1968 Ford F-100 Ranger

Description

This 1968 Ford F100 Ranger pickup is one of those unusual trucks that just seem to pop up now and then. No truck looked this good or ran this well back in 1968, thanks to a freshly rebuilt 390 and a nice black paint job. If you need a full-size pickup with some style or a fun cruiser that can still earn its keep, this awesome Ford car work and play hard.

In 1968, trucks weren't fashion statements, they were tools. As a result, very few survived in great condition and even fewer were outfitted as nicely as this Ranger. Although not this trucks original color, the black exterior with red and black interior looks amazing, and it's hard to think of a better color combination to accentuate the smooth bodylines of this F-Series beauty. There's also lots of bright trim, indicative of the top-of-the-line model, with bright stainless rub stripes, chrome bumpers, and handsome 'Ranger' script on its flanks. Upgrades include a spotlight on the driver's side (cool!), bed rails, and a drop-in bedliner that's as durable as it is attractive.

As I mentioned, the black and red interior is a nice deviation in a sea of all-black interior trucks. With newer soft parts, it looks fantastic and the wide bench seat offers a commanding view of the road from behind the wheel. That wheel is a slender 3-spoke unit that looks like it was borrowed from one of Ford's high-end passenger cars, and the instrument panel behind it is a clever arrangement of gauges inside an oval housing. The original AM radio is gone, replaced somewhere along the line with a digital AM/FM/cassette head unit powering speakers mounted in the doors. Black carpets on the floor are probably nicer than the original rubber mats and help control noise and heat, although it doesn't seem to be much of a problem with that sliding rear window for ventilation. This is a nice place to spend some time.

The freshly rebuilt 390 cubic inch V8 makes this truck something special. Rumbling with horsepower, it offers the kind of power that makes old pickups so much fun, kind of like a Mustang with a bed. Thanks to an Edelbrock intake, upgraded camshaft, and 4-barrel carburetor, it definitely makes muscle-car-like levels of horsepower, and with just 2000 miles on the build, it's still very, very fresh. Ford Blue paint looks great in the all-black engine bay, and it's been dressed with a few chrome bits and reproduction decals from one of Ford's performance machines. The chassis is fairly clean and tidy, with the "Twin I-Beam" front suspension up front and a 9-inch hanging on leaf springs out back. There's also a cackling dual exhaust system with glasspack-style mufflers, and flashy late-model F150 wheels have been fitted with 225/75/15 front and 235/75/15 rear tires.

Usually big block power, rear wheel drive, and a sinister black paint job will cost you extra, but with this rugged and attractive Ford, it comes at a very reasonable price. Call today!