(first posted 1/3/2018) Every journey starts with a step. Or, in our case, replace the “e” with an “o” and make it a “stop” for gas and coffee on the outskirts of Las Vegas. However daunting our 810 mile journey back home may have seemed that morning, when I turned from inserting the nozzle into our car’s filler I realized our journey was going to be nothing compared to the things this little 1960 Ford Falcon Ranchero has likely seen and is just as likely to still see.
I have no idea where it came from or where it was going beyond that the tow car had California plates and was on the Eastbound side of the I-15, so presumably the Ranchero was heading east as well but where to? The owner was nowhere to be seen the entire time I filled up and waited for my family to bring me sustenance so presumably it will forever be a mystery.
Less of a mystery is the appeal of the Ranchero itself; this 1960 represents the first year of Ford’s downsized and now Falcon-based trucklet. Soldiering on through the 1965 model year in the same basic form, this body style does much more for me than the car on which it is based.
This first-year example was likely (originally) powered by the 144 CID inline-6 with a 2-speed automatic transmission. Hauling around a surprisingly light 2475 lbs, performance was probably at least adequate, maybe a bit less so if the bed was filled to its full 800lb capacity. Or, if a Niedermeyer disciple was the owner/operator, then likely overloaded by a factor of two to three times that.
30mpg! And America’s lowest-priced Pickup! What’s not to like? The two caballeros in this ad’s, uh, cab, certainly seem to be enjoying themselves hauling what looks be a load of tomatoes.
Our example isn’t quite as shiny, being in what appears to be the midst of an aggressive chemical stripper campaign to remove the paint. That process is much more advanced on the driver’s side of the truck, but the black paint was bubbling, peeling, and lifting all over, just waiting for some more elbow grease.
The rear shows what is clearly not the factory bumper anymore, but with the step is likely to be more useful. However, the body is low enough for even a not especially tall child to be able to place items into the bed so maybe the bumper was replaced for a different reason. But otherwise pretty much all of the trim and odds and ends are still in place which should make restoring it an easier task. That being said though, it seems like it would be easier to remove the paint if one removed all the bits first but what do I know.
This cutaway shoes the 6-foot bed all loaded up, I suppose the planners wanted to be sure that potential buyers didn’t think it was much less capable than a “real” truck. Our example is certainly using all of the available space as well with quite an assemblage of random items.
This truck was fairly obviously someone’s pride and joy at one time, the red wheels look great and it still sports a set of BF Goodrich Radial T/A’s. I don’t think that black was the original color but am not sure what it may have been; there s a lot of red peeking through on the hood though. The interior is red as well though, so I don’t know.
I think this truck would look great in a creamy white as in the first ad but with the red wheels and interior. The black is a bit too menacing which really doesn’t work on a Ranchero (for me). I wish the owner well in his endeavor as the more I look at this little truck, the more I want to see it again at the next stop on its journey. Carry on, little truck, and may you venture forth under your own power soon yet again!
Las Vegas, NV, December 26, 2017
I wonder if this is about as restored as the body is going to get? As in keeping the rat rod look.
On the bumper, I expect it would have had corner bumperettes only, whether rubber or metal as shown in the ads.
Nice find. Some of these Rancheros have found their way down under, even though we have our own slightly different utes already.
US Rancheros came with full rear bumpers, same as the wagons.
Thanks, i have already learnt a new thing for the day and it is only 8am!
Nice low deck has to be easier to load than today’s monsters.
Living in the East, I miss Sinclair.
chas108, I was thinking the same thing…closest Sinclair station is near Indianapolis, about 75 miles west of me.
” ….. the planners wanted to be sure that potential buyers didn’t think it was much less capable than a “real” truck.”
The add shows that the bed could carry 2 pillows, a lidded trash can (presumably empty), and a couple of crates of apples (?).
Would love to find a modern equivalent.
I think they were referencing the bed length more than anything. It’s rated to carry 800 lbs in the bed, so less than a half-ton of the day (right?) but likely much more than strictly necessary day to day.
Maybe there’s 700lbs of lead on the far side of the bed that we can’t see with our X-ray vision 🙂 I should have flipped the page on the brochure to see the other side.
Imagine the power with the 250 six under the hood. Same block, same dimensions 155 horsepower vs. 90.
Or 72 throbbing ponies (net!) if the 250 was from a ’75 Granada!
