1978 Ford F-100 Ranger

Description

You can sum up this 1978 Ford F-100 Ranger pickup I just a few words: fun, affordable, practical. The glossy black paint is recent, the interior is new, and the performance of a freshly sorted V8 with rear wheel drive and a manual gearbox is as fun here as it is in any muscle car.

The black finish on this handsome pickup is a mainstay of, well, any car ever built, so it looks right on the old pickup bodywork. It's obviously a very clean machine that wasn't some contractor's beater, although it's clearly capable of the work. Repainted a few years ago, finish quality is good and you'll never be ashamed to park this Ford in your driveway, although you should expect visits from curious onlookers if you choose to wash and wax it where they can see it. It's modern urethane, so it'll hold up better than the original enamel, and even the bed was refinished, so they added a spray-in bedliner to protect it. It appears that the bumpers are new, and the balance of the trim, including the Ranger's upscale fender trim, is in fantastic shape thanks to a lifetime in warm, sunny Georgia. You also get one of the nicest grilles we've ever seen on a truck like this, giving it an ultra-clean look from any angle.

The red interior includes a fresh seat cover in the original style. It's actually fairly luxurious for 1978 and captures the era perfectly with vertical pleats and faux burled walnut trim. The carpets, headliner, and dash pad are likewise in excellent shape, and the combination of black and red will never go out of style. A factory steering wheel adds an upscale attitude and yes, that's three-on-the-tree shifting for a bit of nostalgia. Ford's square instruments should look familiar to anyone who drove a Blue Oval product back in the '70s, and the stock radio remain in the dash and fully functional.

The 302 cubic inch V8 under the big hood is a smart performer in the relatively lightweight F-100. Still relatively stock, it has been conscientiously maintained and still runs with torquey smoothness that makes it a great pickup truck powerplant. There's a Holley 4-barrel carburetor, a matching aluminum intake manifold, and some fresh finned valve covers, all installed just recently so it runs beautifully. Turn the key and it barks to life easily and sounds suitably powerful through a fresh dual exhaust system. Ford Blue paint gives it an OEM look, and it hasn't been taken so far away from stock that reliability is affected. Thanks to a lifetime down south, it's impressively clean underneath with no signs of harsh environments or abuse, the transmission shifts easily, and its' a great runner out on the road thanks to highway-friendly gears out back. Disc brakes and power steering ensure a modicum of modern performance and big 235/75/15 tires on chrome Cragar wheels give it just the right look.

You can still have a lot of fun for not a lot of cash, and trucks are the way to do it. Documented with the original warranty card, owner's manual, and title documents, this is a fantastic starter collectable. Call today!