Why did the Ford Durango fail so badly?

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Apparently I don’t know what “infamous” means. I think the fox platform is amazing folks, that’s my bad!

[@DarthEcoli]

Fox body platform was a game change in 79 and that's why it lasted til 93 and even extended with the SN95 platform til like 05 I think? So, yes. You are quite correct in it being amazing. :)

[@samd7601]

I had a 1971 Ford Torino Ranchero, so awesome

[@RipRoaringGarage]

They are so cool. Still have my 74. Needs so much work, but dont have the heart to junk it

[@samd7601]

@@RipRoaringGarage hold on as long as you can, I thought when I sold mine, I'd buy another later in life. Yeah...

[@donphillips5957]

That generation was absolutely the best looking in my book.

[@darrendavis4731]

79 GT

[@aussieausdeutschland4245]

I like how you called it a Ute instead of a "Truck", what really does surprise me is that Ford didn't use the 250 crossflow from Ford's Australian division, it was a direct bolt in to replace the ageing Thriftmaster from the original 1960 Falcon, it had 155hp and a mountain of torque as well it worked well with the pollution gear which was thrown on them at the time.

[@ItsDaJax]

There was a 200/3.3 inline six option for the fox chassis from about 78-81. It had a proper crossflow head, unlike the 300.

[@sandgroper4044]

Ford Australia was first to make a ute in 1934

[@Bonjour-World]

"Ute" is an Australian term and there were several lines of Australian built utes. This is the first I have heard the term applied to an American built vehicle. Back in the 1950's (when cars still had frames) it not unheard of for someone to cut the back half of a car body off and replace it with a truck box. Also a mention of the VW “Micro Bus” Truck would not have been out of place.

[@chuckselvage3157]

Utes were first made in Australia

[@louyork8379]

My adult daughter’s neighbor has one of these. It was given a modern 5.0 back in the early 2000s. It’s a very cool old car that I’d love to have. Old feller won’t sell it but you can bet I’ll be at the auction when he passes away lol. Really cool topic btw, great video as always ❤

[@markschall1657]

I am a Ford guy, and have never heard of a Ford Durango until this morning when I saw something about it while getting ready for work. Great video!! Thank you!

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Much appreciated man!

[@DominatorGarage]

The ranchero from 66-76 was tied to the fairlane/Torinos…

[@Rocketsong]

Which is why the 65 is Peak Ranchero. All the small parts are Falcon/Mustang parts. And it's got the cool 65 Falcon side sculpting.

[@DominatorGarage]

@@Rocketsong not really. Shitty truck at that point. It’s functionality was better from 66-76

[@Stinger430]

Dude! I never knew there was a Ford Durango!!! Mind blown. Excellent video Hawk.

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Neither did I😂 Thank as always man😎

[@VB-bk1lh]

I saw something similar but it used the wagon rear end and Futura front. My guess is they took a Fairmont Futura and grafted on the rear quarter panel sections and gate from a wagon. The bed was made up of what looked like cut down Ranchero floor and front bed wall from an earlier model. The tail gate had Fairmont wagon outer metal and the inner panel was made somehow from an earlier Ranchero, my guess would be maybe a first or second gen model. Under the hood was an '86 Mustang GT 302 4bbl HO motor with a Borg Warner T5 trans. For wheels it was on a set of Fairmont/T bird alloys and painted in a two tone burgundy/champagne combo with red on the sides and champagne bronze color on the top surfaces. It was a sharp car but likely a one-of build that took someone a butt load of time to build.

[@danwolfe7665]

Looks exactly like my first car, a Mercury Zephyr, with a truck bed instead of back seats!

[@colorwashcarsandguitars]

I want a Ranchero. Always liked them and El Caminos. I dont need a full sized truck.

[@AndrewAMartin]

Maybe a Maverick would fit your needs? I don't need a full size truck either, except for those couple times a year I need to haul something that either won't fit in my small SUV or I don't want inside (dirty/smelly/messy).

[@RobotDCLXVI]

Same boat, but just bought my first car after driving a Colorado and Ridgeline for the last 20 years. Even the mid size trucks handle like boats. Never drove a Maverick or Santa Cruz. As far as I understand, they are built on crossover/tiny SUV platforms. Those are a mixed bag when it comes to handling.

[@Rocketsong]

@@AndrewAMartin The Mav is a cool little trucklet, but it's FWD, and automatic only. I want a modern Ranchero built off a Mustang with a 5.0 and stick shift. 6" bed so you can lay down in it, and it would be perfect.

