By 1979, Ford knew that the writing was on the wall for the Ranchero. Tightening vehicle regulations and changing buyer tastes meant that it would mark the final year of production. However, it was a good party while it had lasted. Between the first example rolling out of the showroom in 1957 and the final one following suit in 1979, an incredible 508,355 buyers had given one of these classics a home. Our feature vehicle is one of the last Ranchero GTs built, and it remains unmolested. It is not perfect, but that leaves its buyer with a few options to consider. If the idea of owning a light pickup rests near to your heart, you will find this Ranchero located in Hickman, California, and listed for sale here on Craigslist. With an asking price of $5,500, it falls within the realm of an affordable classic. A big thank you has to go to Barn Finder rex m for spotting this GT for us.

There’s no arguing that this Ranchero isn’t perfect, and that leaves potential buyers with some decisions to make. Its overall presentation is by no means a horror story. That means that if someone wants to drive it as an original survivor, that would be a viable option. It would benefit from a fresh coat of paint and some new decals, but that could be something that happens as time and circumstances allow. The paint issue is straightforward, and the buyer can source a decal kit for around $260. One thing that strikes me with this GT is its lack of visible rust. The seller doesn’t supply a lot of information about the state of the floors or bed, but the panels appear to be clean. The rear bumper looks like it might have a slight bend in the center, but the remaining trim and the tinted glass seem okay. Rounding out this package is a set of Magnum 500 wheels. The finish on these has deteriorated, and a couple of center caps are missing, so these would benefit from a spot of TLC.

For potential buyers, the Ranchero’s interior provides a mix of both good and bad news. The upholstered surfaces generally look respectable. They would benefit from a deep clean, and the owner might be inclined to stretch the vinyl on the center armrests into place, but the impression is pretty positive. The carpet also looks good, as does most of the dash. However, things soon take a turn for the worse. Many plastic components have developed the dry and powdered look that can plague those items from this era. Some pieces may respond positively to an application of plastic paint, but I suspect that the buyer will be shopping for a few plastic parts. The story is much the same with the pad. It has cracked in several spots, and it may have gone beyond the point of no return. Glue-on caps are readily available for under $170, but a complete cap will lighten the buyer’s wallet by around $460. There are other alternatives to consider, like visiting a pick-a-part or keeping an eye out online for items to pop up on eBay or Craigslist. Beyond that, the buyer will score themselves a vehicle equipped with air conditioning, power windows, a remote driver’s mirror, and what appears to be an AM/FM stereo radio.

The original owner ordered this GT with the 351M V8 engine, a three-speed automatic transmission, power steering, and power front disc brakes. The 351M was no fireball by 1979, but it still produced a reasonable 162hp and 270 ft/lbs of torque. While it didn’t provide the “shove in the back” performance of a muscle car, it was still considered respectable in an era when engine power had gone AWOL. Beyond the supplied photo, there’s not much that we know about the Ranchero’s mechanical state. However, it appears that the owner is approachable, so interested parties could ask all of the difficult questions and possibly negotiate an in-person inspection.

While it didn’t exactly go out in a blaze of glory, Ford managed to sell 25,010 examples of the Ranchero during its final production year. Of those, 12,159 were the GT derivative like our feature car. How many survive today is open to guess because it’s a fair chance that many joined other vehicles from this era in finding their way to the scrapyard when their useful life was over. Returning this one to its former glory should not be difficult, and the buyer would be slipping behind the wheel of a vehicle that would turn heads. There is also the option of retaining it untouched, but there’s a third option that I haven’t mentioned. That V8 under the hood is a heavy lump that is short on power. These engine bays are enormous, and the thought of dropping a later 5.0-liter injected “HO” motor would be tempting. This is a lighter unit, and it would offer an instant power boost to beyond 225hp. That would liven proceedings and could be a viable option if originality isn’t crucial to the next owner. Which path would you choose?