57 Ford - Ranchero
The following from www.howstuffworks.com:
The 1957-1958 Ford Ranchero and Courier were pioneering sedan-pickup designs that sent the other major automakers scrambling to catch up.
Ford Rancheros are among the most collectible artifacts of the 1950s, right up there with 45-rpm records, pink and turquoise furniture, and Philco Predicta TV sets. Unlike some of those, its influence was far reaching.
In essence, the Ford Ranchero was a two-door Ranch Wagon with the rear roof section cut off and a bed liner slipped over the floor pan. Though reminiscent of the old Hudson sedan-pickup and 1937-1939 Studebaker Coupe-Express.
Marketed by Ford Truck Division, built on the shorter 116-inch wheelbase, they shared Ford's spiffy new 1957 styling. Semi-elliptic rear springs with six leaves (instead of four) and other suspension improvements provided a variable-rate effect and stiffer action.
Engines were regular 1956 fare: a standard 223-cid six and optional V-8s (272-cid in the base Ranchero, 292-cid in the Custom). The 1957 Ford Ranchero followed the main 1957 line by two months, introduced at the New York Auto Show in December, and made its musical movie debut in April Love, with Pat Boone.
57 Ford - Ranchero
The following from www.howstuffworks.com:
The 1957-1958 Ford Ranchero and Courier were pioneering sedan-pickup designs that sent the other major automakers scrambling to catch up.
Ford Rancheros are among the most collectible artifacts of the 1950s, right up there with 45-rpm records, pink and turquoise furniture, and Philco Predicta TV sets. Unlike some of those, its influence was far reaching.
In essence, the Ford Ranchero was a two-door Ranch Wagon with the rear roof section cut off and a bed liner slipped over the floor pan. Though reminiscent of the old Hudson sedan-pickup and 1937-1939 Studebaker Coupe-Express.
Marketed by Ford Truck Division, built on the shorter 116-inch wheelbase, they shared Ford's spiffy new 1957 styling. Semi-elliptic rear springs with six leaves (instead of four) and other suspension improvements provided a variable-rate effect and stiffer action.
Engines were regular 1956 fare: a standard 223-cid six and optional V-8s (272-cid in the base Ranchero, 292-cid in the Custom). The 1957 Ford Ranchero followed the main 1957 line by two months, introduced at the New York Auto Show in December, and made its musical movie debut in April Love, with Pat Boone.