What Does OBS Mean For Ford Truck – Old Body Style

What does an OBS truck actually do? and what does OBS ford mean? Let’s take a closer look at the definition of the phrase and offer some context for some of the most illustrative examples.

America’s workhorse has evolved into something of a classic thanks to the late 20th-century Ford pickup truck boom in popularity. Old Body Style, or OBS, is a term used to describe the highly regarded pickup trucks built prior to the contentious redesigns of the early 2000s.

What Does OBS Truck Mean?

The abbreviation OBS stands for “Old Body Style” in reference to the boxy and rugged look of trucks from the 1990s. The definition of an OBS truck is somewhat arbitrary because enthusiasts are the ones who came up with the term. Others differentiate between OBS and OOBS, or old, old body style, while some restrict it based on the year of production.

The OBS truck era began in 1988 (or the beginning of the 1990s), according to popular belief. Since OBS trucks transitioned into NBS “New Body Style” trucks around the year 2000, this period can be seen as the threshold of when a truck could be considered an OBS. The only other “requirement” of an OBS truck is that it is American-made, but even that distinction can be disregarded occasionally when enthusiasts come across a desirable import model.

Ford Obs History

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7th Generation

The 7th generation F-Series (model years 1980 to 1986) is the foundation for Ford OBS trucks. In a complete redesign from its forerunner, the 7th generation received a brand-new chassis and body design. Their squarish bodies, flatter body panels, and distinctive grille designs make them simple to identify.

The early model years featured a plain grille with chrome lettering spelling out “Ford” on the very front of the hood. The traditional lettering on the grille was eliminated in 1982 and replaced with a Ford oval badge. The grille also had fewer vertical bars. The choice of 17 different paint colors, including two-tone options and the option of clear coat or non-clear coat paint, was available to consumers.

The naming convention for the F-Series’ various trim levels underwent a change in 1982. It should be noted that the scheme change had no significant impact on the equipment of each model:

• The Custom/Base was the entry-level model and came standard with basic equipment, color-keyed vinyl seats and dashboard, and manual windows and locks.
• The FS or Beginning in 1982, the Fuel Saving trim was offered; it featured the renowned 300-ci six-cylinder inline motor from Ford and a four-speed overdrive transmission.
• The Ranger/XL included Rosewood floor mats, chrome door panel trim, and a horn pad.
• The Ranger XLT/XLS expanded with a unique seat trim, color-keyed headliner and carpeting, and aluminum tailgate.
• The Ranger Lariat/XLT Lariat was a high-end trim with a plusher interior and The door panels and dash have rosewood trim. To help distinguish the truck, Lariat emblems were installed in a number of locations.
• The Explorer was offered in four equipment package varieties and was a limited edition trim with year-specific paint stripes.
• The Eddie Bauer Edition was revealed in 1985, featuring an off-road themed interior and two-tone exterior paint.

8th Generation

The next generation of pickup trucks built on the seventh generation, but made improvements to most of its predecessors’ features.

While the passenger cabin underwent a complete redesign, the exterior underwent a facelift and adopted a more aerodynamic design for better fuel economy. Anti-Lock brakes, once a novelty among pickup manufacturers, were now a part of the standard equipment package in the rear.

The 8th generation had a production run of only four years, from 1987 to 1991, and was available in the following trims:

• The custom title was given back to the entry-level model and included vinyl upholstery, a black steering wheel and grille, chrome front bumper and hubcaps, foldaway mirrors, and an electronic radio.
• The XL added cloth elements to the upholstery and included swing-away mirrors, a rub strip to the front bumper, and some other minor enhancements.
• The XLT Lariat had full cloth upholstery, a chrome grille, tinted windows, sport wheel covers, carpeting, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
• The Nite became available in the final year of production and offered drivers a “blacked-out” exterior look with “Nite” decals and a pink or blue/purple paint stripe.

9th Generation

A few factors help the 9th generation of OBS trucks earn their place among OBS enthusiasts, despite some definitions of what an authentic OBS truck is conflicting with design changes.

The 1991–1997 F–Series was built on the same fundamental design cues as the trucks from the 1980s, despite being two generations later. Even though it has a more rounded and aerodynamic design than other OBS trucks, there is a significant contrast with the aesthetic of the 10th generation.

A much-needed facelift brought about a number of adjustments, such as a larger grille and headlamps with turn indicators mounted on the bottom. To reduce the air drag index, both the hood and front fenders were rounded. Inside, new seats and a reworked dashboard were added to give the interior a more modern appearance.