[@brickhead_07]

Junkyard Digs revived one a few years ago

[@frankgrant4784]

All three (Durango, El Camino and Ranchero) were extremely light in the rear end. Rainy days were no picnic!

[@Rocketsong]

Neither was my 69 F-250. I started carrying bags of sand just aft of the rear wells in winter. It spun out more than once at very low speed. (2nd gear slowing to a stop)

[@QuartetTenor]

I saw a number of Rampage trucks, both at the dealership and in the wild. I had a ‘56 Plymouth Savoy at the time, and being a Chrysler nut, I thought the Rampage was beautiful! The front end looked very much like the Charger/Challenger which I also thought was awesome.

[@rancherodan5152]

Never owned but I have driven one pretty neat little ride. straight 6 powered with a c4 auto trans. very hard to find as there were only a handful made.

[@lindsaycathcart9025]

From 1950 to 2017 over 25% of vehicles in Australia were utes. They didn't have pickups. They were made by Holden and Ford.The coolest and fastest ute was the Holden Maloo. Check it out.

[@murraymadness4674]

Never heard of this vehicle, but it looks good, thanks for the video, learned something new. as others have commented, they had small trucks toyota, datsun so the 'ute' was not really needed. I am really tempted to create a truck out of my v90 volvo wagon. I've seen many of the smaller volvo wagons made into 'ute's. I orginally thought this was a going to be an australian only vehicle, they seem to be big on 'ute's

[@5610winston]

3:40 the LTDII was a reskinned Torino, and the wagons were less reskinned than the sedans were. "You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, and that's sufficient."

[@petestaint8312]

Excellent video! Never knew this about Ford. 👍

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Thank you man😎

[@nato7.62mm4]

I liked the video, so thank you for your time and effort creating it. I must admit my bias regarding this as I own a 1977 Ranchero GT that I have been modifying (as I do with all my vehicles), so the topic is " Near & Dear" to me. Thanks again... :-) L8R G8R

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Thank you man. It means a lot😎

[@daxhiestand3827]

Just saw one of these for the first time at Detroit Autorama.

[@TheGameGetterKuzuri]

I'd love to get my hands on a Fairmont Durango. Make a UTE-Stang

[@GreenHawkDrive]

That would be awesome

[@mattskustomkreations]

Pronunciation tip: Futura is pronounced “fyoo-CHƏR-uh”, with emphasis on the second syllable, not “future-uh”. Thx for sharing info on this rare conversion model.

[@Danjite]

I have personally seen all of the vehicles in this video except for the Ford Durango itself. I think this is really funny as somebody who was in high school in that era and has since been a Concours dé Elegance judge specialising in the obscure. How was this oddball not on my radar?

[@raisshafi]

Please more 00s content, i love your videos!

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Thank you man! This weeks video is a 2000s video😎

[@jons.6216]

I love both the classic El Caminos and Rancheros, but honestly when I come across the models from about 1973 on it's so disappointing to me how they just sucked all of the styling out of them! Same thing with Plymouth Valiants and Dodge Darts!

[@mikeisaacs2314]

Not a ford guy so yeah I never heard of this but the tail lights would be illegal now with the lights being on a panel that moves

[@kinglokimrvegas8687]

Even in 2024 there's a market for it but it's not big enough to exploit so the car manufacturers don't care about it and Ford has the explorer sport Trac which was a direct competitor to the Baja both kickass rides and the ssr I believe is built on a Corvette base

[@michaelwhite2823]

I think j heard about these. I've never seen one. To me the Fairmont was the beginning of thin sheet metal. Just my opinion. LTD II was just a Gran Torino.

[@TheREALOC1972]

It was a failure simply because, the Dodge Rampage and Subaru Brat failed, it was built on the wrong platform, The Compact car was never a viable platform for the Ute. Had they built the Durango on the right platform like the Crown Vic/Grand Marquis platform it would have worked.

[@HighStrangeDrifter]

How do explain the Ford Maverick then? It’s a unibody FWD platform that they can’t keep in stock. Also the Subaru Brat was a success. Produced from 77 to 94, they just stopped selling them in the States in 86.

[@TheREALOC1972]

@@HighStrangeDrifter Your talking a 40 year difference too...... What people back then isn't what people want now. The newest generations of Malibu's and Chargers have ALL been 4 doors, they would have NEVER gotten away with in the past but they sell like Hotcakes now. Go to a local car show or a Cars and coffee's, you'll see cars you never thought you'd see at a car show, 4 doors, Ford Fairmont's, Station wagons, mid 70's Muscle cars.... Things change over 40 years. The subcompact Ute works now, it didn't back then.

[@williambone7724]

Wished they bring back the Chevy El Camino!

