During the 1950s , exotic new body styles were the order of the day at Ford . Among them was the Ranchero , a refreshing car - cartridge that was inhale at least in part by Ford ’s Australian " Ute . "
It was neither the best of times nor the worst . Just the most piddling . Eddie Fisher still crooned . youthful men mooned over Kim Novak , and Elvis Presley had the world " All didder Up . " One of the many films imbued with the son - honey - daughter , song - and - dance mood of the fourth dimension was April Love , starring sporting - cut Pat Boone and wholesome Shirley Jones - not to mention a nifty 1957 Ford Ranchero Custom . The movie and its songs are long leave , but the 1957 - 59 Rancheros stay on among the best of Fifties collectibles , the right way up there with boomerang designs , far - out pinkish and turquoise furniture , and Philco Predicta television sets . Unlike the Ranchero ’s companion new Ford body style , the 1957 - 1959 retractable hardtop - transformable Skyliner , the Ranchero ’s influence was more far reaching – both Ford and Chevrolet sedan - pickup were built for another 20 years or more . High - style cartridge remain voguish to this day .
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In essence , the Ranchero was a two - door Ford Ranch Wagon with the rearward division of the ceiling cut off and a bed lining skid in over the storey genus Pan . It was at least partly a rematch of the old Hudson saloon - pickup – or 1937 - 1939 Studebaker Coupe - Express – an idea which dated back to the 1934 Terraplane , and credibly had its beginnings in the early farm / cattle ranch tradition of merely saw off the back section of the roof of the old family line Buick or Ford . Even further back , some " horseless pushchair " had removable rear tonneaus ( or none at all ) , leave way in the rear area for minor pickup boxes - many early Fords and other makes were so fitted by owner .
The roots of the 1957 Ranchero , however , in reality go " Down Under " to the land of eucalypt trees , koala bears , and kangaroo . Ford of Australia , it could be argued , introduced the first true Ranchero in 1932 – the Utility . Sheep ranchers , meanwhile , affectionately shortened the name to " Ute . " This was a runabout with the body section behind the driver replaced by a fleetside bed , which was flush with the door and an inbuilt part of the body .
It used separate rear fenders , which were n’t annihilate until 1949 , as on the passenger railcar . Despite the Great Depression , the Ute catch on so tight in the Australian outback that in 1933 a coupe version was added . This example sported pocket-size , squat rearward - quarter windows that remained a Ute trademark through 1958 . From 1932 to 1934 the spare tyre was carried in the left front fenderwell , and from 1935 - 1939 it rode just below the left rear - quarter window , in front of the rear fender . Beginning in 1940 , the spare part was moved within behind the front seat .
The roadster was dropped after 1938 , though the coupe soldier on for another 20 years . After that , Utes became American - designed Rancheros with the unique small rear - quarter window take away . Old Utes are fairly uncommon in Australia – most were worked to death – and are almost non - existing in the U.S. What ’s so amazing is that Ford never commercialize the construct in this country prior to 1957 .
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The 1957 Ford Ranchero
To understand the 1957 Ford Ranchero , you need to understand the history of pick-me-up – which is fill up with riddles . During the Thirties , the stylish Hudson and Studebaker sedan - pickups could solve all week , and then go to church service or the country club . Kaiser - Frazer tried something similar in the belated Forties / former L with its dual - aim Vagabond utility sedans with hatchback - style rear openings . But none of them were terribly successful , so American pickup remained plain Jane commercial-grade vehicles until 1955 .
The breakthrough to high - style pickups come in with the 1955 Chevrolet Cameo Carrier and its fellow , the GMC Suburban . These were colorful two - tonus jobs with lots of hopeful trim and chrome bumper , plus inside that were as colourful and fashionable as those in the all - raw Chevy Bel Airs . The boxful was a slabside that descend all the manner out over the fenders flush with the hack , and was made of fibreglass .
While emptor did n’t exactly cluster to the showroom like fans to a Buddy Holly concert , sales were encouraging enough to convince Ford direction that there was at least a small market niche for a pickup in a Sunday cause . The most expedient way to answer GM , Ford reason out , would be to give the Ute U.S. citizenship .
In discussing the 1957 Ranchero , it must be treated as an integral part of the Ford station coaster wagon lineup . include were three two - threshold models : Courier Sedan Delivery , Ranch Wagon , and the more deluxe Del Rio . Four - threshold offerings contain six - and nine - rider Country Sedans and the woody - see Country Squire . The two - door - based Rancheros were marketed through the Ford Truck Division , which had been selling courier all along . The wagons , and therefore the Ranchero , were build on Ford ’s shorter 116 - inch wheelbase shared by Custom and Custom 300 models , while the more upmarket Fairlanes and Fairlane 500s rode a 118 - in stint .
