My '61 Ranchero

[lindsay_elaine]

Due to popular demand, here are some pics of my '61 Falcon Ranchero. I bought it last fall for 300 bucks, it needed a carb and some other minor work. It has a 170 straight 6 with a 3 on the tree. It came with a spare 200 that will hopefully get rebuilt eventually. The guy I bought it from bought it in Yuma AZ in 1970 and then drove it to New England. It needs work (obviously) but it's a BLAST to drive and gets driven a few times every week, either by me or a family member. I've been driving the Ranger more often because it's new to me and the gas gauge works sort of, the Ranchero is always a guessing game!

These pictures were taken right after I got it, I haven't taken new ones because it looks the same all the time (even the dirt never changes) The only changes have been different gauge cluster (same thing with chrome instead of black) and removal of Grateful Dead stickers. I work out of a body shop (I don't actually do body work) so I'm hoping to have it all done up someday, who knows, for now it's just fun

 

[Mac]

I just have to give you a big Welcome! "61' Ranchero's in that kind of shape are really hard to find. I got a '66' 289/4 speed from CA that was almost rust free untill I got deep into the under carrage. There are spots to look for rot on them. They are fun little trucks! Wish I had pictures to share.
Dave

 

[lindsay_elaine]

Thanks for the welcome! So far the only bad spots were (are) the floor (patched but new holes are creeping up on me) and the rear floor pan under the bed (would be the floor pan in the wagon, it's a storage compartment in the 'chero) I haven't peeled the tape off to look at how bad the wheel arches are, and I know there are holes up inside the wheel wells. Still, not too bad, and the engine compartment is perfect (but dirty) thanks to an engine that spews oil all over itself!

Edit: Oh yeah, the taped up wheel arch isn't pictured, but you can see in the picture of the back of the car where it's had that quarter replaced (they didn't fill the seams) and it's apparently rusting out again. I assume it was done when it was painted blue (it was blue, then red, now blue again)

 

[Tony Raine]

love it!

 

[inuyasha2875]

sweet ranchero

 

[Shran]

Cool car, somebody up in the hills by Deadwood has a bunch of them.

Your heater core appears to be leaking...although I'm sure you figured that out by now.

 

[lindsay_elaine]

Your heater core appears to be leaking...although I'm sure you figured that out by now.

Oh yes, guy drove it to my house after I paid for it and it started leaking as soon as he got it into my driveway. The heater core was my first purchase for it, lol. Thankfully it was cheap, easy to get, and easy to install!

 

[BigJohn76]

Oh yes, guy drove it to my house after I paid for it and it started leaking as soon as he got it into my driveway. The heater core was my first purchase for it, lol. Thankfully it was cheap, easy to get, and easy to install!

just gotta love working on those older vehicles. easy to work on, no computers or plastic crap.

great looking truck by the way. makes me want to go get my old dodge.

 

[PaleBlue90]

very nice! my buddys sis has a 64 charo with the 170 and 3 on the tree.

my buddys 66 stang has a 200 in it and hes building one thats going to be

.30 over
cam
port polished
blue printed and balanced
forged upper and lower ends
oversized valves
and a turbo pushing 40PSI

 

[Louisville86]

Love the '61 Ranchero/Falcon. The grill is a lot better-looking that that of the '60.

Believe it or not, the 170 was the "big" engine in '61. Standard was the 144.

Ford got a lot of mileage out of the simple, basic design of the Falcon: Comet, Fairlane, Meteor, Mustang, Cougar, Torino, Montego, Maverick, Granada, Monarch, Versailles . . .

 

[BlackBII]

Sweet!

Looks like it has a small oil leak

I think it needs a 5.0, a set of 24"s and 4 12"s in the bed. That'd be siiiiiiiiiiiick!

Boom boom boom boom - bass mechanix - boom boom boom booom

 

[constant_projecttruck]

Thats going to be rel nice when you get it done. Thats the kind of truck you restore to original.

 

[Shran]

Thats going to be rel nice when you get it done. Thats the kind of truck you restore to original.

Yeah, agreed...although I'd do a different motor and some bigger wheels. Those look like 13's or 14's...just not the style anymore.

I'm kind of surprised that it's not a rusted out piece of junk after being up your way for as long as it has.

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

nice! dirty but nice
now show us the ranger

 

[COPPERHEAD85]

Thats a keeper!Hope you can restore it back to the day it rolled out.I would drive it everyday.