This factory-blessed converted Ford Fairmont is a rare take on the whole Ranchero/El Camino concept. Located in Turlock, California and offered here on eBay at an opening bid of $6,500 with no reserve, this is a very unusual Ford. Somewhere around 200 Durangos were produced by the National Coach Corporation in 1981 and 1982; no one knows exactly how many. This one is almost rust free and is claimed to be a California vehicle for its entire life. The air conditioning works (yay, one that doesn’t need a charge!) and it has less than 90,000 original miles. The interior is a very period plaid that has some tears. I have only seen one of these in person and it looked better than it does in pictures. If you ended up with it, would you use it as a pickup, or just treat it as a toy?
None of the ” pick-ups” that they made were really made for any serious hauling ( El Camino, Ranchero) other than what you may put in a station wagon.. I think most were treated as pick ups this would be an attention getter . the seller thinks it is a repaint, I would tend to agree. I would ” gently use” it and maybe add my own ” custom” touches though nothing too radical and maybe switch out it’s engine for something more reliable ( not for speed) and get prepared for the onslaught of questions
very interesting car/pickup but having all the tail lights in the tailgate seem like a mistake. i might switch out the auto for a manual trans. still make a nice driver. interesting to see where the bids stop. great find
I had an 70’s ranchero. Then later 2 VW rabbit pickups. they were great little hauling vehicles. A few sheets of plywood/drywall or other stuff. If it was at a lower price I would consider it. Even living in the pacific northwest the drive is not that far for a bit of a time off interesting vehicle search. $6500 probably more that what it is worth. 3 to 4000 I would do a good look over. but not 6+
I like it too. I’ve never been a fan of these Ford’s, but do like the car/pickup concept. This looks very well done, and I was surprised it even had a tailgate. While the Ford in-line 6 was just a dynamite motor, this poor thing is so choked off with early 80’s smog-equipment, I’m surprised if it would idle at all. Pretty rare car, but not all that groundbreaking, which is ok.
Sorry, it looks very ugly to me. The only Fords I ever liked were the 74 Mach 1 and their 46 Woodies. A Ford GT racer isn’t to bad either.
I drove a 79 Ford Fairmount wagon in high school..great for hauling BMX bikes! I kind of like this thing. If it was cheaper I’d grab it, throw same Cragars on it and drive the wheels off it.
Fugliest thing I’ve seen in a while.
P.S.
“Fewer than 200” ≠ “1 of a kind”