Definitely different. I'm more of a fan of the first generations Cheros, however this one was nicely done.
I love Ranchero's too. This '58, with some help from Les Ritchey and a crate 390, ran 144 at El Mirage, and 149 at Bonneville in 1961. Both times AFTER towing the "race car" to the event!
Love those 58s. My Dad had one back in the early 70s, silver and white, with chrome reverse rims and a metal flake steering. It was clean.
When my wife and I were dating, and for a while after we got married, she had a 65 Mustang. Everyone told her those cars were worth a lot, she believed them, hers was't. It was my cross to bear for a long time; always having to work on it. So, I bought her a 63 Ranchero. Nice white paint, red naugahyde interior, 260 V-8 with a 2 speed auto, Appliance wheels and BF Goodrich tires, and lifted up. Looked good, ran good, sounded good, road like a buckboard, and she did't like it. After blowing the Mustang radiator up one weekend, I started swapping out everything I could from the Ranchero into the Mustang (it did have a new 289 I rebuilt and new auto trans); front suspension and brakes, rear end and brakes, exhaust, sold the interior to a guy with a Ranchero, sold the engine and trans to a Falcon/Comet business, and had a hulk hauler come get what was left. The undercarriage, and in particular, the rear shock mounts were hardware cloth covered in roofing tar (????). Heavily rusted out everywhere underneath. We eventually traded her Mustang in on a new 90 LX 5.0 Mustang with an automatic (darn it!), and I was done with my cross to bear. Now, if the Ranchero had been anywhere near this one, I'd probably still have it. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
I had a '60 Falcon Ranchero that I drove for two years back in, what? …'73-'75. I sorta inherited it from my inlaws. At first I was almost embarr***ed to drive it. After a while though, I was driving it every day and of the many, many cars I've owned and driven, it's still one of my all time favorites!!!! Something lovable about the Falcons!
love the falcon,being Falcon Club members,we bought a 1965 Futura for our Grand daughter, found it on HAMB,thanks for everything you do. Terry & Carol Han****.
I have a vague remembrance that the AMT Ranchero model kit was often the starting point for entries in model shows of the early 60s.
What an absolutely killer car! It looks like fun from every angle, and I bet it was a blast to drive! I love the 60-63 Ranchero, and lately have been hunting for a 60-63 two door falcon wagon (Im a single father with two kids, I need a less lame soccer mom daily driver). The early Falcon cars are actually pleasant to drive, and the looks cant be beat. Compared to modern compact cars they are gorgeous and spacious even
My cousin has a nephew about the same age as he, from a half brother, and back in 1990 he was hanging around us a lot as we restored a 1946 Aeronca Chief. He would always show up in his 1963 Falcon Ranchero with a 260 V8 that his dad had purchased new and p***ed it on to him. It was in very nice shape for being un-touched and used regularly. I told him that if he ever wanted to part with it I would be happy to buy it from him. One day he shows up in a brand new Mitsubishi Eclipse and I asked him what happened to the Ranchero, "traded it in on this" he says. Man was I pissed, the dealer gave him $500 for it and I imagine someone there took it home. 25+ years later I do have a '63 Falcon wagon with a factory 260, and I even use it like a pickup. (just hauled a complete, in pieces 81A Flatty to the shop this morning) Love the Falcons.
My take on the ponchero concept... With a touch of Plymouth too. I gotta get back on this thing sometime soon.
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