[@ihatedietcola7920]

Junkyard Digs has one.

[@dj33036]

Did I miss it or did you not mention the GMC Caballero?

[@GoonSquadLifeMember]

Wasn't the Caballero dubbed "12 yards long, 2 lanes wide, 65 tons of American pride", and "A squirrel-squashin', deer-smackin' drivin' machine!!"

[@robertweeks7576]

Junkyard Digs on KZbin has a resto video on a Ford Durango.

[@seanhoward8025]

It was uni-body? The Rancheros were all body-on-frame, based on the wagon. I have owned both El Caminos and Rancheros. Rancheros were much better built trucks…for just this reason.

[@chrisxa1222]

You should start to review old cars

[@GreenHawkDrive]

What do you mean?

[@jamesadamiak6214]

Name recognition, bad timing, with the small pickup truck rise in popularity Ford should have called it the Fairmont Ranchero and marketed it as such.

[@colmhain]

Well, I mean.....LOOK AT IT!

[@Flies2FLL]

They made 212 of these and they were not actually produced by Ford.

[@TheSh4dowgale]

4:54 Ironic, comsidering nowadays, Ford gave the Mustang name to a shitty crossover.

[@richardprice5978]

BEV crossover/EscapeE is okay iv been in one but it's still not a mustang or convertible/pony platform, so i say it might shut people up and or attract people like me if there was a S550-BEV-convertible or hard-top to the lineup, and ps im a RB/hemi+7speed challenger/charger fan/owner 😉

[@v8valiant68]

Ford Australia and Holden GM only just recently stopped making utes, Chrysler Australia stopped in the early 80s, the utes down under Australia and New Zealand are very popular, still are, I had two 78 HZ Holden utes,

[@MichaelBradley1967]

Having had a 2005 GTO, I always thought GM missed the boat by not bringing the Maloo over as an El Camino, even if it was a bit detuned like the Pontiac G8.

[@P_RO_]

Never saw this Durango IRL, but I remember reading about it when it came out. It had one major flaw which helped kill it: you can't legally drive it with the tailgate down because that renders the tail and brake lights invisible. And people are going to drive trucks and station wagons that way even if you warn them not to. Utes are an awesome idea, giving car-like comfort with the usefulness of a light truck when you need that, but they never really caught on in the US. Now people just buy trucks which come with all the creature comforts of a car instead. if you can afford them that is...

[@charlesyoung7436]

Also the rear license plate was not visible. They came with a warning not to drive with the tailgate down.

[@richardprice5978]

@@charlesyoung7436 trailer kits fix that design-look wise in cut&shut is 👍 ( looks better than some after thought ute's-looks and wagon's as the back is harder to convert from passenger car and or convertible's, i should know as i looked at dodge's/charger's themed version's, the 1966 finned wagon roll down/bobble-top 😲👌and i generally don't like 1st gen's as im a 2 gen-owner ) but yes a pain for lumberjack-run's for home-project's so lighting would have to be monitored on the flag/lumber-end ( or cop-bar mounted ) and the plate would have to be in the back window ( id get a photocopy/picture as remounting can be a pain 😉, cop whats to craw-upside down that's on them lol 😆 besides there's generally a mounted front plate/tag's as a pair back+front-USA 🇺🇸 ) or on the trailer-lighting-kit at least for not towing/4-axel mode's

[@jamescooley5744]

Plus it was brought out when Ford already had two small pickups-the Courier that was imported from Mazda, and the soon to be introduced US made Ranger. Both would have taken sales from the Durango.

[@n5ifi]

I'm a lifelong Ford guy and I never even heard of a Ford Durango.

[@mypronouniswtf5559]

I bought one a Ford Durango in 1991.. I always bought/sold cars still do...Was a decent ride,put around 150 miles on it and made money on it too..Cant remember how much but it took 3 months to sell...I had it around my lot for awhile..Not bad as I knew it had limited appeal..I did buy some shrubs and other yard materials for my parents then new house,came in handy..Strange how different memories pop up when you see a car you forgot about lol..I bought and sold hundreds it seems of Fairmonts,those sold really good 2,4 doors and wagons..Even when they turned to the LTD basically a Fairmont but nicer. Chevy also had a Durango,they took the name after Ford dumped it..S-10 Durango...Then Dodge from 1998-today(2024).. Did you ever hear of a Plymouth Suburban? Made from the 1940's to the late 1970's I had a beautiful dark red 1970 Sport Suburban with a super strong 440 4bbl that was fun to drive,blew away a lot of 80's so called muscle cars lol..Even my brother in laws then new 88 Mustang GT 5 speed! I know people dont believe it but it did,the wagon would light the tires up from a 20 mph roll.. He was on my bumper roughly 1 car behind but still,funny..He is a Ford guy 100%..We got the numbers it was a factory order trailer tow with 3.55 gears,most had 2.94's. I bought that in 1990 sold it for a good profit even back then certain people knew what they were and wanted it..I did belong to a car club so that made it easier to sell.. the guy still owns it today,I asked about it he said he would take $25,000 car is immaculate ,but maybe one day when I am too old and I get sit in the rear facing seat and drool on myself and make faces at cars behind! Cheers!

