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Rare Mexican SUV: 1979 Ford B100 Three-Door

Another day, another oddball vintage SUV from Mexico? Actually, given this is the third Mexican-market SUV (D100, B100) we’ve featured over the last two weeks, perhaps “oddball” isn’t an accurate term. It does seem, however, some sellers have figured out there is a market for these full-size rigs that were never sold in North America and that the cost of driving them over the border into Texas is well worth the potential profits to be made by selling them state-side. This Ford B100 listed here on eBay has a later design corporate nose than the one we featured on April 8, and is listed with a Buy-It-Now of $9,950 or best offer.

The B100 looks identical out back to the one we featured earlier, which you can read about here. The nose design is obviously taken from a later-production Ford model, and I have to say, I like the newer F-Series / Bronco grill and headlight arrangement far better than the earlier style. It definitely makes the B100 look far more modern, and looks so much like a mass production model, I wouldn’t be surprised if it rolled right by me on the street before realizing what it was. The seller notes this example did incur some damage in shipping, which caused the tailights to “…disappear.” More details on the actual damage is needed, as it’s hard to tell exactly what needs repair.

I suspect the taiilights were stolen rather than disappeared, but regardless, that will be a problem the next owner will sort out (I’m sure they are standard-issue Ford lenses, however.) The interior features a four-speed manual, which is something you wouldn’t see in a modern-day Excursion or Suburban. The dash looks to be in fine condition, though it’s hard to see if the sun-drenched climate of Mexico has caused the dash pad to crack. Fake wood inserts in the dash still look respectable, and the bench seating shows no visible flaws. In fact, all three rows of seats look surprisingly fresh, and may have been redone in the recent past. The headliner also looks immaculate.

Fortunately, finding replacement engine components won’t prove too challenging given it’s just your bread-and-butter 302 under the hood. The seller notes the B100 does run and drive, but that it still is “…needing restoration.” That’s a perfectly vague description, and one that leaves a lot of room for possible interpretation in terms of the work needed. The paint looks surprisingly glossy, which could indicate a quicky respray, and given it’s already titled for road use in the U.S., there’s little doubt in my mind these limited-production SUVs are going to continue showing up for sale stateside as long as they can be purchased and flipped for a profit once over the border.

Comments

  1. egads

    Never understood why Ford didn’t built something like this for the U S market.

    Like 4
  2. Miguel

    Let’s see what you get for your $9,950.00

    Side Marker Lights Missing
    Wrong Wheels With Mismatched Tires
    Body Damage Left Side
    Tail Light Assemblies Missing
    Rear Door Handle Missing
    Damaged Grille
    Missing Air Cleaner
    Missing Battery
    Missing Window Handle
    Missing Radio
    No Factory Heat Or A/C
    Missing Ashtray
    Oddly Fitting Rear Door Panel With More Missing Handles
    Destroyed Horn Pad
    Cloudy Gauge Cluster
    Missing Windshield Wiper Knob
    Missing E-Brake Release
    Fuse Box Hanging Down

    Did I miss anything?

    Even if this was a desirable model like a Bronco with all of this restoration needed, I don’t think it wold command the asking here.

    I promise when I send Mexican cars north, they won’t be in horrible condition like this one is.

    Like 12
    • Tony Primo

      Send us some music too.
      https://youtu.be/eyCEexG9xjw

      Like 1
      • David Ulrey

        You want to be in Tijuana eating barbecued Eguana? Go for it! Lol

        Like 1
    • Jef

      Big point of Mexican vehicles is they tend to be remarkably rust free.
      Finding something that hasn’t been beaten to death is something else.
      The items you identify are relatively easy fixes and a lot of folk would enjoy hunting down the missing parts.
      Having a rare truck like this is well worth any hassle.
      May even be a decent mid-term investment as Bronco and Suburban prices escalate.

      Like 1
      • Miguel

        While the second part is true the first is not. Where I live it is a salt air area and almost all of the cars have rusted away.

        Yes most are easy fixes but not starting at 10K

        Like 1
      • Miguel

        Jef, here is the roof on one of my Darts.

        This was taken last year. It is worse now.

        Like 1
      • Jef

        Hey Miguel. Get the fresh sea air corrosion.
        Just got back from central Mexico.
        Amazed at how rust free the cars were there. VW Beetles in particular.
        Have friends that bring rescue dogs back north when they return. May start to do same with cars.

