With the redesign of its cars in 1957, Ford introduced two new types of vehicles. One was the “Hideaway Hardtop,” which had the roof retracting into the trunk area. The other was the Ranchero, a “Utility Coupe” or “Ute” that was a pickup based on a 2-door station wagon. The seller has a rusty example of the latter that will need a total restoration. This first-year Ford project is available here on craigslist and in Blaine, Washington, for $5,000 (the price will be lowered monthly until sold). A tip of the hat goes to “Curvette” for another vintage tip!
The Ranchero underwent two transformations in its long run (1957 to 1979). After being a full-size truck in 1957 through 1959, Ford shifted the nameplate to the new compact Falcon platform for 1960 to 1965. Then it became a Fairlane/Torino-based mid-size from 1966 until retirement. During its lifetime, its only competition was the Chevrolet El Camino, which ran from 1959 to 1987 (with a break from 1961 to 1963). Alone in the market in 1957, the Ranchero found more than 21,500 buyers in its first outing.
This Ranchero has a 292 cubic inch V8 whose originality or running status is unknown. It has a 3-speed manual transmission, and the shifter may have been moved from the steering column to the floorboard. The odometer is broken, so who knows how many miles were accumulated before the vehicle was parked some time ago. The clutch is bad and needs replacing, perhaps the reason the Ford went dormant.
There is no bench seat, but that provides easier access to any patches you may need to apply to the floors. The paint may have been white to begin with, given the scraped off burgundy or primer. A bunch of extra parts come with the sale, including extra fender wells, bumper, valance, rocker panels, quarter panels, padded dash, and lots more. Also, permanent vintage Washington State license plates will accompany the pickup. The seller started at $5,500, now it’s at $5,000, and perhaps $4,500 next month.
This would be a great project for somebody with the room, tools, and skills. To my unpracticed eye the only penetrating rust is in the rockers and new ones are included. The floor and bed look solid. The rust around the windshield is a little concerning though. Play th waiting game and you may scoop up a bargain.