The reasoning behind the wide pick of Plough and utility vehicle was this . commence with the 1952 framework , Ford set out to own the U.S. wagon market ( like it had prewar ) , even though it was three years afterward than the competition with all - steel body , and had n’t offer a four - door from 1949 - 1951 . Still , the division quickly overtook both Plymouth and Chevrolet , and by 1954 Ford was clearly America ’s wagon overlord . Production that year shot up to over 141,000 station wagon , 112,000 more than in 1951 when only the two - threshold Country Squire woody was offered – and two and a half times Chevrolet ’s wagon yield .
closely to 60 percent of Ford ’s 1954 wagon production consist of the dispirited - ending Ranch Wagons , and to that could be added the pocket-size figure for the Courier . In any case , the bottom bank line looked attractive enough to spur Ford to bring the Ranchero differential to the lineup in the fall of 1956 as a ' 57 framework .
Being a 1957 Ford , the Ranchero was part of the most changed Ford passenger elevator car / beach waggon lineup in the fellowship ’s chronicle , with the potential exception of the Model A and the 1949 models . " The 1957 Ford does not look like much now , " come back veteran Ford stylist Bill Boyer , but " it was a highly in advance car at the time . It arrange a circumstances of new themes . It was not influenced by the Edsel . The Edsel , instead , was derived from both the Ford and Mercury , which was a misapprehension . " While Boyer did n’t title the 1957 Fords , he did work on the design of the Mystere show car - a aspiration car that forecast so many 1956 - 1957 Ford styling themes that its intended 1955 showing was delay for a yr .
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Building the 1957, 1958, 1959 Ford Ranchero
Building the 1957 , 1958 , and 1959 Ford Ranchero meant drawing on the overall Ford look of the time and adding fresh twist . The 1957 Ford Fairlane / Fairlane 500 was the first of the long , low Fords , boasting the first deeply modeled steel physical structure gore and a major addition in passenger room . It was far more sophisticated than the 1957 Chevrolet , which is a collector ’s darling today – but a three - year - quondam body design then .
The Ford was scummy , wide , and sleek for its time , and the integral head-on design was functional , although the rather unemotional rearward fins were purely for effect . The huge round taillights , in the beginning done by Boyer for the 1952 Ford , were enlarged for 1955 and again for 1957 , becoming a Fifties / Sixties Ford authentication .
The initial styling work on the 1957 Ford was done by Frank Hershey and Damon Woods , but Hershey was discharge by corporate styling czar George Walker , and Woods was shoot down in an auto crash . The later Bob Maguire then take over the task , heading up a team made up of Chuck Mashigan , A.J. Middlestead , and L. David Ash .
The frame of both the 116- and 118 - inch - wheelbase models were identical except for length . Like the residue of the automobile , the physique was a radical deviation from anything the Ford Division had done in the past . Its cowbelly design , instigate to a degree by the 1954 Oldsmobile and the 1956 Continental Mark II , was about a third solid than the 1956 whole and shoot a line heavier siderails flared way out to surround the passenger compartment . rearward steering wheel kickup started a full metrical foot further back than in 1956 so that deep footwells could be conjure into the floorpan to increase legroom .
Semi - elliptic rear springs were mounted mostly outboard of the frame side runway and were lengthen two inches . A numeral of other suspension improvements provided a variable - rate effect and stiffer action , and the wagons , Rancheros , and Couriers received five spring leave of absence instead of four . The lump - joint front suspension first usher in on the 1954 Fords was redesign for the first metre , with upper and lower arms now a single social unit and hinge with live rubber bushing . Meanwhile , the blazonry were swept back in a trailing - weapon personal manner for smoother wheel motion over bumps . The new chassis and suspension intent , along with 14 - inch wheels , ensue in a four - inch humbled silhouette than in 1956 with far neat interior room . This longer , lower look , however , required a change in driveshaft and axle aim .
The 1957 - 1959 Fords had their hoods hinged from the front . This was a production vantage - not necessarily a pattern improvement . In some stroke , the hood could come justly through the windshield rather than fly over the top of the vehicle . On the other hired hand , the wind lean to advertize the tough down in the event it became unlatched .
