Disclosure: This site may receive compensation when you click on some links and make purchases.

Well-Optioned Worker: 1969 Ford F100 Ranger

1969 Ford F100 Ranger

This ratty old truck was very well-optioned from the factory – as far as trucks go anyway. Candy apple red paint, the Ranger package, side molding, swing lock mirrors, chrome rear bumper, and even a 390 V8! If that doesn’t grab your attention then I don’t know what will. For Ford guys, this could be the ultimate F100. This old truck is also looking good with its worn paint and supposedly rust-free body. Take a look here on eBay where bidding is heating up.

390 V8

The seller does his fair share of “keyword” stuffing, but this does look like an honest truck. The engine looks kind of crusty, but is claimed to run well. The carburetor has already been rebuilt and the brakes have been gone through. If you would rather not get your hands dirty, this may be the one to get. Wait, why would a person want a truck if they didn’t want to get their hands dirty?

Three On The Tree

Well, the inside is clean enough for even the most picky among us. I would assume that the seat upholstery has been replaced, but that is probably something you would want to do anyway before driving around too much. This truck has a three-on-the-tree setup so it should be fun to learn how to shift it if you don’t already know how.

Showing Patina

Not everyone will appreciate the worn through paint, but personally I like the look. You’ll want to keep it coated with something to prevent further corrosion though. The seller claims that there isn’t any cancer underneath, but I would want to go ahead and treat both sides of the floor just to be safe. With the direction bidding is going though, this one will most likely end up in a climate controlled vault. That’s a shame though because this thing was born to work!

Comments

  1. Avatar MountainMan

    Appears to be a solid old Ford and the heavy bidding reflects that. I had a 69 longbed that was the same color with slightly better paint. While my truck didn’t leave the factory with the 390 and floor shifted 4 speed it had when I bought it the rest of the truck appeared very original and had been well used but well cared for before I bought it. Always liked this era F series and these trucks were definitely made to work.

    Like 0
  2. Avatar boxdin

    Love those oem Jr. West Coast Mirrors. Nice truck.

    Like 0
  3. Avatar Rick

    Clean survivor, and unusual to see a 390 in a short box, especially a 390 w/ a 3 on the tree, And didn’t see hardly any short boxes so equipped in my neighborhood back in the day. Bet that Bad Boy really would really smoke the tire(s)!

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Horse Radish

    What I’d like to know is,
    how did this guy not only get a working link,
    but and embedded You tube video on his listing ???

    I just sold a 390 automatic 1969 to my neighbor for $500, ran when parked….

    Like 1
    • Avatar randy

      Must be a good neighbor! He will be now for sure.

      Like 0
  5. Avatar JW

    Very nice old Ford, always liked the late 60’s and all of 70’s F series trucks. Had a new 76 & 78 Ford 4×4’s and loved them.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Karl

    My father special-ordered a ’69 like this. His was a Custom, which meant less chrome and plain steel inside door panels. Since one of its primary tasks was to pull a 16′ trawl boat on a 150-mile round trip, he specified the short wheelbase for better maneuverability, and a 360 V8 with C6 automatic to provide the grunt. It also had air conditioning, mighty pleasant after spending a couple of days on the water in the Louisiana summer. It was a great truck; he drove it to 70K miles and then sold it to a local guy who pulled his bass boat with it for years.

    I notice that the seller didn’t provide any good photos of the bed. That’s the Achilles heel of this bodystyle–the seams running down the bedsides above the chrome trim are rustprone, and the bed floor will rust from on top and underneath. One of the major improvements to the revised ’73 bodystyle was the elimination of the side seams and the use of galvanized steel in the bed fenderwells.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar jim s

    the way i like them, manual trans, no P/S or A/C. no need for that large a motor and with a single gas tank you are not going far on a fillup. looks like a nice work truck to me. high bidder has zero feedback! great find

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Keith

    Nice old truck! Bidding is up to $6500.00 with seven days to go. In my opinion the price is way too high. You can pickup one of these old trucks for $2500.00 or less in Texas and parts of the south.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar randy

    Keith, Not a short wheel base truck. they are money in the bank. You find’em, and I’ll help you sell’em. This is good news to me, because I just put my last few emergency dollars into a ’65 F100 SWB truck.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Charles H.

