Vehicle Description
Why spend $50,000 on a new truck when awesome survivors like this
1977 Ford F150 Ranger XLT are still around? Not quite a
full-fledged collectable, it nonetheless remains a stylish,
handsome truck in great colors that can still earn its keep around
the homestead. While the other guys drive around in cookie-cutter
pickups, you could have something interesting for a fraction of the
price and with only 32,615 original miles, it still feels new!
Two-tone paint always dresses trucks up, including working-class
hardware like this Ranger. It's obviously had a good life, and as a
lifelong southern truck, it shows no signs of rust or abuse
underneath. The two-tone brown and cream paint is original, of
course, and looks spectacular with a soft period shine and no signs
of trouble underneath. And yes, this is the truck's original color
combination, so you don't have to worry about mis-matched door
jambs and under-hood areas, because it's all equally nice. It's
also not afraid to wear a lot of bright chrome trim, including the
beefy bumpers, egg crate grille, and side trim that fits neatly
into the groove running the length of the body. The bed has a few
bumps and bruises, but for a truck of this vintage, it's
exceptionally well-preserved and has clearly not been used for
heavy work.
If you do take to driving this Ford every day, the interior is a
great place to do it. That's original upholstery in the cab, and
the stylish vinyl and cloth upholstery looks far more contemporary
than you'd expect. Tan carpets help control noise and heat and the
door panels are in great shape, with only a small bit of wear where
the driver's elbow might have rested over the years. There's some
ersatz wood trim that actually helps with the ambience, and Ford's
familiar square gauges show crisp, bright markings, and they're
comprehensive, a step up from the base gauges. There's also a
factory AM/FM/Bluetooth radio in the dash that cleverly replicates
a vintage AM dial and it includes factory options like A/C, cruise
control, and a sliding rear window for those days when it's not
quite warm enough for A/C.
The torquey 460 cubic inch V8 delivers performance that you'd
expect from a full-sized truck and it makes short work of just
about any hauling job. It shows signs of exceptional care over the
past 40 years, with Ford Blue paint still clinging to the block,
valve covers, and air cleaner, fresh ignition components, and new
hoses. An oversized alternator provides plenty of juice if you're,
say, towing a trailer or installing a camper top in the bed, and
with power steering, it's easy to drive no matter the load. Ford's
rugged "twin I-beam" suspension isn't the most precise setup ever
devised, but it rides nicely. Out back, there's a 9-inch, which is
equally rugged and according to the door tag, it carries
easy-cruising 2.75 gears, which are all you need with a big block
up front. The dual exhaust system offers a pair of Flowmasters, so
it sounds awesome, and while it's not detailed for show, the
chassis really is quite clean. Flashy aluminum wheels look awesome
on this truck and use 245/70/16 Michelin tires to keep them off the
ground.
Clean old pickups like this still represent great value, and one
that can double as a hobby vehicle on weekends while still working
for a living is a bargain in anyone's book. Don't overlook this
one-family-owned Ford, because it really is a fantastic truck. Call
today!
