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“More than a car! More than a truck!” That was how Ford advertised its car-based 1957 Ranchero pickup truck, the first of its kind since the 1930s and presented as the stylish solution for the gentleman farmer or rancher who wanted a working truck that was also nice enough for driving on date night or to church on Sunday.
Ford beat General Motors to the punch on this concept in the US; while Chevy had gussied up the basic pickup truck with the Cameo edition, competition against the Ranchero wouldn’t arrive until 1959 with the El Camino.
The Pick of the Day is a 1957 Ford Ranchero that has been restored and updated with newer components for reliability and drivability, creating a most-attractive car/truck that’s ready to be used and enjoyed, and impressive enough for show.
So while it looks stock, the Ranchero is the epitome of the popular resto-mod configuration: vintage up top, modern underneath.
“This 1957 Ford Ranchero pickup has received some mild performance upgrades in recent years to bring performance and reliability to modern standards,” according to the Fairfield, California, dealer advertising the Ford on ClassicCars.com. “You’ll find a 302 cid V8 engine under the hood with an AOD automatic transmission with overdrive, power front disc brakes, power steering, front and rear sway bars, 2″ Granada spindles, and many other upgrades to make this example a fantastic modern driver.”
Ford renewed the styling of its car lineup for 1957, a one-year look that was again redone for 1958, and many consider the ’57 cars to be the most-handsome Fords of that decade. This Ranchero looks pretty sweet in red-and-white two-tone with a matching interior, factory trim and hubcaps, and wide whitewall tires.
“It shows excellent in person with near-perfect body lines, shimmering exterior paint and near-perfect chrome, trim and glass all the way around,” the seller says in the ad. “The interior is just as impressive throughout since this example has been maintained at the highest possible levels throughout its life. This is easily one of the highest-caliber examples we’ve come across this year.”
The asking price for this apparently nicely done Ford Ranchero resto-mod is $32,990.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
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