1988 Ford Trucks

A new line of Super Duty Ford F-350 trucks was introduced for the 1988 model year. These trucks filled a gap between the regular F-350s and the medium-duty F-600s. Standard was a 7.5-liter V-8 engine, while a 7.3-liter diesel was optional. F-Series also dropped its available Flareside bed, although it would return a few years later.

Bigger news for 1988 -- literally -- was the introduction of a sleek new Class-8 truck called the AeroMax. Although the cab was similar to that used for Ford's L-Series Louisville trucks, the front end was given an aerodynamic look and the interior was spruced up.

1988 Ford F-150 pickup truck with Styleside bed
1988 Ford F-150

Ford dropped its stylish Flareside truck bed for 1988, meaning all pickups carried the Styleside bed shown on the F-150 pictured above. All engines now boasted fuel injection, but otherwise, the F-Series was little-changed after its 1987 facelift.

1988 Ford F-350 truck
1988 Ford F-350

F-350s were offered with GVW ratings of up to 14,500 lbs. for 1988, made possible with the addition of available four-wheel disc brakes, heavy-duty axles, and 16-inch wheels. The optional diesel V-8 grew from 6.9 liters to 7.3.

1988 Ford Ranger pickup truck
1988 Ford Ranger

The Ford Ranger was a virtual carryover for 1988, although newly available for two-wheel-drive regular cabs was a GT package with sport suspension, front spoiler, and side skirts.

1988 Ford L-7000 medium-duty truck
1988 L-7000

The L-7000 was a lighter-duty version of the heavy-duty L-Series line that effectively fell into the medium-duty segment. Confusing, perhaps, but it made sense to a lot of buyers.

1988 Ford AeroMax heavy-duty truck
1988 Ford AeroMax truck

Slipping into the limelight for 1988 was the AeroMax, which upped the ante in Class-8 aerodynamics. Featuring swept-back front fenders and a form-fitting front bumper -- both made possible by the setback front axle -- it made for a sleek update to what was essentially an L-Series truck. Wraparound headlights added a modern look, while tank skirts and an available "Aero Bullet" sleeper unit made the AeroMax more slippery to the wind.

Ford Rangers and Bronco II finally had their turn for a redesign in 1989. Continue to the next page to find out how Ford finished the decade strong.

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