1985-1986 XLT woodgrain instrument and center bezels with clock - used

[1986F150Six]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1980-1986-Ford-F150-250-Bronco-INSTRUMENT-Bezel-RADIO-HVAC-BEZEL-XLT-OEM/174595969050?fits=Year%3A1980%7CModel%3AF-150&hash=item28a6bb101a:g:aGwAAOSwR7Rf-H4G

[1986F150Six]

SOLD!

[Rembrant]

Boom, that was quick, and for good money too.

I just found out the other day...and it had never occurred to me previously, that of the 1985-1986 factory Burlwood bezels, it is only the 1985 ones that fade so badly and turn a dull pinkish / purplish color. The 1986 ones seem to stay in pretty decent condition, so they are easier to sell and for good money too.

I had a nice set from a 1986 and they sold instantly. All of the other Burlwood parts I have are from 1985 trucks, and they are all faded and pinkish in color.

So if you see a set that looks to be in pretty good condition, there's a good chance that they are from a 1986.

[Gary Lewis]

Interesting!  Especially because there’s only one prefix for the part numbers - E5TZ. But that doesn’t mean that they didn’t change supplier or the supplier didn’t change materials.

There’s a similar thing on door weatherstripping. All the parts have the same prefix, probably E0TZ, and yet one year the stuff turned hard like a brick. I think it was ‘82, and I have it documented somewhere, but the year before and the stuff from year after was fine. But that year’s weatherstripping was different and got hard hard in a hurry.

[Rembrant]

Gary Lewis wrote

Interesting!  Especially because there’s only one prefix for the part numbers - E5TZ. But that doesn’t mean that they didn’t change supplier or the supplier didn’t change materials.

Gary,

Somebody mentioned it on Facebook the other day and it caught my eye. The more I thought about it, I realized that it was true with all of the Burlwood pieces that I have found/bought/sold. Anecdotal evidence, I know...but there seems to be a difference in how they stand up between the two years.

It might not apply in AZ or SoCal where the sun burns everything, but as a general rule of themb maybe it is true.

[Gary Lewis]

I believe it, Cory.  Ford may have asked for a change in materials, or may have gone with a different supplier who used different materials.

In some ways, the '85 year was an odd duck, and particularly early '85.  There was the side trim that showed up on the early '85 brochure but not the late '85 brochure, as shown below.  And there was the 4wd F350 that used TTB's, but late in the year got the monobeam D60.  And the changeover from hash marks and dots to stripes on some of the wiring.  And now the realization that it is the year that got the dash trim that turns purple.

[grumpin]

Interesting! I never caught that the later ones didn’t turn purple. Mine is good so far.