[@dhart28]

I think he meant Ford Ranchero. 😊

[@DennisFrechette-et6gg]

Same here but I actually saw one in real life in Rome ga the other day and I thought someone just modified a fairmont, which is why I looked it up and this is what I found

[@computerweenie]

I'm probably mistaken but wasn't this an after market thing? I mean dealers could take a Fairmont to someon and have this done. Much like Cadillac did with Eldorado convertibles in the mid to late 90's.

[@TheLionAndTheLamb777]

@@computerweenie You are 100% correct. Ford sent them away to be converted. The car used was the Ford Fairmont Futura and it was converted into the Ford Durango. People saying that he meant a Ranchero are also mistaken as these were made after their production ended.

[@johneckert1365]

I think the name was a licensing issue. Ford had "Ranchero" trademarked, so the conversion company couldn't have used it without Ford's permission. If it was Ford produced, then Ranchero would've been absolutely appropriate. All the other Rancheros were basicly conversations from cars that already existed in thier lineup. First it was thier full-size car line, then the Falcon line, then the Fairlane line, and then lastly was the mid-size Torino-bird line.

[@999benhonda]

Man, I wish they'd do this again. Not some 4d with a small bed, but a 3 seater (bench) with a 6' bed.

[@badbiker666]

I had a 1980 Ford Fairmont Futura. I bought it used in 1980 with the factory warranty still in place. It had the straight six engine and 3-speed auto trans. It was a perfectly decent car, and I loved it. I had it until 1987 when my wife took it to the store and totaled it. Bummer. But, the reason I mention all of that is because, not too long ago, I saw an original, unrestored, Durango offered for sale by the side of the road near my house. Interior and exterior were the EXACT same colors as my old car. I wanted it! But, they wanted $12,000 for it, which was WAY out of my league. And it needed some work. I didn't have a garage any more, so restoring it myself was just not possible. Ah well. That's life, Eh?

[@jamesbosworth4191]

Too bad. You would have had a car that the pundits would insist never existed.

[@Photo0021]

Of course now they're back with the Crossover with a bed (Maverick). I'm seeing a lot of them!

[@landonbenford8369]

The Maverick is a pickup truck, Not a crossover. Can we PLEASE STOP calling Everything a crossover?!?!

[@Photo0021]

@@landonbenford8369 Its basically an Escape with a bed and extra kick. It's a pickup truck but it also drives like a crossover with a bed.

[@Plumberboi91]

Not a crossover. It's just a small truck like the ranger used to be.

[@autochatter]

It's FWD or optional AWD based off a car/crossover platform. A traditional truck is RWD/4WD with a body on frame design. A Maverick is a truck as it has a bed I guess. Its like a Honda Ridgeline.

[@StinkzMehaff]

​@@landonbenford8369 I agree with you 100%. It's a truck. "BUT ITS UNIBODY" yeah yah goober, who needs the additional 600 lbs of weight lol

[@AdamaSanguine]

That was a fun trip down memory lane. Good Times! Thanks GHawk. 👍

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Thank you for watching man!

[@caseysmith544]

@@GreenHawkDrive Do one on Ford and Chevy/GMC having truck/SUV minivans in 1987--2001 for Chevy/GMC and 1990--1995 for Ford.

[@jimlangley4779]

The LTD II took over for the Torino. The LTD II The Thunderbird and the Couger were all made on the same platform from 77 to 79

[@jimlangley4779]

In 1974 Ford had a 2 door coupe called the Grand Torino Elite and was produced 74 75 and 76 on the same platform as the Mercury Cougar The LTD II Got similar lines as the Grand Torino Elite

[@pcno2832]

@@jimlangley4779 It seems that Ford decided that the Coke-bottle lines of the Torino were more dated than the boxier lines of the Cougar, so they tried to build all of their mid-size Fords with Cougar sheet metal, so the cars got bigger but no roomier and Ford did some really strange things with the rooflines. It's surprising how many cars Ford sold this way, but the newly decontented Thunderbird added a lot to the total. I don't think it did much for Ford's brand identity and the shock of the shift from bloated Torino-based models to saner but much smaller Fox-based models left buyers complaining about getting less car for more money.

