I've been without my F100 for about a year. I have a 1969 Ranchero for sale in my area. What are problem areas I might need to look for?

 

Rusty floors and subframes are the biggest headaches, along with the area under the shock access panel in the bed. They're a real challenge to find resto parts for too. The 68-69 are amongst identical & some 67 & 70-71 parts are interchangeable ..... But not many.

 

i agree, rust and parts. some are easy to find, some are gawdawful expensive and some parts have zero availability. that said, i love my catdog!
i have people talk to me about it often, great conversation starter, and the younger generation loves them lol. i get compliments on my "el camino" all the time, or my favorite,"what kinda ford is that?"

 

Thanks guys. Here is a link to the CL listing: 1969 Ford Ranchero

I've found this out several times in my life, you don't know how much you need a truck until you don't have one. How do these hold up as haulers? I know its not an F150, but just general homeowner type stuff.

 

OK for light stuff. Put 1000 lbs in the back and watch out! Will tow pretty good up to maybe 3500 lbs, depending on hitch, and make sure you have trailer brakes over 1000 lbs. I do not have the owner's manual in front of me, just going off our '67 El Camino experience and others I knew who had Rancheros.

 

All Ranchero's can be rust buckets, and some of the rust is hidden from view.

Ranchero's are basically station wagons with rear section of the roof behind the front seat cut off. 1960/71's are unit bodied, while 1957/59's & 1972/79's are body on frame construction.

Underneath the Ranchero's bed floor is the station wagon floor pan containing, among other things, the 2nd seat foot/seat wells and the spare tire well.

Ford used caulk between the Ranchero's bed floor and the front/rear/sides of the body. Caulk chips off, water seeps in, rust begins because there are no drain holes in the wagon's floor pan.