        Like 0
      • Miguel

        Jef, it is going to be quite a while before we are able to do anything here.

        People are predicting a complete financial collapse which will make the country even more dangerous.

        We will see what happens.

        Like 0
  3. Adam1966 Adam1966 Member

    interesting, has a factory a/c dash but no heat or a/c?

    Like 0
  4. James Martin

    Call it an early explorer. Gives the next guy something to do.

    Like 0
  5. Blyndgesser

    That front end is correct for a ‘79.

    Like 0
  6. Adam1966 Adam1966 Member

    Interestingly it has a factory a/c dash but no heat or a/c . Still a cool truck.

    Like 0
  7. Joe Haska

    Migel, I lived in Matzalan MX. for 8 years, as a snow bird, had a house in El Centro Olas Alts, and was there from Dec. to Jun. every year. We were designated as Residente Permanente, and we drove to and trom the states ,with a licensed cars, from Colo. I always brought down, older cars, that were in above average condition, but cheap in the States. I had an older Jeep Cherokee, a Chevy Window Van, Plymouth Caravan,and a Ford Bronco. The most I paid for them, was the Bronco $5,000, the Chevrolet and the Plymouth $1,000 and the Cherokee 400 bucks. They were all clean a little above average and I shopped around and found some good deals, but they weren’t rare or anything anybody here would give a second look. But not in Mexico, I would have people asking about them all the time , I could of sold anyone of them and made money, but they were my transportation back. The excepton was the Cherokee it was stolen. Entirely my fault , I left it in front of our house, one nighy in Centro during Canival and didn’t put the club on it ,STUPID. I should of just put a sign on it that said ,”take me”. For somereason I had comprohensive Mexican insurance. It was a mistake, I had never done that before, but I eventually got some money for it. Migel, is laughing right now, because I am sure he knows what an adventure that was. What Iam saying is, I love Mexico not just for the climate but for the culture and the amazing Mexican people who became good friends. However, the car culture is a little different , I went to the drag races allot, some car shows ,motorcyle shows and informal get togethers, and it seemed very much like my life up north. But they don’t really have many older cars, like we do. 1970’s would be old and the cars, that were pre 1950, I never saw unless, it was a show and they were probably trailered. Newer cars yes ,Pick-Ups, Mustangs, Camaros, new Coevette’s and sometimes some Exotics. Mazatlan is some what like Southern Ca. and its in the state of Sinaloa. I am sure, Migel knows what I am saying. I could get my car fix, it is just a little different ,not the people but the type of cars they have, even though I saw several unusal models, like this bronco, that I would have considered trying to bring back, not exactly sure how well that would have worked, it would probably be a challenge, for sure. One of the factors that helped, in our decision to leave, was Goverment Regulations, they decided because of our resident status, our car had to be less than 10 years old , registered and licensed in Mexico and to drive it required a Mexican drivers license, and of course Mexican Insurance. Certainly not the end of the world, but it seemed maybe its time, I miss it all the time and I am sure if aI met Migel we could share experences for hours.

    Like 2
    • Miguel

      Joe, if you were in Mazatlan in 2015 and in 2016 we probably know each other. I live 4 hours away from Mazatlan to the north and you passed by me here every time you drove there.

      There was a car show in 2016 behind the mall where I brought out my aqua colored 4 door Dart. There is an American that always brings out his 1960 red Ford wagon. He was there too. There was also a 1967 Ford Galaxie 428 convertible. I think it was green. If you went to that show you must remember those cars.

      The problem with old car where I am and in Mazatlan is that they rusted away long ago. There are quite a few ’40s cars and up in the southern part of the country.

      If you send me your email address to mine, I can give you the website I made that lists Mexican cars and what they are selling for. I set up that site just to compare the prices people are asking in the US compared to here. My email is vmgmtwinbro@gmail.com

      There are quite a few really old cars on there.

      Like 1
      • Terry

        Hi Miguel,
        That photo of the white Dart, I see the extended C pillars. Is that one of those Brazilian Darts that were badged as a Charger? I would love to be able to get one of those. There was a green one on Ebay a few years back but I missed it……

        Like 0
      • Miguel

        Terry, no that is a Mexican Chrysler Dart. It has a Dodge front end with a Plymouth rear end.