[@jimlangley4779]

@pcno2832 the cougar the Thunderbird and the LTD II were all basically the very same car the Thunderbird got used for NASCAR and took over for the racing duties of the torino and that is why the LTD life was short lived the mercury villager wagon was the same as the montego wagon and got a cougar front clip and a new name

[@alwayslearningthefacts5881]

Had a 78 t-bird, and 79 Lincoln mark IV. loved both.

[@jimlangley4779]

@@alwayslearningthefacts5881 I always wanted to get a 77 79 Thunderbird front clip and put it on a ranchro that would look cool

[@tommissouri4871]

I almost bought a Dodge Rampage in early '83. I could get one through the military auto sales for a very good price, drive it overseas while I was there, and they would ship it home for me free when I headed back. An idea of American dependability in a country known for Lucas, Prince of Darkness, was very attractive. I don't remember why I finally decided not to buy it.

[@overjack46]

My name is Dick Nesbitt, I am the"Veteran Ford Designer" mentioned. Fabrication was by Jim Stephenson...

[@donphillips5957]

To put the price into perspective, the base Fairmont went out the door at $4500. I know because I had one. Running up the price by 50% for the Futura package was already a stretch. I can see why Ford declined the Durango.

[@1heavyelement]

these things were all over the place in arizona and california back in the 80s same with the rampage. the armed forces bought the rampage in mass.and i had a78 ltd 2 such a stupid name for a car. but i needed wheels and it was cheap.what's really cool is that ford made a 4 speed manual trans for the fairmont.

[@IOSALive]

Green Hawk Drive, Your videos are fantastic! I just had to subscribe!

[@RadioReprised]

I had a 70 Ranchero with the hidden headlights from the Torino and a 429 with a 4 speed...tire roaster! El Camino was the best Truckcar ever though in the 70 Chevelle body.

[@ItsDaJax]

They're coupe utility vehicles. That El Camino was a Chevelle, it used the wagon body and even had the backseat fasteners in the floor, but covered on top. Same with the Ranchero; it's basically a Torino.

[@MrSloika]

If you definition of 'Ute' is a car chassis with a pick-up bed in place of a rear seat, the first 'Ute' was the Ford Model-T.

[@riogrande163]

You mean the model TT?

[@bobbrinkerhoff3592]

@@riogrande163 in 1925 Ford started making a pickup truck out of the ModelT roadster by leaving the turtle deck off and putting a pickup bed in it's place . However this isn't considered to be a Ute because the cab and bed are two separate items and not of an unibody design .

[@jamesbosworth4191]

@@riogrande163 The Double T was a real truck from the ground up.

[@53kenner]

I had a 78 Fairmont wagon with the 4 cylinder and 4 speed. It wasn't an exciting machine, but the handling was great and the vehicle possessed both surprising utility and economy. I could have gotten behind the Durango.

[@michaelcolston9334]

The LTD was a restyle and rename of the Ford Torino line which includes the Ranchero

[@UhOK327]

*LTD II

[@TomSnyder-gx5ru]

A blunder by Ford, it really cheapened the LTD brand in my opinion - like Cadillac did with the Cimarron.

[@RipRoaringGarage]

That 4.2L was one of Fords absolute worst engines ever. It was so unreliable...I had it in my 82 Grand Prix. Long story...dont ask lol. I still have a Ranchero though. 351 4bbl, but like with all these cars, no floorboards. They rusted so easy, and there are no parts.

[@TopNotch2real]

My first car was a 79 Ford futura this is the truck version

[@noduh736]

I had a 73 ranchero with a 390 4v i think had they kept the Ranchero name it would have done better

[@johnrobinson5156]

Those were very expensive vehicles when new. Not worth it when I could buy a nice high performance Ranchero or ElCamino from 60's or early 70's for a fraction of new Durango

[@MrJayrock620]

One of the guys I went to school with had a Dodge Rampage. He swapped a 2.2 turbo out of a Daytona into it

[@OG-BIG-SHEPHERD.]

And it still did 0-60 in 25 seconds😂

[@MrJayrock620]

@@OG-BIG-SHEPHERD. “0-60?” (Dodge) “Yes”

[@adamtrombino106]

I did that for a friend that had an 82 Rampage 2.2, after that engine grenaded. We found an 87 Shelby Charger that was hit hard in the rear and transplanted the drivetrain, electrical, fuel tank etc. We had to get an exhaust system made for it though. The Shelby's exhaust was crushed and the stock L body stuff wouldn't fit the Rampage platform. Plus it was way too small. Slow off the line due to turbo lag, once it got spooled that thing moved! We should've put in the Shelby's firm feel quick ratio steering system and larger frt brakes. Fun fact is that we had to use 2 Shelby wheels ( 5 stud) on the front, and 2 OE Rampage wheels on the rear, 4 stud, so the car kinda looked goofy IMO.

