Vehicles like this 1967 Ford Ranchero GT offer a fascinating alternative for those seeking classics with muscle car potential. These vehicles are typically lighter than the Sedans or Station Wagons upon which they are based, and as any hardened enthusiast will confirm, less weight equals better performance. That is undoubtedly the case with this Ranchero, because it features the potent Z-Code 390ci V8 under the hood. It presents superbly and is ready to find a new home. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Curvette for spotting the GT listed here on eBay in Lakeland, Florida. The seller set their auction to open at $20,500, but has received no bids during the listing’s early hours.
Ford introduced the Ranchero to the world in 1957, and the badge remained a staple of its model range until 1979. This Third Generation Ranchero GT rolled off the line in 1967, ordered by its first owner in iconic Candy Apple Red. It is a stunning classic, with its good looks emphasized by the factory chrome wheels with their color-matched inserts. The paint shines richly, and the panels are as straight as an arrow. The seller’s comprehensive image gallery reveals no underside issues, confirming that this beauty is rust-free. The glass is crystal clear, and the trim is immaculate. However, the trim pieces on the hood hint that something special lurks below the surface.
The first owner endowed this Ranchero with muscle car potential, ticking the box next to the Z-Code 390ci V8 on their Order Form. While the seller quotes a power outputof 315hp, Ford’s ’67 Ranchero Sales Brochure specifies 320hp and 427 ft/lbs of torque for the Z-Code. A three-speed automatic transmission handles shifting duties, and this GT also features power steering. The Ranchero was the lightest vehicle in that year’s Fairlane range, meaning this GT should pin its occupants in their seats when the driver floors the gas pedal. However, with relatively little weight over the back wheels, these classics can prove lively on loose or slippery surfaces. The fact that the seller encourages test drives suggests that potential buyers can consider this Ranchero a turnkey proposition.
Vehicles like the Ranchero may have been traditionally considered as workhorses, but this GT brings plenty of comfort to the party. It features bucket seats, a console, air conditioning, and an AM radio. Someone has added a tachometer and an underdash gauge cluster, but it is essentially as it left the factory. As with the exterior, there is little inside this Ford worth criticizing. The Red upholstered surfaces are free from wear, as is the matching carpet. The dash is excellent, and the pad is crack-free. Overall, life inside this Ranchero should be pretty pleasant.
Until recently, I utilized an Australian Ford Falcon Ute as my daily driver. Therefore, I can vouch for how practical vehicles like this 1967 Ford Ranchero GT are. They provide an excellent compromise, offering the comfort of a Sedan with a load-carrying capacity greater than an equivalent Station Wagon. This one is a gem, and I’m surprised that it hasn’t attracted any bids. Of course, it is only early days, and the situation could change at any moment. Are you tempted to set the ball rolling? I will understand if you do.
Something smells fishy to me. I’m just gonna come out and say it. This is NOT a GT. If it were a GT, shouldn’t it have the racing stripe along the bottom of the doors. And maybe an emblem somewhere that has GT in it. What drew my attention was the hood scoops. Those are 1966 Fairlane GT hood scoops, not 1967. So here’s what happened IMHO, the dude already had a 1967 Ranchero XL, found a 1966 Fairland GT in a junk yard, bought the hood, the seats, the console and put them on his 1967 and did a repaint and calls it a GT wannabe. There, I said it.
…. and that’s not candy apple red. Candy apple red is slightly darker and heavy on metal flake. Shot enough to know. Really nice truck though.
Fords candy apple red is solid with no metallic.
Good info. Didn’t figure on there being two versions of the color.
Never saw a metal flake candy apple ,,it was just straight red.
So, seems like a Marti Report would be in order.
In any case, sharp-looking Ranchero.
Oh no! Not the Z Code!
It’s nice, but Rancheros don’t have a strong following willing to put cash on the table. I’ve had a few including a 1967 500xl with a 289 and a 1970 GT, people like them, but there was little interest when I put them up for sale for price considerably less than a Torino/Fairlane in worse shape would get. The seller has it listed on their website for $39,500.
Steve R
Very nice Ranchero and I do like the Ford stacked headlights from the 60’s. There’s no mention of #s matching drive train or the originality of the truck in general.
I agree with Woofer and Bob 100%. I was driving when these were new, and I am a Ford die-hard. The GT’s of this year had inverted (almost looked like reverse laid-on) scoops calling out the cubes. There was no need for an additional call out on the front fenders, which incidentally, near the doors was where a GTA badge should have been. And yes, the XL side trim would have been deleted. Also, the interior would have the requisite badging.
Nice
Speaking of the interior, ’67 Ranchero body code 66D is for an XL deluxe bench seat interior (also called out on the door panel inserts). However, all the nitpicking aside, this is a well presented Ranchero, I would love to own.
One of the very best parts of Barn Finds is the comments from those in the KNOW. You can get a good education here if you just read the responses. Best of the New Year to all of us, May we all have many more.