Crappy emission controls and (net) horsepower ratings are a harsh mistress 🙂
Why stop there? I’m imagining it with a 4 litre DOHC turbo Falcon XR6 engine. Something like 320hp. Same bore centres…… 🙂
In the late 60’s my Dad bought a 1960 Falcon Ranchero, from a co-worker for a couple hundred bucks, that he used for light hauling – I’d have to look for a better pic but for now you can see it here just behind my cousin’s brand new 69 SS396. It was a white on red beauty with great practicality as you could fit three people in the cab.
Wow, cool find. And so many questions. For example, why is it a good idea to strip off all the paint then take the truck out into the weather? Or maybe the owner has rescued it from Mr. Paint Stripper. And I would agree that red is the most likely original color – Red paint and red interior was fairly common on Fords of that time (although it is too much red for me).
I love these early Rancheros and I don’t see the 60 very often at all. But a 144 six and a 2 speed automatic makes me feel a little less warm and fuzzy. But perhaps this is 1960-61 six and automatic day, so I suppose we should celebrate the slow.
Agreed, I think Mr. Paint Stripper started out full of enthusiasm, then became more enthusiastic about selling it on CL.
3 speed manual would be better with a 144. I like this little truck 🙂 hope it has found a good home.
“3 speed manual would be better with a 144.”
I think you meant to use the word “essential”. 🙂
Having been in a 144 auto ’62, I second the word “essential”.
Hey, these early Rancheros were sturdy little devils. They could take a 5,000+ pound Lincoln (crushed into a cube) set into the bed! At least that’s the way it was in Goldfinger.
Not to mention the million dollars worth of gold bars that were in the trunk, I seem to recall someone doing the math, factoring in the weight of a bar and value in 1964 and that the total would have added an additional ton!
Don’t forget to add the weight of the dead mobster’s body, too.
Only on CC can we draw a link from a random old Ranchero being flat-towed to a dead mobster. Weirdly this was sighted just outside Las Vegas so I guess everything in the world IS in fact interconnected…
Lovin’ it. CC never fails to bring a smile to my face 🙂
If a Niedermeyer disciple is going to drive this truck, might I suggest a new personalized plate “HAULASS”.
Pale blue or aqua paint would suit this little trucklet well, with a medium blue or green interior.
Will the 300ci truck 6 fit in here or is it too tall?
Any of the later larger Falcon motors go in theres a wagon locally with full 96 XR8 power train and four wheel discs, We have both Rancheros and Aussie Falcon utes here the Falcons arrived new but survivors are rare they didnt last very long if worked hard, the later 66 onwards models were better and much more durable.
I’ve always had a soft spot for these–the kind of “project car” I’d consider in retirement. Here’s a period photo from my collection (source unknown); can some resident Falcon expert tell us the model year?
Semi-OT, but I’ve always liked the Sinclair livery and green dinosaur mascot/logo.
This little thing is oddly captivating. Here’s hoping it’s going to a good home and get some aesthetic attention.
I know, right? I wasn’t even going to shoot it at first then when the family didn’t come out right away I did it just to kill some time. Then wasn’t planning to do anything with it but when we finally got home I think I pretty much went straight to posting it up to run a few days later. A 1960 Ranchero isn’t really in my wheelhouse but somehow it hooked me…
I love this little beast! Now that you mention, Jim Klein, I also find these appealing – great stying, utility and size, all wrapped into a tidy package. Great write up.
Maybe someday it’ll get a nice paint job like this ’64 Ranchero CC.
Damn these little trucks are cute. I can’t decide which I prefer- the falcon ranchero or an econoline pickup of the same era.
I am the owner of the falcon rancharo the car is a 1960 Ford falcon rancharo built in 1959 at the Ford motor company in San Jose the car was shown on June 3 1960 which just happens to be my birthday this car is going to celebrate the the day I was born in Santa Cruz California and that’s were the car is now .I took the Durango to pick a part in January it was completely worn out and used the 300 bucks to the falcon rancharo drivable and I finished stripped of all the paint and I peeled off the plaster of Paris in all the holes and dents this car only in dreams body man do you get a a body that is as sweet as this can get I have successfully welded up all the holes and gently massaged out the dings and dents now I’m at the.
Vivikson files and not grinding into it is very difficult but I’m having a lot of fun .I drove it without plates in Vegas and all the way back to Santa Cruz with out ever testing in Vegas to see if I can even drive it up a hill .And the good news is that car drive absolutely perfect and got 25 plus mpg
On the ad, it’s hilarious how small they drew the cowboys to make the falcon look bigger!😆
I think they might be Shetland Cowboys. 🙂