The 1976 Ford F-100 Ranger XLT might have come out more than four decades ago, but its handsome yet rugged looks still appeal to most classic car enthusiasts. Ford designed this vintage hauler to appeal aesthetically and thrive in the fields as a workhorse. Therefore, 47 years later, it's no surprise that someone would find value in this truck regardless of its condition.
Ford's new lineup of trucks might be fascinating to truck lovers, but die-hard truck enthusiasts know the earlier models run the show. The F-Series took the market by storm back in the late 1940s. And the lineup has been Ford's best-selling vehicle since the early 80s.
Here's the truth, folks. You can't compare the capabilities of the new and old vehicles. The new will always have the upper hand. New car models have better features, ride comfortably, have phenomenal power, and, perhaps best of all, are not a pain to maintain.
Still, it's hard to pick up a fight with nostalgia. The past has a way of getting the better part of us, probably due to the human need to relive great past experiences. This explains why there are entire platforms dedicated to classic F-100 trucks.
Thomas Mortske of the Mortske RepairYouTube channel has an undying love for classic cars. He's dedicated his life to finding these old relics in deplorable states and breathing life into them. On a recent episode, he won a bid in a local auction for a 1976 Ford F-100 Ranger XLT that had been off the road for 18 years.
The '76 Ford F-100 Ranger XLT is rugged and aesthetically pleasing
Photo: YouTube Screenshot/Mortske Repair
The 1976 Ford F-100 Ranger XLT is no doubt a looker. The '76 model got the rounded headlights, chrome bumper, and grille up front that ran down the side to the rear. It had the 'XLT' badging at the center of the grille and the 'F-100' decal on the front fender below the chrome strip.
This F-100 XLT was the complete package and came with bumper guards, a bug visor upfront, air conditioning, power brakes, and steering. It's a two-wheel drive truck with an automatic 3-speed transmission.
The interior, like the exterior, needs some TLC. Fortunately, the dash wasn't cracked, the seats were in fairly reasonable condition (thanks to a seat cover), and the steering wheel is mint.
Under the hood, Mortske's 1976 Ford F-100 Ranger XLT packed the original 5.9-liter 360 V8 engine. The 360.8 cubic-inch engine was introduced by Ford in 1968 as the latest FE (Ford Edsel) and ran all through to 1976. The Ford 360 FE engine was rated at 143 hp (145 ps).
The Ford 360 V8 and 390 V8 engines are closely related
Photo: YouTube Screenshot/Mortske Repair
The 360 V8 engine is closely related to the Ford 390 V8 powerplant. If anything, it came with the same block, heads, and components you'd find in the 390.
Compared to the 390, the 360 came with a 4.05-inch bore (just like the 390) but with a 3.05-inch stroke (the 390 had a 3.78-inch stroke). In some instances, it's hard to distinguish the two without measuring the stroke.
While Mortske's find isn't nearly as appealing as it was 46 years ago when it rolled out of the production plant, it's got a lot of potential with the right owner. Considering it spent most of its life in the snow belt, it needs a lot of TLC on the exterior.
The 1976 Ford F-100 Ranger XLT was ideally built to be a cool-looking farm hand, but Morstke suspects his new find might have had an active life on the drag strip. There are a few tell-tale signs, including a nitrous inlet on the air intake and a bunch of AMSoil branded parts.
This vintage beauty had a couple of issues
Photo: YouTube Screenshot/Mortske Repair
As you'd expect, with any car left to rot in a snowbank for nearly two decades, it did not run. And after spending some time under the bonnet, Mortske discovered a couple of issues.
The truck's steering column was faulty, the carburetor needed servicing (had considerable rust due to critters), the idling was relatively high when the unit finally cranked, something strange was sizzling in the engine bay, and the automatic transmission needed a tune-up (shift linkage was faulty).
We recommend watching the video below if you are into classic restoration. The information provided is gold for vintage truck lovers.
"The 360 does run pretty good, considering the carburetor. We never checked the spark plugs. It's magic coil over rubber, brass, whatever feral finger on the end," Mortske said before doing a couple of donuts in the snow.
Like most of his finds, Mortske is only looking to get this old stunner running. It's on sale for $650 (without a title). Neatly restored versions of the 1976 Ford F-100 Ranger XLT cost between $20,000 and $35,000 on auction platforms like Bring a Trailer.
Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life. Full profile
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