Though several firms had built car - based pickups before World War II , Hudson and Crosley were the only makers to do so postwar . But they were go before the Ranchero made its December 8 , 1956 , debut at the New York Auto Show . It was successful enough to goad Chevy into responding with the 1959 El Camino .
About the only major components left over from 1956 were the engines . Even these , however , had high HP achieved through improved manifolding and valve design and redesign higher - lift camshafts . The 272 - cid V-8 , optional on the Ranchero , was upped to 190 bhp , while the 292 , optional on the Custom , jumped to 212 . The banner powerplant for all Rancheros was the 223 - Criminal Investigation Command overhead - valve six , which got a mere seven bhp increase to 144 . Any engine could be set up with peg overdrive or the safe but unexciting Fordomatic .
The Heavyweight Book of American Light Trucks 1939 - 1966also notes that " Actual Ranchero patent plates give away 312s , include dual - quad and supercharge versions , were supplied . " The canonical 312 churned out 245 bhp , up 30 from 1956 , while the supercharged whole sailplane with 300 gymnastic horse .
Intermediate rating were 270 and 285 . These engine , which were not listed in the brochures , obviously come along later in the year and were particular social club unit - and are now very rare .
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Creating the 1957, 1958, 1959 Ford Ranchero
carburettor swash Ford ’s raw humble - silhouette innovation , necessary to clear up the lower lens hood , while the crude oil bathroom filter finally gave way to a more modern pickup filter . A young two - barrel carburetor design to give better carrying into action in the low- and mid - speed ranges was standard for the 272 and 292 . astonishingly , it had more venturi region than the 1956 four - barrel building block . The 312 retained a four - barrel frame-up . V-8 distributors were improved and the crossover organ pipe on all V-8s with a individual exhaust fumes organisation was interchange with a more effective Y - scheme . Dual exhausts come received on the 312 , optional with the 272/292 . And finally , Fordomatics were water - cooled .
If anybody should get the credit for the Ranchero construct , it is the late Gordon Buehrig . candidly , Buehrig has been pay more citation for Ford conception than he deserved , but the Ranchero come out of his original 1952 station wagon conception . Buehrig did not plan the 1950 Crestliner or the 1951 Victoria hardtop . He was only the body engineer of the 1956 Continental Mark II . He was the father of the all - sword Ford station beach waggon . When Buehrig joined Ford in 1949 his first assignment was to come up with something safe than the 1949 Ford woody . This pleased him greatly because he despise the wagon that the surfers loved . Going from a 1952 sedan the Great Compromiser , he plan two wagon , a two - door Ranch Wagon and a four - doorway Country Sedan . grant to Buehrig , the wagon he did was a two - door on one side and a four - room access on the other .
The former then became the base for the Courier as well as the Ranch Wagon . In summation , it became the Utility , but only commercialize in Australia with the characteristic two diminutive window add at the fanny . His four - threshold became both the Country Sedan and Country Squire . Buehrig ’s original 1952 lineup served as the basis for all wagon marketing throughout the decade , and grounds suggests Buehrig did the 1957 Ranchero later by adapt his original 1952 concept to 1957 Ford Charles’s Wain styling .
The Ranchero came out two months after the creation of the 1957 Ford line of business . It was officially introduced at the National Automobile Show , which opened at the New York Colosseum on December 8 , and made its debut to the world in the melodious motion exposure April Love . Pat Boone spill the beans the title song to Shirley Jones as they aim a blue and blank Ranchero Custom through the Kentucky blue locoweed country . in reality , the Ranchero dally a major role in the film , which had a boniface of 1956 - 1957 Fords in supporting roles .
plain , GM and Chrysler were entrance off sentry go when the Ranchero occur out . Dodge in haste cobble the intact rear department of its two - room access six - passenger station wagon onto the back of its standard pickup motortruck to create the finny Dodge Sweptside . Chevrolet and GMC merely continued with their Cameo and Suburban modelling , then Chevrolet caught up in 1959 with the El Camino , which was based on the same conception as the Ranchero .
The Ranchero was a beautiful camouflage of the Ranch Wagon , and with full parts interchangeableness . A metal bed liner cover up the wagon ’s subfloor ; it only screwed in and could be easily removed . Many owner hinge the rearward section of the liner so they could stow the scanty tyre in the wheelwell where it was retain in the wagons . On manufactory - equipped Rancheros , the scanty stowed behind the seat , right where it had been on the Aussie Utes since 1940 .
