This is a Ford Ranchero GT 351 from 1971, it was one of the high-points of Ranchero production, before increasingly stringent emissions and safety legislation sapped the power and fun out of the platform.
Rancheros and El Caminos have been enjoying a surge in popularity in recent years, with new generations of buyers flocking to them as alternatives to more traditional pony and muscle cars. They have the added bonus of being able to haul gear, parts, cargo, and motorcycles too.
Fast Facts: The Ford Ranchero GT
- The 1970 to 1971 Ford Ranchero GT 351 marked one of the high points of the model’s evolution before tightening US emissions and safety regulations began to cut into performance. Combining muscle-car looks with pickup practicality, it was a sign of Ford’s willingness to experiment with hybrid body concepts that could both haul cargo and perform on the street.
- The Ranchero line began in 1957 as the first mass-produced car-based pickup offered by an American manufacturer, beating Chevrolet’s El Camino to market by two years. Built initially on a full-size Ford platform, it offered sedan comfort and V8 power with light-duty cargo capacity, appealing to buyers who wanted both utility and refinement in a single package.
- By the late 1960s the Ranchero had grown more powerful and visually aggressive, sharing its platform with the Torino. The 1968 Ranchero GT introduced genuine performance credentials, with optional 390 and 428 Cobra Jet engines, hood scoops, and sports trim. The 1970 to 1971 models, with coke-bottle styling and the potent 351 Cleveland V8, are often viewed as one of the pinnacles of the GT series.
- The example shown in this article was delivered new to Holt Ford in Georgia and later restored with new paint, rechromed bumpers, and fresh bodywork. It keeps its 351 Cleveland V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, and is now fitted with an MSD ignition and a Flowmaster exhaust, complemented by factory GT equipment including hideaway headlights and Magnum 500 wheels.
History Speedrun: The Ford Ranchero
When Ford launched the Ranchero in 1957, it created an entirely new vehicle niche for the North American market – the car-based utility pickup. The concept was simple, it was a full-size station wagon platform that has been redesigned with a pickup truck-style bed, offering the comfort and handling of a passenger car with light-duty cargo hauling ability. Australia had built vehicles like this, named “utes,” since the 1930s, but Ford was the first to bring the idea to American showrooms with a mass-produced vehicle, beating Chevrolet’s El Camino by two years.
Arguably, the 1970 and 1971 Ranchero GTs represented the model at its visual and mechanical peak. This series was built on the Torino’s newly restyled body with its “coke-bottle” sides and optional hidden headlights, the GT could be ordered with a range of small-block and big-block V8s – from the 302 up to the 429 Cobra Jet. Image courtesy of Ford.
The first-generation Ranchero used the full-size Ford sedan chassis, with a 312 cubic inch Thunderbird V8, and it quickly found favor with farmers, small business owners, and suburban buyers who wanted practicality without giving up comfort.
By 1960 the market had shifted, and Ford moved the Ranchero to the slightly smaller Falcon platform, turning it into a more compact and economical utility vehicle, mirroring the models on offer in Australia. Through the mid-1960s, the Ranchero became increasingly carlike, and before long performance-oriented versions began to appear in showrooms.
By 1966 Ford had repositioned the Ranchero again, this time on the Fairlane mid-size platform. This move brought back V8 power as an option which helped to broaden the appeal, reaching buyers who wanted the looks of a GT coupe with the usefulness of a pickup bed in the back. When the Fairlane evolved into the Torino in 1968, the Ranchero followed – and that’s where the GT badge made its debut appearance.
The Ford Ranchero GT
The Ranchero GT, introduced for 1968, was Ford’s answer to a question few had thought to ask – could a pickup have genuine performance credentials like the Mustang and the Cougar? Styled to match the Torino GT, it had the same grille, hood scoops, and trim, along with optional engines that included the 390 cubic inch FE-series V8 and, later, the formidable 428 Cobra Jet which became available for the Ranchero in mid-1968 and 1969.
In the muscle-car years, Ford marketed the Ranchero GT squarely at performance enthusiasts who also wanted to haul a motorbike, tools, or cargo, while still being a contender at the local drag strip.
