The
Ford Ranchero was a
coupe utilityThe coupé utility automobile body style, also known colloquially as the ute in Australia and New Zealand, combines a two-door "coupé" cabin with an integral cargo bed behind the cabin—using a light-duty passenger vehicle-derived platform....
produced between 1957 and 1979. Unlike a
pickup truckA pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
, the Ranchero was adapted from a two-door
station wagonA station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
platform that integrated the cab and cargo bed into the body. A total of 508,355 units were produced during the model's production run. It was adapted from full-size, compact and intermediate automobiles by the
Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
for the North American market.
During the 1970s the Ranchero name was used in the
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n market on a rebadged
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n
Ford FalconThe Ford Falcon is a full-size car which has been manufactured by Ford Australia since 1960. Each model from the XA series of 1972 onward has been designed, developed and built in Australia and/or New Zealand, following the phasing out of the American Falcon of 1960–71 which had been re-engineered...
utility. These vehicles were sent to South Africa in CKD form. In
ArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
a utility version of the
locally produced Ford FalconThe Argentine Ford Falcon is a car that was built by Ford Argentina from 1962 to 1991. Mechanically, it was based on Ford USA's 1960 Falcon. The Falcon retained the same elegant body style throughout its production, with several substantial face lifts taking place during its lifespan, giving it a...
was also called the Ranchero.
The Ford Ranchero sold well enough to spawn a competitor from
General MotorsGeneral Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
in 1959, the
Chevrolet El CaminoThe Chevrolet El Camino is a coupe utility vehicle produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1959–1960 model years in response to the success of its rival, Ford Ranchero. Production resumed for the 1964–1977 model years based on the Chevelle platform, and continued for the...
.
History
The first
Ford Model TThe Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from September 1908 to May 1927...
and Model A pickup trucks were created from sedans by placing a truck box behind the body of a car truncated behind the driver's seat. In 1934
Ford AustraliaFord Australia is the Australian subsidiary of Ford Motor Company and was founded in Geelong, Victoria, in 1925 as an outpost of Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. At that time, Ford Canada was a separate company from Ford USA...
's designer Lew Bandt modified a
coupeA coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
with a smoothly integrated loadbed that could be used like a car to drive to church or to deliver pigs to market. This created the
coupe utilityThe coupé utility automobile body style, also known colloquially as the ute in Australia and New Zealand, combines a two-door "coupé" cabin with an integral cargo bed behind the cabin—using a light-duty passenger vehicle-derived platform....
which remains a popular body style as the "ute" in that country. In North America, pickup trucks evolved into a heavier duty form with cabs and beds that were quite distinct from passenger automobiles. The Ranchero was the first postwar American vehicle of its type adapted from a popular sedan from the factory. It combined the sleek looks of a sedan with the utility of a light duty pickup truck.
1957–1959
- See also 1957 Ford
The mainstream Ford line of cars grew substantially larger for 1957, a model which lasted through 1959. The Crown Victoria with its flashy chrome "basket handle" was no more, and the acrylic glass-roofed Crown Victoria Skyliner was replaced by a new model, the retracting-roof hardtop Skyliner.The...
Introduced in December 1956, three months after the traditional September model year start-up, the Ranchero was based on the standard and new-for-1957 full-size
FordThe mainstream Ford line of cars grew substantially larger for 1957, a model which lasted through 1959. The Crown Victoria with its flashy chrome "basket handle" was no more, and the acrylic glass-roofed Crown Victoria Skyliner was replaced by a new model, the retracting-roof hardtop Skyliner.The...
platform, specifically the short wheelbase
CustomThe Ford Custom is a car model name that has been used by the Ford Motor Company both in the United States and Canada from the 1930s to 1972....
sedan, two-door
Ranch WagonThe Ford Ranch Wagon was a station wagon built by Ford Motor Company from 1952 to 1977. The Ranch Wagon was a full-size model, except in 1963 and 1964, when it was part of the intermediate-size Fairlane series, and represented the lowest-priced selection in its respective line.- 1952-1962 :In the...
station wagonA station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
and utilitarian
Courier- North America :This was a commercial model based on Ford's full-size stationwagon line. Its model code was designated 78A.From 1952 to 1956 access to the rear storage area was through a unique door hinged on the side. For 1957 and 1958, the rear access door was a combination of the lift gate and...
sedan deliveryA sedan delivery, commonly called a delivery in American English and a car derived van in British English, is a two-door station wagon with a driver or driver and front passenger seats, and steel sheet-metal panels in place of rear side windows...
