1997 Ford F-250

The 1992 model year brought the ninth-generation Ford F-Series, a restyle of the OBS truck that smoothed the front sheet metal into the rounded shape Ford literature and enthusiasts call the "Aeronose." The 1992-1997 Ford F-250 is the three-quarter-ton version, and along with the 1987-1991 trucks it is grouped under the "OBS" (Old Body Style) label because both share the same basic cab. The diesel story is the most important part of this generation. The 7.3L IDI V8 carried over, gained a factory turbocharger as the 7.3L IDI Turbo for 1993, and was then replaced mid-1994 by the 7.3L Power Stroke, a direct-injection turbodiesel built by International/Navistar that became the engine most associated with this era of F-250. The gas engines were the 300-cubic-inch (4.9L) inline-six, the 5.8L (351 Windsor) V8, and the 7.5L (460) big-block. The four-wheel-drive 1992-1997 Ford F-250 used a Dana 50 Twin-Traction Beam independent front suspension. The body continued past the 1997 light-duty F-150 redesign: the OBS-style F-250 Heavy Duty ran through the 1997 model year as a bridge until the all-new Super Duty F-250 arrived for 1999. Transmissions included ZF five-speed manuals and the E4OD four-speed automatic.