The 1957 Ford Ranchero brought the coupe utility to postwar America, a car-based pickup that Ford adapted from the short-wheelbase two-door Ranch Wagon by removing the rear roof section and fitting a cargo bed over the floor. It rode on the full-size Ford platform with a 116-inch wheelbase for 1957 and 1958, and shared the redesigned 1957 Ford body and front styling. Ford introduced the Ranchero in December 1956 for the 1957 model year, and it was the first US-built coupe utility of the postwar era, a layout that prompted Chevrolet to answer with the El Camino for 1959. The 1957 Ford Ranchero offered the 223-cubic-inch inline-six as the base engine and Y-block V8s in 272, 292, and 312 displacement; horsepower figures from this era are SAE gross, the higher rating standard before 1972. For 1958 Ford added the new FE-family big-block V8s, the 332 and the 352, alongside a facelift with quad headlamps. The 1959 Ford Ranchero received another restyle and moved to a 118-inch wheelbase, and it was the last year on the full-size platform before the nameplate moved to the compact Falcon for 1960. Production was 21,705 for 1957 and 9,950 for 1958, two trim levels were offered, the base Ranchero and the better-trimmed Custom Ranchero.
Other Ford Ranchero generations
The 1957-1959 Ford Ranchero at a glance
- Generation: first generation, the Full-Size Ranchero, the first postwar US coupe utility
- Platform: full-size Ford, based on the two-door Ranch Wagon body; 116-inch wheelbase for 1957-1958 and 118 inches for 1959
- Years: 1957 through 1959, introduced December 1956, replaced by the compact Falcon Ranchero for 1960
- Base engine: 223-cubic-inch inline-six
- V8s: Y-block 272, 292, and 312; FE-family 332 and 352 added for 1958 (horsepower rated SAE gross)
- Trim levels: base Ranchero and the better-equipped Custom Ranchero
- Rival: prompted the Chevrolet El Camino, which arrived for 1959
- Production: 21,705 for 1957 and 9,950 for 1958
Ford Ranchero 1957-1959 year by year
| Year | Ford Ranchero changes | Engines offered |
|---|---|---|
| 1957 | The Ford Ranchero debuts as the first postwar US coupe utility, built on the full-size two-door Ranch Wagon body with the new 1957 Ford styling on a 116-inch wheelbase; offered as base and Custom | 223 I6; 272 Y-block V8; 292 Y-block V8; 312 Y-block V8 (SAE gross) |
| 1958 | The Ford Ranchero gets the 1958 facelift with quad headlamps; the new FE-family 332 and 352 V8s join the lineup | 223 I6; 292 Y-block V8; 332 FE V8; 352 FE V8 (SAE gross) |
| 1959 | Final year of the full-size Ford Ranchero, with the restyled 1959 full-size Ford body on a 118-inch wheelbase; the nameplate moves to the compact Falcon for 1960 | 223 I6; 292 Y-block V8; 332 FE V8; 352 FE V8 (SAE gross) |
How the 1957 Ford Ranchero was created
The 1957 Ford Ranchero was adapted from the full-size Ford's short-wheelbase two-door Ranch Wagon. Ford took that wagon body, removed the roof and structure behind the front seat, and fitted an integrated cargo bed over the floor, producing a vehicle with a car cab and an open bed formed as part of the same body rather than a separate truck box on a frame. It rode on a 116-inch wheelbase and wore the redesigned 1957 full-size Ford front styling. This made the 1957 Ford Ranchero the first US-built coupe utility of the postwar period, a concept Ford introduced in December 1956 for the 1957 model year.
Engines of the 1957-1959 Ford Ranchero
The base engine of the 1957-1959 Ford Ranchero was the 223-cubic-inch inline-six. V8 buyers in 1957 chose among the Y-block 272, the 292, and the larger 312. For 1958 the 272 and 312 were dropped, leaving the 292 Y-block, and Ford added the new FE-family big-block V8s, the 332 and the 352, broadening the V8 range above the Y-blocks. All horsepower figures from this generation are SAE gross ratings, the measurement standard Ford and the rest of the US industry used before the 1972 switch to SAE net, so these numbers are higher than net figures for comparable later engines. Because the Ranchero shared the full-size Ford's mechanicals, its engine lineup tracked the passenger cars of 1957 through 1959.