. Essentially a Courier with an open, reinforced bed, its own unique rear window and integrated cab and cargo box, the Ranchero was initially offered in two trim levels and, throughout the model run, was built on the corresponding automobile assembly line but sold as a truck through Ford's truck division. There was an extremely basic standard model, marketed to traditional pickup truck buyers such as farmers, and the Custom which picked up most of the options and accessories available on the Fairlane line, including stainless steel bodyside mouldings and two-tone paint. Upscale models were badged both as a Fairlane and Ranchero, with a stylized representation of a
longhornThe Texas Longhorn is a breed of cattle known for its characteristic horns, which can extend to tip to tip for steers and exceptional cows, and tip to tip for bulls. Horns can have a slight upward turn at their tips or even triple twist. Texas Longhorns are known for their diverse coloring...
as the symbol for the model located on the tailgate. Indeed, print advertising of the time played on the theme of the American Southwest that the Spanish model name and longhorn symbol were meant to evoke, showing artistic representations of the vehicle being used in ranching and outdoor activities, proclaiming it as "More Than A Car! More Than A Truck!" The Ranchero was a hit with both the automotive press and the buying public, filling an untapped market niche for vehicles with the utility of a light pickup with the ease of operation and riding characteristics of a car. In fact, the Ranchero had a marginally higher cargo capacity by about fifty pounds/23 kg than the half-ton
F-SeriesThe F-Series is a series of full-size pickup trucks from Ford Motor Company which has been sold continuously for over six decades. The most popular variant of the F-Series is the F-150...
pickup. Both standard and Custom could be ordered with any engine available for Ford cars, all the way up to the 352 cu in (5.8 l) "Thunderbird Special." In Canada, the Ranchero was also available in the
MeteorMeteor was a brand of automobiles offered by Ford in Canada from 1949 to 1976. The brand was retired for the 1962 and 1963 model years, when the name was used for the Mercury Meteor sold in the United States...
line-up. Seat belts and padded instrument panels were optional.
The 1958 version would remain largely unchanged under the skin save for the new front sheet metal(inspired by the
Thunderbird-Creatures:* Thunderbird , a legendary creature in Native American culture* Dromornithidae, an extinct Australian family of birds* Thunderbird , a term used in cryptozoology to describe large, bird-like creatures-Computing:...
) and its new four-
headlampA headlamp is a lamp, usually attached to the front of a vehicle such as a car or a motorcycle, with the purpose of illuminating the road ahead during periods of low visibility, such as darkness or precipitation. Headlamp performance has steadily improved throughout the automobile age, spurred by...
arrangement.
The 1959 model was built with the same 118"/300 cm wheelbase as the sedan as were all 1959 Fords, giving the Ranchero the advantage over its predecessors of a longer bed. However, this would be the last time that the vehicle would grow either in size or trim for several years to come. The Custom Ranchero was the only model marketed in 1959.
1960–1965 Falcon Ranchero
In 1960 the Ranchero became much smaller, becoming based on Ford's compact Falcon, specifically the two-door sedan delivery variant. The popularity of small, economical cars like the
Volkswagen BeetleThe Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
perpetuated a shift in thinking among the three largest American manufacturers; 1959 would see the introduction of the 1960 Falcon along with the 1960
Chevrolet Corvair-First generation :The 1960 Corvair 500 and 700 series four-door sedans were conceived as economy cars offering few amenities in order to keep the price competitive, with the 500 selling for under $2,000...
and
Plymouth ValiantThe Plymouth Valiant is an automobile manufactured by the Plymouth division of Chrysler Corporation in the United States from 1960 to 1976. It was created to give the company an entry in the compact car market emerging in the late 1950s...
