What to do with this? (ford Ranchero content)

you seem like the kind of guy that could use a 3 wheeler, you should trade it to me for my 3 wheeler

In reply to edizzle89:

As a motorcyclist, 3 wheelers scare the daylights out of me.

I am trying to decide if I want to go up or down. Down would be better for MPGs, handling, etc... But, lifted would possibly look awesome! If lowered, I am thinking ultra ghetto air ride setup. I am actually starting another thread for that very purpose.

It's coils in front and leaf springs in back right? Just cut the fronts and put some blocks in the back with big progressive bump stops. If you want to go up instead, spring spacers up front and axle flip in back.

It is 4 wheel coil

In reply to singleslammer:

Cut them all or measure and junkyard! Or Speedway/Summit if you want to get fancy.

Raked. A local towing company used a few of them as wreckers at a short track with the rears jacked up and small booms in the back

I don't thinking cutting the springs is a good idea. We had a pretty low angle on the trailer and still scraped the front

Even as an El Camino owner, I think Rancheros of that era are just downright ugly. Something about that front is offensive. Especially the "stacked" vertical headlights. It's like they grafted a clip on from a much larger Continental and did nothing to fix the proportions.

So clearly my vote is to dump way too much money into making it fast as berk.

egnorant wrote:

Ovid_and_Flem wrote: Rumor has it that next year's $2,017 challenge is going to have a truck subclass. Hint hint

Just trucks or would it include stuff converted to a truck? Bruce

So you're saying my Aristocrat-class Buick wagon could have a second chance in the Truck-class with a little help from Mr. Sawzall?

Welp, looks like I might have a plan for this big beast. I am likely going to need a truck like vehicle in the nearish future. I did some looking on CL and decided that for the amount of cash to buy a decent truck ($2-3K) I can make the Ranchero that I already have pretty solid. It may be a bit before much happens on this but if anyone has any info on fixing up suspension or the 400 modified fire it at me.

That thing is begging for some Magnum 500's and GT stripes. 70's street machines are back in style! Embrace it!

In reply to singleslammer:

Keep it under $2017 until next October.

maschinenbau wrote: Even as an El Camino owner, I think Rancheros of that era are just downright ugly. Something about that front is offensive. Especially the "stacked" vertical headlights. It's like they grafted a clip on from a much larger Continental and did nothing to fix the proportions.

Hey, El Caminos of that era were also pretty heinously styled with their stacked headlights. And it's not like they put a clip on it from a large car, they did put a clip on it from the Ford large car, the LTD.

I'll contribute a 351 Cleveland if it is worth anything towards getting it going.

In reply to Woody:

The 72 looks so much better than mine IMO. Too bad that parts to make that happen are NLA or crazy expensive.

In reply to oldopelguy:

That sounds very enticing. I would love to know details and your thoughts on getting that to Missouri.

Is the nose composite/plastic or steel?

I wonder how difficult it would be to graft a 79 Monte Carlo front end on it. LOL

Very cool! Definitely a 76-77, not a 71, though. I have had several of these and loved them all.

I love this body style, quit whining and make it go fast!

It is going to be a couple months until I can start working on this as I have to move into my new house which has an ETA of Jan 15. I checked my VIN, it has a 400M according to that.

singleslammer wrote: It is going to be a couple months until I can start working on this as I have to move into my new house which has an ETA of Jan 15. I checked my VIN, it has a 400M according to that.

400M used to be an unloved stepchild, but thanks to Engine Masters Challenge, it's developed a reputation as a good foundation for an engine build. Edelbrock makes top end kits with good Cleveland heads and intakes that will take a good 50lbs of the nose and make way more power without having to deal with crank-prone iron Cleveland heads and their massive open chambers and weak exhaust ports.

But, if you don't want to delve into the Cleveland, the 400M does have the same bellhousing pattern as the 460, so there is that option. Grab a 460, sell the 400M to someone who knows what it is and make big block power (Although that will add a good bit of weight)

351w/302 if you want cheaper performance. 460 of if you want too spend a bit. The 400m isnt really a good performance base but they do make some parts for it because of the number of f series trucks it went in.

dropstep wrote: The 400m isnt really a good performance base but they do make some parts for it because of the number of f series trucks it went in.

I don't think this is really true anymore. There are lots of parts available now.