“Ranchero: The pickup car.” Even Ford’s marketing team couldn’t come up with a name for this conglomeration of body styles of a car with a pickup bed grafted on the back. Or, a modified station wagon where the rear portion was made into a pickup bed is more like it. This 1972 Ford Ranchero Squire is posted here on eBay in Fox Lake, Illinois, and they’re asking $16,500, or you can make an offer.
The sixth-generation Ranchero was based on the Torino and was made from 1972 through 1976. This car has a surprise hiding under the hood, as you’ve already seen in the title. This isn’t a 250 inline-six car, just to let the cat out of the bag. The seller says this car could use a paint job and some new di-noc woodgrain graphics, but it looks pretty nice to me as it is. I love the Magnum 500 wheels, even if they aren’t what would have been available for this car from Ford in 1972. I’d keep ’em.
Well, maybe I’d redo the tailgate woodgrain, but that’s it. The Ranchero, as with almost every vehicle today, had been getting longer, wider, and heavier with each redesign and the sixth-gen cars, or trucks, or car-trucks, had a 4″ longer wheelbase than the previous version did. The next generation, which was based on the LTD II, was 5″ longer than this car is, so even 50 years ago car makers were making everything bigger, Bigger, BIGGER. The bed is coated with bedliner and looks good, other than a couple of dings.
I’d do some fun, funky Ford fabric seat inserts. Those vinyl seats would make for a hot and sweaty ride, and it appears that the driver’s seat could use some help anyway. The seller went through the gauge cluster and changed the circuit board and bulbs, and the interior is in nice shape overall. You can see the new shifter, courtesy of Winters Performance, and the wood steering wheel.
Here’s the engine in all its 512-cu.in. stroked goodness. We don’t know the horsepower or torque numbers, and a 460 was the biggest engine for the Ranchero, but it was only available in the sixth-generation Ranchero in 1975 and 1976. This car originally had one that I would have kept, a 429-cu.in. OHV V8, according to the VIN. Although with just 205 horsepower, maybe that’s why it was dumped in favor of this giant killer. It’s backed by a rebuilt C6 automatic, and they say it runs and drives great. Hagerty is at $20,700 for a #3 good-condition Ranchero with a 429, so if you like modified vehicles, this one could be a good buy at $16,500 or offer. Any thoughts on this Ranchero?
This Ranchero 👢 🐎 will haul the mail.
I like the 1972 Torino, it had a very unique “face.” The Rancheros in Squire trim must be rare. I like this example, mods and all. Maybe continue the upgrades, or maybe just enjoy it as-is.
I’d finish the A/C and enjoy. I don’t even mind that it’s still in the “crate”.
My favorite body style of the Torino clan the jet engine intake look is tops ! Yes the 429 is my favorite big block but many reports tell the 460 is the king so no harm or foul here just be prepared for one thirsty brute that generates nuclear reactor heat !
The buckets are okay but would have preferred the bench for a lil more room.
I love the 72 grilles
I am betting 8 mpg . I wonder if a new modern auto with additional gears would add a couple mpg while still ripping up the streets when wanted.
72 was a good year for Ford- the Torino and Ranchero and the Lincoln MK4. My 72 Ranchero was silver with a light blue accent and slightly raked in the front. My buddy bought a 74 with the woodgrain that had been rolled. After all the body work was done we priced the wood grain decals from Ford and they were EXPENSIVE- it almost killed the project, but we found a company that sold 3M products and bought a whole roll of woodgrain stuff for a fraction of the Ford price and made our own decals.
I picked up a 76 Ranchero GT with a 400 last fall. I had a 74 Ranchero 500 with a 351 in the late 70’s. These are fun rides.
This is a nice rig. I’d just do the little things and drive it.
The larger ’72 Torino seemed to resonate with customers. The headlamp pods mimic the grille opening giving the front end more authority. The coke bottle shape doesn’t hurt either. Vinyl interior was miserable but we paid extra to have the easy cleaning. This is a great looking Squire.
This is crazy but I love it! This seller went thru this truck thoroughly. The price has been reduced by a grand btw. I just wanted to see what rear gears it had (3.50) & brakes. He has listed, with receipts, all the work done. Just peachy as we say down here in Georgia. ALL has been addressed but AC. Even Mardi report included. 16 grand…hmmm. Sounds sweet also in video. New buyer should own a gas station & know how to keep the bed under em. Just sayin.
If you are a Ford enthusiast and enjoy this era of automobiles, this FORD is a nugget. Between the Buckets, wood grain , big block and magnum style wheels it has class “A” nostalgia! I can just hear that characteristic ford cranking as the 460 comes alive. Hopefully this oddball gets a preservationist owner. I think it’s a solid investment.
I like it! The ’72 was first year that the Torino was body-on-farme construction and the last year before the Federally mandated “Bash Beam” bumpers were added in front in ’73 and at both ends of the car in ’74. I could make the phony woodgrain disappear in a heartbeat! I never cared for it when these cars were new and I like it even less now, but I would at least keep the body side trim in case a future owner wanted to re-install the fake wood at a later date. The emissions controls were just starting to bite harder in ’72, things would really get nasty starting with the 1975 model year, with catalytic converters and unleaded gas making its first appearance. I would also keep the bucket seats, but consider a cooler and less sticky option than the factory vinyl for the new seat covers. GLWTS!
Wow. Order date on engine 12/15. Finished 2/17. Picked up 1/22? 6 years in the making.
Everything about this build is right. Did y’all check the under car shots? Clean, rust free. How about that exhaust? Man. Nothing about it appeals to me. Brand, engine, my least favorite Ford Body style. One of my least favorite engines. But I’m tempted. Highly unpractical, probably premium fuel, 6MPG. I’d go ahead and put 4:10s in it since you would not want to drive it anywhere to speak of anyway and get it out occasionally to take a friend for a spin and blow the tires off it.
love it but not a fan of the staggered tire/wheel combo. the 500s are cool i just feel the same size around looks better
Oh, I prefer a quieter, more practical, gentler . . . Nah. just kidding ! I would piss off the neighborhood, maybe the whole community with this Beast ! and love every second of it !!! I hope a wack job like me gets this and drives it the way it was built…
I agree with most comments that the open grille Ranchero is the best looking of all the Rancheros. Beautiful truck/ car .