1980 Ford Ranchero

You either opened this because you scratched your head thinking “They didn’t make Ranchero’s in 1980..!?” or you thought “Awwww! This guy is gonna get in trouble for puttin this here and it’s not a wagon!” Well... it USED to be a wagon.. does that count!? Interesting conversion. He even mocked up a sales brochure to make it look like it was a model that was offered. You have to give him an “A” for creativity.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1980-Ford-Ranchero/143091150642?hash=item2150e5af32:g:nuYAAOSwpwBcL~LZ

 

I guess you need the tailgate, but it would have been more interesting to me if he had used a coupe as his starter. That looks like a wagon, with the back chopped off. I give him an a for unique, but I guess it could be the extended cab version.

 

Pretty unique. I do feel as though I have seen this one before though.

 

The brochure is a nice touch.

 

That’s right. I forgot all about that Ranchero model. I still claim it’s a Ranchero super cab.

 

I give him a "D" for Dipstick. Would have been nice if he'd only used 2-doors.

 

I assume you're familiar with the Ford./Mercury Durango of '81 - '82. They used the Fairmont ( and a few Zephyrs) 2-door body and apparently a modified wagon tailgate. The rear rake of the Fairmont/Zephyr 2-door gave it some pretty pleasing lines, whereas the very squared off shape of this LTD based "Ranchero" looks a bit clumsy to me. This has been tried before. once saw one in a scrap yard made from a '70 Country Squire (sacrilege!). It's lines didn't lend itself to such a conversion either. I'm not sure the 2-door version of the Panther chassis LTD would have worked much better; it's pretty squared off itself. The previous generation might have worked better, but it's too pretty to cut.

 

More appropriate than a hatchback!