. Pickup versions of the Corvair and
Volkswagen BusThe Volkswagen Type 2, officially known as the Transporter or Kombi informally as Bus or Camper , was a panel van introduced in 1950 by German automaker Volkswagen as its second car model – following and initially deriving from Volkswagen's first model, the Type 1 , it was given the factory...
were offered as well. The economic recession of the late 1950s certainly played a role as well. Ford believed the market wanted a more practical vehicle, one much smaller, lighter and cheaper than a full-size
pickup truckA pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
, and indeed the Ranchero sold well in this incarnation. Now marketed in print as the "Falcon Ranchero," the new vehicle's standard powerplant was an economical 144 cu in (2.4 l)
straight-6The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...
. In 1961 the 170 cu in (2.8 l)
straight-6The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...
was offered, and in 1963 the optional 260 cu in (4.3 l) V8 was offered in addition to the 144 and 170. The two-speed Ford-O-Matic
automatic transmissionAn automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
(offered between 1960 and 1963) or three-speed C4
Cruise-O-MaticFord-O-Matic was the first automatic transmission used by Ford Motor Company, designed by Borg Warner Corporation. Introduced in 1950, the three-speed Ford-O-Matic evolved into the Cruise-O-Matic in 1958 and the FMX in 1968. This line continued in production until 1980, when the AOD was introduced...
could be ordered as could a three-speed
manual transmissionA manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
. The Ranchero had a 800lb load capacity.
Note that there are three almost entirely different pickup bodies for this generation of Falcon: the Australian Falcon Ute differed in having a shorter rear overhang than North American models, a cargo box that extended farther forward than the rear window, and shorter doors; while the Argentinian version also shared the sedan's overall length and short "4-door" doors, adding higher and more squared-off cargo box sides.
The Ranchero evolved along with the Falcon in 1964, becoming just a little larger along with its parent and using the same basic body style for 1964 and 1965. In 1965, the 289 cu in (4.7 l) V8 replaced the discontinued 260 and an alternator replaced the generator in all Ford cars.
1966–1967
1966 was a one-year model, when Falcon and Fairlane were redeveloped on the same basic platform, one which did not include the sedan delivery as 1965 marked the final year of sedan delivery production. Instead, the 1966 Ranchero used Falcon front sheet metal, trim and interior accents on a modified station wagon platform. Engines available were the 170 cu in (2.8 l) I6, 200 cu in (3.3 l) I6 and two- and four-barrel versions of the 289 cu in (4.7 l) V8. Transmissions choices ranged from the C4 three-speed automatic to the three-speed column-shifted manual. The 1966 model was marketed simply as the Ford Ranchero, and did not carry Falcon badges. Seat belts were standard.
The 1967 Ranchero, based on the post-'66 Falcon/Fairlane chassis, used the basic 1966 Ranchero body with Fairlane trim, front sheet metal, and interior treatments instead of Falcon. It was marketed as the Fairlane Ranchero.
This was a well-received and unique one-year vehicle, with clean, straight lines, dual stacked headlamps, and plenty of power; the Ranchero had entered the
muscle carMuscle car is a term used to refer to a variety of high-performance automobiles. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines muscle cars as "any of a group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving." Usually, a large V8 engine is fitted in a...
arena in 1967. Engine options started with a 200 cu in (3.3 l) straight-6 and went up to a 390 cu in (6.4 l)
FE-seriesThe Ford FE engine is a Ford V8 engine used in vehicles sold in the North American market between 1958 and 1976. A related engine, the Ford FT engine, was used in medium and heavy trucks from 1964 through 1978. The FE filled the need for a medium-displacement engine created by the discontinuation...
big-block V8 giving 315 bhp and backed by an optional
C6The Ford C6 transmission was a heavy-duty automatic transmission built by the Ford Motor Company between 1966 and 1996. It featured three forward speeds and reverse, and was built around a Simpson planetary gearset....
automatic, the new-for-1966 heavy duty variant of the C4. 1967 also saw the largest expansion of trim levels since the vehicle's introduction ten years prior. Supplementing the base model were the new Ranchero 500, 500/XL and GT. The GT-A, Ford's label for '66 and '67 automatic transmission-equipped GTs given to both the Fairlane and Mustang, did not apply to the Ranchero.
What did apply to all American cars in 1967 was the use of a dual-circuit braking system with a dual-chambered
master cylinderThe master cylinder is a control device that converts non-hydraulic pressure into hydraulic pressure, in order to move other device which are located at the other end of the hydraulic system, such as one or more slave cylinders...
