Ford Built The El Camino First, But Chevy Got All The Glory
A Pioneer
The Chevrolet El Camino practically hogs the limelight when it comes to car-based pickups in the U.S. However, that car wouldn't have happened if Ford had taken the first step with the Ranchero. Sure, the idea of a coupe-utility isn't new, but it was the Ranchero that modernized it, at least during its era.
Why, then, is the Ranchero still under the radar next to the rival that spawned it? It's hard to pinpoint an exact answer, but it's always a good time to talk about one of Ford's most underrated products.
In the Beginning
The Ranchero made its debut in December 1956 for the 1957 model year, and it actually pre-dated the El Camino by two years. The formula was simple: Take a full-sized Ford Courier, hack off the roof from the front doors rearwards, and give it a bed. Marketing material at the time called it "More Than A Car! More Than A Truck!"
It was a surprise hit for Ford, as it suddenly opened up a niche for pickup buyers who wanted a more comfortable vehicle but still offered good payload and towing capacities. The Ranchero proved successful enough for GM to take a look and develop a rebuttal. The full-sized Ranchero lasted for three model years, to be replaced in 1960 by a model that almost seemed unrelated to the original.
Shift to Compact
In a surprise move, the second-generation Ranchero would be much smaller than its predecessor. It shifted to the compact Falcon platform in 1960, making it two size classes smaller than before. The reasoning behind the shift was the economic recession of the late '50s, which prompted Ford to develop more frugal models for North America.
Now called the Falcon Ranchero, it was actually America that got this pickup body a year ahead of Australia. The seemingly risky move to a smaller body did pay off for Ford, as the second-generation Ranchero sold far more than the previous model. It was the right call at the right time, and it helped that the El Camino was on hiatus in the early '60s. The compact Rancheros were built between 1960 and 1965 before yet another platform shift.
Going Intermediate
Chevrolet brought back the El Camino in 1964, and it was now based on the intermediate (now called mid-size) Chevelle. It was now Ford's turn to play catch-up, and in response, the Ranchero moved to a larger platform for its third act. Using the underpinnings of the Fairlane, itself a stretched Falcon for '66 and '67, the Ranchero matched the Chevy in size but was nowhere near it in sales.
But in 1968, Ford introduced a new intermediate model, the Torino, and, inevitably, a new Ranchero was made. Later that same year, the pickup gained more muscle as Ford started offering the whopping 428 cubic-inch (7.0-liter) engine as an option. It was then restyled in 1970 and would perhaps become the most stylish iteration of the Ranchero with its pointed nose and more aggressive overall look.
With the Torino comprehensively redesigned for '73, the Ranchero followed suit, living the rest of its days sharing the same platform as the intermediate model. A 'new' generation was introduced in 1977, sharing the same look as the LTD II, itself a heavily updated Torino, and production ended in 1979. A total of 508,355 were made after 22 years of production.
Why is it Underrated?
Ever since Chevrolet brought back the El Camino in 1964, the Ranchero has never matched the sales of its arch-rival. Ford's intermediate model, the Torino, also couldn't catch the Chevelle, and the quality and corrosion issues that marred it didn't help matters. And while Ford axed the Ranchero line in 1979, the El Camino lived on for another eight years, lingering in the public's mind.
The El Camino had also cemented itself in pop culture, whereas the Ranchero hasn't really achieved that status just yet. That said, had Starsky and Hutch used a Ranchero instead of a Torino, things might be different today. Alas, they didn't, and Ford's coupe-utility remains in the shadow of the Chevy.
Worth Collecting
Still, there are highly desirable versions of the Ranchero. Of course, the first-generation has to be there, as well as the Fairlane Ranchero with its distinct stacked headlights. Then there are the GT models that went toe-to-toe with the El Camino SS, and there are bonus points for those who ordered it with the 7.0-liter Cobra Jet engine.
With a legacy like that, Ford still cares enough about the name to renew its hold on the trademark. Last year, it filed a trademark application for the name, and while it could simply be keeping the name for itself, it could be used for the rumored electric pickup coming soon. Then again, we'd like the idea of a Mustang with the back hacked off as a modern interpretation, too.
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This story was originally published May 30, 2026 at 9:30 AM.