Ford only built 2,595 examples of the 1971 Ranchero Squire. That figure is enough for it to qualify as a pretty rare vehicle. Add a 429 Cobra Jet under the hood, and that raises the stakes even higher. That combination would be fantastic in a tow vehicle, but it could also turn a few heads at the nearest drag-strip. This Ranchero is one of those rarities, and its condition is extremely impressive. It is now on the hunt for a new owner, so you have to wonder if that person could be you. The Ford is located in Boulder City, Nevada, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. Respectable bidding has pushed the price along to $21,100, but the reserve hasn’t been met.
It should be no surprise to learn that the Ranchero Squire took its cosmetic queues from the Country Squire Wagon, which means that the sides are adorned with faux woodgrain. This Wimbledon White example came to its current owner out of a private collection, and its condition is mighty impressive. Paint issues on a vehicle like this generally aren’t a problem, but damage to the woodgrain can be when they reach this sort of age. It doesn’t matter how carefully they are stored, the vinyl can fade over the years. This means that addressing any damage can become a problem. Getting a perfect match for the woodgrain is close to impossible, so many owners will choose to either scrap the vinyl or will be forced to replace it entirely. That isn’t an issue here, because both the paint and the vinyl appear to be in good condition.
Looking into the bed reveals perfection, and I doubt that this Ranchero has ever carried a load in its life. The exterior trim and chrome, along with the glass, look close to perfect. The Ford features the grille with concealed headlights, but these can often deteriorate badly as the plastic becomes old and brittle. This isn’t an issue here, because the original grille has made way for a stainless steel reproduction. You wouldn’t know the difference, and stainless steel certainly isn’t going to “biodegrade” like plastic. The owner has bolted on a set of Cragar wheels, which just add to the Ranchero’s imposing look. It isn’t clear whether the original wheels are included in the sale.
Many people have said that you can never have too much power, and there is plenty available in this Ford. What the buyer will be getting is a 429 Cobra Jet V8, a C6 automatic transmission, and a Traction-Lok rear end. Add in power steering and power brakes, and this should be one cruisy ride. Emission regulations hadn’t taken a big bite out of engine performance in 1971, so the driver had 370hp available under their right foot in this classic. Throw in an overall weight of 3,285lbs, and that makes for some impressive performance. It’s also worth noting that the Ranchero doesn’t have a lot of weight over the rear wheels when the bed is empty. With that much power, it is certainly enough to grab your attention on wet or loose surfaces if you aren’t delicate with the right boot. The listing details indicate an odometer reading of 40,000 miles, but the owner makes no mention of this in the text. Given the Ranchero’s overall condition, I tend to think that the mileage would be genuine. What we do know is that the vehicle is said to run and drive perfectly.
The Ranchero Squire is a fist of iron wrapped in a velvet glove. The drivetrain offers the possibility of fantastic performance, but the interior offers occupants a fair degree of comfort. This extends to air conditioning, cloth upholstery, a remote mirror, and an AM radio. That might appear sparse in 2020. However, in 1971, that wasn’t bad in a vehicle designed to be a workhorse. Overall, the interior condition is impressive, with no significant stains or wear on the upholstery or carpet. The dash and pad appear to be perfect, as is all of the vinyl behind the seat. One defect that I’ve noticed does have me slightly perplexed. There is an incredible amount of wear on the steering column around the ignition switch. This can occur when a vehicle has had a lot of use, or has been subjected to a lot of engine starts. This is something that looks totally out of place here, and I’d like to know what the story is.
As any good performance car enthusiast will tell you, you can never have too much engine power. There were more powerful vehicles available to the motoring public in 1971 than this Ranchero Squire. However, the combination of power and weight should bless this classic with performance to burn. Its overall condition is extremely impressive, and it has some crucial points in its favor. The first of these is that it is a Ranchero Squire, which makes it a rare classic. The second is the fact that it comes equipped with a 429 Cobra Jet V8. That pushes things up a notch or two and makes this a desirable pickup. The owner quotes a potential auction figure of $43,500. Current circumstances have the potential to impact this figure, but I don’t think that he is far off the mark with that number. What would you pay?
Rarely seen model, in good condition. Something different for Cars & Coffee.
Steering column wear: maybe the previous owner was the maintenance guy, and he had 50 keys on his key ring.
Well the picture tells the story. Keys swaying back and forth obviously scraped off the paint. I agree that there was probably keys plural responsible for this however.
Big key ring, but sure is sweet! What a sleeper, some upgrades to enhance its pedigree and enjoy the ride!!
This ticks all the boxes for me, except those wheels.
$25K is what I would pay. nice looking Ranchero
Sell the Cragar’s and install Magnum 500’s. Drive and enjoy.
The cost of replacing tires on this would drive you broke. I mean who’s going to buy this and not spin those tires..a lot.
I once drove a similar Ranchero with a 400 and you had to try not to spin the tires. It was a blast.