. Increased awareness of passenger safety resulted in such innovations as safety-padded windshield pillars and an unusual 1967-only safety pad which protruded from the center of the three-spoked steering wheel to a point just beyond the rim of the steering wheel. It was designed to minimize abdominal injuries in the event of a collision.
1968–1969
In 1968, the Fairlane line was supplemented by the new
TorinoThe Ford Torino is an intermediate automobile produced by the Ford Motor Company for the North American market between 1968 and 1976. The car was named after the city of Turin , which is considered the Detroit of Italy...
, and the Ranchero followed suit, becoming the largest model since the full-sized 1959. Overall, the new Ranchero was not only bigger, but also more angular than before with its more horizontal grille and horizontal headlamps; Ford and other automakers were making a switch back to horizontal quad headlamps. The interior was all new, as well, sharing the Torino/Fairlane's distinctive four-pod instrument cluster. Though the four round pods gave the illusion of an engine-turned dash, viewed from left to right, they instead featured warning lights for coolant temperature (both cold and hot) and the left turn signal indicator in the left pod with the speedometer in the second pod directly in front of the driver. Warning lights for the charging system and oil pressure as well as the right turn signal indicator were located third from the left. In upscale models, this pod was supplanted by a tachometer. An optional clock filled the fourth pod; a decorative "clock delete" panel otherwise filled the space. A seat belt warning light was a new feature, too, lighting briefly in the far left pod whenever the engine was started. The model line also featured wraparound front
side marker lampsThe lighting system of a motor vehicle consists of lighting and signalling devices mounted or integrated to the front, sides, rear, and in some cases the top of the motor vehicle...
which doubled as parking lights and rear side reflectors, newly mandated by US law for the 1968 model year.
Three trim levels were offered, beginning with the sparsely trimmed base Ranchero, the Ranchero 500 trimmed like the corresponding Fairlane 500 and the top-of-the line Ranchero GT with its Torino GT trim. Engine choices began with the 250 cubic inch I6 and ran to several V8 choices, including the standard 289 with two-barrel carburetor, and the FE-based 390. The powerful 428 cu in (7 l) Cobra Jet, another FE derivative and the largest engine offered in the Ranchero to date, was a mid-1968 option. The 1968 model marked the final year of production of the 289; a 302 cu in (5 l) V8 with two-barrel carburetor became the standard V8 in 1969. Two new upmarket engine choices were available, the 351 Windsor and the 351 Cleveland, each of which could be backed by the new medium-duty FMX automatic. Like the C6, the FMX was a variant of the C4 and was offered exclusively with either 351.
Like the Torino/Fairlane, the Ranchero could be had with virtually all of the same options as its cousins, including air conditioning, bucket seats, center console, AM/FM radio, optional wheels, front power disc brakes, hood scoop (standard on GT) and even a vinyl top. Changes across the 1969 model line were slight and included a flatter three-piece grille less the horizontal crossbar and Ford crest, relocation of GT grille badging from the crest to the lower right corner of the grille as viewed from the front, a change from black-faced instruments with white numerals to brushed aluminum with black numerals and a slimmer, two-spoke steering wheel pad similar to those across the Ford product line, unlike the wheel with its broader "safety pad" and separate horn ring used in the 1968 intermediates and compacts. While the pad may have changed, the horn ring did not. The only change unique to the Ranchero was the relocation of the "Ranchero" script from the rear quarter panels to the front fenders.
A little-known and extremely rare offering in 1969 was the Rio Grande. Available on special order, this was essentially a GT in the so-called "Grabber" colors of "Wimbledon White", "Poppy Red" or "Calypso Coral", partially blacked-out hood with scoop, side stripes, bed rails, vinyl top and unique "Ford Ranchero Rio Grande" wheel centers. As a result, Rancheros so equipped received Ford's "SPECIAL PERFORMANCE VEHICLE" identification on the data plate regardless of engine choice. These vehicles may be identified by the aforementioned designation, as well as a blank space where the trim code would normally be found. Production figures are unclear, but may have been around 900 total units.
