The Fairlane shared its front half as the basis of Ford’s Ranchero during model years 1957-59 and again from 1966-71. Meanwhile, the 1960-65 Ranchero utilized the compact Ford Falcon platform. Today’s feature car resulted from the challenge to build a “one of none” vehicle exploring the question “What if Ford built a 1963 Fairlane-based Ranchero?” As we go to press the brilliant red 1963 Ford Fairlane Ranchero “show car” in Lakeland, Florida awaits a $15,000 opening bid here on eBay.
The eye-popping red and white color scheme continues inside where a glamorous array of white and metallic trim accents the luscious red upholstery and carpeting. A Mustang console flows into the nicely redone bench seat. Under-dash air conditioning keeps things cool in the red-hot cabin. Though details of the car’s history and restoration escape the listing, the painted dash and door metal appears to have been color-sanded to an immaculate shine.
From this vantage point you could almost mistake this DIY Ute for a Fairlane 2-Door Sedan, an illusion certain to draw comments from passers-by at every car show or parking lot. My friend Michael has a Fairlane 500 Sports Coupe, and I’ve always admired the roof line and subtle fins, details left undisturbed by this car’s conversion into a miniature pickup truck.
The “one of none” theme continues under the hood where the better-than Day One engine compartment deviates from stock only in a few insignificant details.
Ranchero, a half-car, half-truck creation, proved popular with farmers and trade workers, and Australian buyers love the little buggers, with an assortment still sold down under today. While the factory Ranchero opens at the rear for easy loading, one can hardly fault the builders of this custom version for not engineering a tailgate mechanisam that would have sullied the posterior’s clean look with vertical lines. Can you imagine a better execution of the never-built 1963 Ford Ranchero?
That’s super cool, Todd! It looks perfect and would be more truck than I would ever need.
Interesting car,& it has a back seat.Looks like
someone put a lot of time into this.This is all most of
those big suv drivers need.Too bad there’s no tailgate.
I imagine you’d get lots of second looks after you
passed other drivers.
As big as the trunk is on a 63 Fairlane, if you took off the cover, it would be bigger than the bed on a Sportrac. I loved my 63!
I think it would have looked better if they’d started with a Fairlane wagon, and integrated its tailgate into the design. Still, this one isn’t half-bad though.
Get this and you will be an instant Rockstar at any C&C.
Gonna have to follow this auction, great find.
Maybe it was a flower car for a funeral parlor. They did weird conversions. One way to tell is if the bed area is made from galvanized steel to protect it from the wet flowers. Having no tailgate is very common with these conversions. I missed buying a ’60 T’bird flower car, similar format to this one.
It’s a one off custom build not a commercial coachbuilt..
Most flower cars are custom builds.
This is a beautiful car and a conversion that looks very well done.
Everything looks superb as far as photos allow to be seen.
It’s really cool to see a custom that has obviously well thought out and executed. So many of these seem to end up unfinished, or cobbled together in appearance. This looks like something FORD would have produced as a show car. The side profile and roof area look as if it was a factory produced fit.
I would almost rather drive this than most of the early/later Mustangs.
Thanks for a very interesting BF…
I built this What we called Fairtango, ( Fairlane-Mustang- Ranchero). The 2 door sedan’s back windows only opened about an inch or 2 but was able to make them roll all he way down. The gas tank under the spare is a early Mustang and the 1970’s factory Ford bed tie downs are reinforced below the wheel wells with some plate so they can be used. It has a 3rd brake light with directional’s and a folding cup holder welded to the front seat frame that looks like a chrome seat belt latch. The aluminum grille and headlight doors we had chromed along with the bumpers.
I got the idea to convert it when I noticed how nice the rear 1/4’s are when you ignore the roof which was about 16″ back from where it is now. I tig welded the roof skin and you’d have a hard time seeing the weld even with the headliner removed. I restore cars at my neighbors barn and we did this for fun. I never got to drive it before he sold it.
My 2 cents:
Terrific idea and execution, however, a console in a car with column shift?
And Fairlanes had a chrome trim piece between the tail lights, ” broken ” on the sedans/hardtops by the fuel filler door. The rear of this…car(?) looks a bit bare without that piece.
Otherwise, this looks good enough to pass as ” factory “.
Howard, in 66 I bought my older brothers 62 Falcon Futura. It had the 170 c.i. and a three speed column shift, bucket seats AND a factory console. Do you think about what you’re about to write and even check the specs for the year? It’s not a good attribute to act like you know things when you’re shooting cards in the air. Think, man, think!
I was expressing an opinion, NOT STATING A FACT. And I stand by my OPINION: a console in a car with a BENCH front seat, not the buckets in your brother’s car is odd.
Needs a tailgate,
Looks like great workmanship. I love the Mustang/Torino steelies, but not on this car. I would do red wheels with dog dishes, but that’s just me…
Like this a lot. Very nicely done. I’m guessing that Matthew sacrificed a less desirable 4door sedan for this? Color me impressed.
It was a 2 door sedan. We thought about putting in a tailgate but it would be less then a foot high and not useful it also would have limited the room for the spare tire compartment.
What a beautiful conversion !!! This would be fun to own…What’ s with all the whining about no tailgate ??? Do you think the new buyer is going to be tossing a bunch of 2X4’s into that beautifully painted bed ?? GLWTS!!
Beautiful execution.
If it only had a tailgate. Still a very nice looking vehical.
Love it!!! More room than a Honda Ridgeliner., and way better looking.
what fun.
Nice to keep it on that level w/o personal finger pointing~