almost EVERY domestic vehicle got a bad rap in the 80s due to the implementation of emissions regulations and the manufactures attempts to deal with it. The last years of carbs and first years of EFI were a mess of rushed compromised engineering done on shoestring budgets. Of the domestic manufactures Ford handled this period the best by far though. This period put AMC out of business, Dodge and GM almost went broke and the vehicles were horrible. Comparably Ford did rather well and was always ahead of the curve.

Similar for the TTB, even owners put down the TTB these days but in '80 it was revolutionary. Well sort of, Jeep did it in '63, but that's another story and was short lived. That so many of them are poorly maintained and poorly understood by lift companies and alignment shops isn't the fault of the TTB.

Saying the 7th generation F-Series is junk is like saying a 50s Studebaker or '60s full size Jeep is junk. All three were ahead of there time and that in some ways hurt them among those unable to understand.

Look at what the other manufactures were building in the same model year. For example until '88, throughout the entire 7th generation F-series production Chevy was still basically making the same truck they made in '73. But with a constantly getting worse still carbed engine choked by poor attempts to deal with regulation.

I put the 1980 F-series on the same level as the 1962 full size Jeep. Both were the birth of a generation of vehicles that lasted a very long time, are loved by many, and icons of their genre. The '62 Jeep wasn't the first SUV but it was the first of a generation in production with only minor changes for 29 years and in many ways defined the SUV. The '80 F-series was the birth of a generation of truck that would define the pickup for a generation. The 9th gen owes it's popularity to the 7th gen, it's only an evolution of a great truck and of the market it defined. The 7th gen made the daily driver do it all pickup possible and popular. Both have been forgotten for their influence, but their owners know and that's enough.




A 63 Jeep Wagoneer IFS, it's an early TTB.

 

Around here, I havent heard much specific hate towards 80-86. There are actually a few still used for hauling cars as a wrecker, and one used on a farm.

Theres more specific hate for Ford in general, and it seems to be fueled by family tradition, rather than from personal experience.

 

I grew up in a Chevy family - my Dad even worked at a Chevy dealer (mechanic/parts EXPERT) for years. I drive a Ford. Why? Because I FIRMY believe - if Dad were alive today (died in 1972), he would be driving one. He was starting to cuss at them way back then. I have had several Chevy vehicles - from pickups, to a Nova, and even 3 Corvettes. I will take a Ford ANY day of the week.

Of course, we DO know Christ had a Chevy....How do we know this?

Because everywhere he went, HE was WALKING......

But this is a little off the topic... I think "Bullnose" is an appropriate nickname - The truck IS, after all - stronger than a bull, so it might as well look like one.
I have some horns from a steer we butchered last fall - I might have to mount them on the hood.....

 

If you look on the heading of "Older, Classic & Antique Trucks" on this forum's main page, you will see that ALL of the other older trucks before the 1980 - 1986 trucks (Bumpside, Dentside, etc.) have a nickname. We felt that it was time this generation had it's own nickname, because so many people tend to lump these trucks in with the 1987 - 1991 and the 1992 - 1996 models. This was the original design that started the successful run from 1980 - 1996. This generation is unique in that these were the only years that had the squared-off wheel openings, and this generation still used carburetors for the most part of their run. Even though the 1980 - 1996 models look a LOT alike, and shared pretty much the same profile and suspension, the nose of all of these generations is the most obvious difference. So "nose" became the theme.

The name "Bullnose" fits the front shape of 1980 - 1986 trucks perfectly... and is as obvious as the nose on a bull's face to me.

Both the 1980 - 1986 and the 1987 - 1991 trucks have a "square" hood that "slant" in the front?

Most people will agree that "Bricknose" looks more like the 1987 - 1991 re-design of the 1980 - 1986 trucks. A brick wall is straight and flat, and the 1987 - 1991 trucks has the straightest and flattest front end of them all. Many people over in the 1997 - 1996 forums even call the 1987 - 1991 models "Bricknose."

 

I was always drawn to the style of the 80-86 trucks more so than any of the later ones. And I just ended up with my '86, I wasn't out looking for a truck, but the opportunity came, and I jumped on it. I'm glad that I did, because it's a perfectly functional truck and it's also old enough that people can appreciate it as an "old truck".

 

80-86 is my 2nd favorite after 92-96.........If you really look, 92-96 is the rounded, smoothed out face of the 80-86.

 

AMC founded in 1954 by combining Nash & Hudson, Hudson was dropped after 1957. AMC purchased Kaiser-Jeep in 1970.

In 1980, seeking financial help, AMC received money from Renault. Within a few years, the frogs took over AMC, then proceeded to run it into the ground.

What remained was soon sold to the Chrysler Corp. Chrysler got rid of everything except the Jeep.
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In the late 1970's, Chrysler Corp was in very poor financial shape, was very close to going bankrupt.

They then hired Lee Iacocca (former prez of FoMoCo) as prez. Iacocca went to Washington, got bail-out bucks from the Gov't, introduced the K-Cars, their financial position improved.
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GM, who once owned over 60% of the US market, survived the late 1970's, early 1980's recession and didn't go bankrupt until George W. Bush's last year as prez.

