1969 Ford F-100 Ranger

Description

Sometimes all the right elements come together in one vehicle to make something special. This 1969 Ford F-100 Ranger pickup isn't just a neat old truck, but rather a serious performer with the heart of a muscle car, a brilliant piece of eye candy, and a useful tool, all rolled into one.

That vivid teal paint is admittedly a love-it-or-leave-it proposition, but it comes directly from the Ford color chart and is called Caribbean Turquoise. And quite honestly, it looks great on the old pickup's straight lines, adding a cheerful look to a truck that usually plays a more conservative role. You'll know why the color works so well when we get to the engine details, but suffice to say that nobody's going to kick sand in this truck's face for being so brightly colored. The finish work is very well done, with a nice shine and good prep underneath, all atop what is undoubtedly good original sheetmetal. The Ranger was the top-of-the-line model and it came with a lot of shiny trim, all of which is still intact and in great shape, particularly the long stainless trim along the sides, which is matched by brightwork on the rocker panels. The bed has been painted to match the body and includes a heavy-duty rubber bed protector and a vinyl tonneau cover that gives it a sleek look, keeps your gear dry, and stows easily when you need to haul the big stuff.

The Caribbean Turquoise paint continues inside, so you know the repaint was thorough, and looks great with the black upholstery. A new seat cover and some very nicely preserved door panels form the foundation of the driver's compartment, and black carpets replace the original rubber mats to help control noise and heat. The woodgrained trim on the dash and door panels adds a bit of an upscale look to the interior, and the tidy arrangement of gauges has style that you didn't often see in pickup trucks of the period. An under-dash A/C system has been installed, so this truck is ready for a road trip, and the entertainment system is an AM/FM/cassette head unit that will keep you company on long hauls. Heavy-duty floor mats are a smart addition to a vehicle that may still see some heavy labor in its future.

The great thing about full-size pickups is that they can handle full-size powerplants. The first things you spot under the hood here are those three individual air cleaners atop a 1962 Thunderbird Tri-Power setup. Experts will look at the engine and note that it's a 390, but with a 428 crank inside and an .060 overbore, it displaces a very substantial 422 cubic inches. Comp Cams supplied a solid-lifter cam with a 427 side-oiler grind on it and all-told, it makes an impressive 400 horsepower and 426 pounds of torque. A few dress-up items add the appropriate amount of flash, and you'll note upgrades are everywhere, from the master cylinder to the Southern Air A/C system to the MSD ignition system. A C6 3-speed automatic transmission with a high-stall torque converter launches it with authority and the 9-inch rear will never complain about the abuse. Flashy chrome wheels with spinners look great against the turquoise paint and carry 235/70/15 blackwall radials to really stuff the fenders.

This is a really impressive truck in many ways, not the least of which is that big performance engine up front. If you like your pickups to have the muscle to match their look, this is an excellent choice. Call today!