Description

For a lot of guys, trucks are a fun, inexpensive, and surprisingly practical way to get their muscle car fix. With a big block V8, rear-wheel-drive, and a sinister black paint job, this 1971 Ford F100 Ranger XLT certainly has the personality of the Mustang's muscle-bound cousin.

I like these trucks. They have an honest, hard-working look, and if you grew up in the '70s and '80s, they were everywhere. However, times have changed and just finding one is a tough challenge, let alone locating one this straight and equipped with factory A/C. The muscle car angle is apt, given that someone has chosen to fit this pickup with a hood scoop, and it actually looks right at home on the long hood. The black paint certainly helps, and it is extremely nice, particularly for a pickup. Obviously someone spent the time and effort to get it there - it doesn't just happen by itself - but the base stock had to be pretty good for it to turn out this nice. The black paint on this truck is simply amazing, it has been buffed out to an extremely high standard and it's like looking at a mirror. The Ranger XLT was the top-of-the-line, so it got all kinds of bright trim, including the stainless trim running down the sides and a flashy set of chrome bumpers, which are brand new. The woodgrained insert on the tailgate is a definite throwback to the era that'll bring a smile to your face, and the bed itself is protected by a thick rubber mat and a set of shiny bed rails on top. This truck sure ain't subtle.

Upscale is not a word often associated with pickup trucks of this vintage, but the new black interior of this F-100 looks comfortable enough for a cross-country drive. A correct seat cover has a comfortable woven fabric and the Grant woodgrained wheel adds a touch of warmth to the otherwise monochromatic interior. The original instruments are housed in an interesting wrap-around gauge panel, with a single auxiliary dial tucked down low for the driver's eyes only. As I mentioned, this truck was fitted with A/C under the dash, which is a very nice benefit to living down south all its life, and there's an AM/FM/cassette stereo to entertain you as you drive. A few woodgrained appliques look far nicer than their age would suggest, and thanks to heavy-duty rubber floor mats, the carpets remain in good shape.

For all-out torque, it's hard to beat Ford's thundering 429 cubic inch V8. It's an easy fit in the F-100's engine bay, which could take the biggest engines in Ford's arsenal, and thanks to a 4-barrel carburetor and dual exhaust, it runs like you would expect. Start it up and it idles with a muscle-car-like burble from the twin tailpipes, while out on the road it has the most fantastic soundtrack this side of a Mach 1. A few chrome dress-up items and that trick open-element air cleaner are not-so-subtle reminders that this isn't your average hauler, and there's plenty of evidence that maintenance was a priority. The A/C has been upgraded to R-134a refrigerant, there's a new power brake booster, and the Ford Blue paint on the block looks bright. Underneath there are other obvious signs of clean southern living, plus a C6 3-speed automatic transmission, plus those handsome 15-inch alloy wheels with fat 255/70/15 BFG radials.

We seem to have a knack for finding nice pickups, and when they're packed with power and luxury in equal measure, they never last long, so call today!