Bush gave GM several million bail-out bucks to tide them over, then when Obama became prez, gave GM many billions more.
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FoMoCo was in very poor financial condition in the 1980's, was saved from going bankrupt by the Taurus, which was introduced in 1986.

Some people today are either unaware or have forgotten the Jimmy Carter Recession, which proceeded into Reagan's first term in office.

Another factor that severely impacted the US economy and especially the automakers, were the two Arab Oil Embargo's. The first occurred 1973/74, the second in 1979.
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And btw: The Jeep is the most "traveled" brand in US auto history, as it has been owned over the years by the following:

American Bantam - ******-Overland - Kaiser/Frazer - Kaiser-Jeep - AMC - Renault - Chrysler Corp - Daimler/Chrysler - Cerberus Capital Management - US Gov't - Fiat/Chrysler.

 

People are always interested in my 86' truck. Last week at work a guy started asking about it and when I pointed out someone's 2015 F-150 and how I want one he said "oh I would take your truck over that anyday"

 

This is kind of sickening really...If its *** ugly and has a bad rep, People love it. If it has a decent rep and not uglier than a squirrels ***hole, Its "hated" and cut up later in life for parts and scrap. Or, if its got a diesel we'll save it but if its got gas, we'll still buy it but try hard to part it out. If you don't like it, don't buy the damn thing and let someone who does want it, have it. Or if it was given to you, try to pass it on to someone who might want it. Its funny how "Ford lovers" go from lets save as many as we can to, "Oh, its a bricknose or its an OBS, Lets kill it." I just don't get it. Like this or not, I really don't care. I thought we we're here for a common cause, Love the trucks we do and let be. But what I've been seeing is way different. I actually heard someone admit that he cuts Brick and OBS trucks for either parts or scrap because no one likes them. If you got a brick or OBS and don't want it, I'll take it. Send it to Houston. If you want to cut something up, cut up some new *** or a chevy. Hell, cut up your swiss cheese frame to make up what Ford did to these "beloved" trucks. And as for "They're so reliable..." Hell, Any vehicle Ford,GM or otherwise if taken care of will be. I idled a GM 3.1 for 2000 hours straight this year. Ran Mobil 5000 in it. Only time it was shut down was for oil change. It STILL runs fine today. Reliability has NOTHING to do with a "generation" or "design" or a vehicle. It has almost everything to do with the owners. People ask about them because they're not used to such an old design. You have to think, Most people don't remember the mid 80's. So yes, Naturally, They're going to ask. I had a '66 Comet Caliente. Ugly, Smoked, Loud, Beat to hell, And neglected from living in mexico. I got asked all kinds of questions about it because people weren't used to it. All this "Bullnose Love" is a buncha bull*** really. Oh, and I had a '78 F250. it was neglected. Guess what, Trans didn't move, The 460 was shot, springs worn to no end, not one gauge worked, leaked any time it fogged. And had Fecal matter brown upholstery and urine yellow paint. Yeah, Not real appealing. People dog LMC truck for repro parts. Thats fine, China made. I got that. I ordered a Dennis Carpenter catalog. Mostly '80-'86 with very little '87-96. I threw it right into the trash. I asked where to get quality parts in a few threads, Didn't get many (none hardly) responses on different forums. Gee, I wonder why people use LMC then. Thats right, BECAUSE THEY HAVE WHAT SOME OF US ACTUALLY NEED! But like I said, If you are given a brick or OBS truck and don't want it, Let me know. I'll take it. Or if you see one for sale and just want to part it out or get cutting torch happy. Don't. Post it on a forum instead and let someone else know who wants it and actually keeps another one on the road. Now, If its rotted to hell or has an extenuating circumstance, then that is different. However, you never know. I started out with some cab rot on my '87. I've seen cabs alot worse than mine and people re-welded them back. But everyone is telling me first, swap cabs, then it went to, "Oh, you need a cab and maybe an engine? Get another and part that one out." You can do that just so many times before guess what? Thats right, THEY'RE ALL GONE! And before anyone says it, Yes I know this is an old thread. But at least I know i'm doing what I can to preserve an old truck and not killing one just because the design it has or what the "I agree because its cool" wants. Old93 is right. OBS is Bullnose rounded off. and that 80's commercial with one hauling those other trucks is just PR and advertising. if you really took that for real....Wow. I've got ocean side property in Kansas I'd like to offer you and ranch land in Florida you might also be interested in.

 

I don't much care for the names that have been assigned to the different body styles here. If you say you have a '84 or '91, I know what it looks like. I don't need some stupid sounding nickname for it. I work with a guy that bought his '83 F-150 Custom brand new and isn't even considering getting rid of it. I like my '87 Bronco about as much as he likes his 150. I think the '92-'96 body style is probably the best looking but prefer the '87-'91 dash followed by the '92 and a very distant last by the '80-'86. Overall I like the '87-91 best because of it's looks, having fuel injection (although MAF is much better) and they don't seem as weighed down with sound deadening and that stupid crumple zone frame. There seems to quite a good bit of the first gen still running around where I live.

 

There are "a good bit" of 1948-1952 trucks on the road in Baltimore, Maryland?