Ford Ranchero

"More than a truck and more than a car," the unique Ranchero would take many forms, and this class act was a vital part of the big Blue Ovals lineup for more than two decades. Far from being just another pretty face, rugged Rancheros did their part to build national prosperity and keep America on the move. Meticulously researched in Fords archives, automotive historian James C. Mays pays tribute to Ranchero, telling the complete story in rich detail. Includes prices and options lists, plus production, sales and export figures. This indispensable reference also offers the unique Canada-only Meteor Rancheros, as well as the Australian versions.

This coupe-utility was introduced in 1957 in the sales battle with Chevrolet. The line switched sizes and platforms several times over the years. Originally based on the Custom sedans disappointing sales meant a switch to the Falcon after which sales rose. Over the next decade the Ranchero became more sporty taking on elements of the Torino and, from 1977, the front-end of the LTD II. Small pick-ups became fashionable and so the last Ranchero appeared in 1979. This is a book of contemporary road and comparison tests, technical and specification data, owner's views, engine swapping, model introductions and history. Models covered include: Custom Ranchero, 292, 352, Falcon Ranchero 289, 6 & V8, Fairlane Ranchero 390, 221, Torino Ranchero 302, 351, Hacienda, XA, 500A/T, 4100A/T, GT, LTD II Ranchero.

An original and ballsy road-trip of a crime novel—most of it in Desmond's ex-wife's Geo—Ranchero is an unforgettable read and a fantastic series debut. Repo man Nick Reid had a seemingly simple job to do: talk to Percy Dwayne Dubois— pronounced "Dew-boys," front-loaded and hick specific—about the payments he's behind on for a flat screen TV, or repossess it. But Percy Dwayne wouldn't give in. Nope, instead he saw fit to go all white-trash philosophical and decided that since the world was stacked against him anyway, he might as well fight it. He hit Nick over the head with a fireplace shovel, tied him up with a length of lamp cord, and stole the mint-condition calypso coral-colored 1969 Ranchero that Nick had borrowed from his landlady. And he took the TV with him on a rowdy ride across the Mississippi Delta. Nick and his best friend Desmond, fellow repo man in Indianola, Mississippi, have no choice but to go after him. The fact that the trail eventually leads to Guy, a meth cooker recently set up in the Delta after the Feds ran him out of New Orleans, is of no consequence—Nick will do anything to get the Ranchero back. And it turns out he might have to.

The truck's role in American society changed dramatically from the 1960s through the 1980s, with the rise of off-roaders, the van craze of the 1970s and minivan revolution of the 1980s, the popularization of the SUV as family car and the diversification of the pickup truck into multiple forms and sizes. This comprehensive reference book follows the form of the author's popular volumes on American cars. For each year, it provides an industry overview and, for each manufacturer, an update on new models and other news, followed by a wealth of data: available powertrains, popular options, paint colors and more. Finally, each truck is detailed fully with specifications and measurements, prices, production figures, standard equipment and more.

Ford Tough: 100 Years of Ford Trucks tells the entire Ford truck story from the very beginning, when Ford got its start in truck production.

Ford Falcon Commemorative Edition celebrates the much-loved car's six-decade rule of Aussie roads and racetracks. With the chequered flag flying on the Blue Oval favourite, this book examines the first Falcons to take flight in the early 1960s through to the final FG-X. Special emphasis is placed on the glorious decade 1969-78 and the magnificent high-performance machines from the Falcon XW GT-HO to the XA, XB and the Cobra. These are cars that still command instant respect and ooze all the excitement, emotion, colour, freedom and raw power of their time. Ford Falcon captures the stories from the men who designed, developed, built and raced these bred-for-Bathurst beasts. It features stunning photography of Falcon's triumphs, milestones and majesty. After some 56 years and 3.8 million cars, what better way to say goodbye to Aussie motoring royalty.

Learn about the entire history of America’s best-selling vehicle: the Ford F-Series truck. When Henry Ford first started manufacturing Model Ts more than 100 years ago, he didn’t really have any sort of pickup or truck configuration in mind. However, enterprising people and businesses were modifying those early chassis for commercial use, and it didn’t take long for Ford to figure out that there was a demand for a truck application of the Model T. Soon, Ford was making its own configurations for commercial use, first through third-party body companies and eventually by Ford itself with the Model TT. From these humble beginnings, Ford stumbled onto the basis for one of the most popular vehicles ever built: the Ford F-Series pickup truck. In Ford F-Series Trucks: 1948–Present, authors Jimmy Dinsmore and James Halderman thoroughly dissect the history of Ford F-Series pickup trucks as seen from a technical viewpoint. Fully covered are all the options, chassis specifications, running changes, and the evolution of these trucks, as they transformed from postwar utilitarian vehicles to the best-selling luxury family cruisers seen today. Not only are Ford trucks the best-selling trucks, they are the best-selling vehicle of any category, cars included. This book will thrill truck aficionados and Ford historians alike, as it covers the first F-Series models (1948–1952), the ever-popular second-generation F-Series models (1953–1956), the popular Bumpsides (1967–1972), and all the way through the remarkable technology of what is now the 14th generation of the F-Series.