Launched 1976 Ford F-100 retains the ability to "fly"
A classic car lover who has dedicated his life to finding and resurrecting old relics in disrepair won an auction for a 1976 Ford F-100 Ranger XLT that hadn't been on the road for 18 years.
Comparing the capabilities of new and old cars is an empty exercise, the new will always have an advantage. New car models have better performance, ride comfort, have phenomenal power and require little maintenance.
As long as people feel the need to relive the great events of the past, nostalgia will get the better of us, and it's hard to fight it. That's probably why there are entire platforms dedicated to the classic F-100 trucks. Introduced over four decades ago, the 1976 Ford F-100 Ranger XLT continues to appeal to most classic car enthusiasts with its handsome yet rugged looks.
Ford designed this vintage tractor to look good and thrive in the fields as a workhorse. Therefore, it is not surprising that after 47 years, someone will find value in this truck, regardless of its condition.
Ford's new line of trucks may be of interest to connoisseurs, but die-hard truck fans know that older models run the show. Back in the last century, the F-Series took the auto market by storm in the late 40s, and since the early 80s, this lineup has been Ford's best-selling car.
Model 76 - a truck with an automatic 3-speed transmission, received rounded headlights, a chrome bumper with protective pads, a radiator grille with a protective visor in front, which descended from the side to the rear. "XLT" lettering in the center of the grille and "F-100" decal on the front fender below the chrome strip. Installed air conditioning, brake booster and steering.
The interior, as well as the exterior, needs a little restoration, although the dashboard is not cracked, the seats are in pretty decent condition thanks to the covers, but the steering wheel is dented.
Under the hood of the 1976 Ford F-100 Ranger XLT is the original 5.9-liter 360-liter V8 engine. In 1968, Ford introduced the latest FE (Ford Edsel) engine, 360.8 cubic inches and rated at 143 hp. s, which worked until 1976. The 360 V8 engine was 4.05" bore with 3.05" stroke.
Although the find is not at all as attractive as the year it rolled off the assembly line, because the car spent most of its life in the snow belt, but with proper care, the Ford F-100 Ranger XLT 76 has great potential.
The 1976 Ford F-100 Ranger XLT was perfectly designed to look cool, but the active life and then rotting in the snow for almost two decades took its toll on the truck and naturally it didn't work.
After spending some time under the hood, the new owner of a rare car discovered a couple of problems. The truck's steering column was faulty, the carburetor was badly rusted, the idle was relatively high when the unit finally cranked, something strange hissed in the engine bay, and the automatic transmission needed tweaking - the shift lever was faulty.
Inveterate lovers of old-timers most of their finds, not only restore, launch, but also find the right owners for them. This rare copy sells for $650. Gently restored versions of the 1976 Ford F-100 Ranger XLT cost between $20,000 and $35,000.
Meanwhile, it became known that the Russian car market was replenished with new Toyota Hilux pickups.