1972 Ford Ranchero

The Ford Ranchero was introduced in 1957 and produced through several iterations through 1979, successfully combining utility and sportiness that eventually led to a competitor from General Motors in 1959, the Chevy El Camino. The 1972 Ford Rancher wore all-new styling, its sixth major update since its introduction. Its wheelbase was stretched by four inches over its predecessor, now measuring 118-inches and it had an overall length of 215.7-inches and stood 53.5 inches tall. The pointy motif of the previous year was replaced by a prominent, wide, semi-oval grille flanked on either side by dual round headlights.

The Ranchero was available in Ranchero 500, sporty Ranchero GT, and upscale Ranchero Squire guises. Virtually all Ford powertrains were available with the Ranchero, along with an array of factory options, allowing customers to specify their very own Ranchero, ranging from basic workhorses to muscle cars.

The 1972 Ford Rancher used a new body-on-frame design, had a lower stance, and came standard with a 250 cubic-inch six-cylinder engine paired with a four-speed manual transmission. Drum brakes provided the stopping power and the suspension used coil springs at the front and leaf springs at the rear. Optional V8s included a 302 CID V8, Cleveland and Windsor series 351s, and the new-for-1972 400 CID V8. A total of 223 examples received the 460 cubic-inch, big-block, V8 with four-barrel carburetion and the optional C6 SelectShift Cruise-O-Matic 3-speed automatic transmission.

Among the list of available factory options were power brakes and steering, power windows, tilt steering, GT instrumentation, an 8-Track player, an AM/FM radio, and air conditioning.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2022