1970–1971
While Chevrolet's El Camino used the same body from 1968 to 1972, 1970 saw a complete restyle for Ranchero, which had started with a boxy body style. Both the Torino and Ranchero featured a shallow-pointed grille and front end with smooth, somewhat more curvaceous lines influence by
coke bottle stylingCoke bottle styling is a term used to describe any automotive body styling bearing an overall body shape resembling the classic glass Coca-Cola soft drink's contour bottle design. It is a style of automobile bodies with outward curving fenders with a narrow center. In contrast to "straight-edge"...
. A fourth trim option was made available in 1970. The Ranchero Squire (pictured) was an upmarket trim package which featured a woodgrain applique similar to that found on the
Country Squire- Third generation :Prior to 1961, all Ford wagons used a two-piece tailgate assembly that required the operator to lift the rear window up and locking it into place via a mechanical support, and then drop the tail gate down to fully access the rear compartment.For the 1961 Ford adopted a tailgate...
station wagon. Like in previous years, all Torino options could be ordered, including all-new Ram-Air 429 Cobra Jet or Super Cobra Jet engines (7 L) with a slightly different "shaker" hood scoop borrowed from the Mustang, so named because it was directly mounted to the carburetor and shook with the engine at idle. Also available was a stylish grille that featured hide-away headlamps as well as an optional hood with an oversized scoop which was standard on Torino GTs. The 1971 is distinguished by a grilled divided by a center section.
A minor but nevertheless important variation debuted with the 1970 model. Prior to 1970, no Ranchero had any interior badging identifying it as such. With the 1970 model came a "RANCHERO" or "RANCHERO GT" badge on the glove compartment rather than Fairlane or Torino badging.
1972–1976
In 1972, a radical change occurred in the Torino and Ranchero lines. The sleek, pointy look of the previous year's model was replaced with a larger, heavier design. Most prominent was a wide, gaping 'fishmouth' grille and a new body-on-frame design. There were still three models available; the now-standard 500, the new Squire with simulated woodgrain "paneling" along the flanks, and the sporty GT. Engine choices remained basically the same beginning with the 250 cubic-inch six-cylinder and a selection of V8s that ranged from the standard 302 to Cleveland and Windsor series 351s, plus the new-for-1972 400. The 385-series V8 (the 429 for 1972-73; the 460 for 1974-76) was still available. However, all suffered from lower compression ratios to better meet new emissions standards. The 351 cu in (5.8 l) Cleveland could still be obtained in tuned 4-V Cobra Jet form through 1974. A four-speed manual transmission was available on Cobra Jet-powered GT models.
The 1973 Ranchero saw a redesigned front end to meet new federal standards for front impact protection. Aside from slight cosmetic differences, the Ranchero would remain basically the same until the Torino's final year, 1976.
1977–1979
With the Torino ending production after 1977, the Ranchero needed a new platform. This was found in the somewhat unlikely guise of the Ford Thunderbird personal luxury coupe, which was undergoing a reincarnation that year also, and sharing features with that year's
Ford LTD IIThe Ford LTD II was a mid-size car built by the Ford Motor Company between 1977 and 1979 for the North American market. It was based on the Ford Torino, which it replaced, and used the same platform as the concurrent Ford Thunderbird, which was downsized and dramatically reduced in price for 1977...
mid-size car. The same three models available since 1968 were still offered and the Ranchero could be ordered in quite luxurious form. Engines fitted went up to the big block 400 cu in (6.6 l).
Production ceased in 1979 with, among the traditional choices, a commemorative "1979½" model. Although the LTD II was not produced for many model years, this body style with stacked rectangular headlamps is among the most popular among collectors.
Cars were getting smaller and increasing government restrictions, and requirements on a car-based pickup truck made such a vehicle less and less attractive from a manufacturing standpoint. Meanwhile, purpose-designed light trucks had to meet much less stringent requirements for emissions and fuel economy. Ford saw the way the market was going and decided small light trucks were the wave of the future, beginning with the
Mazdais a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
-built
Courier- North America :This was a commercial model based on Ford's full-size stationwagon line. Its model code was designated 78A.From 1952 to 1956 access to the rear storage area was through a unique door hinged on the side. For 1957 and 1958, the rear access door was a combination of the lift gate and...
pickup. This vehicle would be a "stepping stone" during which time Ford would develop their homegrown replacement,the
RangerThe Ford Ranger is a pickup truck produced by the Ford Motor Company. The "Ranger" name had previously been used for a premium styling package on the F-Series full-sized pickup trucks since 1965. The name was moved to this line of North American compact trucks for the 1983 model year.In North...
