[updated:LAST EDITED ON 09-Jun-02 AT 08:51 AM (EST)]>Anyone looking for a Ranchero should definatly check out
>www.traderonline.com and do a search under collector cars
>for them, I just for giggles did and found over 75 of them
>for sale in various conditions over the country, with prices
>from $350.00 for a decent '75 Body, to almost 10 grand for a
>premo one!!!
>Go take a look!!!!

I spent last summer trying to find just the right one, and used traderonline heavily. I made a lot of calls and sent a lot of Email and found that the condition of most is grossly overstated. If you call any, be sure to have a form that steps you through the questions to ask. Also be sure that you decide ahead of time what you must have (for condition, model, year, engine, options, etc). The important questions should be asked first, so you can drop it quickly if it is not the right one for you. My mistake was chasing too many that were to far away to be practical or not what I really wanted. I should mention that I live in South Dakota - not many around here and most are rustbuckets.

I first made an offer on one sight unseen with a dealer in Chicago. Said it was mine and we started making arrangements for me to send a deposit. When I was about to send the payment, he informed me it was sold.

I took a 15 hour bus ride to Denver with my son to go get the 'perfect one', a rust free 1974 with a 460 and hardly any problems at all. When we got there, it would not run right, was very rusty, and had many broken, missing, or incorrect parts. Darn near bought it so as not to waste the trip. I called about another around there, but did not go to see it and found out later it was really nice. Ended up renting a car to return.

Then we drove (rental car) six hours to look at two in Kansas City. A tip: if you have to drive any distance to look at one, look at several. This time, both were turkies though!

Third time was a charm (sort of). This one had been listed two+ months earlier on Ebay but got no bidders since the persons Emails bounced. I spent two months trying to track them down based on first name and city (near Milwaukee). Finally I asked myself what I would do in their place. So, I checked the local newspaper - and they had just placed an ad. This time, I took a friend to drive my car back. I ended up with a 1972/1973 Ranchero GT. It is a 1973 with 1972 front clip, and a 1972 351CJ. Body is nearly rust free, but there are plenty of mechanical issues to keep me entertained.

So - be sure to figure out what you want, and ask the questions to lead you to it. I always made sure to ask, as the last question, what else is wrong with it? Then after you hang up, put a price on fixing each thing and add that total to the price. You will quickly see that the expensive ones may be well worth it if they truly are trouble free.

One that I passed on was very cheap - about $1500. But, to restore it to just a usable condition, it would have cost me at least another $3500. Be sure to add at least $500 for misc. hidden problems, as I discovered at least that much after buying mine.

Lastly, ask for pictures - but I found that unless they are high quality and in good light, you can't trust pictures. Good luck!