The 1987 F-Series carried over the same body style from the seventh generation, yet sported a new rounded front clip that improved aerodynamics, as well as the softening of body lines around the rear of the bed and fender arches around the wheel wells. The interior was also completely redesigned in 1987. The transmissions available on SuperCab models were a four-speed or five-speed manual; regular cab models were also available with automatic transmission. The Custom trim made a comeback for the eighth generation. In 1988, the 4.9 Liter inline-six, 5.8 Liter V8, and 7.5 Liter V8 engines gained electronic fuel injection. International Navistar also increased the displacement of their 6.9 Liter V8 in the same year, resulting in the new 7.3 Liter unit. This was also the first year of a five-speed manual overdrive transmission, which included the Mazda
M5OD in the F-150s and the heavy-duty ZF5 in the F-250s and F-350s. Four-speed manuals were discontinued as standard equipment after 1987, but were available as a customer-ordered option until 1989. In 1989, the C6 three-speed automatic was replaced as the base automatic transmission with the
E4OD, a four-speed electronically controlled automatic overdrive unit, though the C6 was still available as an option, mostly in F-250s and F-350s, until 1997. Heavy-Duty models included F-250s and F-350s (along with F-Super Dutys) that were classified as incomplete vehicles only that were produced with no bed, but appeared as
tow trucks, box trucks (notably
U-Haul), flatbed trucks,
dump trucks and other models. Although the F-250s, F-250 HDs (heavy duty), and F-350s were built as a
Chassis cab models only from 1987 to 1997, owners can convert the models to pickup trucks. However
General Pacheco, Argentina and
São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil assemblies were the only places F-250, F-250 HD, and F-350 were built and sold as pickup trucks models. Despite being produced only in General Pacheco, Argentina and São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil assemblies (located in
South America) F-250s, F-250 HDs, and F-350s were shipped from South America to the United States as imports from 1987 to 1997.