.
Argentine Ranchero
From 1973 to 1991
Ford Motor ArgentinaFord Motor Argentina is a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company and was founded in Buenos Aires in 1913.Its first products were Model Ts assembled from Complete Knock Down kits provided by Ford Motor Company in 1917...
developed and sold a utility version of its own
Ford FalconThe Argentine Ford Falcon is a car that was built by Ford Argentina from 1962 to 1991. Mechanically, it was based on Ford USA's 1960 Falcon. The Falcon retained the same elegant body style throughout its production, with several substantial face lifts taking place during its lifespan, giving it a...
called the Ford Ranchero. The first generation sold very well, and in 1974 exports began to
CubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. Later that year it became the best selling car in Argentina, with a total of 110,382 sold between 1973 and 1978. Production of the second generation model lasted from 1978 to 1982, and production of the third generation lasted from 1982 to 1987. In 1987 the fourth and final generation was released and in 1988 a diesel model was added to the lineup for the first time, however it was discontinued as of 1989. Production of the fourth generation Argentine Ranchero ended in 1991.
Today
Rancheros are reasonably collectible, though they are nowadays often overlooked in favor of the later-arriving
Chevrolet El CaminoThe Chevrolet El Camino is a coupe utility vehicle produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1959–1960 model years in response to the success of its rival, Ford Ranchero. Production resumed for the 1964–1977 model years based on the Chevelle platform, and continued for the...
, which stayed in production eight more years. Miniatures, apart from hand-cast resin kits from cottage-industry makers, are rare. Several
RevellRevell is the brand name today of two manufacturers of scale plastic models. The original US company merged with another, Monogram, but now trades only under the Revell name. European Revell Germany separated from the US company in 2006.-Early history:...
offerings of the 1957 model in both 1/32 and 1/25 scale have been offered over the years as has a kit of the 1961 Ranchero by
AMT/ErtlThe Ertl Company is an American toy company best known for its die-cast metal alloy collectible replicas of farm equipment and vehicles. The company is based in Dyersville, Iowa, home of the National Farm Toy Museum...
. A well-detailed promotional model of the 1959 intended for distribution by dealers was offered both with and without interior trim, windows and
friction driveA friction Drive or friction engine is a type of transmission that, instead of a chain and sprockets, uses 2 wheels in the transmission to transfer power to the driving wheels. This kind of transmission is often used on scooters, mainly go-peds, in place of a chain.An example of this system is in...
by AMT/Ertl's predecessor, SMP; resin castings of this model's body are offered by the aforementioned cottage industries, as well. There are no Matchbox versions, but
Johnny LightningJohnny Lightning is a brand of model cars originally produced by Topper Toys, similar to the hugely successful Mattel Hot Wheels die cast racing cars. They were not quite as successful, one major reason was that the styling, casting and finish was not as of high quality as Mattel's Hot Wheels...
makes a 1964 model,
Hot WheelsHot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:...
an adult collectible '57 and 2011 HW Premiere 65 Ford Ranchero Racing Champions made a 1/64 scale 1957 Ranchero and AMT/Ertl currently produces a diecast '57 which doubles as a bank. AMT was responsible for other early dealer promotional models, too, including those of the aforementioned El Camino.
TonkaTonka is an American toy company most known for its signature toy trucks and construction equipment.-History:On September 18, 1946 Mound Metalcraft was created in Mound, Minnesota with three men as partners, Lynn Everett Baker , Avery F. Crounse, and Alvin F. Tesch. The first products produced by...
produced a resin toy version of the 1968-69 model in roughly 1/24 scale as part of an auto transporter set; the front end of that toy arguably resembles the 1969 model more closely.
The idea of a car-based pickup remains an attractive one, and is an illustration of how favorable treatment for light trucks over cars by United States regulations skews the marketplace. There are many Ranchero and El Camino owners, indeed, who stopped buying new vehicles when those models were discontinued.