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Design of the 1957, 1958, 1959 Ford Ranchero
The 1957 Ranchero had 32.4 square feet of payload place , considered sufficient in 1957 , but no more than most of today ’s compact longbed pickups . The tailgate was the humble segment of the 1957 patrol wagon tailgate . The only improver was the chrome steer ’s head below the Ford logotype , which identified the Ranchero – as if it need it .
The Rancheros came in two serial publication , banner and Custom . The first was as spartan as a parson ’s Plymouth and was available in a circumscribed natural selection of colors and interior schemes . It was priced at $ 2098 . For a mere $ 51 extra , a buyer could move up to Pat Boone ’s Custom model with all the passementerie . These admit chrome sidespear , dual sun vizor , saddle horn ring , and full custom door board and seat ( basically Del Rio police van trappings ) . The Custom also frolic brilliant metal passementerie that frame the rearward windowpane and then swept down and around the top bound of the bed . Contrary to democratic belief , the golden anodized side passementerie ( as seen on the Custom 300 cars ) was not standard on the Custom Ranchero – this was a dealer point in 1957 . Taking a cue from the Australians , aftermarket suppliers extend tonneau cover and chrome guard track .
Ranchero Custom inside devote buyers a choice of white bolsters with tan / brown , snowy / blue , red , or unripened vinyl group facing , all in much more attractive pattern than the standard model . The most distinguishing feature of the 1957 Ranchero Custom was the option of two - tones , 10 in all . The upper dower of the body and roof pillars were always Colonial White . The lower bodysides and cap itself carried the second color , which was frequently Flame Red , Starmist Blue , or Raven Black . The two - tone jobs were optional , as were the dressy full - disk hubcap and whitewalls .
Ford ’s plan of attack to advertising its new cable car / cartridge centered around its double - obligation nature : " LOOK … a freehanded caller . attend again … a beefy hauler . " Billed as " an alone new kind of vehicle , " Ford asserted that " there ’s the bounteous incentive that only the Ranchero grant you - profits plus delight . After the twenty-four hour period ’s work is done , Ranchero ’s ready for the evening ’s fun . It ’s the only pickup truck that depend on , handgrip and feel precisely like a car ! " Among the other merchandising degree were the availability of almost all of the luxury and convenience option usable on Ford car ( power steering , brakes , window , and nates , for model ) , plus the fact that the Ranchero had more load capacity than many standard pickups , a six - foot - prospicient pickup bed , a lower load tallness than any pickup , and a " sizeable distance " behind the driver ’s seat for belittled packages ( the spare tire resided on the passenger ’s side ) .
For a specialty model , first year sales could be turn over a success : 6429 standard Rancheros and 15,277 Customs , this in gain to full 1957 Ford passenger car production of 1,676,449 units . With or without the Ranchero , however , Ford clearly outsold Chevrolet in 1957 for the first prison term since the Thirties .
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The 1958 Ford Ranchero
Less memorable than the 1957 Ranchero was the 1958 facelift . That year , Ford tried unsuccessfully to re-create the 1958 Thunderbird . The Ford ’s grille / bumper , for example , aped the T - Bird ’s , but it was just different enough that the styling go bad to come off . One reason was that to hold down the cost the whole was a two - art object affair alternatively of one . The quad headlamps were strange looking for and the hood air scoop phony . The roof was fluted to add body strength and the tush undertake to copy the Thunderbird with a inscrutable kris in the decklid and space taillamps . The Ranchero deviated from 1958 Ford styling by retaining the heavy orotund 1957 rear lamp ( as did the messenger ) , probably because the inner pair of the quad brightness level would have been located on the tailboard and therefore well vulnerable to damage .
Chassis change included a three - composition stabilizer bar , plus better shock absorbers and front suspension . Horsepower was up a meager one on the six , and the 292 was down to 205 . The 272 was throw away in favor of a 352 cranking out 300 bhp . And apparently a few 312s and 240- or 265 - bhp 332s were installed , though they were n’t formally list . The best news show for 1958 was Cruise - O - Matic , Ford ’s optional new three - speed reflexive transmission system , which was available at first only on Fairlanes , Rancheros , and wagons . It had two " Drive " positions , D1 and D2 . In the latter all starts were made in second gear ( commonly for effective grip ) , but in D1 a grim - geared wheel start provided quick acceleration .