    I think that is a short wheelbase truck Randy

    Like 0
    • Avatar randy

      Yes it is. I was replying to Keith who thinks it is over priced. For a long bed it is about two times too high.

      Like 0
  11. Avatar CattooButt Member

    My friend Dave’s dad had one one these with a 289 4v up front. The transmission was four on the floor with a fifth under the seat! Kidding bout the booze of course but man oh man that 289 would light up them tired but good. Remember watching the fuel gauge get buried into the E and once we were finally up to 55mph it was noted that those burn outs used a 1/4 tank of fuel. That was almost $5 back then(mid 80’s).

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Warren

    All the right attributes, this should go for a good price. It is a SWB and that’s where the desirability is.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Mark

    Ratty old truck, I don’t think so. This is aged beauty. Love to have it. Wouldn’t change anything but the shifter to the floor. Look at the wheel arches over the back wheels, rock solid. My 2010 F150 is all bubbled up on both sides and I get red streaks of rust down the sides. It’s kind of a nice contrast with the blue paint.

    Like 0
    • Avatar randy

      $12,500!! WOW. I think my truck goes up for sale next year.

      Like 0
  14. Avatar Andy

    This is just like my first truck I learned to drive in high school in the 80’s. Three on the tree and everything. Bought it for $200. Could stand on one side and see clear through the other side of the bed. I think I replaced everybit of sheet metal on that thing in shop class. Wish I would have kept it.
    Price is way too high. Long beds are everywhere up in the NW for less than $3k. The shortbed is the hard to find part up here.

    Keep posting trucks!

    Like 0
  15. Avatar piper62j

    The 390 was a great engine. Very desirable in the Galaxie models for those years especially for the police chase cars..

    Attached is my toy.. Supercharged 5.4, 68k miles.. A head turner.. Down in the south here, pickups are very popular..

    Like 0
  16. Avatar piper62j

    Exterior..

    Like 0
    • Avatar Cassidy

      Looks great, inside and out! I’d love to have that interior in my ’80 F250!

      Like 0
  17. Avatar piper62j

    Tons of fun..

    Like 0
  18. Avatar geomechs Member

    I remember when trucks like this were in the showrooms. I loved them back then and still do today. The 3 spd. is a little light for that engine. I knew of another truck so optioned. However I don’t mind driving a manual so that’s a minor issue. This truck needs a minor restoration but nothing really involved unless something got carried away under that lower trim. Too far away for me to go any further but if this were a little closer I’d be right in the middle of the fracas…

    Like 0
  19. Avatar Marty Member

    Ended at $12,500

    Like 0
  20. Avatar randy

    The rust bubble has expanded to old US trucks! I am lovin’ it.

    Like 0
  21. Avatar George

    There is not a truck in the bunch that is worth over $1000.00. Each is ugly in it’s own special way and each is filthy. The commentator says he would love to have the 6 banger with 3 speed column shift. I thought I could maybe go for that one, but quit reading when it said it was 6. I had one with the big 6 and it drank more gas than the V-8 by far. Lucky to get 9 mpg. The small 6 was powerless and also had a thirst well beyond its utility. Neither produced a pleasant drive.

    The absolute worst was the 80’s Chevy C-10’s three speed floor shift with overdrive in the position where 4th normally is. They were GM’s answer to poor gas mileage. They were supposed to get 20mpg+ but were geared so high that they could not be driven in 3rd. I was roaring down belt line and when I shifted into 3rd it seemed as if the wind would blow the truck backwards. It was unbelievable, having to drive down the road at 60 in second gear. If the truck was shifted into 3rd it was like a something grabbed the tailgate and immediately slowed the speed to 45. And of course GM didn’t make the transmission them so they could be replaced with the regular 4 speed. The driveline of the overdrive unit was shorter than the regular tranny and there just was no way to retro-fit a substitute. I don’t recall any class action suit which GM richly deserved.

    Like 0

Leave a Reply to randy Cancel reply

RULES: No profanity, politics, or personal attacks.

Become a member to add images to your comments.

*

Get new comment updates via email. Or subscribe without commenting.