Ford Ranchero

Ford Ranchero at a glance

The Ranchero belongs to our Ford catalogue. Its later versions share their chassis with the Ford Fairlane, the Ford Torino and the Ford Gran Torino.

Ranchero generations

Wheelbases from Hagerty, converted from inches (116, 118, 109.5 and 113 in).

Key dates

The full-size original: 1957–1959

Ford introduced the Ranchero in December 1956. It was built on the two-door Ranch Wagon and the Courier sedan delivery, with an open cargo bed behind the cab instead of the wagon's rear roof. Wikipedia calls it the first post-war American vehicle of its type adapted at the factory from a popular passenger car. It was sold as a truck through Ford's truck division.

The first year was the best of the full-size era with 21,696 cars; in 1958 only 9,950 were built, the lowest figure of all Ranchero years. Engines were the 223 cu in six and V8s of 272 and 292 cu in in 1957; for 1958 the 272 was dropped and the 352 V8 added. The upmarket Custom had Fairlane styling, and in 1959, on a longer 2,997 mm (118 in) wheelbase, it was the only model left, with a seven-foot bed and 26 paint colours.

Falcon years, 1960–1966

For 1960 Ford moved the Ranchero to the new compact Falcon, sold as the Falcon Ranchero. It was smaller and lighter, with a load capacity of 363 kg (800 lb). The base engine was the 144 cu in six with 63 kW (85 hp); the 170 six followed in 1961, a 260 V8 (122 kW, 164 hp) in 1963 and the 289 V8 (149 kW, 200 hp) in 1965. Gearboxes were a three-speed manual, the two-speed Ford-O-Matic (to 1963) and the three-speed Cruise-O-Matic. The 1964–1965 cars were larger, with sculptured side panels.

The 1966 model was a one-year design on the shared Falcon/Fairlane platform, with the Falcon front end, and it was sold simply as the Ford Ranchero.

Fairlane and Torino: the muscle years, 1967–1976

From 1967 the Ranchero took the Fairlane front end and trim and was marketed as the Fairlane Ranchero, in base, 500 and 500/XL versions on a 2,870 mm (113 in) wheelbase. The optional 390 cu in FE V8 produced 235 kW (315 hp gross), and buyers could order the C6 automatic or a four-speed Toploader manual.

The 1968–1969 generation followed the Torino and offered a GT version. A 250 cu in six with 112 kW (150 hp) became standard, while the option list reached the 428 Cobra Jet (250 kW, 335 hp gross) from mid-1968; the 351 Windsor arrived for 1969. A rare special-order GT called the Rio Grande was built in 1969.

For 1970–1971 the Ranchero received the new Torino body and the Squire version with woodgrain sides. At the top of the engine list stood the 429 Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet with ram-air induction and up to 280 kW (375 hp gross), the most powerful Ranchero ever offered. Hidden headlamps were optional.

The 1972–1976 Ranchero grew with the Torino, which now had a separate frame, and these were the best-selling years. Emissions rules lowered compression and power, and from 1972 ratings were given in SAE net horsepower: 104 kW (140 hp) for the 302, 128 kW (172 hp) for the 400 and 167 kW (224 hp) for the 460 of 1974–1976. The 351 Cobra Jet GT with a four-speed manual remained available until 1974. A new front end in 1973 met the front-impact rules.

LTD II base and the end, 1977–1979

When the Torino ended in 1976, the Ranchero moved to the LTD II and took its styling. Engines were the 302 with 101 kW (135 hp), the 351 with 112 kW (150 hp) and the 400 with 129 kW (173 hp), all SAE net. A striped GT and the Squire were offered. The LTD II and the Ranchero ended together after the 1979 model year, and Ford did not replace its car-based pickup; Chevrolet kept the El Camino for about eight more years.

Engine and drivetrain overview

Gross and net figures are not directly comparable, because net ratings from 1972 were measured with the engine's accessories and exhaust fitted.

Against the Chevrolet El Camino

General Motors answered the Ranchero with the Chevrolet El Camino for 1959. Both followed the same idea of a passenger car with an open bed. The El Camino outlived the Ford by about eight years. In 1973 Ford Argentina started its own Ranchero, a different pickup that sold 110,382 units by 1978 and stayed in production until 1991.

Collecting one today

Hagerty notes that values depend mostly on condition, and that the rare high-performance versions are the most prized. That means the 1968–1971 cars with the 428 or 429 Cobra Jet, the GT models and, for early-car fans, the 1957 first-year Ranchero and the 1959 Custom. Because the Rancheros shared their bodies and running gear with high-volume Fords, many mechanical parts are the same as on the Falcon, Fairlane and Torino. Check the cargo bed floor and the rear body sides for rust and confirm that a "Cobra Jet" car has the documented engine.

To compare a Ranchero's data with an El Camino of the same year, use the 1cars comparison tool.