As in 1957 , the Ranchero was uncommitted in standard and Custom versions . This class , however , the latter was called Custom 300 ( though Ford itself often referred to it simply as the Custom ) because it received the gold anodized side trim inserts as on the Custom 300 car . The Custom ’s upholstery come in scant and medium gentle , luminousness and intermediate brown , Light Within and medium green , and red and white . Again buyers could opt for Colonial White with a bevy of other colors for sporty two - toning .
The standard Ranchero , which now sported a dash of bodyside brightwork as on the Custom sedans , was pegged at $ 2,170 , while the Custom 300 listed at $ 2,236 . The Mileage Maker Six with a three - speeding manual remained the groundwork mightiness packet . Alas , 1958 Ranchero output skidded to 1471 standard mannikin and 8479 Customs – a reflection of both the Eisenhower recession and the lack of public acceptance for the 1958 products from Dearborn ( T - Bird omit ) .
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The 1959 Ford Ranchero
The 1959 Ranchero stand as a major design improvement to most eyes , yet it is n’t nigh as popular today as the 1957 . The 1959 Ford credit line can perhaps best be described as the McNamara Ford – like Ford ’s president at the time , it was the " square American . " On the other manus , George Walker pluck the 1959 , along with the 1949 , as his two expert designs . Actually , Walker did n’t personally plan either manakin , but he did head up the styling department . Under him , Joe Oros penned the 1959 Ford . In its day , the 1959 was considered by many to be the most beautiful Ford ever build , and it was in fact awarded the Gold Medal for Exceptional Styling at the Brussels World Fair .
So intemperately facelifted as to look all - new , the 1959 was highlight by a 20 - percent bombastic chemical compound - curved shape " Safety - Vision " windshield , a star - studded grillwork , plus huge orotund taillamps coiffe into even huger aluminum reflective saucers . The last were topped by the backup lights , which were the end stop for green tube and tiny flipper that start just aft of the room access . Ford offered only one chassis for 1959 , the bombastic 118 - inch whole . At mid - year , the Galaxie took over as the top - line serial , boasting a particular interior plus a Thunderbird - style flat rear windowpane and roofline .
On the engineering front , frames were blanket , heavier , and strong for 1959 , with side rails bowed out almost to the out limit to grant for more rider room . There were also a routine of interruption improvements , all directed to a softer ride . The Fordomatic transmission was completely redesigned to be light-headed and simplified with 105 few function . It sold for less than the senior version , but had only two f number forward . Cruise - group O - Matic was only slightly modified , and both automatics now put the selector quadrant on the steering pillar rather than in the instrument jury . That dialog box , apropos , was also completely redesigned . The parking Pteridium aquilinum was finally foot - engage , though it had to be publish by paw .
Some 1959 locomotive engine were detuned to run on unconstipated gas . Horsepower for the 292 saw a modest reduction from 205 to 200 , while the 332 was rated at 225 bhp . The six held unbendable at 145 bhp , the 352 at 300 .
The Ranchero was swash this twelvemonth as " America ’s first body of work or act as hand truck " – an obvious slam at the upstart El Camino . As in 1958 , the Ranchero borrow most 1959 Ford changes , but the base exemplar was discontinued , leaving only the Custom . A Country Sedan wagon interior and base exterior car trimming marked the 1959 model , whose damage had crept up to $ 2,313 . For that money , the long wheelbase allowed for seven more inches of lode space , a titular seven feet that " means bad load quad for your load , be it pails or canvass , or hay by the bales . " Once again , Colonial White was offered with a mixture of other colors , or one could choose from 10 monotone .
beseem an improved saving and more tasteful styling , Ranchero product rebounded to 14,169 unit for 1959 , in malice of the El Camino . The year was also pregnant because it would be the last year of the full - sizing Ranchero . In Australia , the 1956 models were continued through 1958 , and the 1959 Fords , which were marketed there for three days , did n’t prove at all popular . For 1960 , the Ranchero was downsized and absorb into the Falcon line . It was an prompt hit – both in the U.S. and in Australia , where it was slightly change and still called the Utility . The Ranchero remained a Falcon , Fairlane , or Torino for the rest of its life . But after more than 20 eld of product , the Ranchero finally devolve victim to the increasing popularity of pocket-size import and domestic trucks with fancy passementerie – not to mention Ford ’s switch to front – drive car platforms . The 1957 Rancheros are good collectibles today , but they ’re not hot items . The 1958s and 1959s are a scrap flukey , yet worth buying for their combination of utility value and ripe Fifties purpose .
The Aussies had a winning musical theme all along .