The Ranchero is NOT lighter than a Fairlane. Quite a bit heavier actually. I used to think they would be lighter too until I googled it one day.
it’s nice but where is Marti??
Nice looking 500XL.
If not looking for an Original car,Then This i a nice driver .. Looks good to me otherwise.
As with the ElCamino the Ranchero was often referred as a Gentleman Ranchers car. The wife used it often to take a spin downtown to pick up feed, grain, etc, items for a truck but comfort for “the little lady” Miss Ellie?
Im in agreement, Ford was damn proud of the GT line and it was prominently displayed and the Candy Apple option at that time did not contain sparkles..
Curiosity was killing me as a good friend had the GTA sedan. The GTA insigna indicated an automatic. Conversely the GT a top loader. So here is excerpt from wakipedia
This was a well-received and unique one-year vehicle, with clean, straight lines, dual stacked headlamps, and plenty of power; the Ranchero had entered the muscle car arena in 1967. Engine options started with a 200 cu in (3.3 L) straight-6 and went up to a 390 cu in (6.4 L) FE-series V8 giving 315 bhp (234.9 kW) and backed by an optional C6 automatic, the new-for-1966 heavy duty variant of the C4 in addition to the tried and true Toploader 4-speed manual gearbox. The ’67 also had the largest expansion of trim levels since the vehicle’s introduction 10 years prior. Supplementing the base model were the new Ranchero 500 and 500/XL. In spite of being added to the Fairlane family for 1967, Ford’s top performance options for the Fairlane – the GT and the GTA – did not apply to the Ranchero and is a common misconception that they were available.
What did apply to all American cars in 1967 was the use of a dual-circuit braking system with a dual-chambered master cylinder. Increased awareness of passenger safety resulted in such innovations as safety-padded windshield pillars and an unusual 1967-only safety pad which protruded from the center of the three-spoked steering wheel to a point just beyond the rim of the steering wheel. It was designed to minimize abdominal injuries in the event of a collision.
I know factually sedans displayed those insignias. No sure of ranchero. I now stand corrected.
Not even a GT or GTA.
My first car was a 1967 Fairlane GTA, S Code, black on black.
My subsequent Fairlanes/Torinos were: Two 1967 H Code Rancheros, a 1970 Twister Grabber Green H code Torino coupe,1970 Torino Cobra 429 SCJ in Calypso Red and a fairly rare 1970 Ranchero GT H Code four speed in Grabber Blue with black bucket interior and console…
We currently have a 1970 H Code wagon for our beater with a heater.
All owned, some restored and sold between 1972 and 2021.
So… the 1966-1971 Fairlane/Torino platforms are pretty familiar to me…
This Ranchero:
Not a GT, 1966 hood, no ‘67 hood “Power Domes”, XL 500 body side molding, XL 500 door cards, not Candy Apple Red and someone ruined a $1500 GT/GTA console in order to add an aftermarket AC evaporator/blower.
The factory warranty plate looks correct and has the Z designation though… which makes it a fairly rare Ranchero, albeit heavily modified Ranchero.
As mentioned above, a Marti Report would be an absolute necessity before even thinking about buying it.
It’s a very clean and well presented Ranchero though.
But being a modified XL500 (Which no doubt had a factory installed bench seat interior) brings the current asking price into question.
It’s difficult to assess this vehicle in terms of value due to modifications, therefore Hagerty Values are out the window.
I’d be willing to put $25K-$28K on the table but certainly not $39,000.
PS: 1967-1971 Rancheros are lighter than sedans, coupes and wagons.
A couple sheets of drywall will help you hook up.
Love a mid 60’s Ranchero! But too much red for me, and no 4spd.
FYI:
The 1967 Ford Fairlane Ranchero Did Not come in the GT or GTA submodel. The GTA and the GT were only available in the coup and convertible Fairlanes. A lot of guys dress up the Rancheros with the coup GT/GTA hoods and stripes and represent the Ranchero as a GT or GTA submodel. That is technically not correct!
I don’t care if it is original or not. It’s a Ranchero and a very nice one. I want it. I can’t have it, but I still want it!
Nice ’67 Ranchero with a ’66 Fairlane hood. I just happen to have a ’67 hood with lighted spears, and 390 emblems that would look great on this when painted a matching red.
As an aside: the Ranchero was a unique vehicle. A trip to the various Ford decoding websites and/or the factory shop manuals will reflect the fact that Ranchero and Fairlane (even though they share a lot of stuff) were given unique body codes for the base and XLT models. My earlier about the hood and GT badging assumed the Fairlane and not the Ranchero. Honestly, I’ve never seen a ’67 Ranchero GT, can find no factory references to it, so, Kevin Marti would be the ultimate verdict on this. Just so some keyboard kommando doesn’t beat down on me, I’m aware of and have owned ’68 and newer Ranchero GT’s.
Nice looking ride for sure but, there is no such thing as a 1967 Ranchero GT.
1968 was the first year you could get a Ranchero GT.
That AC was added on later. By 1966, Ford had in dash air.
I’d classify this as a well-preserved modification. I agree with @Woofer.