[@dannysrigid]

@@adamtrombino106 Early '90s, I had a co-worker that drove a Shelby Rampage as his daily driver.

[@rogerrendzak8055]

Funny how Chrysler, never introduced, a coupé utility vehicle. I always wondered, 'bout that🤔.

[@tedlogan4867]

The fox body was a failure outright, and almost destroyed Ford. the least worst selling fox body was the Mustang, and much of the fox body mustang sales were to government agencies across north America. The fairmont, the cougar, the zephyr, the marquis, as well as lincoln continental and mkvii.... and the granada... all were duds. Mustang was due to be permanently cancelled after the 1984 model year, and replaced with the Ford Probe, but due to a letter writing campaign, ford pulled mustang from the scrap heap and started from scratch with body SN95. every single model of fox body ford/mercury/lincoln were duds, with the musting being the least of a dud largely due to CHP and many other government agencies buying nearly half of fox body sold. To understand this fully, look at Ford share prices. they were on the brink of bankruptcy, and it was the Taurus that saved the company, but that's another story.

[@kevinwong6588]

SN95 was a reworked Fox. And Fairmont/Zephyr did well in their early years, at least until competition went FWD in the early 80s.

[@tedlogan4867]

@@kevinwong6588 Again, go back and look at Ford shares. The company was on the razors edge of failing. Almost every line they made, except their pickups, was a net loss, and had been for years. That entire era is known as "the malaise era" and ford was right there in the middle of it. Until Taurus came out of nowhere, but that's another story.

[@robertobuenrostro2781]

It's called a Volkswagen Caddy. 🤔

[@mpf1947]

Funny thing about the Caddy: it was the Rabbit Pickup first.

[@kirksway1]

I think you should include the REO Speedwagon when you show pickup/Ute comparison. Many would argue that it's the first "pickup-truck" as we think of one today.

[@adamsmith9636]

As a huge fan of Fairmont Futura when I first heard of the Ford Durango I said i must have one , well 25 years later and still no Ford Durango in my garage.

[@timcompton8352]

They’re fun to reminisce about but they were a gutless POS. My dad had a Durango throughout the 80’s into the 90’s. You couldn’t haul anything with the tailgate down because the taillights wouldn’t be visible.

[@johnmcmullen456]

Nice looking vehicle. Price always a problem when you involve a subcontractor vs done in-house like the El Camino. Too bad it wasn't around long enough to get the Mustang GT 5.0 and 5 speed. I doubt the tailgate light placement kept owners from dropping it when needing to carry longer loads. The El Camino later models with the tail lights in the bumper seems would obscure visibility of lights as well with the tailgate down.

[@OLDS98]

Excellent research once again. I recall the LTD II because my family had one. It was jade green and stripped. No power windows or locks. Am radio. I recall that car big time. It was on the same platform with the Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar of that area. They were all based off the Ford Elite before them. That was the 1977-1979 era. I also recall the Durango. They were indeed rare, but I recall them and you found some videos on You Tube. I recall GM's El Camino and GMC version from that era too. GM had two vehicles to Ford's one. The El Camino sunset after 1987 model year. They thought about bringing it back on the W Lumina. They had concepts they showed, but it never went into production. There was one based of the 1994-1996 Chevrolet Impala SS that also did not go into production. GM Pontiac was using the Holden Commodore as the Pontiac G8, they were going to bring the Holden UTE to the United States and sell it as the Pontiac sport truck., It did not happen. There are videos of these cars I am sharing here on You Tube and online. Thank you for the video. I do not use social media, but I appreciate you giving a way to contact you.

[@P_RO_]

Nice to see you and your vast knowledge here 😁 Another thing that killed the Utes from the manufacturer's drawing boards was the valid fear that they would cut into small and mid-sized truck sales which were doing well at the time, and the mid-sizes still are. I've seen a few well-done home-made Utes and if the opportunity presents itself I might do one myself.

[@OLDS98]

@@P_RO_ Thank you for your very interesting information as well. I totally did not think about that.

