The dawn of the Big Three (Chrysler, GM and Ford) compact cars began in 1960, but only Ford offered a compact car/truck model that was a continuation of the full-sized Ranchero nameplate for the Blue Oval team.
Dave Cosburn is the proud owner of a 1962 Ford Ranchero that shares a direct link with the second-generation Ford car/truck models.
However, Dave’s stylish Ranchero has undergone some serious improvements since it left a southeastern US dealership 62 years ago.
Jim Sutherland
The car was originally white and housed a humble six-cylinder engine coupled to a modest three-on-the-tree manual transmission according to Dave. However, the ’62 Ranchero has undergone some serious changes since its early days.
Dave was always a fan of the first-gen Ford Falcon models and became one because his father owned a 1960 Falcon–and he was influenced by his dad’s choices. Dave added that his interest in early Falcons began when he was two and attempted to drive his dad’s car. “It was the first car I smashed”, in Dave’s words, and the incident strengthened the notion he was interested in the Ford compacts at a very early age.
A solid argument could be put forth that a 1962 Ford Ranchero is the coolest version of a first-gen Falcon, a notion likely supported by Dave, given the fact he drove his then-newly purchased car from Kentucky to Ontario Canada 18 years ago.
As mentioned earlier, the ’62 Ranchero was no longer a factory version of itself when Dave bought it and drove it home. The little six-banger under its hood had been replaced by a 302 small block engine coupled to Ford’s C-5 automatic overdrive transmission. It also had an aftermarket front end system that included disc brakes to enhance the Ranchero’s stopping ability.
Other improvements included an aftermarket electric fan to make the 302 small block run cooler under fire, along with 4-barrel carb and header additions that make it run hotter in terms of performance. Dave mentioned the car does not have a heating system, given that it was a Florida car, but there is no chance that he will drive the car during the frigid winters in his now-western Canadian home, so that is not a problem for him.
Speaking of a different kind of cool, the two-tone paint scheme really enhanced the Ranchero’s appearance, particularly when its aftermarket mag wheels are thrown into the equation.
Dave told MyStarCollectorCar he attended over 30 car shows in 2023, mainly because he still loves to get behind the wheel of his ’62 Ranchero and hit the open road in it–even after 18 years of ownership.
It is clear Dave has formed a permanent bond with the car of his dreams and it is highly unlikely he will ever sell the car of his dreams.
After all, how many car guys can say they had an opportunity to own a dream car that was a cooler version of their crash car?
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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