        Like 0
  8. TimM

    Cool and unique but are the parts available??? I’m sure most knobs and gauges are that of a bronco or pickup but body damage may need a custom panel to be made!! We have certainly seen a lot worse than this at higher prices!!!

    Like 0
    • Miguel

      This vehicle was made from pick up parts and van parts. I don’t think it wold be hard to get anything made for this.

      Like 0
  9. Miguel

    Some of these were used to transport children to and from school.

    That must have been hell to be a child in this vehicle.

    On cold days there was no heat and on hot days there are no windows that roll down and no A/C.

    Like 0
  10. Joe Haska

    Migel, I was in Maz from 2004 to 2012 , If you know ,Centro Historico, our house was on Mariano Escabedo, between the Machado and the Malacone. If you know any land marks, The Shrimp Bucket was on the Malacone, almost at Mariano Escabedo. We loved living in Mexico, what is the name of the town were you live. I should be able to guess 4 hours , we drove the Qouta at least twice a year. Hermasio?, Obergon? Las Moches? , we stayed in all of those. I had a great car friend in Mazatlan , I met him at a car show,he was producing , he was also a DJ. His name was Ceasar and he introduced me to many of his friends ,we would go to the Drag races in Culican and of course Mazatlan had a drag strip and usually in Maz ,we raced late at night on the weekends. Ceasar was the anouncer. We still keep in touch ,he was a great friend and is now a Grand Papa. Of course, I had left by the time you are talking about. My email is jhaska@comcast.net , it would great to get to visit and talk with you. I hate to tell you, but my Spanish is ,muy malo and pecito, like my spelling. Eight years,I thought I would be fluent. You know what they call someone who only speaks one language,”Gringo”.

    Like 0
  11. Rob

    Run, don’t walk. Having seen many of these and others in Mexico, I have a pretty good of an idea what it looks like under the fresh paint and bondo. The truck is pretty obviously put back together from a beater. The heat/ A/C was removed, firewall poorly patched, cowl shows evidence of a wreck, the dash looks to have significant dent in the top under the pad, mismatched wheels, tires, missing lights, which is easy, grill it trashed which shows you how the rest of it looked. Bondi looks to be an inch thick on the rear doors and panels, dash plastics are junk. Yeah, not too much good to say about this one, but shiny engine! There is a reason they come up here to buy our old trucks, and reason you don’t see many old cars there.

    Like 0
    • Miguel

      Rob, there are actually a lot of old cars here in Mexico but most of them are in the southern part of the country.

      I agree, obviously, that this one is in terrible shape for the 10K asking.

      In good condition, I mean really good, I can find them for around $30,000 pesos, which is a little over $1000.00 with todays exchange rate.

      This guy expects to make a lot on this one.

      Like 0
      • Blyndgesser

        Have you thought of becoming a car hunter-broker? I bet there are some folks stateside who would be interested in water-cooled VW buses, V8 stick shift Fairmonts, VAM Ramblers, and the bizarre gamut of parts-bin Chrysler products sold in Mexico in the 1980s. Anyone for a Jeep Wagoneer Alpina with a stroker six and manual transmission?

        Like 0
      • Miguel

        Blyndgesser, I am working on that part, but we are on lock down and it is going to take a lot of money to set that up.

        Also the trade agreement between the two countries has just changed so I am not sure what the rules are anymore to send cars to the US.

        Like 0
  12. chrlsful

    Wha…? 1st time I seen Miguel w/such a long face.
    We all need one of these – a van w/a hood for easier maintenance
    (a huge bulge-mo-beal). Lets bring back the ‘tri 5 too’ – safe, economical…

    I’d rather see them ina museum in TOTAL restore (oem-like) just like
    the ol mechanical breaks, generators, cloth covered wires…
    But, wait, I couldn’t drive my ’66 bronk either. “Nerve Mind”…as Ruth Buzzy said.

    Like 0
  13. Miguel

    In case you want to see this truck being found in Mexico here is the video.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlfA6sd2JsY

    Also the original invoice says this truck was white and blue.

    Like 0
  14. Miguel - Mexican Spec

    Did any of you guys notice there are no rear side marker lights on this truck?

    Like 0

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