[@adamtrombino106]

@@P_RO_ Yes. What killed that market was the compact truck craze started by Japan. By the mid 80s, the American made compact trucks could have every luxury option known to man, offer 4wd, a small back seat, and do more than a ute could. Add that these trucks could be had with more efficient fuel injected engines and manual OD transmissions for good mileage. I believe the only yr 1 could get an El Camino with EFI was that last yr of 87, with the 4.3 V6. I worked on 1 of those when I worked for GoodYear from 95-03. It's the only 1 I've ever seen since.

[@ItsDaJax]

I think I want an LTD ii sedan now.

[@mikyl-fo8rh]

The durango was a half-hearted attempt.

[@KillrMillr7]

My Dad had a 77 Ranchero, he loved that thing.

[@patrick87100]

Definitely a subaru baja is needed & jeep comanche

[@jacobperez7246]

I agree!

[@Joe-cu4hi]

LTD II was very similar to the Torino and Cougar of the same era. My dad had all three at different years 😊

[@ianhelyar6383]

Ford continued making utes in Australia until 2016. the last few, from 2000 had a two piece construction. Separate cab and tray. Holden (GM) had a one piece ute until 2016 as well. With a 5litre V8, it was a monster!

[@johnperry1334]

Ford Australia also used a 5.4 V8 for awhile, last of falcon utes used the 4.0 Barra inline six N/A or Turbo.

[@ianhelyar6383]

@@johnperry1334 There was a time when Ford utes were available with a 351...I've never had a V8. Mine is the 4.0 Barra N/A.

[@pcno2832]

This was around the time that "real trucks" and SUVs were catching on as the new alternatives for big-car buyers and I remember a lot of truck buyers having a serious attitude about these car-based pickups. It's too bad, because for buyers who didn't need a real truck, especially business owners, these vehicles would have done the job on a lot less fuel.

[@tommissouri4871]

Right, up until the mid '70s, trucks were trucks. But the Silverado version was bringing a refinement to the Chevy trucks that meant you no longer needed an El Camino to have a car-like interior. Part of what made that possible was the Suburban had gone from being completely utilitarian and moving the family vehicle in the previous generation, especially with camping and towing a camping trailer. The same with the Chevrolet crew cab which was primarily a work truck, but by applying an off-the-shelf in-house deluxe interior, could be turned into a family-friendly tow vehicle for camping, boating, horses, and such. The need of a car-like El Camino was lessened. Also, using a truck platform allowed more towing capacity, like larger camping trailers, larger horse trailers, and larger boats. By the time the Ford Durango came out in the '80s, there just wasn't a strong need. The Dodge Rampage was a way to compete with the Ranger and S-10 pickups.

[@siegessaule]

I wonder how durable the fibreglass bed was, especially after 10+ years of UV exposure. I'm sure anyone who actually planned to haul things in the bed would choose the El Camino for the cheaper price and conventional steel bed.

[@Bonjour-World]

I can remember when trucks came with wood rail beds. Some people soaked them with used engine oil to keep them from rotting.

[@BretButlerSr]

When I was a kid I saw the Ford Durango at the dealership .

[@hughjass1044]

They must have been rare indeed. I never heard tell of such a beast.

[@Greatdome99]

Futura is pronounced Few tour-a, not Futra.

[@alexquick5491]

Maybe he's used to saying Futa

[@Rockfan10001]

Thanks for this story, Green Hawk. I don't recall the Ford Durango, but enjoy seeing the old Rancheros and El Caminos, whenever I come across one. Keep up the good work!

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Thank you for commenting man. I appreciate that😎

[@whirlpool1978]

I’m partial to the El Caminos-they were my favorite of that style body.

[@mikalnaylor]

I had the 82 Rampage and a 1979 Ranchero GT and Ive owned a 1969 El Camino.

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Wow😂

[@KDFRxpo2]

If a weird car was a political party (D) 😏

[@OsbornTramain]

You're way off base calling this a failure. I don't know if that's to get clicks? The Durrango was a special custom car built by National Coachbuilders, it's not an official ford production car. It was built for people that wanted something "custom" something different. The whole point was to be a Halo car and limited in numbers. They built it for a number of years and people bought them special order. They weren't a failure and it's a shame folks like you always go to the negative. Sales numbers don't mean success, happy customers and profits mean success. The Fairmont product line was abundantly profitable for Ford and commissioning a custom car for discerning customers gave the customers what they wanted and built loyalty to Ford Products.......Halo cars are never made to be big sellers. They aren't failutes, they are done for marketing reasons. To get people into the show room. AT this time, all Ford, Dodge and Chevy Dealers were working with coach builders to provide Custom Vans. Cadillac used custom coach companies to build various special Caddy long wheel base cars.....it's what they did then, they didn't sell in big numbers.....they were totally successful at what they were intended to do, bring people into the dealers. It's also not a UTE.....that's Australian and not a term ever used in the USA.

