Brian Setzer, the rockabilly singer of Stray Cats fame, croons that Santa drives a hot rod. But I’d wager a Christmas cookie or two that Old Saint Nick’s daily driver just might be this bright red classic pickup - opens in new window or tab. with a V8 engine and a four-speed stick.
The scrumptious red 1963 Ford Ranchero listed on eBay left the factory with a 260 cubic inch V8 engine and four-speed manual transmission. The original 260 was swapped for a 289 cubic inch V8 of the same era. The 289 is equipped with an Edelbrock Performer Z289 aluminum intake manifold topped by a Holly 600 CFM carburetor.
The Ranchero was originally finished in Corinthian white with light beige crush vinyl upholstery. The truck’s exterior was sprayed in bright red and the interior was covered like a candy cane, in minty fresh red and white vinyl. The seller states, “The paint is pretty good not perfect…a couple small chips here and there.” The stock instrumentation is augmented by a steering wheel mounted Sun Super Tach II. The steering wheel has age cracks.
The body panels, bumpers, grill, emblems, glass, and chrome appear to be in nice shape. The cab-wide rear window has been tastefully tinted. The ornament-like retro red steelies are complimented by chrome center caps and wrapped with thoroughly modern P205/70R15 Cooper Lifeliner Classic II Steel Belted Radials.
The Ranchero’s six-foot long, four and a half foot wide cargo bed provides plenty of room for Santa to haul those goodies, as long as they’re not too heavy. The low tailgate allows easy loading, with a height of just 27 inches, but the 800-pound capacity limits the number of Yule logs you’ll be hauling. The bed shows years of use underneath the re-spray, but all those presents are neatly hidden by a snappy black vinyl tonneau.
The truck has benefited from many years of garage storage and the the odometer reads a scant 55,869 miles. According to the description, it’s one of just 135 V8 four-speeds produced for the 1963 model year.
Ford pioneered the station wagon based pickup with the Ranchero, two years before Chevrolet followed with the El Camino. Ford’s elves built half a million Rancheros between 1957 and 1979. The Ranchero used the full-size Fairlane platform for the first few years of production and switched to the compact body-frame elf-worthy Falcon platform for the 1960 through 1966 model years. Rumor has it that six-cylinder Rancheros of that vintage were capable of about 30 miles per gallon.
The Beach Boys released “Little Saint Nick” on December 9, 1963. The song about a “real famous cat all dressed up in red” that “spends all year workin' out on his sled” borrowed heavily from their legendary hit, “Little Deuce Coupe.”
Just a little bobsled we call the old Saint NickBut she'll walk a toboggan with a four-speed stickShe's candy apple red with a ski for a wheelAnd when Santa hits the gas man, just watch her peel
About the author
Share your feedback
This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.