Peter Bouts' 1967 Ford Fairlane Ranchero
Peter Bouts’ 1967 Ford Fairlane Ranchero
I’ve always been a ute person and I originally bought a ’64 Ranchero in Las Vegas when I was on holidays in 2008. It was born in the same year I was and it’s a great ute with a 289ci and column auto. I like column autos, they’re nice and simple and there’s nothing in the way on the floor. But it got hit in the door in a prang and it was going to take a while to find new doors and guards, so I decided to look for another Ranchero, as it was going to be quicker to buy another car and freight it out here.
I found my ’67 online in the US – it was an eBay tragedy – and I bought it sight unseen for US$4000 from a bloke called Juan Corona and, of course, it wasn’t as good as the photos made it out to be. It’s had a hard life. These cars are actually quite hard to buy because Ford only did a Fairlane version of the Ranchero in ’67, with the Fairlane nose and interior. They were foreman’s cars; workers got F100s and foremen drove Rancheros and El Caminos.
When it got here it wasn’t too bad apart from rusty doors and tailgate. I had the doors repaired by a guy at my shop (Pete’s Garage), who can hand-make anything in metal, but I had to buy a tailgate from Desert Valley Auto Parts in the US, which cost US$250 plus US$500 to get here and $1300 to panel beat and paint!
Apart from those repairs the body hasn’t been touched. I’ve changed all the suspension because it’s got a typical Falcon front end and all the bushes were gone. I put a set of four-piston Kelsey-Hayes discs on the front, Total Control front sway bar, King springs, Nolathane spring saddles, gas shocks, and did the ‘Shelby drop’ on the front end.
By lowering the [suspension] pivot point you lower the car by an inch; that makes them handle and it’s a lovely car to drive. I raised the rear and had the leaf springs reset harder. It has a C4 auto and an eight-inch diff and I changed the gearing to 3.5:1. I haven’t even changed the oil in the box.! And I put a set of Coys alloys and better tyres on it, which are the only real ‘modern’ touches.
This model did come out with a 390ci and even a GT version but mine has a 289ci V8 with a two-barrel Holley. I reckon it’s the second engine in the car. It’s pretty clean internally but I’m building a new 289 with an original 1965 Paxton supercharger which will have around 450hp at the flywheel. I think I’ll have to pay attention to the driveline when it goes in!
Photography: Peter Bout