Man of Steel
10-07-2009, 01:50 PM
The Ford Ranchero is a coupe utility that was produced by Ford between 1957 and 1979. Unlike a standard pickup truck, the Ranchero was adapted from a two-door station wagon platform that integrated the cab and cargo bed into the body. A total of 508,355 units were produced during the model's production run. Over its lifespan it was variously derived from full-sized, compact, and intermediate automobiles sold by Ford for the North American market.
During the 1970s, the Ranchero name was used in the South African market for a rebadged Australian Ford Falcon utility. Shipped from Australia in complete knock down (CKD) form, these vehicles were assembled in South Africa at Ford's plant in Port Elizabeth. In Argentina, a utility version of the locally produced Ford Falcon was also called Ranchero.
The original Ranchero sold well enough to spawn a competitor from General Motors in 1959, the Chevrolet El Camino.
Seventh generation (1977-1979)
With the Torino ending production after 1976, the 1977 Ranchero was restyled in line with the Ford LTD II mid-sized car line which replaced the Torino using the same platform. The same three models available since 1968 were still offered and the Ranchero could be ordered in quite luxurious form. Engines fitted went up to the 400 cu in (6.6 L). Production ceased in 1979 with, among the traditional choices, a commemorative "1979½" model. Although the LTD II-based Ranchero was not produced for many model years, this body style with stacked rectangular headlamps is among the most popular among collectors. This generation of Ranchero is often customized by swapping onto it any front end clip from a 1972–1976 Mercury Montego, 1974–1979 Mercury Cougar or 1977–1979 Ford Thunderbird which all have interchangeable front end parts that easily bolt into place.
Cars were getting smaller and increasing government restrictions, and requirements on a car-based pickup truck made such a vehicle less and less attractive from a manufacturing standpoint. Meanwhile, purpose-designed light trucks had to meet much less stringent requirements for emissions and fuel economy. Ford saw the way the market was going and decided small light trucks were the wave of the future, beginning with the Mazda-built Courier pickup. This vehicle would be a "stepping stone" during which time Ford would develop their homegrown replacement, the Ranger.
Source: Wikipedia
During the 1970s, the Ranchero name was used in the South African market for a rebadged Australian Ford Falcon utility. Shipped from Australia in complete knock down (CKD) form, these vehicles were assembled in South Africa at Ford's plant in Port Elizabeth. In Argentina, a utility version of the locally produced Ford Falcon was also called Ranchero.
The original Ranchero sold well enough to spawn a competitor from General Motors in 1959, the Chevrolet El Camino.
Seventh generation (1977-1979)
With the Torino ending production after 1976, the 1977 Ranchero was restyled in line with the Ford LTD II mid-sized car line which replaced the Torino using the same platform. The same three models available since 1968 were still offered and the Ranchero could be ordered in quite luxurious form. Engines fitted went up to the 400 cu in (6.6 L). Production ceased in 1979 with, among the traditional choices, a commemorative "1979½" model. Although the LTD II-based Ranchero was not produced for many model years, this body style with stacked rectangular headlamps is among the most popular among collectors. This generation of Ranchero is often customized by swapping onto it any front end clip from a 1972–1976 Mercury Montego, 1974–1979 Mercury Cougar or 1977–1979 Ford Thunderbird which all have interchangeable front end parts that easily bolt into place.
Cars were getting smaller and increasing government restrictions, and requirements on a car-based pickup truck made such a vehicle less and less attractive from a manufacturing standpoint. Meanwhile, purpose-designed light trucks had to meet much less stringent requirements for emissions and fuel economy. Ford saw the way the market was going and decided small light trucks were the wave of the future, beginning with the Mazda-built Courier pickup. This vehicle would be a "stepping stone" during which time Ford would develop their homegrown replacement, the Ranger.
Source: Wikipedia