AftermarketThe automotive aftermarket is the secondary market of the automotive industry, concerned with the manufacturing, remanufacturing, distribution, retailing, and installation of all vehicle parts, chemicals, tools, equipment and accessories for light and heavy vehicles, after the sale of the...
conversions of the
Fairmont FuturaThe Ford Fairmont is a compact car produced by Ford Motor Company for the North American market. Introduced for the 1978 model year, the Fairmont was produced in several bodystyles until it was replaced by the Ford Tempo for the 1984 model year...
and
Mercury Zephyr Z7The Mercury Zephyr is a compact car sold by the Lincoln-Mercury division of Ford Motor Company for the North American market. Introduced as a replacement for the Mercury Comet, it was produced from 1978 to 1983...
sport coupes to a Ranchero-like "
DurangoThe Ford Durango is a 2-passenger coupe utility that was sold by Ford Motor Company in the early 1980s. Produced out of a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and National Coach Corporation of Los Angeles, California, the Durango was sold in 1981...
" pickup were sold in select Ford dealers in the early- to mid-1980s. Recently, there has been more interest in producing such vehicles again, including those like the
Subaru BajaThe Subaru Baja is a light-utility, all-wheel-drive, four passenger, four-door, open-bed vehicle manufactured from 2003-2006 by Subaru. The Baja combines the handling and passenger carrying characteristics of a car with the open-bed versatility, and to a lesser degree, load capacity of a pickup...
, essentially an
OutbackThe Subaru Outback is a station wagon manufactured by Fuji Heavy Industries since 1995. Its original concept originated with Subaru of America, which was suffering from slumping sales in the mid-1990s partly due to a lack of an entry in the then-burgeoning sport utility vehicle market...
station wagon with a stubby pickup bed instead of an enclosed cargo area. The Baja, like the Ranchero, is titled in most American states and Canadian provinces as a commercial vehicle. The current market has tended to lean towards compact and midsized crew-cab four-door pickups such as the
Ford Explorer Sport TracThe Ford Explorer Sport Trac, also known just as the Ford Sport Trac, is a mid-size sport utility vehicle with a pickup truck bed that was sold mostly in North America. The Sport Trac was based on the Ford Ranger pickup and was built by the Ford Motor Company from 2000 to 2010. The pickup truck...
and
Chevrolet ColoradoThe Chevrolet Colorado and its counterpart, the GMC Canyon, are mid-size pickup trucks by American carmaker General Motors. It was introduced in 2004 to replace the Chevrolet S-10 and GMC Sonoma compact pickups.-First generation :...
.
In Australia, Ford continues to produce a car based "pickup", the
FG Falcon UteThe Ford Falcon is a full-size car which has been manufactured by Ford Australia since 1960. Each model from the XA series of 1972 onward has been designed, developed and built in Australia and/or New Zealand, following the phasing out of the American Falcon of 1960–71 which had been re-engineered...
.
In popular culture
In the webcomic
Borrowed, Peter Davenport's vehicle is a 1963 Ford Ranchero, factory equipped with the 260 ci V8 and Borg Warner T-10 4 speed manual transmission. Author Brennen Hankins said about it, "I thought about giving Peter a big, huge, monster of a truck to drive, or maybe a muscle car, but in my mind, the Ranchero fits, because it's the best of both worlds." Incidentally, Hankins owns a Ranchero himself, with the exact same engine and transmission setup. The paint, interior, and even the license plate appear in the comic exactly as they do on Hankins' Ranchero.
A 1970 Ranchero was featured in the music video for
Brooks and Dunn'sBrooks & Dunn was an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, who were both vocalists and songwriters. They were paired by record producer Tim DuBois in 1990. Before the duo's foundation, both members of the duo were solo recording artists...
hillbilly deluxe.
The character of Harvey Leek on the TV show Nash Bridges drove a 1972 Ranchero.
It has been reported that the Ford Ranchero was the favorite vehicle of Elvis Presley. Indeed, he owned a 1967 Ford Ranchero 500, purchased new in 1967 by Elvis, for use on his small ranch in Northern Mississippi. The Ranchero reportedly now belongs to the Museum of Automobiles in Morrilton, Arkansas.
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