1960 Ford Ranchero

Description

There's probably a good case to be made for this 1960 Ford Falcon Ranchero in today's world. It's definitely got a cool look, and the thrifty six-cylinder engine means you can drive it all day for a fraction of its big-block-powered siblings. With goodies like ice cold A/C, bucket seats, and a great stereo, this is a cool cruiser that manages to always become the center of attention.

You just don't see many early Falcon Rancheros running around, yet they remain eminently affordable. We love the mildly customized look on this one, which features a shaved front bumper and a minimum of brightwork to give it a unique look. The Candy Apple Red paint glows on the crisply chiseled Ranchero lines and someone spent good money on the bodywork. Panel fit is decent, although you could tweak the door fit a bit to really take it up a notch, but that's a pretty small complaint. We do like the way the bodywork wraps around the bed rather than just ending at the lip, and it makes it look semi-customized without hurting practicality. That bed is protected by a spray-on bedliner, so you can still put it to work when you need stuff hauled. The chrome and remaining bright trim is in good shape, and most of it is original, so you know this Ranchero has lived a pretty easy life.

Twin black buckets obviously came out of a late-model and with cloth and suede upholstery, they're stylish as well as comfortable. There's also a custom console between them that provides some storage and a pair of cup holders, suggesting that this Ranchero was indeed designed for the road. Red carpets and door panels provide some contrast to the black upholstery and dash, and while there's some fading, it isn't worn or beat up. Factory gauges monitor only speed and fuel level, so a trio of Sunpro gauges was added under the dash in the usual fashion. Under-dash A/C blows ice cold and really chills the compact cabin, making this a great vehicle to cruise in, regardless of the weather. There's also a powerful Sony AM/FM/CD stereo powering speakers throughout the cabin, including a big subwoofer behind the seats. Heavy-duty floor mats protect the carpets so it's easy to maintain, because you're going to want to drive this Ranchero as much as possible.

It would be a mistake to under-estimate the 144 cubic inch inline-6 under the hood. No, it's not going to win any drag races, but it's smooth, reliable, and torquey and since the Ranchero doesn't weigh very much, performance is fun around town. It's mostly original under the hood, and the bright orange air cleaner and valve cover are the way Ford delivered it new. It starts easily, idles smoothly, and runs through the gears of the 2-speed Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission without hesitation, and it'll cruise all day at 60 MPH with the A/C blowing cold. Manual steering and brakes aren't a big deal on a light vehicle like this and the heavier springs out back mean that putting stuff in the bed doesn't get it down. Color-matched steel wheels with small hubcaps and 185/80/13 whitewall radials offer a custom look that really works.

Inexpensive but not cheap, this cool Ranchero gets the important stuff right and proves that being different doesn't mean you have to settle for less. Call today!