[@GreenHawkDrive]

I had a great conversation with the son of this operation and he told me he appreciated the video. The title fits a broader audience versus a title that is far too specific to be reached. I really don’t appreciate the condescending demeanor. Let’s be respectful. We are both car enthusiasts and it’s completely normal to not know every single exact detail. People make mistakes.

[@lonewanderer3603]

I wish automakers cared about not shitting on classic name badges in 2024...

[@AledPritchard]

Seeing that Skyranger again made me nauseous. Another really good video, lots here I didn’t have a clue about. You guys had so many cars of so many variations of so many brands in the 70s, 80s, and maybe even the 90s. We had a few car brands over here in the 70s, but even at the height of car production here there was never the amount of options as available in the USA. Spoilt for choice.

[@Chris.Davies]

And yet the smaller Subaru Brat and Baha were worldwide sales successes. I'm guessing that the quality of these hunks of junk was miserable at best, and downright shocking at worst.

[@jimthomas1989]

Frod Failed from the START ! and continues to Fail 😂

[@GreenHawkDrive]

Frod?

[@MichaelBradley1967]

It might have been better if they called it a Ranchero, even if it wasn't really meant to replace that one. Also, making it look like the Fairmont/Futura couldn't have helped.

[@autochatter]

My best friend drove a 79 LTD II for years. Never really understood it as it was real similar to the Thunderbird then. Utes were cool, but more practical compact trucks with extended cabs, and no 4x4 versions pretty much killed them off. Awesome vid Hawk!

[@johneckert1365]

In that era, Ford's LTDII, T-bird, Torino, and Ranchero were all pretty much the same carm

[@autochatter]

@@johneckert1365 Yep.. His was burgundy with a white factory Starksy and Hutch style stripe on it

[@johnmcmullen456]

​@@johneckert1365Mercury Cougar too.

[@johneckert1365]

@@autochatter lol, awesome 👌

[@62Madison]

The Ford Durango was a handsome aftermarket conversion- didn’t know it was so $$. The 1977 LTD II was a redesigned Tornio with a lot of front overhang. Ford downsized the Ranchero to Falcon in 1960 which morphed into Falcon based Fairlane-Torino in 1967. The 1972 Torino/Ranchero was a heavy body on frame ‘midsized’ that ended with LTD II/Ranchero in 1979.

[@somerandomness4285]

Every last one had a 3.3 was auto

[@X85283]

The Studebaker Coupe Express isn't a ute, to me. The bed isn't integrated. Yes the cab is a bit car-like but it was even sold as a chassis cab for people to put their own boxes on. Seems like a unique pickup / truck to me, but not a ute like the Ranchero or El Camino (or Durango or Brat or Baja). This then begs the question if I consider the unibody F series trucks from the 60s to be a ute.... No because while they have an integrated bed they are still built with a truck cab, not a car cab. Has to have both for me to call it a ute. IDK where that leaves Cybertruck - perhaps it is neither ute nor truck but instead just "steaming pile of dogshit"....

[@Rocketsong]

It failed because it was an expensive conversion. Same for the Mustero (which was a conversion of a Mustang into a Ranchero like vehicle). Vehicles like this only are ecconomical if they are factory built on the same line as the base model. Plus the market was already shifting to small body on frame pickups like the soon to be Ford Ranger.

[@316jd140]

I heard of the Ford Durango, but not until recently in another youtube video that I believe was talking about the Ford Fairmont and the Mercury version (Zehper, I believe). It's ironic that this design is showing up again, starting with the Honda Ridgeline from a few years ago, to the more recent Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz. Of course in the 80s there was the Dodge Rampage and Plymouth Scamp and the VW Rabbit pickup, and Subaru had the Brat that came out before those did.

[@melikama]

The utility or "ute", originated with Ford Australia, in 1934. The Aussie Ford, and GM range always included utes, up until local manufacturing ended in 2016/17, respectively. Australian Chrysler Valiants were available as utes from 1965, to 1980. Utes are a cultural icon here, popular both with tradesmen, as well as hoons. (ie.revheads)

[@Mark_317]

I have a 71 GMC sprint SP, its got an ls-5 454 a 4speed and a 12 bolt rear end. It's the same as a 71 el camino SS with GMc badges. My uncle willed it to me a few years ago. I've brought to a bunch of car shows and hardly anyone knows what it is.

[@visualverbs]

The Ranchero was by far the best looking, dripping with 1970's kitsch. The current Santa Cruz, by (ugh) Hyundai, might qualify as a 'Ute.' It's certainly NOT a truck.