Vehicle 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!
