F-150 marks an era when trucks were more about lifestyle and less about work.
Wave Statement
Ninth-generation Ford trucks have a timeless quality. Released in 1992, they introduced a shift in technology and aerodynamic styling. Thirty years on, they now earn the 'classic' designation. Dubbed Aeronose, or OBS (Old Body Style) they also fueled a wave of nostalgia, one marked by an era when truck ownership was becoming more about lifestyle and less about work.
Photos courtesy of BaT.
Idyllic Sites
Ford was well aware of the developing trend toward leisure trucks. As the ninth-gen of utilitarian F-Series trucks rolled out, the Motor Company also released three distinctly non-work trucks. The full-sized Flareside, Nite, and Sport. Job sites and gravel pits were conspicuously absent in the advertising, which focused instead on sunset beaches, idyllic parks, and boulevard nightlife.
Romance Sold
The mystique of trucks for play rather than work is part of the current swoon for OBS Fords. Popular YouTuber and car enthusiast Ethan Tufts felt that nostalgic rush when he picked up this 1992 F-150 Flareside XLT SuperCab in March of 2022. However, the romance was short-lived and he recently sold the truck on Bring a Trailer for $10,500.
Uncommon Combination
Flareside beds had been absent from the Ford lineup since 1987 but returned with the 1992 model year. On his channel Hello Road, Tufts elaborated about his 'classic' F-150 purchase. He noted that Flaresides were more expensive than the usual Styleside, making them a bit uncommon. Even more so, was this rare-ish combination of a Flareside bed and a SuperCab.
Practical Side
The 1992 Flareside was a revisioning of Ford's 'dually' bed, with its rear fenders positioned to fit the width of the cab. Until the introduction of full-sized boxes in 1957, all trucks were built as Flaresides or Stepsides in General Motors parlance. The latter, alludes to the practical nature of being able to access the bed from either side of the truck.
Super Badging
As styling preferences and functionality requirements changed, Flareside trucks gradually fell out of vogue, and production ended in 2009. A curious and somewhat trivial point about Ford's Flareside was that the badging reads 'Flare Side,' while all the advertising literature used Flareside. The same variable usage applies to the SuperCab moniker, which also appears in promotional material as Supercab and Super Cab.
Scant Signs
Tufts claims that ninth-gen F-150 trucks were considered somewhat disposable and often worked to death. While true in part, a lot of OBS Fords are still on the road today given their rugged design and reliable motors. Equipped with Ford's 5.8L or 351 Windsor small block, this Flareside shows no signs of quitting, with a scant 142,000 miles on the odometer.
Daily Rush
As an XLT, the Flareside is plush—even by today's standards. The ad stated that the two-tone leather seats had been reupholstered while confessing that the power locks and mirrors were not working. Even with the usual wear and tear of a daily driver, this 1992 Flareside SuperCab still has pull—evident by its quick sale, possibly fueled by someone else's nostalgic rush.
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