Custom 1964 Ford Falcon Ranchero Hides V8 Monstrosity, Eats Cybertrucks for Breakfast

Ford would usually go about building its utility vehicles differently. Their first ever pickup trucks were made from basically roadster body styles, while later models would evolve into considerably larger, heavy-duty trucks over time. Not the Ranchero though, as this would become the first post-war U.S. vehicle to morph from a family car into a pickup.

The first-generation model was unveiled in 1957, riding on identical underpinnings to what you’d find beneath a short-wheelbase Custom sedan or the 2-door Ranch Wagon. Ford wanted to sell these cars to farmers (mostly), people who were otherwise dependent on vehicles with truck beds. Safe to say, everyone loved the Ranchero the second they saw it – both the public as well as the media.

It tapped into a virgin market niche for vehicles with the utility of a light pickup, but the driving characteristics of a regular passenger sedan or station wagon.

Things would change dramatically during the 1960s, when Ford shrunk the Ranchero, basing it on the compact Falcon model – you can thank the likes of the VW Beetle for “inspiring” America’s Big 3 automakers to make smaller cars. Anyway, with the 2nd generation car, the Falcon Ranchero was born, and the one we’re showing you here is about as wicked as they get.

It’s a heavily customized Pro Street vehicle, which means its natural habitat is the drag strip. In charge of performance is a 302ci V8 engine, fitted with a forged crankshaft, aluminum cylinder heads, a Holley 750-cfm HP carburetor, Edelbrock intake manifold, MSD electronic ignition and tubular exhaust headers.

Unfortunately, we can’t tell you how much power it’s putting down, nor do we know how quick it is over a quarter mile, but by the looks of it, it can definitely hold its own.

The visuals are pretty impressive too. Like the maroon exterior with gold pinstriping, or the matte black hood stripe and air scoop. We should also mention the rear drag wing, dual mirrors, chrome bumpers, rectangle side exhaust finishers (Flowmaster mufflers), and the custom wheels – the rear wheels are wearing 295/55 Mickey Thompson ET Street S/S drag radials.

As for the interior, you’ll find a pair of racing seats with five-point harnesses, a roll cage, a driver’s window net, B&M shifter, three-spoke steering wheel, custom gauges, a chrome fire extinguisher, Falcon-branded floor mats, and toggle switches for the fuel pump, overdrive, plus a few other things.

The best part is that if you’ve got some cash laying around, this car is up for grabs. With just a few hours left in the proceedings, the highest bid has now surpassed $20,000. Not bad for what is without a doubt a seriously intense straight-line brawler, and a genuine American classic.