Unless you “spring” for blackwalls – cheap overseas ones can cost as little as 1/3 the price of BFGs!!
Not sure if they can handle abuse, tho.
These days, i see many old cars that orginally had RWL tires now with blackwalls.
I am very surprised with this hi compression motor that there is no hood scoop! Why is that?
The water around the ignition looks to be caused by the dangling key on the key ring. Not a deal breaker for me.
The wear. Damned auto correct…
I learned to shift a manual in one of these. Dad had me run the gear shift as he drove around. It was a factory Hurst with a t-handle. That one was M code 351 Cleveland. I recall a yard sale where he was contemplating some Cragars for it then passed. Was a great little truck. Brought my pet goat home from the auction in riding in the back.
I got a black 76 GT I picked up a couple months ago in this condition for $7,500.
It needs a A/C compressor and some of the guages dont work but other than that it doesnt need much. It has the 400m motor and C4 tranny
Man there is no way you could get that car to hook up! But it do awesome burn outs!
Add some weight in the back, like bags of cement, and you’ll get nice traction, comparatively.
I would love it even more if it had red interior. It would certainly pop!!
To me, this is the only style of Ranchero that nailed it. The early ones were very bland looking and small, and then they turned into big bloated dogs in the 80s but THIS style was the perfect blend of sleek styling and great power. Love ’em. Wood grain paneling for the win, Alex.
Last year made was 79.
77 to 79 was the LTD based large front end.
My 76 is the last year for the style I like with the Torino based front end
So the grill assembly has been replaced, yet the headlight door is way out of alignment! It’s a simple adjustment, should have been done before photographing the car for sale!
The absence of a “hood scoop” is due to the fact that this is a CJ Cobra Jet and not a SCJ Super Cobra Jet.
If it were a Cobra Jet GT it would have a factory hood scoop but that was a styling modification to the hood like mine..
The wear around the ignition on the column is indeed from a bundle of keys as mentioned above…
I just rebuilt my column and repainted everything and the worse wear area was the same as this one.
Big block or Cleveland Rancheros are a huge bargain as they do everything that a Torino with the same drivetrain will do. Especially when some 42 pound lead blocks (2 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 8 inches each) are strategically mounted under the rear end…
Mine hooks up nicely..
Like all High performance Fords the Ram Air option gave you the hood scoop and could be had on the base 429 engine. The only way to get the Super Cobra Jet was to order the Drag Pack witch was the 3:90 or 4:30 rear gear ratio. It also included a much better engine and such nice features as a big Holly carb and a external Oil Cooler.
I meant i thought Ford would have put a phony hood scoop on the hood with that high compression motor under it, like on the completely different no ram air low compression ’72 torino with big motors, or on base motor GTOs in the 60’s. Imagine any mustang with a cobra jet & no hood scoops – phony or otherwise!
If this woodgrained squire had whitewalls & wheel covers, it would be 1 hell of a sleeper at the traffic light since the only badge is up front on the grill that 1 could not see from the side or the back! lol
Once upon a time many many moons ago I bought a 73 Ranchero cheap as it wasn’t so hot. It had a 351c 4bl motor. I did have the motor rebuilt and it was kind of a half decent job. Never the less it was the fastest thing I have ever had.
I still prefer the El Camino, but this is definitely is a sweetheart for a Ford lover.
I’ve said this before ; this is one of the best looking Fords ever, but the dashboard is straight out of a taxi. The woodgrain makes it look a bit better, but they could have done a lot more to make it sporty
Agreed on the looks but as an owner I’m biased…
When I took mine from dark resale red to Grabber Blue and installed a complete, new black interior with year correct buckets I looked forever for a Mercury Cyclone instrument binnacle with the three round center pods and three round speedometer, clock and idiot light pods…
I still hate the damn thing.
But, it’s no worse than a ‘66 Chevelle…
We had to wait until Friday to finally see the Car Of The Week winner. Love it!
I don’t know if this is true of the Ranchero or not, but there always seems to be discussion over the amount of traction available due to the body design. The 68-72 El Camino’s for example, are actually about 15 pounds heavier over the rear wheels than a similar Chevelle coupe! That being said, I can annihilate a set of rear tires on my 70 SS 396 Elco, I’m sure the same can be said for the additional torque of the 429.
1 of these hada curved rear window (convex) may B it wuz the camino? The replacement vinyl is easily sourced and replaced (gun&solvent). I’m sure there are those out there excited by this yr/M/model. The sale (auction?) price will reflect that – as does the ‘fine’ condition (#2, not 1). There’s an oe wheel that is close to these, add a blk wall w/red stripe? Not it but close:
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/American-Racing-VN50157012500-Mono-Cast-Series-Wheel-15-x-7,364180.html
instead of the 5 ‘spokes’ it is more like a ‘ridge’ & has the darker background…