1969 Ford Ranchero

1969 Ford Ranchero 500 Rio Grande Ranchero by Ford. America's hi style, hi performance pickup. Sleek, smart and sporty, the '69 Ranchero is a powerful performing pickup, the ultimate in luxury pickups with quicker handling and quicker, more powerful engines. Choose from the Ranchero, Ranchero 500, or Ranchero GT. From the 1969 Ford Ranchero brochure. For consignment, a 1969 Ford Ranchero 500 Rio Grande with a title verified 50,499 actual miles. The Rio Grande package is fairly rare with just 819 produced in 1969. Family owned since 1993, this car was first ordered and sold in Idaho, then resided in Southern California before heading East, all the while carefully stored and barely driven, accounting for its relatively low mileage.  Exterior One of three colors offered on the Special Performance Vehicle from Ford, Calypso Coral provides the shine here in two stage application. The hood scoop, which was standard on the GT and added as part of the Rio package, also includes the black center stripe. In profile, other special additions are noted including the side stripes above the rocker panel, the side rails, and the 14-inch Magnum 500 wheels and you can tell this car is a special one from the other side of your ranch property. A black vinyl top accentuates the black and orange palette and tall, vertical tail lights that retain distinctive Ford design. Side molding bisects the profile, Ford's widely used dual round headlights lead the way, and the black painted bed is clean. Some bubbling on a quarter panel is the only imperfection we note.  Interior A simulated wood insert on the black vinyl doors puts the luxury in luxury truck, as it was in 1969, and they both present cleanly serving as the entry points to the stylish full width seat in black pleated vinyl with a few tears in the stitched seams, but otherwise clean. The jack and spare are stowed away in the space behind the seat and our black plastic steering wheel ahead has a crack in the rim. A stitch design is molded into the gauge housing on the dash for a bit of a Western flair, while the electric clock in the fourth cove is part of the 500 upgrade. An AM radio is on the mid panel and the open floor is covered cleanly with black loop carpet. While up top, the stitched black headliner and visors are in great shape.   Drivetrain Ford Blue colors the 351ci Windsor V8 under the hood and the Holley 4-barrel carb supplied powerplant is good for 290 horsepower. The shifter on the column operates the FMX 3-speed automatic transmission and sends power to the Ford 9 with 3.25 gears in back. Power brakes are supplied with discs up front and drums in back.   Undercarriage Driver quality conditions are found underneath with a mix of surface rust, red oxide primer, general oxidation and patina and mostly dry conditions with a light film of residual oil on the pan. The exhaust looks newer, and the dual system runs back to FlowMaster mufflers before terminating behind body panels after the back wheels. Coil spring suspension is utilized up front with leaf springs in the back. We note the dust cover on the power steering rack is torn.   Drive-Ability Never a dull option, driving any Ranchero like vehicle is a cool adventure from a bygone era, and one that's bound to make a comeback! Meanwhile, the trusty 351 fires right up and delivers good power on the test loop, tracking straight and surefooted on 235/60R14 tires. Despite its single row, the cabin is roomy and of course, car like and other than the clock, all functions on board operate as they should. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase. Business up front and party in the back? Or is it the other way around? With 290 horses under the hood, the party might be up front and if you used the bed as intended, well, it would be all business back there. But this car ga