The Custom Ranchero and trim
Ford offered the 1957-1959 Ford Ranchero in two grades, the base Ranchero and the better-trimmed Custom Ranchero, mirroring the trim split of the donor full-size Ford. Both were two-door, two-passenger coupe utilities with the integrated bed. The Ranchero competed against no direct rival at launch because no rival coupe utility was on sale in the US market at the time, a situation that changed when Chevrolet introduced the El Camino for the 1959 model year.
Why 1959 was the last full-size Ranchero
The 1959 Ford Ranchero was the final year on the full-size platform. For 1960 Ford moved the Ranchero onto its new compact Falcon, a much smaller and more economical car, which sharply reduced the Ranchero's size and shifted its engine lineup to small inline-sixes. The full-size 1957-1959 Rancheros are therefore the largest early Rancheros and the only ones built on the full-size Ford before the long Falcon, Fairlane, and Torino eras that followed.
Frequently asked questions
What generation is the 1957-1959 Ford Ranchero?
The 1957-1959 Ford Ranchero is the first generation, the Full-Size Ranchero. It was built on the full-size Ford's two-door Ranch Wagon body, on a 116-inch wheelbase for 1957-1958 and a 118-inch wheelbase for 1959, and was the first US-built coupe utility of the postwar era.
What engines did the 1957-1959 Ford Ranchero use?
The 1957-1959 Ford Ranchero used the 223-cubic-inch inline-six as the base engine, with Y-block V8s in 272, 292, and 312 displacement for 1957. For 1958 Ford dropped the 272 and 312 and added the FE-family 332 and 352 V8s. Horsepower from this era is rated SAE gross, the higher pre-1972 standard.
Was the Ford Ranchero the first coupe utility?
The 1957 Ford Ranchero was the first US-built coupe utility of the postwar era, a car-based pickup adapted from the full-size two-door Ranch Wagon. Its success prompted Chevrolet to answer with the El Camino for the 1959 model year.
What platform is the first-generation Ford Ranchero based on?
The first-generation 1957-1959 Ford Ranchero is based on the full-size Ford, specifically the two-door Ranch Wagon body, on a 116-inch wheelbase for 1957-1958 and a 118-inch wheelbase for 1959. For 1960 the Ranchero moved to the much smaller compact Falcon platform.
How many 1957 Ford Rancheros were built?
Ford built 21,705 Rancheros for the 1957 model year, the nameplate's first year, and 9,950 for 1958. The Ranchero stayed on the full-size platform through 1959 before moving to the compact Falcon for 1960.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Ford Ranchero (first generation)
- HowStuffWorks, 1957-1959 Ford Ranchero and 1957-1958 Ford Ranchero and Courier
- Hagerty Media, Seven generations of the Ford Ranchero
- Ford factory specification literature for the 1957-1959 full-size Ford
Asked all the time
What generation is the 1957-1959 Ford Ranchero?
The 1957-1959 Ford Ranchero is the first generation, the Full-Size Ranchero. It was built on the full-size Ford's two-door Ranch Wagon body, on a 116-inch wheelbase for 1957-1958 and a 118-inch wheelbase for 1959, and was the first US-built coupe utility of the postwar era.
What engines did the 1957-1959 Ford Ranchero use?
The 1957-1959 Ford Ranchero used the 223-cubic-inch inline-six as the base engine, with Y-block V8s in 272, 292, and 312 displacement for 1957. For 1958 Ford dropped the 272 and 312 and added the FE-family 332 and 352 V8s. Horsepower from this era is rated SAE gross, the higher pre-1972 standard.
Was the Ford Ranchero the first coupe utility?
The 1957 Ford Ranchero was the first US-built coupe utility of the postwar era, a car-based pickup adapted from the full-size two-door Ranch Wagon. Its success prompted Chevrolet to answer with the El Camino for the 1959 model year.
What platform is the first-generation Ford Ranchero based on?
The first-generation 1957-1959 Ford Ranchero is based on the full-size Ford, specifically the two-door Ranch Wagon body, on a 116-inch wheelbase for 1957-1958 and a 118-inch wheelbase for 1959. For 1960 the Ranchero moved to the much smaller compact Falcon platform.
How many 1957 Ford Rancheros were built?
Ford built 21,705 Rancheros for the 1957 model year, the nameplate's first year, and 9,950 for 1958. The Ranchero stayed on the full-size platform through 1959 before moving to the compact Falcon for 1960.
The wall · registered 1957–1959 Rancheros
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