1958 Ford Ranchero on 2040-cars
North Hollywood, California, United States
Vehicle Title:Clear
Engine:292 V8
Fuel Type:Gasoline
For Sale By:Owner
Interior Color: Red
Make: Ford
Number of Cylinders: 8
Model: Ranchero
Trim: Custom 300
Power Options: Power Brakes, Power Steering
Drive Type: RWD
Mileage: 120,000
Exterior Color: White & Black
I've owned this Ranchero for 26 years, but sadly, I need the parking space. She's not perfect--and keep in mind that photos tend to make things look better than they really are--but she's very pretty. Carpet, headliner, and paint redone about 15 years ago in the correct colors. Automatic (three-speed Ford O Matic), 292 V8, "Master Guide" Power Steering, "Swift Sure" Power Brakes. New stuff: tires, brakes, water pump, thermostat, ignition switch, belts & hoses, exhaust system, spark plugs & wires, carburetor, and some other bits and whatnot. The ignition is a Pertronix unit, which is really sweet since there are no points worries and it's hidden so it looks 'correct'... but the original parts--including the ballast resistor--are still with the car. The original carb comes with this sale too; it's a Holley 4-barrel, but I just couldn't get it running right. Wrong jets, maybe? Anyway, there's a brand-new same-type Holley on the car and it purrs like the proverbial kitten.
The wheels aren't original--they should be standard stamped steel with hubcaps--but these were on the car when I bought it. One photo here shows the car with the original-style tires and wheels, which don't come with the car; I swapped those from another '58 Ford for a recent Tom Hanks movie shoot ("Saving Mr. Banks", due out in December). I'm not sure the red-and-white seat vinyl is original to this model, but its sturdy construction feels very 'factory', and the seat cushion is a bit flat, so it's either original or a very old re-do. And the seats exactly match the material on the door panels, so who knows? At some point this Ranchero had a CB-style screw-on antenna mast on the roof. The screw mount is still there, and I do have a stubby 1-foot antenna that screws on just for looks.
What's wrong with this vehicle? It's starting to show the typical bits of rust in two spots: above the headlights (see photo), where dirt tended to collect inside the fenders on most '50s cars... and at the bottom of the tailgate, which is apparently common with Rancheros, as owners forgot to keep the drain holes clear. The old paint is a bit checked in spots, especially along the center valley atop the passenger fender. The bumpers are straight and shine up nicely, but the chrome is definitely not perfect. Some of the interior chrome is a bit pitted, particularly the horn ring and vent window handles, although still pretty nice for a driver. The accelerator pedal isn't correct. The gold anodizing along the sides is pretty dull but complete and undamaged. A lot of the weatherstripping is typical for desert cars: very brittle and cracked from exposure to the sun. Windshield and rear window gaskets seem to be good though. Several decades ago somebody installed a patch panel between the bed and the cab; it's certainly not a professional repair but at least it's symmetrical and isn't real obvious. The steering wheel finish is quite worn, but miraculously, no big cracks. The "Ranchero" scripts near the tailfins are ten-year-old reproductions are aren't really as precise and crisply-cast as the originals were; perhaps newer repros are manufactured better. Also, just barely visible in a photo is at least one of two tears in the seat, one of which is about two inches long, where the passenger's butt sits. The other is where the seat cushion and back portion meet, near the driver's door (also about an inch or so). The radio could use a tuneup; it works, but not all stations come in as strongly as they should.
Can it haul stuff? The last really heavy thing I transported with the Ranchero was an FE-series Ford engine/transmission to and from the rebuild shop. That's a lot of weight, and the engine actually shifted en route when a couple cheap tiedown ratchets broke. The Ranchero handled it just fine, although it was an eye-opener to have that much weight shift while at speed on the freeway. The interior floors appear to be in great shape too, with no 'give' or weak spots that I can find. Have they been repaired? I really don't know, and I'm reluctant to pull up the old carpeting/sound deadener at this point. Hopefully the underside photos will help here too. The spare is stowed behind the passenger seat, and in that area the carpeting has suffered from things being tossed back there that weren't completely clean.
I bought this Ranchero here in Southern California in 1987, and I've got lots of receipts on maintenance and parts purchases since then.
Ford Ranchero for Sale
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Auto blog
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