The last couple weeks I've been seeing a 196? Ranchero sitting in a parking lot that raises my curiosity. It has the front sheetmetal like a '68 or '69 Falcon (that body style, anyway...). Maybe I'm mistaken, but I thought the Ranchero used the Falcon doghouse through '65, then went to the Fairlane/Torino front end from '66 on.
Can anyone straighten me out??...lol

 

Yup, the Falcon was used until 67 Then the Torino.

 

I bet it is a 1966. In 1966 the Ranchero's used a Falcon front end on a Fairlane platform (back half). For 1967 it switched completely over and used the Fairlane sheet metal on the front also.

Laters,
Jeff

 

Waddaya know...just goes to show that no matter how old ya get there's always something to learn! LOL I can't imagine that there are very many of these Rancheros around these days. This one looks to have been recently re-done. Not a show truck by any means, but looks pretty good. Thanks for the replies!

 

Forgot to add that any easy way to tell if you are not familar with the way a Fairlane based wagon or Ranchero looks is that a '66 will have the Falcon front end but the tail lights will be vertical not round.

 

The correct 66 ranchero tail lights are the vertical patern with black stripes on polished aluminum bodies but have round brake light lenses in the center with clear reverse lights below them. I have also seen a few without the reverse lights (got one on ebay by accident).