9th generation was available in the following trims:

• The Custom was the base model and came equipped with a cargo box light, argent grille, steel wheels with hubcaps, a vinyl bench seat, and oil & temperature gauges.
• The XL added argent steel wheels, air conditioning, a cloth bench seat, and a rear bench in the the SuperCab configuration.
• The XLT was a step up from the XL, which features a chrome grille, deep-dish aluminum wheels, carpeted map pockets, an AM/FM stereo, as well as cloth and vinyl bench seats.
• The Nite was available from 1990 to 1992 and had a cloth flight bench with a power lumbar, a sliding rear window, and aluminum deep dish wheels.
• The SVT Lightning included 5-spoke aluminum wheels, power locks and windows, and air conditioning.
• The Eddie Bauer Edition and 4×4 Offroad were select trims focused on exterior appearance and off-road features, respectively.

Ford Obs Parts Suppliers

There is fierce competition among Ford OBS part suppliers, whether you’re trying to perform some aftermarket modifications or are looking for stock components. Consequently, suppliers have been able to lower their prices, which is great for consumers.

These are just a few of the best suppliers on the market:

FordParts offers If you’re looking for stock components, OEM equipment has everything you need. They have dealerships all over the United States, selling body parts like OBS Ford grills, bumpers, and fender flares.

National Parts Depot, or With a separate section for F-Series trucks from 1980 to 1996, NPD has a user-friendly website. On their website, you can purchase inexpensive stock parts like OBS Ford Headlights, tow mirrors, and electrical, body, and engine parts from their impressive selection.

Absolute Customs has been manufacturing aftermarket For years, Ford OBS truck parts. Although these parts are pricey, they are of excellent quality and come with a limited lifetime warranty. Your F-series truck will stand out beautifully with its OBS Ford lift kits, grills, and bumpers.

Summit Racing is the go-to place for custom-performance parts. Look at their selection of exhausts, tuners, intake systems, and other premium parts and components if you want to get more power out of your OBS truck.

Full Force Diesel has a clear focus on OBS Models with diesel engines, such as the Powerstroke flatbed. They bring a sizable selection of OEM and custom part kits, including OBS cold air intakes and OBS turbo kits.

Most Common OBS Trucks

As previously mentioned, the majority of old-style trucks are produced in the United States, with the best models coming from companies like Ford, GMC, and Chevrolet. Let’s highlight a few of these models and concentrate on the key details of each.

Ford F-series

The seventh, eighth, and ninth generations of the F-series are home to the iconic Ford pickup trucks that are sometimes referred to as having an old body style.

Some would argue that the seventh generation is too old for an OBS truck and refer to it as having an OOBS (old-old body style), but the appearance is ideal for the category. The seventh-generation vehicles were built between 1980 and 1986, and while they were also offered with V6 and Inline-6 engine configurations, V8 engines are the most popular choice.

The crew cab, super cab, and regular cab versions of the F-150, F-250, and F-350 are the best representations of this generation.

The cab and chassis of the seventh-generation Ford OBS Trucks were used in the construction of the eighth-generation model, which featured a significantly improved design. The truck’s parts were more efficiently designed, making maintenance easier and less expensive than with earlier generations. The most noticeable exterior changes were composite headlamps, curved fenders, and a more aerodynamic front end, while the interior was completely reworked.

Despite an update that increased power and fuel efficiency, engine options remained largely the same. The most popular examples in a 2-door pickup or chassis cab configuration are the F-150, F-250, F250-HD, and F-350.

The final Ford OBS trucks are based on the same seventh-generation F-series design but are from the ninth generation. It received a makeover and several small aesthetic upgrades to the exterior and interior, but it still had the distinctive OBS style.

The brand-new, slightly rounded design is borderline OBS. Nevertheless, due to its older design cues and significant visual differences from the tenth generation, it merits a place on the list. The F-150 is the only model of this generation, with models F-250 and higher moving from the F-Series into Ford Super Duty trucks.

Chevrolet And GMC C/K

Some of today’s most well-known OBS trucks were built on the common fourth-generation C/K platform, also known as GMT400 internally. All of these vehicles share the same design features and the class-defining platform to be considered proper OBS models:

• Chevrolet C/K
• GMC Sierra
• Chevrolet Suburban
• Chevrolet Blazer
• Chevrolet Tahoe
• GMC Suburban
• GMC Yukon

GMC initially called their full-size pickup trucks Sierra, while only Chevrolet used the C/K nomenclature. The GMT400 platform was initially produced as a full-size pickup truck and chassis cab, but after a few years of production, it was expanded into full-size SUVs.

The GMT800 platform, which replaced the GMT400 platform, was not well received when it was introduced, much like the 10th generation of the Ford F-series, and only served to increase consumer demand for the vintage appearance that could only be obtained from OBS models.

Summary for OBS Truck Meaning

If you’re interested in purchasing and customizing a Ford OBS pickup truck, there are numerous factors to take into account. These vintage vehicles, however, already stand out from the crowd in their stock form. By using the provided details, you can start the process of customizing your OBS truck to suit your preferences.

FAQs of OBS Truck