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From Chazz D. – Hey, I work as a farm hand on a potato farm in Manitoba Canada and there is a row of about 8 classics that have been sitting there for about 10 years now. I’ll be sending them all in over the week and any others I find in barns around here such as a 46 Buick special I’m checking out tomorrow. This Ranchero looks to be 100% complete and was running before parked so I’m thinking it would be the easiest to restore. The owner unfortunately is reluctant to sell but I’m going to try to work a deal out with him soon. Hope you think it’s BF worthy. More like potato field find. Thanks!
Nice find as I like that body style of the Ranchero.
The “reluctant to sell” guys are really something. They all seem to have the idea that if they keep a car long enough, they can sell for a fortune.
Ed P – I couldn’t agree with you more. I had a guy in my hometown with a ’69 Shelby and a ’30’s Ford tall boy. Absolutely would not sell those “classics”, yet allowed them to sit outside, exposed to elements. Cars were being destroyed, yet restorer after restorer were turned away. Much later while in the navy, I visited a seller of a ’66 Mustang coupe that did the same thing. He however was ready to sell, but by that time, the car (sitting on the ground in FLA, with no wheels) was returning to the “ashes to ashes, dust to dust” scenario. Coupe, 6 cyl car, he wanted near show car price for it – despite entire body needing sheet metal replacement, no head on engine, interior trashed. Too bad so many folks allow cars to die in hope of huge pay-off that was wasted away… Thanks for the great find Chazz – this would be a great example to save.
My dad was a Ranchero guy and owned a ’57, a ’63, a ’69 (like this one) a ’77, plus a ’78 El Camino. This one brings back a lot of good memories, including the time he picked me up at middle school in it and I was suddenly the big cheese on campus.
….classics on a potato farm…
how a-peel-ing…
At least there’s plenty of eyes to watch over things!
Hope they don’t get all baked, or worse, mashed up…..!
I’ve always liked my potato with a side of Ranchero!
Back in 1975, a guy up the street from me had a 1958 Bonneville ragtop. had not been tagged since 1969. Sheet metal was rusting thru the chrome spears on the sides, among other things along with the back window having been long gone. Car sat on a steep driveway, so guess where the rain water went? “yeah, me and my son are gonna fix this up when he turns 16” story. the car was fully loaded, windows, seats (buckets in front) tri color interior, along with the tri-power emblems on the front fenders. I stayed after the guy for about 15 years, with increasing offers, but no sale. I drove by the house on a whim one day about 1996 and the car was gone. Saw him out front and asked about the car, he told me a fireman offered him $6000 for it about a month ago, and he sold it, but couldn’t find the title for it. Nothing like saving those “classic” cars, right?
I would like to have one of these. Have had several elcaminos over the years and even a gmc. But only ever had one ranchero . 67 289 3speed mine was. I prefer the look of the 70 but this is a close 2nd. Had both 69 and 70 torinos so I have fond memories.