The Ranchero GT, introduced for 1968, was Ford’s answer to a question few had thought to ask – could a pickup have genuine performance credentials like the Mustang and the Cougar? Image courtesy of Ford.
Arguably, the 1970 and 1971 Ranchero GTs represented the model at its visual and mechanical peak. This series was built on the Torino’s newly restyled body with its “coke-bottle” side styling and optional hidden headlights, the GT could be ordered with a range of small-block and big-block V8s – from the 302 up to the 429 Cobra Jet.
The “GT 351” sub-designation wasn’t an official standalone model but a shorthand used by dealers and enthusiasts for the 351-powered Ranchero GT, particularly those fitted with the 351 4V Cleveland V8, which delivered up to 300 bhp.
Typical GT equipment included color-keyed racing mirrors, optional laser side stripes, and available bucket seats, with Magnum 500 wheels offered as well. The suspension and driveline largely mirrored the Torino GT, and both a 3-speed automatic and a 4-speed manual transmission were available.
Production numbers for the 1971 GT 351 were modest compared to Ford’s mainstream models, which adds to its desirability today, but also gives a hint as to why the model didn’t remain in production beyond the end of the 1970s.
Ford continued to evolve the Ranchero through the 1970s, keeping it in step with the Torino and later the LTD II. For 1972, Ford offered three trims – the 500, GT, and Squire – with the GT remaining available alongside the more luxury-oriented Squire featuring woodgrain panels and plush interiors. Engines grew larger but were detuned as emissions standards and fuel crises reshaped the industry.
By the late 1970s, buyers could still order big 400 cubic inch V8s, but outright speed and power was no longer the selling point.
When Ford launched the Ranchero in 1957, it created an entirely new vehicle niche for the North American market – the car-based utility pickup. Image courtesy of Ford.
The final Ranchero rolled off the line in 1979, ending a 22 year run and seven distinct generations. Today the Ranchero GT is a standout among collectors – part muscle car, part workhorse, it represents a time when Ford wasn’t afraid to blur the boundaries of what a pickup could be – and did it with a hefty dose of 1970s style.
The Ford Ranchero GT 351 Shown Here
This 1971 Ford Ranchero GT was originally delivered to Holt Ford in Blairsville, Georgia, and has since undergone a series of cosmetic and mechanical updates. It’s powered by a 351 cubic inch Cleveland V8 paired with Ford’s 3-speed Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission, sending power to the rear wheels.
The exterior was refinished in black during work completed in 2010, which also included replacing the left-hand door, repairing rust on the right rear quarter panel, rechroming the bumpers, and replacing the bed molding. It keeps its factory GT elements, including the black vinyl roof, color-keyed mirrors, and hideaway headlights.
It rides on a set of 15 inch Magnum 500-style wheels with Shelby-branded center caps, these are fitted with BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires on all four corners. The car was originally factory-optioned with heavy-duty suspension, power steering, and front power-assisted disc brakes. Underneath, it remains in stock configuration apart from an upgraded exhaust system.
The interior is trimmed in black vinyl with a matching bench seat and color-coordinated panels, an aftermarket center console with dual cup holders has been added, along with a Kenwood stereo system. Air conditioning and shoulder belts are fitted, and instrumentation includes a 120 mph horizontal speedometer, and a five-digit odometer reading 29,000 miles – though true mileage is unknown.
This 1971 Ford Ranchero GT was originally delivered to Holt Ford in Blairsville, Georgia, and has since undergone a series of cosmetic and mechanical updates. It’s powered by a 351 cubic inch Cleveland V8 paired with Ford’s 3-speed Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission, sending power to the rear wheels.
Under the hood, the 351 Cleveland V8 keeps its four-barrel carburetor setup and now has an MSD ignition system and a Flowmaster exhaust. The engine bay is cleanly presented, and the selling dealer reports that fluids were recently changed in preparation for sale.
It’s now being offered for sale out of Statesville, North Carolina with a clean Texas title and a Deluxe Marti Report. If you’d like to read more about it or place a bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
