We always hope that readers will click on the corresponding sales links for the vehicles being shown here, just to read the seller’s listing and see all of the photos. This is one time when I really hope that folks will do that, these photos are a.m.a.z.i.n.g. This gorgeous survivor is listed here on eBay in Oakland, California and I can’t believe that it’s a no-reserve auction! The current bid price is $3,600.
This auction is truly a contender for the Barn Finds 2021 Photos of the Year award which I just made up but we should have something like that. The first-generation Ford Courier was made from 1972 to 1976 and most folks know that they’re basically a rebadged Mazda B-series pickup. I don’t know if I’ve seen one in this Phoenix blue color before, most of them seem to be a goldish yellow or a pea-green color it seems like. The underside looks rock solid.
Believe it or not, this beautiful, shiny paint is all original from 1975 and this truck has just under 84,000 miles on it. This Courier was sold new in the San Francisco area and it has never left the east bay area, according to the seller. The topper, or cap, or camper shell as the seller calls it, is also original, leak-free, and it was been on this truck for the last 45 years. And, it’s a Winnebago topper/shell which has to be fairly rare. Here’s what it looks like inside. Fantastic, and perfect for fishing and camping which is basically what this l’il blue beauty has been used for.
The interior looks great even with a seat cover over a few seam separations on the original seat. The beautiful crack-free dash top is rare to see as is the nice condition of the whole interior. There are a couple of cracks in the steering wheel and the pedals need new rubber, but for being 45 years old and not made to be a lifetime vehicle, this thing is nice. There can’t be many 45-year old Ford Couriers left, especially in nice original condition.
I’d want to get an air cleaner on this 74 hp, 1.8L inline-four engine, STAT! You can hear the throaty sound in the video that the seller has provided here on YouTube. Or maybe it’s a combination of no air cleaner and exhaust sound. They say that it’s been sitting for a few years so it wouldn’t hurt to go through it a bit. I’m a huge fan of small trucks, are there any other fans of small pickups out there?
I like the looks of these,but never cared for
the way they drive.
Very Nice, If only it was on the other coast.
If it was, what was left of it after terminal rust would’ve gone to the crusher sometime in the late ’80s.
This seller has had several of his auction listings featured on this site. I don’t think he ever has a reserve. He always does a good job of detailing the vehicles, then takes good quality pictures, he also ends his auction at a specific time many sellers say generates the highest online traffic. The vehicles he lists are relatively common, it also appears he’s selective when it comes to condition and only buys ones that are in good shape. In that circumstance, there is often no need to use a reserve. If I had to guess, I’d say this truck has a high bid over $6,500.
Steve R
I recall some story about all these cars being part of a collection shared by two brothers.
I like these, and gave some thought to buying one when they were brand new, but at over 6 feet tall, I don’t really fit in these mini-mini trucks.
What is that black piping under the hood for? I worked in a Ford shop back then and I don’t recall anything like that!
Looking at the pictures, it appears to be part of the air cleaner system. Guess my memory has failed me.
Yeah, I went through a phase where I was nuts about these trucks and I can’t ever recall ever seeing that either.
My dad had a green 79 ford courier bought it brand new they never could get the heater to work good enough to keep the windshield from icing up in the winter even put card board in front of the radiator had to you make sure you had an ice scraper along at all times what a cheap piece a you know what they were built so cheap if I were ford I would have been ashamed to put the ford logo on it that’s for sure!
Dad had a 81 he bought very used for 100 bucks. We both drove it into the ground. Would love to have one now. Never ever see these around here. Rotted away. His did
My first new vehicle was an 84 Mazda B 2000. Paid $5,100 I loved it. I would like to find an old truck to restore. They where simple but did the job.
I had the same color 75 Courier in the early 80’s. Commuted in it from Napa CA to Berkeley at that time. I had a camper shell on it, that is what we called it then. Good little truck.
I had one of the pea-green ones in Anchorage Alaska in 1977, it was a good truck. Slow, clumsy, the very definition of ‘basic’ transportation, but a good truck.
The pipe went to the exhaust manifold. It carried hot air to the air box, and allowed some degree of heater air for the carb when cold. There is a lever on the box, labeled “S” or “W” for summer or winter.
That is amazing looking. They rusted just sittig outside here in PA as all the little trucks did back then…the ones with diesels were less than slow but could run and haul whatever you threw in the back.. The energy bunny engines would run right to the junk yard like Christine.
Never die until melted down. …people want them now for bio diesel ….
Bought a B2000 long bed new in ‘81 for $5500. Rust showed by ‘84, but it drove and hauled a lot.
Like a lot of people said, they rusted away fairly quickly ; These and their Mazda twins used to suffer severe frame rot right between the bed and cab .We used to get them in the junkyard , go to pick them up with the loader and they would just fold up- I think the only thing that held some of them together were the driveshaft mounts and the brake cables !
Does anybody remember that when these trucks first arrived in the U.S. they actually had a rotary engine. Had a friend who owned one that actually said rotary on the tail gate
Auction update: this Courier sold for $5,600.