1975 Ford F-100 Ranger XLT

Description

Being down south as we are, it seems that there are a few extraordinary trucks still running around that haven't been worked to death or parted out for their rusty cousins up north. Take this 1975 Ford F100 Ranger XLT 4x4 for instance. Someone spent three years restoring it to its original specs, and today it's quite likely the nicest one you'll find, not to mention it comes with the original window sticker & warranty card. How much fun is a practical ride like this, especially if you're virtually guaranteed to be the only one at the show!

The deluxe two-tone paint treatment was a popular option in the mid-70s, but with so many trucks getting various shades of brown or orange, this one with its original-spec Midnight Blue over Wind Blue combination is a lovely, refreshing change. The bodywork is impressive and like I said, trucks like this down south aren't rust buckets, so they make ideal restoration candidates. All traces of a working-class life have been erased from the sheetmetal, including in the bed, which is now as shiny and beautifully finished as the rest of the truck. Most of the chrome and trim is original, polished up and given a shine that looks right, plus a new chrome step bumper out back. I always like seeing a sliding rear window, too, which is a feature that you can't appreciate until you've experienced the draft-free ventilation it provides.

The simple, rugged interior is just the way Ford designers intended, right down to the shiny buttons on the vinyl seat cover. Sure, it's a no-frills place to get some work done, but that's kind of refreshing today when trucks cost $60,000 and have every option your Cadillac does. The dash is dressed up with some faux burled walnut that frames square gauges that were Ford's favorite look in the 1970s. The basics are covered, but not much more, although the newer AM/FM/cassette stereo makes for more entertaining cruising. The two shift levers on the floor control the 4-speed manual transmission and 4x4 transfer case, again a rare find in a truck from this era. There's also a rubber mat that can be washed out if you do decide to get this sucker dirty out in the mud.

If you didn't know that Ford made a 360 cubic inch V8, then you're not really a Ford guy. That's this truck's original engine, fully rebuilt to stock specs and still ready to get to work. Built for torque, it moves the big F-series with ease. Ford Blue paint on the block and tinwork looks factory-correct and actually almost matches the bodywork, which is kind of neat. They took no liberties with the rebuild, sticking with factory parts throughout and resisting the urge for "upgrades" along the way. An interesting dual exhaust system was added and routed to avoid the transfer case, which is smart for heat control, and it really does sound awesome with glasspack-style mufflers. The undercarriage is pretty stock, but like almost all our southern-bred machinery, it's clean and solid with only minor surface scale on the heavy iron bits. Black powdercoated steel wheels add a bit of a butch look to the pretty blue truck, and they're fitted with 31x10.5-15 off-road radials.

Big, fun, and unusual, this Ford is the truck you always saw on the farm after it was too late. Don't miss this chance and call today!